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When I first began my journey to becoming more environmentally conscious I started out by making small changes in my everyday life. I looked at what items I used most often and tried to find better alternatives to those items. This list is a compilation of all the things I have swapped in my life. It is important to note that I didn’t make all these swaps all at once. I progressively and slowly made these changes. I also wanted to use up all of what I was currently using before buying something new. After all, the most sustainable items you can use are the ones you already own. Use up all of what you have before buying something new.
Stay up to date on any new additions to my favorite sustainable swaps by following along with my Pinterest Board. Here I’ve added all my favorite swaps!
Hair & Beauty
Hair and beauty items were the first I decided to make swaps. Many of these items I use daily so the impact of changing them to more sustainable items was large. It also meant that I could switch to these swaps quicker. It is important that I use up all of what I am currently using before buying something new to replace it. Items like soap and shampoo I was able to swap out sooner than items I don’t use as often.
Shampoo, conditioner & soap bars
I swapped these items for Lush brand shampoo, conditioner and soap bars. My outlet mall has a Lush store so I was able to see these items in person and pick scents that I liked. I was also able to learn about the items from employees so I could find ones that were best for my sensitive skin. I also like these products because they are made ethically, packaged in paper that can be recycled and have a variety of options to chose from. Here are the products I’m using.
Face & Makeup
The next item in my shower routine is my face cleanser. I received this item in a subscription box and I have really been enjoying it. I have been using it for about 2 months now and still have plenty of it left.
Recently I’ve started getting back into wearing more makeup. Previously, I would occasionally wear makeup but now I’m learning more about it and experimenting with colors and techniques. I have a bit of makeup so I haven’t made any swaps yet but I have added a brush cleaner to my makeup bag. I chose this cleaner because it is free of dyes, parabens and sulfates. It is also cruelty-free and the label is made of tree-free paper. I have been using this for a few months and it does the job great. Plus, it doesn’t leave a weird smell on my brushes.
“Makeup Brush Cleansing Shampoo”
Kitchen
The next area in my house I began to make swaps was our kitchen. There are many things in this space that we use everyday so it was important to look at those items and see if there were more sustainable options.
One of the first things I noticed was how much single-use plastic we were using including plastic wrap and sandwich bags. To reduce that plastic use I got beeswax wraps for covering and storing food. I love these fun prints. I will say it does take a few tries to get used to these wraps and how to use them. The first few times I had to figure out how much pressure to use on the container to ensure the wrap was adhering and closing it. These wraps work by using heat from your hands to form to the shape around the bowl. You can also use them to wrap around loose fruits and vegetables. They’re pretty easy to clean too with just soap and water. I also got these silicon lids that stretch over bowls to fit pretty much any sized bowl. They work great and they’re easy to clean too!
To reduce the amount of plastic bags we use in our kitchen I got these silicon zip bags. They came in a pack with assorted sizes. I love that some of the larger sizes even have a base to them so they can stand upright on a counter or in the fridge. The smaller ones don’t have that so I just let them lay flat. The zipper part does seal very well. I haven’t had any leaks. My only issue so far with these bags is that I have one the doesn’t seal very easily. I’m not sure if I put something inside of it that was just too warm and it warped the seal. Other than that, I do really like these bags and use them regularly.
