Monday, 6 July 2020

Our Eco Journey - The Bathroom


Well here we go, another little mini-series I've been planning since re-starting Underland to Wonderland is finally here and for some reason, I'm a little nervous to post. Therefore, to start off, before I say anything else I have to direct your attention to a specific word in the post title - 'Journey'. This is a journey. I have been adjusting my lifestyle since I was a teenager, from consciously seeking out only cruelty-free options for health and beauty as well as cleaning and home products, to going vegan and working on my eco-friendliness. It is a life long journey and I know there are still things I use out of necessity or even purely not being able to afford alternatives, but am I trying and that is the main thing.

Now that all of that is out of the way I want to share the things we are doing or using in our house to try and be as natural, animal-friendly, eco-friendly and eventually as low waste as possible. It's so lovely to have a husband with the same values as me and who also cares a lot about these things, so all the products I'll be showing you are used by both of us (where applicable).
Over the years I've used multiple different companies and we are settling into some favourites so let's get started out with our bathroom favorites!


I'm going to lay this out super simply and describe the items shown in the images, from top to bottom.

Bare Coconuts Natural Bar Soap.
These soaps are awesome. We have different bars used for different things, but this one is what I use to wash my face. 'Shock Horror!'. Yep, my skincare routine is 3 or 4 products and bar soap is the main product. These bars are plastic-free, cruelty-free, palm oil-free and vegan. Great range, lovely scents, lather up amazingly, just really nice soaps!
These are made by Primal Suds, a husband and wife team from Southampton and from their social media presence I have to say they are super down to earth cool dudes. 

Check them out here >  https://primalsuds.com/.


Coconut Fiber Soap Rest.
100% biodegradable and compostable, long life, ethically made soap rest. This is a better (in my opinion) option to traditional plastic or ceramic soap dishes as it helps the soap to dry out better in between uses, prolonging the life of the bar. It also feels much safer than having ceramic that could smash if it sticks or slips. 



Thor Beard Oil.
What is better than a cool beard oil in a glass bottle, than a one themed on Norse Mythology? Exactly. Nothing! Odin's Beard Care is another small company based in Leeds that produces it's oils, balms and butters in small batches. Not all of the products are vegan (as beeswax is used in some) but they are natural, organic where possible, cruelty-free and smell amazing! Literally, I can tell Mr H has used his as soon as he enters the room - so good!  
[They have also been amazingly kind to provide a discount code for you all so make sure to pop over and spoil yourself or your bearded buddy and enter use THOR to bag 15% off!]


Imperialis Moisturiser.
You all know this is from Lush. They are a much-loved company by many and something I have used for at least 15 years, however, I have been distancing myself more recently in favour of smaller companies and more natural ingredients. I still love Lush and will gladly use the odd bath bomb and this is the only moisturiser that I have been able to use despite trying so many over the years. Plus the pots are recyclable and everything is cruelty-free.


Cotton Flannels, Muslins and Re-Usable Face Wipes.
I have not bought or used disposable face wipes, cotton pads, cleanser, toner, or the like for many, many years. I have always used cotton flannels and muslins for as long as I can remember but added to my collection recently with these super duper soft Marley’s Monsters cloth wipes. 



Natural Toothpaste and Toothpowder
This has been a journey indeed. We wanted a normal paste type tooth cleaning but that came in a glass jar...we ordered what we thought was the next best thing, a powder in a jar. It wasn't until just over a week of using it as a normal toothpaste that we questioned it. Our teeth were noticeably whiter (not that they're stained or anything anyway) and we realized it was tooth whitening powder haha!!
We ordered the toothpaste soon after and have been using it twice a day, between two people for approximately 70days now and still have well over half a jar left. 
Pure, natural and organic ingredients, hand-crafted in small batches, eco-friendly packaging. Fab!

Find them at > https://georganics.com/

Bamboo Toothbrushes
These days when you look for an alternative to plastic toothbrushes, you are inundated. But back when I was first looking to make the switch at the end of 2017 there wasn't as many options around. I came across a really cool company based in Portugal. The brushes are made of bamboo which is awesome for so many reasons - read more here - they compensate their shipping Co2, plant a tree a day and are climate neutral. 
The bristles are nylon 6 bpa free (but can be removed when replacing the brush so the bamboo can be reused or recycled). Yes, you can get biodegradable bristled brushes too but most are made of animal fibres, therefore are not vegan! 
To this day this is the only physical subscription service I have and I always look forward to the envelope with a handwritten message on the back dropping through the letterbox. 

Check them out here > https://thebamandboo.com/


Tin Storage, Coconut Oil and Bubble Bar.
In our two (well-loved) Lush storage tins I keep some random potions. In the left is organic coconut oil used on the rare days I have worn make up to get that all off. In the right is a bubble bar from Lush. I think bubble bars last much longer than only a couple uses, so I squashed it into a tin to keep it dry and scrape it into the bath as needed.


Rosemary and Tea Tree Natural Shampoo Bar 
Another switch I made many years ago was to solid shampoo bars. More recently we switched natural shampoo bars. Due to so many different medical issues, I have a lot of hair loss and realized that I need to treat my hair with the same care I (mostly) treat my insides. I'm loving it so far. It lathers so nicely and smells beautiful. I'm excited to try some different varieties!
Following our aim of shopping small, Hatton Handmade Soap is made by a lovely lady from her cottage in Lincolnshire. Everything is vegan minus one soap that contains honey, packaging is minimal and recyclable and hurray for no palm oil!

Find them over at > https://www.hattonhandmadesoap.co.uk/


Sugar Daddy-O Conditioner Bar
Lush again. It is indeed. This has been in our bathroom for far too long because a) it lasts forever and b) I don't like wasting anything. I rarely use it but Mr H does. It smells divine but once it is done I will be replacing it with a more natural alternative.


Natural Fibre Body Brush and Pumice Stone
Exfoliating body brush made from wood and natural fibres, though it unfortunately still includes plastic for some reason! Another to replace when it needs to be.
Pumice stone is a natural volcanic rock therefore it is also natural!


Bamboo Razor 
This Bull Dog men's bamboo razor is the razor I have been using for the past four years at least I'd say, probably longer. You still have to use a replaceable blade, which are steel housed in a tiny bit of plastic but a pack of 4 last me a full year. I haven't used disposable razors in a long time and the next step up is a safety razor which is the most eco-friendly option. They are a little pricey initially but are worth it in the long run.


Wooden Nail Brush
You have no idea how difficult it was to find a wooden nail brush when we were looking. Sadly it has plastic bristles which seems contradictory to itself but we have since found natural bristle options for when we do replace this one.


Reusable Cloth Sanitary Pads
I know this one is controversial and many people think it's disgusting, but we all have preferences and this is mine.
200,000 tonnes of sanitary products a year end up in UK landfill and it's estimated that 700,000 panty liners, 2.5m tampons and 1.4m sanitary towels are flushed down the toilet every day in the UK.
There is just no need for that when there are so many alternatives these days. It's a common theme online with people that products are too expensive and many people go without across the globe. This, as well as the environment issue, could be solved with reusables. Yes, pads require a washing machine and I accept my privilege in having that option but there are others too. Please consider looking into it.
My reusables are made from bamboo charcoal, zorb, microfiber and PUL and are in a classic black. They are very soft, extremely comfortable, are so much better for you health-wise and handmade by a lady in Weybridge.
So many different brands make these and in an endless range of prints, patterns, colours and sizes to suit all.

See here for Naturally Lady's full range >  https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NaturallyLady




Other items and products not pictured...

Exfoliating Soap Pouch
Made from sisal, you put your soap inside this pouch and use it as a natural exfoliator. It is biodegradable and compostable, sustainable, ethical and fair trade!

Check out Hydrophil > https://hydrophil.com/en/


Solid Deodorant Bar
Our current bar is from Lush. I could not get along with it and Mr H is using it up. There are a couple of other brands of solid, plastic-free deodorant bars that I have on my list to try, so fingers crossed they turn out better!


Organic Cotton Buds with Paper Stems
I'm an addict for cleaning my ears, probably overly, but I'm glad that at least the cotton buds I've used for many years won't end up held by a Seahorse tail.


Tea Tree Oil
Along with the bar soap and moisturizer, tea tree oil has been a staple in my skincare. More so than anything else actually and I've used it now since my early teen years. It comes in a glass bottle that can be recycled when you've finally used it all up.


Calcium Bentonite Clay
Pure, natural, vegan and cruelty-free I buy this powder in a bulk bag which is then mixed with apple cider vinegar or water to create a face mask. It can also be used as a bath soak, alternative to rash creams, dry shampoo and even mixed into a natural deodorant. 







Phew! That ended up a bit longer than expected haha. Like I said at the beginning of the post, I know we aren't perfect. This is a journey and replacing products and items for more sustainable, eco-friendly options takes time, even more so when you have other things to factor in such as needing vegan and cruelty-free ingredients.
Thankfully many companies are jumping on board with the 'we need to save the planet' mindset so things will only keep getting easier for everyone. Still, that being said, there are a lot of larger brands who use this as a marketing ploy and really don't care. Take into consideration a brands carbon footprint, where raw materials are sourced and try to shop local, supporting small, family businesses as much as possible.
I hope you will check out those I have mentioned in this post. Particularly Primal Suds, Hatton Handmade Soap, Odin's Beardcare, Bam and Boo and Naturally Lady who are some of our absolute favourites ran by amazing people.
Keep an eye out for my next post in this eco journey series 'The Kitchen'!
Until next time guys!




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