Wednesday 15 April 2020

A Housebound Eco Guide: Part Three

PART ONE ~ PART TWO ~ PART THREE ~ PART FOUR

Hello my lovely loves!

We're back to the bathroom for deodorant, ear care, nail care, medical kits, and menstrual products!


Natural deodorant options

I really wish regular deodorant companies would just make their packaging eco-friendly. I wouldn’t mind having cardboard, or even refilling a reusable applicator myself.
So many of the green deodorants smell quite strong, which I struggle with, or come in pots which is just really awkward to apply.
I have managed to find a couple that are better on this front though…

£6.99. Coconut oil and arrowroot formula. Also available with scents like lemon and rosemary if you’d prefer.
I did try this one but it seemed to irritated my under arms. I’ll probably give this another go, but do be aware if you have underarms prone to irritation. I do like that this one comes in cardboard packaging and is shaped like a normal stick deodorant.

£5.50 for 165g. 
Potassium alum crystal deodorant. Works by preventing odour from bacteria. Wet the stone to apply.

£4.99 for 120g
Natural mineral salt that is completely unperfumed, and according to reviews lasts up to a year.
Do be a little bit careful with this one, some people complaining for crystal becoming loose in packaging and falling out. I do have this one and while it’s come loose, is hasn’t outright fallen out.
My main gripe with this is that I just don’t like deodorants that require me to wait for them to dry and prefer a stick. If that doesn’t bother you then it might be worth a try!



Face cleansing
Something I wasn’t aware of for a really long time is that regular wet wipes aren’t biodegradable and in fact contain a lot of plastic. Here are some other options!

Reusable cotton pads 
Instead of using and disposing of cotton pads everyday, you can buy reusable ones from fabric that you just stick in the wash! It saves a massive amount of money in the long run, and you can find really lovely ones with cool patterns too.
I’m not going to list any on here, simply because there are so many, but just as a start you can try to narrow down what texture you want. Do you want more of a towel feel? Or a smoother fabric texture. Once you’ve decided that you can go from there.

If you’re feeling crafty you can even make them from old clothes.

Muslin cloths
If you’re in the market for something even thinner you can go for muslin cloths. These can be used to remove makeup or cleanse with and are gently exfoliating due to the texture.

Ren have some for £4.50 in 100% cotton for two.

Face Halo
£17.95 for three reusable pads.
For makeup removal I use Face Halos. These are similar to the reusable cotton pads, but made from a specifically designed microfibre that removes makeup with only water.
They make a great alternative to makeup remover wipes, especially if you have chemical sensitivities towards cleansers.
Just rub away stains with soap and water after using and then pop in the washing machine for a thorough clean when needed.


Biodegradable wet wipes
If you can’t get to the sink to say goodbye to wet wipes, then there are biodegradable options, for face and body.

£3.65 for 20 wipes. (Often on offer)

£3.29 for 25 wipes. (Often on offer)

£2.19 for 12. (It makes me laugh when products are awkwardly called “intimate”. I suppose crotch cloths wouldn’t have the same delicate ring.)

£2.99 for 64 bamboo wipes. If it’s suitable for babies, then it’s probably fine for us sensitive lot.

£8.49 for 32.
A bit on the pricey side but these are specifically to use instead of showering and so boast that they don’t leave residue. I’ve had a fellow sufferer recommend them for that too, so if wipes put you off because of that then maybe this is a good shout.



Ear Cleaning

Most of us won’t even think about this when doing an order online, but a lot of cotton buds use plastic stems, and that builds up pretty quickly. Instead you could try…

Paper or bamboo stemmed cotton buds
Most supermarkets do these if you keep an eye out but you can also find some here:

£2.49 for 100

£2.45 for  approx 200


Metal ear picks/scoops

Now I have some of these and I love them, but they are essentially tiny metal spoons that you poke in your ears. BE CAREFUL. If you have tremors or fall down a lot then maybe don’t put metal sticks in your ears where you can jab yourself really easily.
That said, they do give a really good clean and are completely reusable and easy to sanitise.

These are from amazon and are £8.99 for a set but you can shop around. 



Toilet paper and Tissues

You thought I was done with toilets when I started in on the loo brush, didn’t you? Oh no, my friend. Even recycled toilet paper exists and I’m here to show you. Aren’t you so glad you read this post?
This isn’t something we’ve added into our household yet, mainly because I don’t do the household shopping, but… one day!

£2.15 for 4 rolls. 

This brand name though. I want to buy everything from them just because they’re clearly my people. They do tissues, loo roll and paper towels all from recycled paper and 50% of their profits go to making toilets for those in need. And their packaging is amazing. Can you tell I’m a fan? One day I'll buy all the things. I have bought a couple of boxes of tissues which were pretty reasonable at £1.50 a box.
£24 for 24 rolls. £36 for 48 rolls.




Nail Care

Glass nail files
Glass nail files not only last much, much longer than your usual emery boards, but they work much faster, so you use less energy getting rid of any splits or breakages. They’re also meant to be much healthier for your nails, so that’s a win all round.


Trim cotton pads
When removing nail polish I like to cut my cotton pads into quarters. I can then get all my nail varnish off with just two cotton pads instead of four or five. (I reuse a couple of pieces for the last two nails.)
This works in conjunction with...


Nail clips
Using smaller pieces of cotton pads soaked in nail polish remover is much easier when you have nail clips, and it allows you to clip each quarter to your nail and just lie back and rest while it eats away at the polish. No more scrubbing, and a lot of saved energy.




Reusable Polish Pads
If you don’t want to use disposable cotton pads at all you can also find reusable bamboo ones at Tabitha Eve. It's £4.50 for 5 but you have to remember to rinse while wet, so if that’s going to be tricky to do (or remember) maybe give that one a miss.


Peelable Base Coat

You can avoid the chemicals, waste and work of taking off nail polish by using a reelable base coat. These are usually water based, and form a coating on the nail that allows you to peel any nail varnish you use from the nail. A bit like how you used to peel PVA from your hands in school.

The best one I’ve found is UNT 'Ready for Take off’ which is £8.50 on Rainbow Connection. 

One of my favourite YouTubers, Cristine at Simply Nailogical also makes one, but I haven’t been able to afford to buy it from Canada. She has, however, made a video of tips to stop the nail polish peeling off too soon when you’re wearing a peel off base coat.


Non-toxic Nail polish

If it’s the polish itself that worries you, here are some great options that don’t contain toxins found in regular nail polish.

Toxin free nail brand. I’ve bought from these guys before not even knowing that their polish is toxin-free because it’s all stunning. Not cheap but goes on like a dream with bottle from anywhere from £11-15 (keep an eye out for sales though, they happen fairly regularly and you can snap up stuff for a fiver). I have a metallic red from them that only needs one coat to be perfect. ONE. COAT.
They’re also expanding into makeup
For some reason I can only find their US website, but their stuff is available on 3rd party websites like Nail Polish Direct or Look Fantastic.

Another brand that is from the US but that is available in the UK. Toxic ingredients have been removed from their formulas, so you can feel more comfortable using them. I’ve not used them personally so I can’t tell you about the quality but they’ve been going for years and have over 400 colours so I’m willing to bet they’re alright.

Something slightly different, this brand works with a peelable nail polish formula boasting no odour, therefore eliminating the need for nail polish removers all together.
I have used these (I won some in a competition!) and they are good, but as a crafty person I found it a little difficult to keep them on my fingers. Although that may be the overwhelming urge to peel them off as soon as they’re on. So. Satisfying.
Available in the US but it would appear they’re only available in the UK via Amazon. Limited shades in the UK but many more if you’re in the US or Canada.



Medical

Not much in the way of stuff for the medical cabinet, and honestly, most of us have enough stuff to sink a battle ship on that front anyway but…

Pot of pills vs blister pack

Most of us don’t have much of a choice on this one, especially with the amount of pills we end up taking, but if you have a choice between a blister pack and a pot, the pot is more recyclable.
If you have more difficulty opening pots though, then it is totally fine to skip this tip. Health first.


Biodegradable plasters

£6.95 for 25. Silicone and latex free.




Green Period Products

Before we get into this section I just want to reiterate that the point of this post is to do things that you feel capable of doing, not for you to make things difficult for yourself.
In my experience, eco-friendly priori products are great, but they’re also much more high maintenance, which isn’t ideal if you’re disabled or chronically ill.

If you can’t get out of bed easily, it’s going to be much more difficult to check your biodegradable pad is holding up a few times a day. Also, some things aren’t going to perform as well when you have to lie down 90% of the time.

For that reason, I want to make it clear that a. It’s ok if you can’t manage things in this section, and b. That it’s ok to mix these things in with less green options.

Currently, I use my mainstream, less-green period products for my first two days, when all I can do is lie in bed and grumble, and switch to eco products when things become a bit easier for me to handle, and my energy is at a slightly higher level.
Hopefully over time I’ll be able to find more and more things that work for me so I can slowly use the plastic heavy options less and less.

Menstrual Cups

I’ve not tried a menstrual cup yet, because to be honest I’m not sure how something that relies on a seal would hold up when I’m horizontal most of the time.
If you’re a bed bound or housebound person and you’ve tried them, give us a shout in the comment and let us know how you got on.

The pro is fairly obvious on this one, because you only need to buy one, and it will last for years.
The con is that it needs to be washed between insertions (and boiled regularly) so if you’re not up to cleaning things then this might not be for you.
You can however get a menstrual cup steamer, that means you don't have to sterilise it manually (although it will need washing by hand, obviously). Apparently you can also buy a baby bottle steamer for this as it can be cheaper.

There also has been some discussion over whether improper removal of menstrual cups can lead to issues later, like prolapse, but there haven't been any official studies done as yet, and even those discussing it mention it's the improper use that's the problem.
Provided you make sure the seal created by the cup is properly broken before removal and don't push the cup out yourself it should be fine.
(I was wondering whether to add this in at all but as it's been discussed in the medical community it felt remiss not to at least mention it so you could research it further and form your own opinion on the legitimacy of those claims.)

If you want to one a try then here are some brands.






Here’s a handy guide on how to choose which cup is right for you from Earthwise Girls. 


Reusable Tampon applicators

If you’re a tampon user then you can get a reusable applicator to cut down on plastic use. You can also use these with…

Organic and Biodegradable tampons, sanitary towels, and liners

Whether you prefer tampons, sanitary pads or liners, there’s a whole host of companies that make biodegradable options so you can have the comfort without the plastic.

I’m experimenting with different pad brands at the most and I’ll likely give a more in depth review another time. Until then the only thing I’d say is err on the side of caution and go for a more absorbent pad than you’d otherwise use, and place them further forward than you otherwise would.

Totm
Selling tampons, pads, liners and menstrual cups, Totm are a sustainable brand with everything, from bright packaging to product being biodegradable. They also give a percentage of their products to charities such as Binti International and Endometriosis UK.
Liners, from £3.25 for 28
Tampons, from £2.95 for 14
Pads, from £3.30 for 9

Callaly
Callaly offer fully biodegradable tampons, liners, and pads, but also a fourth product that they've developed: a tampliner. The tampliner is a hybrid product that combines a tampon with an attached liner to help provide extra protection when you feel you need it without doubling up on products (and creating more waste).
You can also build your own box and mix and match your products to suit you.
Liners, from £6 for 24
Tampons from £7.20 for 24
Pads from from £8 for 16
Tampliners from £8 for 16


Natracare 
Vegan, and organic, Natracare offer liners, pads of all kinds, tampons, and maternity pads. They seem to be one of the more easily accessible eco-brands. I’m not entirely sure their packaging is biodegradable, I couldn’t find whether or not it’s plastic.
Liners, £1.79 for 30
Tampons £2.59 for 20
Pads, £2.49 for 12
Maternity Pads, £2.59 for 10


Grace & Green
Another brand that supports various NGOs around the world working against period poverty. Natural, 100% organic, sleek and simple biodegradable packaging. 
Liners, £4.85 for 24
Tampons, £4.29 for 18
Pads, £4.85 for 10

Flo
Flo have a fun brand look and give 5% of their profits to charities to end both period poverty and FGM. Vegan, cruelty-free, organic and biodegradable, they also offer packs of varying absorbencies of products, so you can change what you’re using based on the heaviness of your flow.
Liners £2.20 for 24
Tampons £2.99 for 16
Pads £2.99 for 15

Tsuno
Tsuno is an Australian brand, that gives a whopping 50% of their profits to charities that focus on empowering women, education and menstrual support.
Again, organic and biodegradable, and their packaging features various artist’s work (which I obviously love).
Liners, £2.69 for 20
Tampons, £3.29 for 16
Pads, £2,95 for 10

Eco by Naty
Naty seems to focus on nappies and baby wipes, but they do period products as well. Pads and liners are over 95% biodegradable, and tampons 100%. 
Liners, £2.57 for 32
Tampons, £3,99 for 16
Pads, £2.57 for 13



Fabric sanitary towels and liners

There are loads of brands around that do reusable cloth pads and liners, so you might want to do your own research, just because some have awesome patterns, some have awesome stats, and you need to decide what’s the most important to you.
Also what you don’t want.
I, for one, draw the line at a brand called “Honour Your Flow”. I’m much more likely to buy from a brand called “Give me chocolate or give me death”, because I do not feel like anything is being honoured when I can barely move for two to three days a month and that name would more accurately cover my experience.

These ones have pictures of Trump’s face on them, I kid you not. I can’t tell if that’s hilarious or the most horrifying thing I’ve ever seen.

These ones however, have hot dogs on them which is straight up amazing. 

Pack of three £12.50-13.50 depending on the vendor.
I’ve got some of these and they’re really handy, especially if you’re not entirely sure when you’re going to start so you don’t want to break out the big guns yet.

Pack of three £18.99 depending on the venue. 

Cheeky wipes do a range of different reusable pads and liners in various fabrics from £3.30 for a single pad.

Cheeky Wipes also do their own version of…


Period Pants

For those who wish to go without any added bulk, or want extra protection when wearing another period product, you can also try period pants. These, as the name suggests, are pants with an added layer of absorbent padding in the gusset. (There’s a pleasant word for us all. Gusset.)
They come in a variety of styles, colour, and most importantly, levels of absorption.
This is one where you really have to do your own research to find a good match, but here are someplace to start.

Like with the reusable liners and pads they do require washing, so if you’re not up to that, or don’t have anyone available (or willing) to do it for you then this might not be the option for you. If you do, make sure you soak or rinse them in cold water before washing.





For the fourth and final instalment we'll be looking at an eco wardrobe, keeping your house insulated, eco-electrics, and online options to make the world a better place.


PART ONE ~ PART TWO ~ PART THREE ~ PART FOUR

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