Plastic Free July is almost upon us! I’m preparing myself to be more mindful of the plastic use in my hair care routine – and I’m challenging you to do the same and create a plastic-free hair care routine for your curls!
Introduction: What is Plastic Free July?
Plastic Free July is pretty much what it sounds like. From the Plastic Free July website: it is “a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.” Put simply, Plastic Free July challenges you refuse single-use plastics throughout the month of July. This can be on an individual level, a household level, in your community, in the workplace, anywhere really. You can also choose your level of commitment – maybe you start with coffee cups or going plastic free in your grocery shopping.
Unfortunately, with the coronavirus pandemic currently, you might not have a lot of control over the plastic you receive from a coffee shop or the grocery store, as many places (in my area at least) are no longer allowing you to bring your own reusables. One place you might still have control, though, is in your beauty routines! With a little extra planning ahead, you can have plastic-free hair care!
Plastic-Free Hair Care
My number one recommendation is to use up what you already have. I know you have products sitting in your cabinet because you bought something new or forgot to finish one up. Use that up before you go out and buy something new! (Your brain will thank you too once the clutter is removed.)
Washing
If you’ve used everything in your cabinets and you’re in the market for a new shampoo or conditioner, try one of the following:
- Shampoo/conditioner bars. I’ve tried Lush and Ethique, which are both great, but there are so many companies making bars now! Check out EarthHero for some great options.
- Refillable bottles, like those from Plaine Products. Plaine Products come in aluminum bottles that you can send back to the company to be reused when you finish! You can find them on EarthHero also.
- DIY it! Of course, not every DIY is plastic free if you have to buy ingredients that come in plastic, but you can make shampoo using castile soap and other ingredients you might already have on hand. Check out my post about the egg protein hair mask for a zero-waste deep conditioning treatment!
Moisturizing and Styling
Personally, I definitely have some old old moisturizers sitting in my drawer that I haven’t touched in years but I feel bad throwing away. This month, I’ll try using them up before I go out and buy something new.
If you’re in need of something new, here are some other suggestions
- Go small business. Get a shea butter blend in a glass jar from an Etsy seller. My friend Preshia, aka The Curly Hippie, makes whipped shea butter with to-die-for scents.
- Again, DIY it! For styling, homemade flaxseed gel is my favorite. See my blog post about flaxseed gel for more information!
- I’ve also heard you can DIY moisturizing cream using canned coconut milk + jojoba oil. I think coconut milk usually comes in a plastic-lined can, but if I’m wrong, this could be a fun option!
Hair Tools
With tools, I encourage you to really take care of the things you own. Wash your brushes regularly so product doesn’t build up on them. Keep track of your hair ties and don’t loose them so you don’t have to buy more. Repair your plastic hair bonnets so you don’t have to rebuy.
If there’s something you need to buy, I suggest the following:
- Metal claw hair clips, like these clips on Etsy. I’ve had my eye on these for a while, but I’m waiting until the cheap plastic ones I have finally give out.
- Organic hair ties and scrunchies, like these ones from Kooshoo that are plastic-free!
Note: Not Sponsored
As a note, this post is not sponsored by EarthHero or anyone else. I just truly believe EarthHero is a great company and resource. They have an extensive vetting process for the products they sell, so you can be sure that it meets a high sustainability and ethical standard. EarthHero is a great resource for creating a plastic-free curly hair care routine. You can check out their Sustainability Logos to learn more!
Share your Plastic Free July Journey!
Are you participating in Plastic Free July? What are you doing in your plastic-free hair care routine? Let me know in the comments!
