In 2020, most of us are well aware that our beauty routines and busy lifestyles aren’t quite as eco-friendly as they could be. While KeepCups and bamboo toothbrushes certainly help to reduce plastic waste, it’s fair to say we could do more to protect the environment. But how can you go from eco-friend to eco-BFF without overhauling your entire life? For most, this means rethinking time-honoured beauty rituals and switching up daily norms in favour of more sustainable practices. Here, discover 10 eco-friendly habits that are not only easy to implement in your daily life (we promise), they will also make life better for you, your pocket, and the environment.

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1. Use a shampoo bar

The perfect solution for those on a mission to cut down on plastic and ‘clean up’ their shower cabinet, shampoo bars have skyrocketed in popularity recently. Compact and convenient, they require no plastic packaging, making shampoo bars a great eco-friendly alternative to liquid shampoo. But while they may be better for the environment, are shampoo bars better for your hair?A well-formulated shampoo bar can clean the hair just as well as your favourite bottled shampoo. In fact, solid shampoo bars such as those by Pure Oskar are made using natural ingredients which tend to be gentler on the scalp and do not strip the hair of its natural oils like many traditional liquid shampoos. While it may take a little bit of time to get used to, swapping to a solid shampoo bar may just be the easiest change you can make.

2. Shop local

By making a conscious effort to shop locally more often, you can make a huge difference to the community around you. When you spend within your community almost half of it gets recirculated in the local economy, creating more jobs and supporting local industries along the way. It also helps to reduce your carbon footprint since products are locally-sourced rather than being delivered internationally. So, instead of searching online for the perfect gift this season, why not visit a local independent boutique for something unique?

3. Shop secondhand and vintage

Another great way to improve your shopping habits is by shopping secondhand. In doing so, you’re not only saving money, as items tend to retail at least at half their original price, you’re also contributing towards creating a more sustainable future by investing in circular fashion. From kilo sales and vintage boutiques to Depop and Vestiaire Collective, it’s never been easier to find the vintage coat of your dreams without compromising on style or price.

4. Invest in reusable face masks

Face masks are by far the coolest, must-have accessory for the foreseeable. With the wearing of face coverings now mandatory in shops and on public transport, and the reality that we will be required to wear them for quite some time, it makes sense to invest in a handful of stylish reusable masks. Not only are they a smarter decision financially, but reusable face masks will also help cut down on potentially tens of thousands of tonnes of extra plastic waste caused by single-use face masks. And when it comes to deciding what mask to purchase, look for reusable designs made out of linen. The naturally antibacterial material is one of the more sustainable options as linen requires far less water to grow than other natural fibres such as cotton. What’s more, Ireland is renowned for producing beautiful, high-quality linen, meaning you will find a host of local brands, such as Irish Linen House and Stable of Ireland , to choose from when shopping for a linen face mask.

5. Use handmade soap

There are plenty of reasons why classic bars of soap are back in fashion, one of them being Irish skincare brand Pure Oskar, which is raising the bar with its collection of natural handmade soap, including natural soap for men. The contemporary range features subtle unisex scents and targets myriad skin concerns using high-quality sustainable ingredients, helping to make good old-fashioned soap cool again. If you’re aiming to ditch the plastic, making the return to solid soap is a great place to start. And with plenty of design-focused soap holders on the market, you can proudly leave your soap on display (next to your bamboo toothbrush), turning the bathroom sink into an eco-friendly design haven.

6. Wrap gifts using recycled wrapping paper

With Christmas just around the corner, you’re no doubt thinking about gifts, or, more importantly, how you’re going to present said gifts. Instead of wrapping the beautiful items you expertly searched for in traditional Christmas paper which, let’s be honest, is both naff and terrible for the environment, why not opt for recycled wrapping paper with a stylish edge? Plastic-free brand Kinshipped (available from The Kind Co. ) makes eye-catching designs printed on recycled paper using vegetable inks, and will no doubt make your gifts look even better.

7. Use a period cup

While tampons and pads have long been the frontrunners when it comes to choice (or lack thereof) of sanitary products, more and more women are switching to period cups as a more sustainable and convenient alternative. But why should you consider using a period cup? Designed as a healthier, eco-friendly option, period cups such as the nüdie cup by &Sisters are better for you and the environment because one hypoallergenic cup is reusable for many years, therefore drastically reducing waste. And, when it comes to being financially savvy, period cups are significantly cheaper in the long-term since one can last for up to a decade with a little bit of TLC.

8. Embrace Meatless Monday

Vegans and vegetarians can skip this one but, meat lovers, keep reading. Cutting meat out of your diet completely isn’t sustainable for everyone, and that’s OK. There are still ways in which you can cut down on the amount of meat you consume and make a small but substantial difference. Meatless Monday is an international campaign that encourages people to, you guessed it, not eat meat on Mondays. Described as good for you, and good for the planet, by going meat-free once a week and eating more healthy plant-based foods you can help reduce the incidence of chronic preventable diseases, preserve precious land and water resources, and combat climate change.

9. Drink loose tea

It may come as a surprise that the humble cup of tea isn’t the most eco-friendly brew going. But did you know one teabag made out of plastic mesh can release 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics in a single cup? According to recent research , even the common teabag made out of paper contains traces of plastic. Thankfully, there are plastic-free alternatives that promise an eco-friendly cuppa as good as any other.

10. Use a washing bag

Speaking of microplastics, when you wash clothes made out of synthetic materials, tiny plastic fibres are released into the washing machine which then find their way into the world’s oceans and waterways. The Guppyfriend , a washing bag you put your clothes in, is scientifically-approved to collect these microfibres during the wash cycle, preventing them from ever entering into rivers and oceans. It also results in fewer fibre losses and thus helps your garments last longer, which is a good enough reason in itself to start using a washing bag, if you ask us.

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