Who Said Self-Care Couldn’t Be Eco-Friendly?

By Vivian El-Salawy on June 11, 2018

Self-care is incredibly important, as it contributes to an individual’s physical and mental wellbeing. However, this often comes with at the cost of the environment. Many self-care products are either distributed in plastic containers, are tested on animals, or contain chemicals that, when disposed of, may negatively impact its surrounding environment. People often neglect the environmentally friendly options that are available for many self-care products. In addition, there are endless DIY recipes that are easy to follow and at times, are even better for you than mass-produced products available in retail stores.

Organic Facials

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An oatmeal facial is an incredibly simple, yet soothing experience that will leave you feeling and looking better. All you have to do is combine half a cup of hot water with 1/3 of a cup of oatmeal and let it settle for two to three minutes. After it has settled, mix in 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons of honey, and a small egg white. Once you have stirred the ingredients together, apply a thin layer of it to your face and let it sit for approximately fifteen minutes. When rinsing off your face, make sure to do so with warm water. Keep in mind that washing off the granules of oatmeal may not be the best for your bathroom sink, so do so accordingly.

If you aren’t in a Do It Yourself mood, you can also check out Farmacy’s Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask. This is a great product for those that are cruelty-free, organic consumers. A great charcoal mask is that of Origin’s Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. This product is also available at Sephora. If you are unsure about investing your money in these products, you can always consult an associate about any available samples, which may help you make your mind up or determine whether they are what is best for your skin type.

Organic Tea Bath

Nothing feels better than a hot bath after a long day. Sitting yourself in some warm water, listening to soothing music and pulling out your favorite book while you relax is something that we don’t really make time for anymore. However, one way to organically enhance the experience is with Osmia Organics Organic Tea Bath. Just as if you were making yourself a cup of tea, you simply drop one tea bag in you bath water and let it soak to release its extracts. Each tea bag can be used at least twice (just be sure to hang it and let it dry between uses). This product is great for all skin types – especially dry and itchy skin, and contains a blend of organic botanicals, organic gluten-free oats, and Epsom salts.

Hair Care Packaging

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L’Occitane is a brand that prides itself in its sustainability, particularly when it comes to packaging its products. They follow strict guidelines when it comes to the materials that they use, and rely on resources that are renewable or that come from sustainably managed forests. Additionally, they offer refillable pouches for their products, including some of their best-selling products such as their soaps, face wash, shampoo, and so on. For instance, if you are shopping for hair care online, you can press on the body and bath tab, and proceed to hair care. There, they will redirect you to the best products for you based off of your hair condition, and offer either the original product bottle, or eco-friendly refills. It’s a great way to keep a customer while reducing the amount of waste that is excreted from the usage of beauty products.

Homemade Lotion

The Nourished Life provides over forty different homemade lotion recipes, establishing the ultimate collection. There are countless, all-natural, easy-to-make lotion recipes that exist on the internet. Best of all, when you make them at home, you can keep them in a reusable glass jar (perhaps a mason jar or glass bottle) to reduce plastic waste. Obviously, not every lotion recipe is for everybody, so offering such a large selection is great for people to discover what works best for their own skin type and work from there. The lotion industry is a dumping ground for chemicals, and there are few brands that exist that are safe for individuals with extremely sensitive skin. By creating your own lotion, you can avoid exposing your body to those chemicals, as well as avoid contributing to the plastic waste that comes from these products.

Aluminum-Free Deodorant 

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I swapped over from using antiperspirants to using organic deodorant when my roommate told me about a study she had read on how most antiperspirants are aluminum-based. The element temporarily plugs your sweat ducts, therefore reducing the amount you sweat (and as a result, blocking the stench of sweaty armpits). However effective it may be, there are additional studies that provide that the aluminum-based deodorants can cause cancer. Having a family history of breast cancer, I swapped over to using organic deodorants, which can be found online or in most stores such as Walmart, Target or local grocery stores.

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