TOOTHBRUSH – I now buy bamboo brushes with different colored brushes so my husband and I can tell them apart. I have never liked the cups we put toothbrushes in because they get dusty and dirty and gross over time! So I found silicone suction holders that I stick on the mirror and they hold…
LAUNDRY
Back when I was trying to figure out laundry, I had learned that the conventional detergents weren’t eco-friendly, so I was determined to move away from that. Plus, lugging detergent bottles up three flights of stairs into my apartment wasn’t fun either. First, I tried making my own powder with: washing soda, borax, and grating…
PERFUME/MAKE-UP
I love what my sister-in-law likes to say, “You Do You.” I know a lot of people wear make-up and that is perfectly fine! I personally never did it. I only put on make-up if I had to dress up for a dance or a wedding. I am also scared that if I do a…
BODY SOAP AND HAND SOAP
Body There are a ton of options with body soap! I grew up on the Sensitive Dove bar soap. I wanted to try different ones but this has always worked. It’s simple, packaged in recyclable boxes (though frustrating when I want to buy in bulk, it comes together in plastic wrapping, so I can’t win…
CLOTH PADS VS. DISPOSABLE PADS
One day I learned about the cloth pad alternative and was curious to learn more. I drove to the natural food store nearby and found some to try! They were white “Glad Rags.” In that moment I felt “free!” In a sense of newness, connecting to nature, and the idea of not being dependent on…
STAINLESS STEEL RAZORS
For his birthday, my husband received a gift from his brother: a stainless steel razor! I was already on my journey of reducing waste and wanted to try it too. So I bought a pink one! Growing up with disposable razors, it cost more for the smooth, comfortable one that didn’t cut you. Then it…
DEODORANT “STONE” ALTERNATIVE
What was troubling to me about deodorants is I couldn’t recycle them when I was done! I didn’t have a favorite kind and so was trying different brands, until I settled on those that were aluminum-free. Then one day, walking through a natural food store, I saw the deodorant stone! The Thai Crystal. It was…
USING THE “NO POO METHOD” INSTEAD OF SHAMPOO
This is what started it all for me. Back in 2012, when I realized my job didn’t make me happy and money felt tight, I looked up alternative ways of living. Along with minimalism, I saw the No Poo Method. I was curious! Shampoo cost a lot and the ingredients list many chemicals we probably…