Easy Peasy Plastic-Free(sy)

When I imagine my ideal life, it's a lot like Bea Johnson's : I'm a zero waste goddess with a loving and cooperative husband and children who are totally supportive and fully embrace the zero waste journey with me. We compost everything, shop at thrift stores on weekends, and always remember to bring our reusable bags to the grocery store. Alas, fantasy is much different from reality. Although my family is loving and supportive in most other aspects, I don't always get the unconditional support I desire when it comes to pursuing a fully plastic-free or zero waste lifestyle (but my older one is 2 years old and the younger one is about to be 5 months, so I'll cut them some slack). My in-laws are also living with us temporarily (all I can say about that for now is "yay!"), which adds even more interesting lifestyle preferences to the mix. My husband and I have different opinions when it comes to what we consume on a regular basis. Although he's 100% su...

I personally feel that it's important to know what you're putting on and into your body, especially with the products you use everyday. Keep in mind that not all chemicals are bad, and just because you can't pronounce something on an ingredients list doesn't mean it's harmful, not naturally occurring, or should be avoided. With that being said, I prefer to make a lot of the products I use because I don't have time to research every ingredient of every brand I use, but I do want to be in (almost) total control of what my body ends up absorbing. I already use natural and/or homemade soaps, shampoo, lotions, lip balm, etc. But what about household products? Even though many of them aren't directly applied onto your skin, you do end up becoming exposed to them (either by inhalation or physical contact). One of those big items is laundry detergent. This is actually a big deal, because you wear clothes every day, and obviously what you wash your clothes in ca...

Like me, there are a lot of girls (and guys!) out there who love makeup but don't have access to affordable eco-friendly, plastic-free makeup products. Unfortunately, I feel obligated to rely on a lot of conventional brands for my makeup until I can find better sustainable options. But there are little ways you can extend the life of your makeup products so they don't expire before you use all of it, and even more makeup ends up in the landfill as a result! Makeup is expensive; I've heard the average American woman will spend up to $15,000 on makeup in her lifetime !! So every little bit we can save here and there is a HUGE deal. I've pulled some of my favorite tips from various websites (sources below, cause I believe in giving credit where it's due). This list isn't exhaustive or comprehensive since I don't normally wear that much makeup and it relates to my personal daily routine. Feel free to click on the linked sources below if you want additional ti...