So... how did I go? Plastic Free July | 2024

I can't believe the end of July is already here... which means my pledge to be more plastic-free this July is approaching its end. I am not saying that I will go back to my old habits completely once July is over, but I have learnt a lot about my personal habits, particularly when it comes to shopping, through this experiment. 

If you haven't read my previous post, I highly recommend checking it out here. I made 5 dot-points on what I wanted to achieve and while I succeeded in more categories compared to others, I have proudly maintained the status of not being too hard on myself, and have found out the following: 

1. Try and find plastic-free alternatives to as many things as I can.

I will admit that this step may have been a tad unnecessary. There was no need for me to add more things to my already overflowing skincare collection. However, I do give myself the benefit of the doubt because I wanted to share my experiences online. I wanted to see if there was any impact on my personal routine with these plastic-free finds, if there was a learning curve or a holy grail product. You can find my Instagram here if you are interested.

Here is a list of what I tried so far and their respective ratings: 

Shampoo Bar: 4.5/5

I have tried before shampoo bars before, and I have had great success with them in the past. My first date this month with my shampoo bar from BarNone was a heavenly experience. My fine hair bounced back to life and had an immaculate glossy sheen. You may notice that I am missing half a point, and this is because, after a few uses, I found that my hair became waxy and felt heavier and oiler as time passed. I found a fantastic in-depth article on how bar products work, which you can find here. And if you're based in Canada, lucky you because they also sell some interesting soaps. An apple cider rinse seems to be the solution to this waxy situation, but for now, I am keen on using what I already have, so I found myself alternating from bar shampoo to my usual bottle shampoo. 

Conditioner Bar: 2.5/5

Sigh. This product I have always had a problem with. Nothing compares to my beloved plastic-encased deep conditioner which I found myself reaching for a whole lot this month, especially during these harsh winter months. That being said, the conditioner bar I tried from BarNone was the best I have used so far. I didn't buy this conditioner, or the aforementioned shampoo bar for this challenge in particular, instead, I picked it up on sale months ago intending to use it one day. So use it I did, and overall the duo worked in harmony. I do suspect that maybe my conditioner preferences are quite strict. That being said, my hair texture is fine so if this conditioner isn't penetrating my strands, I don't see it doing much for coarser hair types? I give it points for doing the job of conditioning my hair, although it could only be achieved with lots of hot water, elbow grease, and patience. 

Solid Body Lotion Bar: 4/5

This was another delight to use. I specifically used the LUSH 'King of Skin' body bar, which had a nice light citrus scent to it. Upon my first use, I was amazed at how moisturised I felt compared to my typical Vaseline lotion; I was glowing! I have dry skin, so this formula worked beautifully for me. It only loses a point because it is messy to use, and requires some time to sink into your skin, otherwise you face an uncomfortable sticky feeling. It also could be an issue to use if you live in warmer climates as it melts when in contact with heat, but if you find yourself in cooler climates, this bar requires some TLC to reach its melting point. As it is winter now in Melbourne, I find myself coming up with creative solutions, such as holding my body bar up to my overhead bathroom heat lamp to reach a nice warm temperature. 

Solid Face Serum: 3.5/5 

I confused this with my solid face oil bar mentioned below, which made me realise that this collection of bar products could lend itself to a great deal of confusion if you don't recall what bar is for what purpose. Or if you have guests, you could seem like a prick if you ask them to use the communal bar of soap to wash their body. This serum was surprisingly nice to use, but I still find myself confused if I slap this on my face, or lather in my hands and then slap this on my face. I found myself preferring the latter. 

Solid Face Oil: 4/5 

This was an oily and messy product, but I'm not sure what else you should expect from a solid oil. It wasn't all too bad, and I loved the sensation of melting this with my hands. That being said, a light touch makes this melt, so I can only imagine what a mess this could be for humid climates. I know that most smart people store this in their fridge, but I can only imagine that there have been cases where roommates would mistake this for butter or some other mysterious snack. I'm not sure how I feel about storing products in a fridge in general, and I don't think I could justify purchasing a dedicated mini beauty fridge, as there is also a part of me that is low-key terrified of electronics (I say as I spend hours on TikTok lol). 

Solid Hand Cream: 3/5 

The LUSH charity pot bar is a good option for those who want to try out solid lotion on the cheap. Given that my bar had a picture of a hand, I decided that this can be my plastic-free hand cream - yay. The only issue with this again is storage. A hand cream I typically like to carry in my bag, and I feel like it would be a bit embarrassing to whip this Mario brothers-esque coin out in public. But another part of me thinks, psht, who cares, we're all going to die one day. 

Facial Soap Bar: 5/5

Not my first rodeo with this product, but one that I am so far enjoying. It has been no inconvenience to my usual routine, and my sink at home comes with a convenient bar soap holder which is an added bonus. I find myself amazed at how little I require to wash my face, and wonder just how long this product will last. I am using the NIVEA Hydrating facial soap as it was something I already had at home (no McDonald's... we have food at home). I was also surprised at just how many plastic-free products I already had at home, stashed away with some hope that I would make the switch. 

Dish Soap Bar: 3/5

This product I received in the GoForZero plastic-free July starter box (you can find it here if you are interested), so it wouldn't be something I would have tried out on my own accord. This started my realisation that soap is very versatile... or in other words; soap is soap! It did the job but I found myself comparing it to its plastic-encased friend. I wish it had more of a strong scent when activated with water. While using it, I was met with that soapy bar soap smell, and for some reason it made me feel a little icky. I believe that this is something I would eventually get over, but I couldn't help but have the thought that my dishes weren't completely clean because it wasn't paired with a strong scent of apple or lime. I can't help but blame chemical companies for formulating this feeling, as I now believe I feel a sensation of 'clean' when I smell that neon-green liquid. The good thing about this bar, is that you can also use this for your laundry, and as a surface spray when diluted with distilled water. Because I have only used it so far as a dish soap, my rating is limited to that for now, but I will endeavour to use it in other ways. 

Vaporub: 4/5

This product came in my GoForZero box, and it was great timing as I have found myself feeling quite unwell this month. It was a satisfying product to use, however I found it to not be as strong as the traditional Vaporub. Nevertheless, it left me questioning if this product needed to be overpoweringly strong in the first place. I enjoyed using it, and I felt like it calmed me down at the same time. However, it loses a point because I believe you could easily DIY this, or rub essential oil in your palms to sniff, and it would have a similar effect. I am proud of myself for that last thought, as I re-wire my brain to think if I really 'need' to purchase a product, or if I have "insert product I want" at home. You'd be surpised just how much you have at home. 

Solid Lip Gloss: 5/5

Holy macaroni. This is a new holy grail product for me. I love glossy lips, and this tin of goodness feels exactly like a lip gloss, with a refreshing mint scent to it. I found myself constantly re-applying this, and it made me feel ecstatic that I am not missing out on the glitz and glamour of the beauty world while being plastic-free. It also made me realise that hey! I still love to feel glamorous and if there is not a viable option out there then that is just a missed business opportunity that I should jump on. Generally, low-waste plastic-free cosmetics tend to cost an arm, leg and a kidney, but is that the price you pay for ethical, non-toxic, locally made, packaged by an elf product? Or is there a certain hoop you have to jump through to achieve this social status of caring for your skin? Most typical makeup products tend to already come packaged in glass or aluminium (think foundation bottles or cream products), so I will endeavour where I can to snag these if they're on the cheap.  

2. Be honest with the plastic-free alternatives I find. 

I feel like I was quite honest with my reviews above. I also want to reiterate that plastic is not the enemy, and my aim this month was primarily to eliminate my reliance on single-use plastic and packaging where I could. There are many cases where plastic has benefitted society. I don't know why I always think of plastic plumbing when it comes to an example of this point, but plastic pipes are much more practical than metal pipes that rust and clog over time. A boring example but necessary for my point. 

Most of the alternatives I used were great, and I have no doubt that the gaps I found with these products will be fixed in no time (if they haven't already). 

I will admit, I had gone a bit backwards with my unconscious sustainability journey prior to this challenge. I was using natural deodorant for years but one day I decided to pick up a Rexona clinical strength deodorant from Costco (two nightmarish things to someone trying to be kinder toward the environment) and felt obliged to force my way through the 3-pack of deodorant sticks. As I am writing this, I can confirm that I found yet another one of these stashed away, which I have now placed in my sisters room to use (it felt like I put a curse on her or something, but I do know that she likes this formula). 

For someone who doesn't have much body odour to begin with, this endeavour took over 3 years, and I learnt through this gruelling process that what I was using before was perfectly fine. I now have to make that awkward transition from traditional deodorant back to natural deodorant, but once I do, I never want to go back. 

But we are human, and we are bound to make 'mistakes'. Although, I may be overthinking it as I'm sure the impact on the planet based on my deodorant choices is minimal compared to all the damage that is being done by big corporations.. and this is where I start to over-think again! 

I find its easy for me sometimes to feel discouraged. My decision to switch deodorants is probably something that a big, mainstream celebrity has never even had to consider in their life. But what helps me to snap out of that feeling is remembering that I am not doing this to impress other people, I am honestly not doing this for my personal health (although it is a great benefit), instead I am doing it because I care about our natural environment. 

At the end of the day, if we flat out refused to support Kylie cosmetics (as an example, sorry Kylie!), she will not turn a profit and be forced to shut down. We as consumers have so much power, and it has been a great transformation so far since I started even thinking about my environmental impact back in 2014. 

Since then, we have seen the elimination of the plastic straw, and we have seen big companies such as NIVEA and Garnier switch their products to be positioned as more environmentally friendly (although I don't know why I don't entirely trust this). 

I have learnt slowly through this month alone that the best choice you can make to reduce your environmental impact is to eliminate the need to purchase products in the first place. 

Since last mentioning the TikTok trend of 'under-consumption' there has been a lot of discourse surrounding this. Some of the videos posted on TikTok seem genuine, while others are not under-consumption, rather just normal consumption. We used to be sad when we were running out of a makeup product, but now we get excited. Our behaviours have changed drastically since the age of YouTube influencers. 

So while I will continue to experiment and trial plastic-free alternatives, as well as more environmentally friendly alternatives, I need to remind myself again that the best option is to use what I already own, to support local businesses where I can, and to change my personal shopping habits. 

3. Find where I can recycle things in my local council. 

This point I admittedly forgot about, as I didn't have too many things to recycle in July, but I did make some realisations this month. 

For example when it comes to books, I tend to be the kind of reader who will read a physical book once, and then let it collect dust. Only in very rare and exceptional circumstances have I felt the desire to read the same book twice. And if this book is not collecting dust, it is usually borrowed by friends and family, which either ends up in a new home (and I really don't mind this), or it makes its journey back to me to where I forget I even had the book in the first place. And in that second scenario, the book will go back on my shelf to yet again collect more dust. 

I say shelf, but I no longer have a bookshelf, so I embarrassingly keep my book collection hidden under my bed. I have also since been using a Kindle, and I was hesitant at first, but it has changed my life so far for the better. 

So, to continue the average life cycle of my books... if and when I decide that I no longer need to hold onto a copy of a book, I tend to donate this to the op shop. I always have, and this is where I started to question how I let go of my possessions. I want to stress to start looking for alternative ways of how you do things. 

While my option of donating to an op shop is not necessarily bad, I have learnt that a lot of op shops are inundated with books. Libraries typically don't like donations which is a bummer.

Ironically through my impulsive habit of online shopping, I grabbed some second-hand copies off of BookGrocer where I discovered they can buy titles off of you! Not only will you make some extra pocket money, but this will support the business and allow avid readers to access otherwise hard to find book titles. 

Another option is to find a local public book thingy to pop your books in - what are they called again? My council has none of these - my closest one is a 30min drive away. But if I find myself near one, (usually more gentrified areas have them) I will pop my books in there for strangers to enjoy. I like the mystery and thrill of a stranger picking up a free book - and I have borrowed books from these mini public libraries before, and can confirm it is lots of fun. 

For now, I will continue recycling my batteries at ALDI and my e-waste at Officeworks - hmmm some corporations aren't too bad. Outside of council curbside collection, I will continue to look into outside alternatives to recycling while my council figures their crap out. 

4. Start some upcycling projects.

Prior to this challenge, I went through my wardrobe and began to cull clothes that I no longer wear, or that are too small to the point where I can't alter them. I tend to do this twice a year on average, which I feel is a bit excessive at times, but absolutely necessary. 

However, there was one denim skirt that I salvaged to complete a sewing project on. I have little experience with sewing clothes (I like to sew quilts), but I decided that this skirt has good bones to be turned into a denim corset. I could be kidding myself, but when it comes to good quality material, it sometimes feels like a waste letting this go. 

It is wishful thinking to believe that all the clothes you donate get a second life. I've donated clothes in one of those big donation bins before that you usually find in weird places like near a train station or a shopping centre. And often, you see that someone has rummaged through it and dumped all the apparel all over the place. So while I would like to think that someone would enjoy my denim skirt, maybe I could breathe some fresh life into it and get creative. 

5. Be honest - and document my experiences. 

What was meant to be a short and sweet blog post, has turned into a big ball of rambles - if you made it this far you deserve a sticker. I heard an amazing saying the other day that went something along the lines of: 'It is borderline impossible to be low-impact in a capitalist world'... it was much better said than that but I hope you get the gist. It is easy to be hard on yourself, and it is disheartening sometimes when you try and do the right things, but a lot of people are doing the wrong things (specifically governments, local governments, mayors, council members... I could go on).

It also sucks that the fate of our environment is a political issue. I hate politics. I like what it stands for but it is too complicated sometimes for me to wrap my cave-man-esque brain around. 

I think that in order for our world to continue to function, there has to be some level of international competition of who is being more green? Instead of countries flaunting their power over who has the most coal or oil, it will eventually have to evolve into who can produce the most energy, or who's air is the cleanest? 

We should be embarrassed as suburbs, cities, states, countries on our impact on the planet. It is also a huge class issue as industrialised suburbs tend to have more heat islands than the more picture perfect green touristy green suburbs. I want everywhere to be as green as it could be. I go on walks to clear my head, but I end up looking at my surroundings and go 'a tree could be planted there' or 'artificial grass should be banned'. So it boils down to this... if I continue to spend the rest of my life using bar soap instead of bottled soap, how much of a difference would this make to our environment? And what if we all did the same? While I can't tell you the answers right now, I will endeavour to research this topic and learn as I go. 

I found this article too on this very soapy dilemma, which makes me feel a bit more heard in this world. Remember, you are not alone! And together we can make a difference. 

- Amanda