Transform your bathroom into an eco-friendly temple

Do you know how many beauty products you have in your bathroom? I truly enjoy trying out new crèmes, makeup, or hair masks. When I discover something new that is supposedly good for my skin, I’ll buy it. Over the years I have collected a significant amount of care products which I carefully incorporated in my morning and evening routine. I thought I was heading in the eco direction of creating a plastic free bathroom, but that illusion fell apart when I decided to count all my beauty products. 89 bottles and tubes. Which, almost all of them, contains microplastics. Ouch, that was a wake-up call. Do I even use all of that? Do they really add value to my skin, hair, and body? I decided to take a closer look at my beauty routine and started to find more eco-friendly alternatives to get rid of the plastic in my bathroom.

 

Read my tips below to transform your bathroom into an eco-friendly temple:

 

  • Reevalute your skin/body/hair routine. Less is more

I used to polish my nails every week. Nowadays I rarely wear any color on my fingernails. I prefer to keep them clean and just grease my nails with some oil (Argan or Coconut) for that extra shine. See where you can get the same result with less products. And a lot cheaper as well! 

 

  • Finish your stock of products and invest in eco-friendly alternatives: 

I recently started using shampoo bars after finishing my shampoo bottles. Works really well for me and as a bonus point: easy to take with you on holiday. The next two trial products on my list are eco-friendly deodorant – I got the stick from Loveli – and period underwear from Snuggs. Other sustainable stores for skincare products are: We love the planet, Food for Skin & REN clean skincare. 

 

  • Quality is key

For me the basis of everything: always invest in quality. A good hairbrush or make-up brush lasts a lifetime. I bought a wooden hairbrush with real hair (not vegan) a decade ago. My hair doesn’t break and feels soft. If you clean your brushes regularly, you can keep using it forever. A good place to start – and not that expensive – is the Dutch webshop of Bamboovement.

 

  • Start small: decide what part of your routine you prioritize and what products you can change easily

Although there are plenty of clean beauty products on the market. Still, not every product has the same effect on your skin as the one filled with microplastics. I used to have the face cream of Naïf, but it actually didn’t work for my skin and I switched back to a not sustainable one. Just think about the products you can change and feel comfortable with and start from there. 

 

AND lastly… the answer to almost anything: coconut oil

The good old-fashioned coconut oil works every time. Especially if you’re on a low budget, this miracle product is fantastic. I use the oil for dry ends in my hair, to remove makeup, and to hydrate dry lips or skin.

 

 

Charlotte (28) has worked as a high fashion model for years. During these years she found out how polluting the fashion industry can be. In 2020 she came into contact with the term ‘slow fashion’ and decided to take a closer look at her own consumption behavior. Since 2023 she has been a sustainable model at modeling agency Belle & Co and writes blogs about her quest for a more sustainable life. Book Charlotte as a model here!