woody brush shocker

After months of vigorous scrubbing my plastic tooth brush splayed and ugly had come to the end of its working life. Greatly excited I got out my wooden and natural bristle completely biodegradable toothbrush.

It didn’t work. There was not enough in the way of friction the bristles were too soft and pulpy. I thought perhaps they just didn’t work with salt which I have been using since my tootpowder ran out. So even though I have given up plastic wrapped dentifrices, I bought a tube of toothpaste Nope, still no good. I have had to abandon the wooden toothbrush and buy a plastic one.

If I had been in the U.S. of A I could have got one of these recycled brushes but I’m not.

Don’t let this put you off other natural bristle products – my hairbrush is fantastic, the kitchen cleaning brushes superb ad my floor sweeping and hand brushes just wonderful.

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Salty Tasting Teeth

Experiments with the Teeth

For the past few months I have been using my own  home made tooth powder which has been very successful. Though I brought mountains of the stuff to India with me, my supplies have now run out. So I have been using salt. I bought my salt from Dzomsa in Leh. It came in a paper bag – good – reinforced with plastic tape – grrrr.

greaser

greaser

Originally uploaded by Crafty Librarian, Asheville

I got these from green ladies blog

I haven’t tried them because I have no use for such things but I am ever thinking of you more glamorous types and your plastic free needs.

Homemade Hair Gel

By: Michigan State University

The Ingredients

* 1/2 to 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

* 1 cup warm water

The Instructions

Dissolve gelatin in 1 cup warm water. Keep refrigerated and use as you would a purchased gel.

NB  I have bought gelatin in paper sachets in the past but it is not a product I use often.  Would appreciate any up to date info on this…

Planet Safer Hairspray Recipe

Chop up a lemon or an orange and boil it on the stove in a couple of cups of water. Boil it down about halfway and then strain out any pulp and mix it in a spray bottle with about an eighth of a cup (1/8: that’s half of a 1/4 cup measure, if it makes it easier) of rubbing alcohol.

If you keep it in the fridge it will stay “good” longer – between 2-3 weeks.

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The new shampoo

Back in the early days I gave up buying shampoo in nasty plastic bottles and took to making my own from soap flakes. However I got to thinking why bother with all that flaking and making – surely soap is soap is soap. Turns out yes it is and you can wash your hair with a bar of soap just as well as anything else including shampoo which is just runny soap.

I find its best to wash twice.

Now this is really good news for back packers cutting down as it does on not only your plastic waste – excellent result – but the amount of stuff in your wash bag and so in your rucksack. You might think that’s nothing when you are back at home,  when you are carrying the damn thing while being mobbed by rick shaw wallahs, every bit of weight reduction counts.

However I have had bad experiences with Indian soap.  Soap bought in a cardboard box comes wrapped in a plastic bag inside.

But not this soap….

Himalayan Blends soap comes in a fairtrade box made out of recycled cotton. For more check out their site  www.villageartisan.com hand milled by khan and sons vpo palloor chamba hp

If you are in Leh you can buy it from the Organic Store.  If you are in Shimla, you can buy it from the everything shop on the Mall.

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Lovely green soap and dish

Lovely green soap and dish

Originally uploaded by sunshinesyrie

This one is so easy I have forgotten to mention it but I don’t buy soap wrapped in plastic. I don’t even buy soap wrapped in boxes – there’s no need for it. I buy soap loose from health stores and shops like Lush.

Home made tooth powder

-

You can still get toothpaste in the old fashioned metal tubes if you are prepared to pay a lot and don’t mind the plastic caps which are hard to impossible to recycle.

Or you can try salt. UGHHHH

or bicarbonate of soda – this is pretty good for your teeth but for all its sterling qualities I find it far too soapy tasting to use un-cut.

So I mix it with two other famous dentifrices known for their soft polishing action and Orris Root. Orris root is a natural preservative and helps the flavor along.

Home made Tooth Powder / Paste

1 part chalk

1 part kaolin

1 part Orris Root

1 part bicarb

Put in a jar and shake well – saved as toothpowder or mixed to a stiff paste with water

You can buy the

chalk, kaolin and Orris Root from Aromantics – But if you do, the products come in a plastic bags which are plastic – booo… but polythene so easily recycled . I get huge amounts tooth powder out of one small bag of ingredients so I consider it a worthwhile compromise. Its less plastic than any other option and it can be recycled.

You can buy plastic free bicarb here

for more on dentifrices and whats good for your teeth go to mizar

For other plastic free cosmetics try here

Find other plastic free products with the >>>A-Z<<< plastic free index

Bicarb Toothpaste

For the last few months I have been experimenting with plastic free dentifrice. Dentifrice is the stuff you put on your toothbrush to clean your teeth – toothpaste usually though you can use all manner of things. My mothers keeps telling me that soot is good but that sounds more like a practical joke to me.

You can still get toothpaste in the old fashioned metal tubes if you are prepared to pay a lot and don’t mind the plastic caps which are hard to impossible to recycle. NB. Beth over at fake plastic fish also raises concerns about the metal tubes being plastic lined.

Or you could use bicarbonate of soda because…

“Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), a product used for many years by itself or in combination with other ingredients has several excellent properties. As a soft crystalline substance that dissolves readily, it has a mild abrasive potential. In solution it will kill on contact all of the motile microorganisms associated with periodontal infections, e.g. spirochetes, motile rods, etc. It will also kill other disease related bacteria. It will also neutralize and detoxify the bacterial acids and toxins that form in plaques (bacterial biofilms). I would put this inexpensive, readily available, product at the very top of the list of potentially beneficial dentifrice-ingredients.

for more got to mizar

You can buy plastic free bicarb here

The fantastic photo is Taiwanese Toothpaste Brands Originally uploaded by Danburg Murmur . Those funky looking pastes may well make me break my pledge

Find other plastic free products with the >>>A-Z<<< plastic free index

For the last few months I have been experimenting with plastic free dentifrice. Dentifrice is the stuff you put on your toothbrush to clean your teeth – toothpaste usually though you can use all manner of things. My mothers keeps telling me that soot is good but that sounds more like a practical joke to me.

You can still get toothpaste in the old fashioned metal tubes if you are prepared to pay a lot and don’t mind the plastic caps which are hard to impossible to recycle. NB. Beth over at fake plastic fish also raises concerns about the metal tubes being plastic lined.

Or you could use bicarbonate of soda because…

“Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), a product used for many years by itself or in combination with other ingredients has several excellent properties. As a soft crystalline substance that dissolves readily, it has a mild abrasive potential. In solution it will kill on contact all of the motile microorganisms associated with periodontal infections, e.g. spirochetes, motile rods, etc. It will also kill other disease related bacteria. It will also neutralize and detoxify the bacterial acids and toxins that form in plaques (bacterial biofilms). I would put this inexpensive, readily available, product at the very top of the list of potentially beneficial dentifrice-ingredients.

for more got to mizar

You can buy plastic free bicarb here

Find other plastic free products with the >>>A-Z<<< plastic free index

The wonder of bicarb

Bicarbonate of soda – something of a wonder product. This one product can replace hundreds of plastic bottles on your shelves.

You can use it to

Clean a microwave oven

Remove tarnish from silver

Clean a stainless steel sink

Boost the strength of liquid laundry detergent

Clean a fibreglass bathtub or shower.

Clean bathroom tile

Maintain your septic tank

Deodorize cloth diapers

Clean a refrigerator

Deodorize a dishwasher

Boost the strength of dishwashing liquid

Remove burnt-on food from cookware

Clean and deodorize a cutting board

Deodorize food containers

Clean coffee and teapots

Deodorize kitchen garbage

Deodorize carpet

Deodorize a cat litter box

Soothe poison ivy rash or insect bites

Soothe sunburn, windburn, and prickly heat

Take a refreshing bath

Brush your teeth

Wash your mouth

Neutralize vomit odour

Soothe tired feet

Use as a deodorant

Clean dirt, grime, and scuffmarks from doors, stoves, laminated tabletops, linoleum floors, and tile.

Remove coffee or tea stains from china

Minimize the smell of dirty laundry

Deodorize a closet

Deodorize garment storage bags

Deodorize shoes or training shoes

Remove crayon marks from walls or wallpaper

Clean dirt and grime from hands

Remove conditioner and styling gel build-up from hair

Refresh stuffed animals

Clean high chairs, car seats, strollers, and plastic mattress protectors

Clean baby bottles, nipples, and bottle brushes

Whiten socks and dirty clothes

Clean chrome bumpers and hubcaps

Remove dead insects from a car or truck windshield

Deodorize carpeting in a car

De-grease and clean barbecue grills

For more on the above go to cleaning tips from the virtuowl.

Over in New Zealand they are using it to wash their hair and clean their teeth and here are some more bicarb beauty tips

For the plastic free afficiando it really is a must.

Bicarb is available from Wing Yip Chinese Super Store in Manchester and it comes in paper bags.

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metal tubed toothpaste

These tooth pastes come in metal tubes according to the blurb and various write ups. I cant verify these claims as I make my own tooth powder – recipie to follow.

Euthymol

and

This comes in a metal tube and be bought from Twenga

Marvis Classic Strong Mint Toothpaste

By: Marvis Pack: 75-ml Product Code: MRV0002 Price: £4.88  Description Marvis is a classic toothpaste from Italy created using traditional methods to guarantees a rich, creamy paste. What makes Marvis unique is the range of exotic flavours – enticing and addictive tastes that produce a whirlwind of sensations. Marvis search the world to bring you irresistible new and original flavours that turn the simple act of teeth brushing into a daily pleasure of discovery and taste.  Marvis Classic Strong Mint Toothpaste has a uniquely fresh peppermint taste, especially recommended for smokers. Marvis toothpastes combine a  peppermint base with interesting flavours to give a long lasting pleasurable taste sensation. The formula containing Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay, fights tartar and plaque and keeps breath fresh all day long. And not only does Marvis clean and protect teeth and taste terrific but it even looks great in its luxuriously colourful tube with elegantly sculpted cap.

Home made sun block

Oh the risks I take for you… this year I am going to make my own sun block. If I end up looking Methuselah you will be to blame….

Last year you might remember that in attempt to move away from heavily packaged creams I started making my own. Obviously this means I can keep my creams in my own refillable jars and I do. Its surprising how much waste has been reduced.

I invested in the make your own cream starter kit from www.aromantic.co.uk and I have only just run out of emulsifiers.

Whats more I can now make all kinds of potions from light lotions to heavy repair creams.

Well I have been in the sun, using my home made suntan lotion, and so far so good

Here’s how I made it … the following information is taken from the Aromantics website where I also bought the necessary ingredients. NB I find their home made cream recipie the best so far

Perfect for making your Sun Protection products for the skiing season or holidays abroad!

Microfine Titanium Dioxide is accepted as a safe Sun Barrier all around the world. This is because it is inorganic and has a record of having no adverse reactions to it. This makes it ideal for products used on a daily basis.

It can be used in Sun Screens, Moisturisers, Powdered Make-up, Lip and Baby products and virtually any Skin Treatment product.

Adding 5% Microfine Titanium Dioxide to a product gives it a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of approximately 10 and protects against 90% UVA/UVB and UVC radiation. Adding 10% gives it a SPF of 15-20.

Add during the heating of the Vegetable Oil in the Fat Stage of making your product. You need less of this than Tiosol, so it is very cost effective.

Visit the Aromantic Skin Care Library on our website for more information about Microfine Titanium Dioxide. Aromantic’s Skin Care Library appears at the bottom of every page of our website.

Back to me – if you want your lotion to be self tanning as well you might want to add some DHA

I store my lotion in reusable bottles – of course.

NB the above products come in a plastic bags which are plastic – booo… but polythene so easily recycled . There is little I can do about the plastic bags – I get huge amounts cream out of one small bag of ingredients so I consider it a worthwhile compromise.

For other plastic free cosmetics try here

The photo is called wrinkled old woman – natch – and is part of a great series by jbpics

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