Easy Sustainable Swaps For Your Shower Routine, According To A Life Coach
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Sustainability is finally on the forefront of many of our minds, and it can — perhaps surprisingly to some — be embraced in the shower. In addition to the plastic waste created by the packaging of personal hygiene products, it has now been confirmed that many of these products produce chemical emissions collectively comparable to vehicle emissions (via Science Daily). While big-picture issues like public policy are essential to fighting climate change, making smart consumer decisions like switching to sustainable personal hygiene products can make a difference as well.
If you're new to making eco-conscious purchasing choices, figuring out how to revamp your shower routine to prioritize sustainability within your personal hygiene practices can feel a little overwhelming. Fortunately, Glam touched base with professional life coach and relationship expert Aditya Kashyap Mishra of Moodfresher.com. Follow along for her exclusive advice on going green in one of the places where it matters most: the shower.
Switch to bar soap
A great, low-pressure first step toward making your shower routine more eco-friendly is to make the switch from liquid body wash to bar soap. "Body wash comes in plastic bottles that end up in landfills and take hundreds of years to decompose," Aditya Kashyap Mishra exclusively told Glam. "Bar soap comes in simple paper packaging and lasts longer than body wash, making it a more sustainable option," she explains. "Plus, bar soap is great for your skin."
Worried about soap scum accumulating in your shower? Many people switch to liquid soaps to avoid the waxy residue that can accumulate from some of the ingredients that are commonly used to keep bar soap products solid. However, choosing a natural glycerin bar soap can keep your shower sparkling clean and help your skin retain moisture. Your skin wins, your shower wins, and the planet wins. What more could you ask for?
Choose a reusable razor
If you were to use one disposable plastic razor per week between the ages of 15 and 55, you would contribute over 2,000 plastic razors to landfills. If 150 million people were to use 2,000 razors over their lifetimes, a total of 300 million razors would be discarded. While these numbers might seem exaggerated, they actually drastically underrepresent the situation at hand. According to Statista, over 160 million folks purchased disposable razors on a yearly basis, which indicates that at least the majority of those are winding up in landfills.
Switching to a reusable safety razor that features a permanent handle and detachable disposable blades can significantly cut down on waste. Aditya Kashyap Mishra's exclusive advice on the matter? "Safety razors are long-lasting, easy to use, and will save you money in the long run. Plus, they reduce the amount of plastic waste in landfills and oceans." Check out a subscription service like Billie to have your new razor handle and all its future razor blades shipped directly to your home.
Invest in a PVC-free shower curtain
Inexpensive plastic shower curtains are often made out of PVC, which has been found to release chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds are associated with symptoms of eye, nose, and throat irritation in humans, along with nausea, vomiting, nosebleeds, headaches, and central nervous system damage (via the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice). Once PVC is manufactured, it cannot be recycled or disposed of in a safe manner — its chemicals will leach into soil and water when thrown away and turn into the poisonous gas known as dioxin when burned.
Aditya Kashyap Mishra exclusively advises Glam readers to replace their PVC shower curtains with natural, sustainable options. "Switch to a sustainable shower curtain made from natural materials like cotton or linen," she encourages. "These materials are eco-friendly and biodegradable, making them a great sustainable option for your shower routine." Shower curtains made of PEVA or recycled plastics are also safer and more sustainable than PVC curtains.
Ditch traditional shampoo
Bar soap isn't just for your body anymore. Shampoo bars are a more convenient, cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly option for keeping your hair clean than bottled shampoo, which comes in wasteful plastic packaging. Aditya Kashyap Mishra gave her exclusive take on the shampoo bar trend: "Shampoo bars are a great alternative as they come in paper packaging and can last up to three times longer than traditional shampoo bottles," she explained. "They also save you space in your shower and are easy to take with you when you travel."
Check out Lush for packaging-free shampoo bars that last for up to 80 washes. The company has been ahead of the eco-friendly game for years, producing and selling handmade, cruelty-free sustainable haircare and skincare products since 1995. Worried that a bar won't cut it for your very thick or curly hair? Don't — there's a bar form of shampoo for every hair type and conditioner bars are available as well.
Use a reusable shower cap
Most hair types shouldn't be washed on a daily basis. Depending on your hair's texture and condition, you should probably be washing between once and three times each week. This creates a situation where you may want to shower every day, but not wash your hair. The classic solution to this problem is the humble shower cap, which keeps your hair dry as you shower. Unfortunately, disposable plastic shower caps are designed to only be used once, which results in huge amounts of plastic waste.
Switching from disposable shower caps to reusable ones is an easy and effective way to make your personal hygiene routine more sustainable. Aditya Kashyap Mishra exclusively told Glam that she recommends cotton or bamboo shower caps as the most environmentally-friendly choice. "These materials are eco-friendly and biodegradable, making them a great sustainable option for your shower routine," she elaborated. The good news is that reusable caps often come in adorable colors, prints, and styles.
Switch to a bamboo hairbrush
When you think about every plastic hairbrush you've owned and discarded throughout your life so far, the list is probably fairly long. Since plastic brushes aren't built to last a lifetime, this is the case for nearly everyone, adding up to a major source of plastic waste. Aditya Kashyap Mishra's exclusive solution? Bamboo. "Switch to a bamboo hairbrush, which is eco-friendly and sustainable," she advises. "Bamboo is a fast-growing plant that is easy to cultivate and has a low environmental impact. Plus, bamboo hairbrushes are gentle on your scalp and hair."
In fact, bamboo brushes are reportedly less damaging to your hair and scalp, better at distributing your scalp's natural oils, and produce less frizz than plastic brushes do. They're much more affordable than you might expect them to be as well. You can currently purchase an average-sized bamboo paddle brush by Gainwell on Amazon for just $9.99.
Break up with your synthetic loofah
The bamboo movement isn't just for hairbrushes. If you're a loyal loofah user, you don't have to forgo your loofah altogether. Instead, follow Aditya Kashyap Mishra's exclusive advice and ditch your synthetic loofah for one that's made from bamboo. "Most sponges and loofahs are made from synthetic materials that are not biodegradable and end up in landfills," the life coach explains. "Switch to a bamboo loofah, which is eco-friendly and compostable." As a bonus, she explains, "bamboo loofahs are gentle on your skin, and they last longer than traditional sponges, making them a great sustainable option."
If you're more of a sponge person, simply swap your synthetic sponge for a natural sea sponge. These made-by-the-ocean sponges are sustainably harvested, bio-degradable, and eco-friendly. Sea salt scrub is optional. Now, go stock up on your favorite sustainable hygiene products and let your new guilt-free shower routine begin!