Some of you will know that every summer people will be talking about Plastic Free July. If you are unaware of the campaign, it exists to encourage consumers and businesses to reduce their plastic usage across all areas of their lifestyle. Sadly, this isn’t possible for everyone because often plastic-covered product options will be cheaper than their eco-friendly counterparts which is quite frankly rubbish (pun intended) and, excludes people who cannot afford to buy the alternatives.
I started to compile a list of some of my favourite brands and websites that are inclusive and, are for those wishing to adopt a plastic-free/reduced plastic lifestyle. Of course, I am always looking for new recommendations so send them my way if you discover any more!
Wearth
This is a very handy website for those new to the zero waste lifestyle, you can shop by your values to get the most out of your shopping experience including but not limited to; vegan, made in the UK, organic and plastic-free items. I’ve got my eye on some of their ethically sourced clothing, including the underwear because it has been a struggle trying to find an ethical brand that sells good quality lingerie! There is currently a discount code for 10% off their zero waste collection.
&Keep
I recently purchased a bamboo hairbrush from &keep after searching for a while across the wide range of eco-friendly websites that are out there. It took me a while because my hair is prone to the occasional knot and I did not want to be in pain brushing my hair every day! I opted for the Oval Beech Wooden Hairbrush which is 100% biodegradable and designed for detangling knotty hair. I really recommend shopping with &Keep, you can shop some amazing vegan/CF brands including White Rabbit Skincare, Friendly Soap, and WUKA and, the description for each item is incredibly detailed to help you pick exactly what you need.
Peace With the Wild
Another great place to shop if you are looking for eco-friendly and sustainable products for the home, on-the-go and for your skincare and beauty needs.
Live Kindly Eco Shop
There are plenty of plastic-free items to choose from here, categorised into kitchen essentials, body/skincare with a handy blog section for guides to plastic free living.
Boobalou
I was on the lookout for plastic-free feminine hygiene and after buying an Organii Cup a few years ago, I hadn’t yet found any reusable/washable pads. I finally found some on Boobalou along with a metal water bottle – which I use daily, some wax wraps, and some reusable cotton pads.
Tabitha Eve
I had been searching for nail polish remover pads that didn’t involve me buying pads that I would just throw in the bin, and came across Tabitha Eve. Their products are all handmade, crafted from bamboo and cotton – heads up, I spotted they’re offering free shipping across July! I purchased their reusable nail varnish remover pads and bamboo cloth. The cloth makes a great replacement for makeup wipes and is much kinder on your skin; I found they were the perfect texture, not too soft that they didn’t remove my makeup and not so rough they irritated the delicate areas around my eyes. The pads finally replaced the ridiculous sponges I was using to desperately scrub at the remnants of my polish or just picking it off with my fingernails…
The Body Shop
Sadly not much of the Body Shop’s products are low plastic/plastic-free however, I have been using the Camomile Cleansing Butter for an age and it works a treat. It comes in a metal tin, that can be easily cleaned and washed once used. I usually use this as my first cleanse when taking off making up at night and I’ll remove it with a bamboo cloth.
Evolve Beauty
All of Evolve’s products are handmade in Hertfordshire and are all vegan and eco-friendly. I’ve heard good things from a few people I follow so I decided to buy the Glycolic Toner – designed to smooth and brighten skin and, the Radiant Glow Mask – to hydrate and nourish the skin. I haven’t yet tested these out but I have high hopes based on the reviews. I was also very excited to see the product packaging contained cornstarch pellets in replace of polystyrene ones and they dissolve in water – what a gamechanger!
UpCircle
I recently came across UpCircle online after a few people I follow recommended some of the products for blemishes and acne-prone skin. I trialled the Face Mask which is supposed to minimise pores and it seems to be doing the job and smells great, I can’t believe its made from discarded olive stones. To be honest, all of the products I bought smell incredible; the Face Moisturiser is made from argan shells and the coffee oil from the Face Serum really perks up my skin up in the morning. All of their products are recyclable and they are 99% plastic-free but they offer refills for the 1%, so progress is being made!
Stay safe and until next time,
Neneh x
My Social Media
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Disclaimer: None of the brands/businesses I have mentioned have asked me to include them neither have they paid me to promote them in this post. These are all honest opinions of products that I have personally purchased or have come across online.
Neneh J Bee 