Make your hair care routine eco-friendly. | Ivana Cajina via Unsplash
Indulging in a little hair care TLC can leave your locks feeling full and moisturized. But is your shower routine damaging the planet? Although your shampoos and conditioners may be good for your hair—the plastics used to contain them aren’t good for the Earth. Creating an eco-friendly hair care routine helps you, and the environment.
According to a study by Swiss beauty company RÉDUIT, which produces sustainable beauty products, the average British household uses approximately 216 plastic hair care bottles per year. Of this, only 60 percent is recycled. The remaining plastic waste winds up in landfills.
Of the 2,000 consumers that the company polled, only one-third revealed they even considered the environmental impacts that their hair care products had on the planet. Paul Peros, RÉDUIT’s CEO, said in a statement: “Taking care of our hair and appearance is just part of our routine, and we often forget about the impact it can have.”
In addition to not considering the impact that hair care products have on the environment—some people simply do not care. The survey found that 11 percent of respondents said they “can’t be bothered” with choosing more sustainable products when they shop. Ten percent of those polled said they simply “don’t care.”
Not everyone was against opting for eco-friendly products. Although they may be interested in making the switch—one-fifth of respondents said they didn’t know how to improve and 23 percent said they simply didn’t know where to start.
If you’re looking to overhaul your hair care routine, but don’t know where to start. Worry not, because we’ve got you covered! You can easily give your hair that voluminous bounce without wreaking havoc the environment. Here’s how.
Want healthy, bouncy locks without causing harm to the planet?
One of the easiest things you can do to make your hair care regimen more eco-friendly is to take shorter showers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average shower lasts 8 minutes. During this time, the average American uses approximately 17 gallons of water. Help conserve water by taking shorter showers and only turning the water on when you need it. If you’re feeling bold, you can also wash your hair less.
Those who have hair that’s not prone to oiliness or dryness can easily go a few days without washing. Carolyn Goh, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, says only people who have very fine hair or who are prone to sweating need to shampoo daily.
“If you have an oily scalp, then daily washing is needed,” she told WebMD. “Sometimes, people think they have dry scalp because they have dandruff, but in those situations, more frequent washing is also helpful.”
If you buy bottled shampoo and conditioner, always recycle. And for the ultimate zero waste hair care routine, opt for these plastic-free products.
Looking to make your hair care routine zero waste? We’ve got you covered.
Your hair never smelled better than with The Solid Bar Company’s fully biodegradable range of zero waste hair care products. The company offers a wide variety of plastic-free shampoo and conditioner soap bars in scents like Sweet Orange, Botanical, Herbal, and Woodland. The Solid Bar Company uses ethically sourced, naturally-derived, and sustainable ingredients. These include apricot kernel oil, calendula, chamomile, cocoa butter, essential oils, and neem oil.
Shop The Solid Bar Company’s zero waste products here.
This cruelty-free and vegan beauty brand carries an impressive range of zero waste hair care products for all hair types. Whether you have curly, wavy, or straight hair—this brand has you covered! The company produces shampoo and conditioner—as well as face and body—soap bars to help cut back on plastic waste. In addition to being plastic-free, the company is carbon neutral and palm oil-free. The company has managed to keep the equivalent of eight million plastic bottles from going to the landfill. And in 2019, the company saved nearly three million liters of water from being wasted.
Looking to do away with pesky flyaway hair? Try Ethique’s Frizz Wrangler shampoo bar. If you suffer from dry, itchy flakes—try the Heali Kiwi shampoo bar for dandruff and sensitive scalps.
Elevate your showers with Eco Roots’ zero waste and non-toxic shampoo and conditioner bars. With scents like lavender, hemp, Moroccan oil, forest mist, and citrus fresh, Eco Roots products will leave your hair looking—and smelling—its best.
Shop Eco Roots’ zero waste products here.
If you’re a fan of bar soaps and still want to enjoy an old-fashioned clean with liquid shampoos and conditioners—Plaine has you covered. With a mission to eliminate single-use plastics from landfills, the company produces toxin-free, vegan hair products and other beauty care items like lotions in refillable, reusable bottles.
Try Plaine’s refreshing shampoos and conditioners in scents like citrus lavender and rosemary mint vanilla. Plaine also carries a hair repair serum that’s formulated to moisturize, detangle, and repair for softer and shinier hair.
Whether your hair is prone to greasiness or dryness, Fair Squared carries a number of hair soap bars to give your locks a silky, smooth finish. The soap bars are plastic-free and the company’s other beauty essentials, such as body lotions and scrubs, are contained in refillable, reusable glass containers.
If your hair is prone to dryness or you have a sensitive scalp, give Fair Squared’s Shea Hair Soap a go. The soap bar features shea butter and babassu oil, both of which have a soft cleansing effecting on the hair and scalp.
Shop Fair Squared’s zero waste products here.
LIVEKINDLY is here to help you navigate the growing marketplace of sustainable products that promote a kinder planet. All of our selections are curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, LIVEKINDLY may earn a commission.
This post was last modified on July 9, 2021 4:55 pm