The other side of the coin - beauty waste reduction vol. II.
Only the one who doesn't work can avoid mistakes - they say. Well, it's totally the same with negative experiences. Only if you try, you will have bad experiences. Good news is that according to statistics you'll have a lot less of these then positive ones if you are really dedicated to trying.
After my last article about beauty waste reduction I decided to also write about my little failures in the beauty waste reduction challenge that I am doing currently. There are only a few examples that can prove, not everything can work for everyone.
-Crystal deodorant-
This is a minus, unfortunately. In theory, this is the most zero-waste approach if you don't trust in homemade deodorants or for some reason none of the tried recipes worked out for you. Let's not forget: these deodorants have aluminum salts! Indeed, not in the most toxic formulas (these aluminum salts have bigger molecules than the ones in the classic deodorants, so they cannot soak in through your skin), but still, they cannot be considered as aluminum free versions. This product is enough for years - producing plastic trash only once in this period of time. It works like this: moisten it, apply to your underarm, let it dry and you are ready to go. Well, this little ritual I really liked to do every morning. My problem was that after one week of using it I started to not like having zero fragrance but my own odor. Doubtless, I am very obsessed with scents and I immediately notice every aroma -pleasant or unpleasant to me. Since I really like to smell nice scents on myself, I switched to a less zero waste product which comes in a small plastic bin and has nice and fresh citric-lavender aroma which I am living for. Of course, I kept my crystal deodorant for further usage. Since the weather is finally getting warmer and light colors and short sleeves are getting upper in the wardrobe, I realized that this deodorant leaves marks on my clothes. This can be a consequence of soda-bicarbonate that is an ingredient in the product. Because of this, I got back to my crystal deodorant, giving it another chance, because a huge + is that it doesn't make any mass on my clothes. We'll see how it works in the sweaty summer. Also, I will experiment with homemade deodorant recipes on my future DIY workshops. Hopefully, I'll find the solution that works the best for me.
Long story short, my opinion on crystal deodorant:
+spotless protection +ritual usage that I like +most zero-waste solution
-no scent -no prevention of sweating
-Washable menstrual and everyday pads-
I tried every day and menstrual versions of more brands available. None of them really worked out for me. My first problem is: it's not easy to wash them properly. Neither with hands nor in the machine. (This may be a fault of the eco-friendly washing products, that are also under constant experimenting in my life for years now already.) I don't want to see spots on them - I also have this thing with clean and spotless textiles. If I have spots on them, I feel they're not clean enough. Other problem: when you have to change during the day how are you handling them? Of course, they come with waterproof cases most of the times but still. Would you carry them during the day and only wash them when you get home? Or would you wash them on the go in a public toilet or in your office restroom? Personally, I don't like any of these ideas. In addition to me, the pads seemed very warm which was a nice feeling in the freezing cold winter but in the summer... I couldn't use them. There are other zero waste products for handling your period but for now, I haven't found the best solution for me. Unfortunately, I have to stick to the old school products, for now, classical pads and tampons. The thing that I can do is choosing brands that make biodegradable products. And of course not stopping experimenting.
Overall opinion on zero-waste pads:
+zero-waste solution +the possibility to support local businesses
-problematic cleaning and carrying of used pads -uncomfortable (too warm)
With all the positive and negative experiences we are getting closer and closer to our more sustainable daily routine. Don't stop thinking deeper, looking for the background of the products you choose. I'm encouraging you to find your own way, keep experimenting! Try all the things that seem interesting for you because you can find your very own best practices.
Go green and have fun!
Source of coverphoto:
https://balkangreenenergynews.com/plastic-waste-processing-serbia-attracts-interest-foreign-investors/
