6 simple ways to make your daily beauty routine more eco-friendly
With more brands making sustainable products, becoming less wasteful need not be overwhelming
Living a sustainable lifestyle is easier than you think, although it is overwhelming to read news about climate change. Learning about huge icebergs melting at a dramatic pace leaves us feeling fearful, worried and helpless as to what can we do to save our planet. There are, in fact, small ways we can change on a daily basis to help.
We see an increasing number of companies and brands desperately looking for ways to contribute to saving the Earth. Some countries are more advanced than others, but that only means more options and solutions are available given their technology and resources, as well tapping into national education and culture. For example, cities like Copenhagen, Stockholm, and some in Japan, are known for their well-developed recycling systems. Other metropolitan cities like Shanghai and London are now following this example. Before you become further overwhelmed trying to work out how to separate all your rubbish into 10 categories, start with the basics.
We have identified a few ordinary things that can be replaced in the household for less wasteful products. In an average household of four people, by simply replacing six of their daily products with items which are more sustainable or biodegradable, it means that 24 fewer pieces of rubbish are created by that household. These brands are doing their best to create genuinely sustainable products and achieving a zero-waste goal. Their products are responsibly sourced, use biodegradable materials and packaging and are cruelty free and vegan verified.
1. Toothbrush
Many of us who are slowly embracing a sustainable lifestyle start by replacing their plastic toothbrush with a bamboo one. Of course, there is the electric toothbrush which last slightly longer, but they consume electricity. Bamboo toothbrushes are light, usually made with 100 per cent biodegradable bamboo, and bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth. You may ask, does it not get mouldy easily given the humidity in the bathroom and Hong Kong? Bamboo is antibacterial and antifungal, so is the best material for toiletries. The key is to keep it dry after use and consider pairing your brush with a bamboo toothbrush case with aerating holes on either end to alleviate hygiene concerns.
Some leading companies like the Swedish brand The Humble Co, German brand HYDROPHIL and French brand Victor Vaissier are producing clean, simple and cool designs made with renewable raw materials, taking toothbrushes to another level. The Humble Co has a range of oral care products that also include gum and toothpaste. It clearly explains the materials and how to recycle for each product. HYDROPHIL, the leading sustainable brand in Germanic speaking countries, has saved 53.9 tons of plastic by far, that is about 2,700,000 plastic bottles.