Shampoo, conditioner, razor, shaving cream, hair removal…
General Suppliers
- LUSH cosmetics sell a whole range of package-free shampoo and conditioner bars, to suit all hair types. As they are not diluted, each bar makes about 80 washes, as much as 3 bottles of the mainstream stuff. Here are direct links to the relevant listings on the LUSH website, where you read about each product in great detail. (There are many more — these are just the lowest priced.)
- Solid shampoo bars: Godiva, Copperhead, Jason and the Argan Oil, Honey I Washed My Hair, Brazilliant, Trichomania, Soak and Float, Karma Komba, Seanik, Lullaby, Jumping Juniper, Montalbano, New
- Conditioner bars: Big, Sugar Daddy-o, Jungle
- Two in one: Avocado Co-wash (excellent, I use it myself, but it’s best for thick hair that needs heavy moisturizing!)
- Zero-waste stores and some organic stores usually offer shampoo and conditioner in bulk.
Shampoo & Conditioner
[In progress!]
Hair Masks
Anti-frizz:
- Whisk together 1/3 cup honey and 1/2 cup yogurt.
- Whisk in 1 tbsp almond oil.
- Massage into hair from tips to roots, wrap in a bun then cover in a towel.
- Leave on half an hour then wash as usual.
Shaving & Hair Removal
Disposable razors are not recyclable, and I shudder at the thought of them ending in landfill or floating down rivers. Wax strips are synonymous with endless sheets of cellophane. Canned shaving cream involves various packaging materials, plus a basically chemical goop on your skin. The whole process needs to be re-thought.
- Metal razors with replaceable blades are an immediate practical alternative, though they seemed designed to make you buy expensive new blades frequently, and those come packed in plastic.
- Many zero-wasters swear by our grandfathers’ safety razors, which last a lifetime. They don’t need replacement blades so often, and these come wrapped in paper. Here are more details about safety razors from a man’s point of view (complete with tutorial and recommended brands) and from a woman’s.
- Here are printable recipes for both shaving cream and aftershave.
- Instead of wax strips, try sukkar, the traditional hair-removing caramel of the Middle East. Homemade from two ingredients, it can seem a bit fussy but the results are wonderful. Find all the details, and the recipe here.
