Hey Barefooters… 12 days in and how’s Plastic Free July going for you?
Maybe you’ve already made loads of changes to your plastic habits: it’s exciting if you have. There’s loads of info around this month to coincide with the global Plastic Free July campaign focusing on ways to give up single-use plastic. Hopefully you’ve been inspired by some of this.
But if you’re still feeling confused or a bit daunted by the scale of the plastic in our every-day lives, or you just need a gentle push in the right direction… we’ve got some easy-peasy Eco Tips and Tricks to get you started.
In this post, we’re focusing on the bathroom and ways to declutter it of all those plastic bottles and containers.
Most of us like a few cosmetics and toiletries in our life and, let’s face it, they always seem to come packaged in plastic. It’s ok, I’m not going to tell you to reject 21st century toiletries and live like the cave men and women did… without personal hygiene products. Absolutely not. Because, lucky for us, there’s actually lots of plastic-free choices out there – if you know where to look – and they’re easy to swap to.
Eco Tip
Swap to soap bars
This is one of the simplest and easiest sustainable swaps you can make. By replacing your shower gel and liquid hand soap with a bar of soap, you eliminate those single-use plastic bottles in the shower and at the side of the sink – in one swift move.
There’s plenty of choice out there with an array of scents as well as soaps for different skin types. A word of caution though: check the soap that you’re buying hasn’t got any plastic ingredients such as microbeads. These are used in many mass-produced exfoliating soaps. And also check the packaging. While smaller, eco-minded producers ensure their packaging is plastic-free, soap bars from High Street stores often come wrapped in plastic film (which sort of defeats the object of swapping).
At Dancing Barefoot our range of soaps are all handmade of natural, vegan ingredients. No plastic microbeads of course, not even in our exfoliating scrub soaps! We sell soaps for hands, body and face as well as for delicate skin and have fragrances to suit all tastes and moods, from the fruity to the exotic to unfragranced.
Eco Tricks
Use a Soap Saver
This simple yet genius item makes your bar of soap go further, eliminating waste completely. And once you’ve got one, you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it before.
Basically, it’s a pouch that helps you use up all those smaller bits of soap that slip out of your hands when you try to use them. Gather up any small soap pieces and put them in the Soap Saver pouch together then rub the pouch on the skin, as you would a bar of soap, and watch it lather up.
Our Soap Savers are made of organic sisal hemp, which gently and naturally exfoliates the skin too as you use it.
Dry your soap bar off between uses
Make your soap bar last by ensuring it can dry off after use. This will stop it going mushy and turning into a congealed slippery mess on the side of the sink or bath. The way to do this is to use a soap holder or soap rest that allows the air to get to it.
Our Slatted Soap Rack is perfect for this. It’s made of bamboo – a very sustainable and biodegradable material – and looks kinda stylish in the bathroom too.
Eco Tip
Ditch the “disposable” plastic razor
Since the 1970s these mainly plastic razors have become increasingly popular around the world. However, no parts of these razors can be re-used and so they have become synonymous with our throwaway culture.
In the UK in 2018 alone, some 5.5 million people were using a disposable razor - all of which were made of hard, moulded plastic, and were headed for landfill where they would not biodegrade. Yes, they're disposable in that you can throw them away, but they definitely do not disappear!
Instead, why not invest in a Reusable Razor – otherwise known as a Safety Razor. These razors are meant to be used again and again. The only bit that will need replacing is the razor blade.
And there’s plenty of choice out there of Reusable Safety Razors that are made of sustainable materials – so no plastic.
Our Reusable Safety Razors are made of stainless steel with a bamboo handle – both of which are easily recycled - and come in a choice of three colours: blue, pink or natural.
Eco Trick
Moisturise skin to ensure a clean shave
Use either a shaving soap or shaving oil to help moisturise skin and ensure a clean, smooth shave. There’s plenty of plastic-free options out there such as Shaving Soap packaged in cardboard or Shaving Oils in glass bottles.
Our selection of Shaving Oils are all made of organic vegan ingredients that soothe the skin and they are subtly scented with essential oils.
Here at Dancing Barefoot we are celebrating the Plastic Free July campaign as it raises awareness of things people can realistically do to reduce plastic use in their every-day lives. That’s very much our ethos too. We believe that if we all make small sustainable changes, then together we can make a big difference.
And where better to start than with the toiletries, cosmetics and homeware items we use every day.
Look out for our next post this month with more tips on ways to reduce plastic waste and suggestions of simple sustainable swaps you can make.
For lots more plastic-free inspiration, see our full range of sustainable skincare and bathroom accessories at www.dancing-barefoot.com