Something like 500 million plastic shampoo bottles end up in landfills every year. You can help prevent this by using shampoo (and conditioner) bars instead.
You may be thinking, "But I recycle my plastic!" Unfortunately, due to a lack of recycling facilities in the United States, an estimated 85% of our plastic actually ends up in landfills. When it (eventually) degrades it can end up as microplastics, found in air, ocean and in the tissues of living beings including humans. Scary stuff.
One whole raft of reasons to limit plastic is about where it ends up and another is about where it comes from. Most plastics are made from petroleum, which I’m also trying to limit (see this post about my EV). There are plastics being made from other sources, some of which are commercially compostable, but if you can live without them, why not?
I’ve been working on “dumping plastic” from my life for years but how to do that with my hair care? A few years ago I discovered shampoo (and conditioner) bars. They’re actually really easy to use. You just lather up like with regular soap, work it into your wet hair and rinse out. The conditioner bar you just rub over your now-clean hair, work in with your fingers, and voilá- your hair is clean and conditioned.
Using them is easy, but finding a shampoo bar and conditioner that works for you can be challenging. I suppose that’s true for plastic-packaged one as well. The first one I tried (from Trader Joe’s) made my head itch so badly I thought I had lice. But that's just me.
I found one for sensitive scalps - Heali Kiwi by Ethique and LOVED it and the conditioner. They have several great zero waste personal care products. However, their products are made in New Zealand then transported here which means, you guessed it, fossil fuels. I just found some products made more locally (by Humbly Organics) that work well enough and are made closer to home. I'm trying to find that ethical balancing point.
My hair 2A/2B hair doesn’t require much more than shampoo and conditioner. I usually towel it, comb or brush it, and let it dry. If your hair needs more care and/or products than this, try searching for for "zero waste hair care products” and specify your hair type. You’ll find options and some helpful blog posts. Try asking your stylist! If nothing else, it may start a conversation about eliminating plastics, which can only benefit our beautiful earth and all lucky enough to live on it. Good luck!
BTW, if you use shower gel and a plastic pouf, switching to regular soap will further reduce your plastic use. Wet a good washcloth, rub the soap around in it until it gets all sudsy, and use the cloth to clean and exfoliate all in one go.
You may be thinking, "But I recycle my plastic!" Unfortunately, due to a lack of recycling facilities in the United States, an estimated 85% of our plastic actually ends up in landfills. When it (eventually) degrades it can end up as microplastics, found in air, ocean and in the tissues of living beings including humans. Scary stuff.
One whole raft of reasons to limit plastic is about where it ends up and another is about where it comes from. Most plastics are made from petroleum, which I’m also trying to limit (see this post about my EV). There are plastics being made from other sources, some of which are commercially compostable, but if you can live without them, why not?
I’ve been working on “dumping plastic” from my life for years but how to do that with my hair care? A few years ago I discovered shampoo (and conditioner) bars. They’re actually really easy to use. You just lather up like with regular soap, work it into your wet hair and rinse out. The conditioner bar you just rub over your now-clean hair, work in with your fingers, and voilá- your hair is clean and conditioned.
Using them is easy, but finding a shampoo bar and conditioner that works for you can be challenging. I suppose that’s true for plastic-packaged one as well. The first one I tried (from Trader Joe’s) made my head itch so badly I thought I had lice. But that's just me.
I found one for sensitive scalps - Heali Kiwi by Ethique and LOVED it and the conditioner. They have several great zero waste personal care products. However, their products are made in New Zealand then transported here which means, you guessed it, fossil fuels. I just found some products made more locally (by Humbly Organics) that work well enough and are made closer to home. I'm trying to find that ethical balancing point.
My hair 2A/2B hair doesn’t require much more than shampoo and conditioner. I usually towel it, comb or brush it, and let it dry. If your hair needs more care and/or products than this, try searching for for "zero waste hair care products” and specify your hair type. You’ll find options and some helpful blog posts. Try asking your stylist! If nothing else, it may start a conversation about eliminating plastics, which can only benefit our beautiful earth and all lucky enough to live on it. Good luck!
BTW, if you use shower gel and a plastic pouf, switching to regular soap will further reduce your plastic use. Wet a good washcloth, rub the soap around in it until it gets all sudsy, and use the cloth to clean and exfoliate all in one go.