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Most of us hear about sustainable fashion along with the brands and shopping habits that are taking us to a more eco-friendly future. Yet, there are other areas of our lives that can use a sustainable refresh. One of them being our beauty and personal care products. Did you know that the beauty industry alone creates 7.9 billion units of plastic products yearly? Or, that products like shampoos can include chemicals like 1,4-dioxane that create suds and in some studies are linked to cancer? Some sustainable brands are addressing these concerns with products like shampoo bars- which promise to minimize plastic waste while being made from natural ingredients that are safe for our body and the planet.
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Solid beauty products aren’t new. But, in an age when liquid shampoos and the plastic containers that hold them have become the norm, they’re out of the ordinary. Brands that have these water-free products usually have an ethos that is catered towards improving the environment. So, here’s a breakdown about why solid shampoos are better for the environment (and your hair and scalp too).
They’re Plastic Free
On average, it’s estimated that we throw out 550 million shampoo bottles yearly. And, that’s just in the United States. Imagine what that number is worldwide. We throw out a lot of plastic trash and most of that comes from packaging materials like shampoo bottles.
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Shampoo bars don’t need much more than class paper to be wrapped in and shipped. This paper can be reused, recycled or in some cases even composted. This helps to relieve the excess plastic waste that is polluting our landfills. And, if you want to store your shampoo bar, invest in an aluminum or bamboo container that you can keep in the shower for your bars to fully dry in between uses.
Zero Waste Packaging
Reducing waste in our bathrooms is important. According to some reports, while the average household might be adamant about recycling packaging from the kitchen, only 50% of packaging materials from bathroom products are recycled. So, it could pay off in the longrun when it comes to reducing our waste by purchasing unpackaged items like a shampoo bar.
You’re not only saying goodbye to plastic waste when you invest in a shampoo bar to wash your delicate strands. You’re also investing in less waste. Retailers like Eco Roots deliver a shampoo to your door that is package-free. That means that outside of the standard shipping materials, which are recyclable, this bar is completely naked of access packaging that would otherwise end up as waste.
Natural Ingredients, Sustainably Sourced
What ingredients are you putting on your hair? Most likely, you’ll find these these popular ingredients listed if you read the shampoo bottle. Lauryl sulfate and surfates are the common detergent ingredients that cleanse your hair and scalp in most shampoos. However, these can be harsh on your strands and strip your scalp of needed moisture. Other chemicals like cocamide or cocamidopropyl betain provide the suds and lather that you enjoy from your shampoos. Silicon is another popular ingredient that provides a feeling of sleekness to hair thanks to its coating of the hair strands.
Eco-friendly shampoo bars are a source of natural ingredients like jojoba oil, bamboo extract or cocoa butters to nourish and cleanse your strands. Read the ingredients to see what the Latin name is for each ingredient. The best brands will no only feature natural ingredients, but they’ll also ensure that they’re sourced sustainably, working with farmers directing where they can to ensure that sustainable farming practices are followed and wages are fair.
Waterless = Saving Water
Did you know that up to 80% of your shampoo in a plastic bottle is water? That means that only 20% of your liquid shampoos are active ingredients (along with fragrances and preservatives) that actively cleanse your hair.
Water-free products like shampoo bars are becoming popular in the eco-friendly community as a way to reduce waste and in particular water waste. These products might appear smaller in size, but that’s because their ingredients haven’t been diluted by water. Instead, these are potent formulas of oils, butter and other hair care ingredients that promise clean and healthy hair without the excess of other stuff.