I have always been quirky when it comes to fashion from choosing bold lines and styles to clashing prints and colours but after years of chasing the title of being “the most fashionable” I came to the realisation that the title I was so desperate for involved a revolving door of trends and tons of waste. This was the time I decided the world of fast fashion wasn’t for me, I was going to dress for my own happiness and not at the cost of the environment.
Over the last 4 years I have dwindled my brand new purchases to nothing and have been totally fast-fashion-free for almost 8 months now and couldn’t be happier. The only thing is when you start something like this it has a tendency to seep into other parts of your life. I have now started to swap to more sustainable options in my day to day life and I’m by no means done but every change matters.
I have created my own versions of some of my cosmetic goods that are easy to make at home and save me money in the long run and most importantly are actually good for me and my wellbeing. My best swap yet has to be moving away from throw away sanitary products and relying solely on my gorgeous menstrual cup. This is by far the best sustainable invention for women yet even though it sounds hideous when someone explains the process it really is nothing to worry about and well worth mustering up the courage to try.
There are certain things I’m not comfortable with making at home and one of those things is shampoo so I decided to purchase two shampoo bars by Friendly Soap as well as a lush soap bar tin to preserve them in while not in use. I have used shampoo bars before so I’m more than happy to use these instead of normal shampoo as it’s got all natural ingredients and there is no plastic waste as the box it’s sold in can be recycled.
While I’m not ready to change everything most of my swaps have been things that are super easy to make at home with simple ingredients for instance pictured above is my homemade oil cleanser that I use to remove make-up. This method is my favourite change yet, it feels amazing and it’s the most effective make-up remover I’ve ever used! It has also cut down my waste dramatically by not using throw away wipes or cotton pads on a daily basis. Lastly, my newest potion is my homemade deodorant. This is by far the most risky DIY project because if it doesn’t work it’s other people that suffer but a week and half in and all is going well so I’ll have to report back after the summer for a proper review.
This is just the start of my sustainable journey and I’m already feeling better in myself. Having full control over what’s going onto your skin and into your body is so refreshing and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who’s sick of using these items we’re told to with no idea what they actually contain or what they do to our bodies.