Fruit squash without the plastic

A Look At Some Plastic Free Cordials! 

If you go down the fruit squash, cordial aisle you can’t fail to notice the rows upon rows of plastics. It can be soul destroying to see. With the plastic tax now taking effect in the UK I would say that more manufacturers will come on board to include recycled content in their bottles.

Meanwhile, if you do look around you may see some lovely UK made products also available in glass. Glass is heavier to transport sadly but on the flip side, it is one of the most recycled products out there. Plus we love to keep ours going even longer by making our own cordials (see recipe near bottom of page).

In this article we have a look at some of the products you can buy and also how to make your own (really easy) if you choose to do so. Some products in glass bottles can be pricey so look out for special offers to keep your pennies lasting longer.

Belvoir – Belvoir Farm lies in the Vale of Belvoir in Leicestershire. The first cordial was made in the farmhouse kitchen by Peverel Manners, utilising wild elderflower that were spilling into the family’s garden. No artificial preservatives, additives or sweeteners are used. The team now owns 60 acres of organic elderflower which are harvested in June. 

https://www.belvoirfarm.co.uk/elderflower-harvest/about-the-harvest/

Blossom Cottage – Made in the Cotswolds with hand picked fruits added to spring water. You can buy morello cherry or elderflower flavours with no artificial colours or sweeteners. 

https://www.shs-drinks.co.uk/our-brands/blossom-cottage

Bottlegreen – This company was founded by husband & wife team Kit & Shireen in 1989. They use their own spring water at a mill in the Cotswolds with filtering techniques for their elderflowers, similar to the process used in wine making. They do an interesting array of flavours including pomegranate & elderflower, blackberry, apple & sloe, lime & mint, apple & plum, winter berry & more. 

https://www.bottlegreendrinks.com/cordials/

Robinson – Robinson’s history goes back to 1823 where Matthias Robinson patented Robinson Barley to make Barley Groats (Barley in powder form in tins). Later, Mr Smedley Hodgson combined it with lemon & sugar. This became a refreshing drink for Wimbledon tennis players since the 1930s.

In 2017 Robinson’s launched Fruit Creations making cordials with fruit & botanicals. Available in glass bottles the range includes Raspberry, Rhubarb & Orange, Lime & Mint Cordial, Blackberry, Cranberry & Sloe plus Pear & Elderflower. 

https://www.robinsonssquash.co.uk/about-us/

They do include sweeteners as well as sugar but steviol glycosides are used (which in my opinion are far better than other sweeteners on the market). They also contain some preservatives too.

Rocks – the family farm in Devon was founded by Hugh Rock who sought to make refreshing, natural fruit drinks without additives, colours or sweeteners. Hugh has since retired but the company still continues to this day making squash from whole fruit, sugar & water. The range includes orange, blackcurrant & lemon squash. 

https://shop.rocksdrinks.co.uk/pages/why-rocks

Summary - Here we’ve just focused on cordial (or squash) – those where you add your own water. You can also look out for pressés if you want a pre-made drink. Some of the brands above have fizzy drinks pre-made you can buy. 

See below on how you can save money by making your own!

Homemade Lime & Mint Cordial

Step One: You need 2 limes, 160ml mint leaves (about 2/3 cup), 225g caster sugar + 250ml water

Step Two: Grate limes & extract juice. Dissolve sugar in water & add mint leaves & grated lime.

Step Three: Simmer for 20 mins. Remove from heat & add juice of the limes.

Step Four: Stir & then allow to cool. Place in bottle via a sieve. Store in fridge.

Can be diluted with water to make a refreshing cordial or why not add a splash of cordial to a homemade mojito*?

The run down - Cost wise I estimate just over £1.00 for the ingredients. I haven’t estimated cost of elec/gas to simmer the sugar water nor the cost of the water (which will have some cost if you’re water metered), but just a little over £1 a bottle is a good half of what you normally pay for a bought item. 

If you have the time it’s worth giving it a try & so super easy to do! I like to use an old glass bottle from a cordial I tried in the past.

My husband loves to make his own fizzy drinks too using a ginger beer plant, some apple juice or fresh fruits such as strawberries plus sugar & water. It makes for a refreshing alcoholic drink. We don’t use glass as the fizzy product means it may need room to expand while it’s brewing, so for that we use old plastic bottles that we re-use time & time again.

I may start experimenting with other fruits too as I’ve only tried the lime & mint so far. It’s blackberry picking time soon so you never know what may unfold! 

Last year I made some rosehip syrup from locally foraged rosehips & hedgerow jam from local sloe, rosehips, blackberries, apple & left over frozen fruit we had in the freezer. Utilising old jars & bottles is a great way to keep containers going until you’re ready to recycle them. 

Lovely too eating/drinking your own home made products!

Enjoy ya refreshing drinks but do keep an eye out for special offers in the stores to keep the costs down, as some of the brands can be quite pricey, or why not have a go at making your own?

*NB: To make homemade mojito add white rum to lemonade with splash of your lime & mint cordial, add sprig of mint, piece of lime & several ice cubes.

🍸 Sit back & enjoy! 🍸

Greencare - A Review

 This is my 23rd review on plastic alternatives.

Scoring system:

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Twenty Three - Greencare by Sainsbury's

You may not have failed to notice that these products in the Greencare range are in plastic bottles, so you may also be wondering why these are being reviewed in a 'reduce your plastics' site?

My reason for choosing this product is that it comes in a 100% recycled plastic bottle. 

For years we were recycling plastics not realising (like many) that most of it doesn't get recycled & some may even find its way abroad. This led me to start this wonderful blog & sent me on a mission to do more.

So it's great to see some companies beginning to use utilise recycled plastics which is why I have supported this. They are pretty good products and at a decent price too & I found myself switching to them with no trouble at all. E-cover for example are becoming too much out of my price range & Method can be pricey too.

For various brands that do use recycled plastics in their products check out this post at: 

https://www.lovelierplanet.com/2019/11/natural-products-in-recycled-packaging.html

Plus check out my recent post on the British Plastic Survey for statistics on recycling, shipping abroad, landfill plus incineration.

So back to Greencare, they are a range made by Sainsbury's who do washing detergent & fabric conditioner, cleaning sprays, window & floor cleaner, washing up liquids (smells lovely), dishwasher tablets and shower spray (smells scrummy too). 

When they have both price AND product mix right as well as being eco friendly then it makes me happy.

Now there is the issue of what happens to plastic when it is recycled. Can we keep it going for a long time? Well sadly it downgrades (often know as downcycling) so is not a long term solution. 

Humans need to act fast to find a better solution however we also need to find ways to use the recycled stock that we do have, to make new things, rather than relying on virgin materials (or nurdles - for more on nurdles check out my blog post on hidden plastics).

I found this article below very interesting where it discusses how different plastics are rated and how some plastics are better able to be melted than others and why it cannot be recycled an infinite number of times. Green Matters - Can You Recycle Recycled Plastic?

Also this article on downcycling is a good read: https://ailuna.com/what-is-downcycling/

For me I love the greencare range so will score it a ❤ from me.

Next I'll be reviewing the eco egg which I finally got around to purchasing. Mixed feelings about that which I will explain more in a later post.

Meanwhile, happy washing!!

Festive Dreamin'

Reducing Our Carbon Footprint This Christmas

This time of year can be joyous but can also be stressful, not only for us but also for the planet. Thrown away toys, unwanted gifts, plastic packaging, excess food waste, the list goes on. But we can do better. Here’s some thoughts on how to reduce our use of resources AND make ourselves feel better at the same time!

Reduce – it’s so easy to get into the habit of excess buying. A poster on a forum had some good ideas. Buy your child something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.

For older members of the family maybe set a limit so you don’t feel you have to spend lots, no more than a tenner perhaps. Or make your own items that they enjoy like bath salts for a bath enthusiast or your own biccies for that someone with a sweet tooth. Try these 100 Homemade Gift Ideas for some inspiration.

If you do buy gifts, why not buy from a charity shop catalogue, you know your gifts are also helping charity, or look to sponsor an animal maybe.

To reduce food waste keep an eye on use buy dates. Best before dates are usually safe (even after the date) but use by dates you want to keep an eye on. I try to write on a white board which things need eating as a reminder or bundle left overs in the freezer for later in the week.

Food waste can often be composted but it does produce methane, a greenhouse gas so reducing waste can reduce our carbon footprint.

There are some food waste apps that help to reduce waste you can try.

Check my reviews for some eco products too for some ideas of less wasteful products to try or check out some of our home made items for sale.

Reuse – it’s OK to reuse old wrapping paper, or even use brown wrapping paper tied in string. You can find ways to brighten it up. Be creative and inventive! 

Try this site for some eco friendly gift wrapping ideas.

Recycle – frustrating I know, we try so hard to recycle but it can be very complicated. To get an idea of what recycling symbols mean check out our blog post.

RecycleNow is also a great site to guide you along the way.

For anything tricky to recycle like toothpaste tubes and cat food pouches, take a look at Terracycle to see if there’s a recycling point near you.

Rekindle – is there an old hobby you lost sight of? Maybe a favourite walk you used to do you haven’t done in a while? It’s OK to take time to do more for Planet You. 

There’s no point running around totally stressed out and have little time for you. If you have a large bunch of people young and old to cater for, work out which jobs folks love to do best and play on their strengths. It’s less of a task if you enjoy it!

Recoup – let’s face it, some of the best things in life are free. Fresh air, warming sun, crispy leaves, trickling water – if you have access to these things enjoy them. I love a nice walk on a cold crisp day at Christmas. Even better when you can snuggle up when you get home!

Rejoice – Grab ya fave music, radio is usually free and lifts your spirits. Or grab that book you never got around to reading. Why not check out our list of eco friendly books too? 

Instead of full throttle take a step out and breathe a little. (Believe me, this is something I have to remind myself to do regularly). 

If you’re feeling bad about reducing your gifting this Christmas, take a look at Martin Lewis’ tips on why it makes sense to take a step back. 

Check out too this lovely idea of the repair shop for preloved teddies. They deserve some love too! 

Happy Christmas!

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Useful links for an eco friendly Christmas:

Green Christmas
Less Waste at Xmas
Have an Eco Christmas

🎄Homemade Items for Sale🎄

Deodorant in a Jar

This is my 22nd review on plastic alternatives.

Scoring system:

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Twenty Two - Native Unearthed Deodorant Balm

OK, I have to own up. In my bid to buy something with no plastic (especially as we're now in Plastic Free July) I tripped up buying a product in a glass jar not realising the lid was plastic!

I'm feeling quite bad as my reviews to date focus on plastic alternatives, but I decided that in the theme of reduce, reuse, recycle that I would include it in my reviews. 

The product is reduced plastic in that its main base is glass, can be reused after (I plan to make salves, deodorants and toothpastes in the future, so this product with a screw top lid is ideal) and once done with I will of course recycle the glass. 

Black plastic is notoriously difficult to recycle, as automated sorting machines use scanners which struggle with black plastics, so I will be mindful of this & try to reuse the container as much as possible.

So onto the product review!

Native Unearthed is a British company that produces deodorant balms using natural ingredients. I sheered away from deodorant balms in the past as I didn't fancy applying greasy products under my arms. But this was surprisingly smooth and almost powder like on the fingers, so you don't feel greasy at all.

They say to apply a pea sized amount, warmed between the fingers and although this seemed too little to make a difference I realised after a few hot, humid days that even a small amount was more than adequate for the job.

The product I bought was sage & lavender scented made with natural ingredients including shea butter, arrowroot, coconut oil, sodium bicarbonate, lavender and sage. 

A product I had previously tried in a cardboard tube pulled on my skin as I applied it and had no detectable scent, so was more delighted with this brand.

Plastic reduced products can be a little pricey so to bring the cost down I bought it from Holland and Barrett during a store promotion. 

My Verdict?

Reviewers said they found the scent too strong and preferred the Coconut & Vanilla one. For me the lavender was great with an uplifting, flowery scent. Once applied the scent is more subtle and when warmed into fingers it glided onto my skin nicely. 

The manufacturers state the product can last 4 months. I have used mine about 3 weeks so far & still have more than 3/4 left, so I can certainly believe it will last a long time.

So my verdict is definitely a ❤ love it from me. 

Have a Happy Summer! 🍦🍨🍸

Plastic Free July

Welcome to Plastic Free July!

Plastic Free July was started in Australia ten years ago. In 2020, an estimated 326 million people across the globe took part in the challenge from 177 countries.

This Plastic Free July web site is a great resource for you to try, and can give you tips on how to make changes in the home, with your pets, on holiday, at work, during festivals and so much more. 

My Own Journey

Read how I made some changes to reduce plastics in my home life - it isn't perfect but I've enjoyed trying out different things. 

For those starting out on their own journey we have several reviews on plastic free items such as: 

💚plastic free razor

💚wax wraps

💚bamboo toothbrushes

💚shampoo bars

💚homemade cleaning sprays 

and so much more.

Check out our eco product reviews and make your own section for some ideas. 

Also check out some of our own homemade products for sale.

Looking for books to help you on your plastic reduction journey? 

See our top ten eco books for adults and list of ten eco books for children.

At the moment I am trying a new deodorant in a glass jar.

Lovelier Planet Articles

Articles to have a quick read while you're here 👀

💚Schools and Plastics

💚Companies Making the Change

💚What Does BPA & PLA Mean?

💚Recycling Codes Explained

💚Microplastics in your Wash

💚Life of a Plastic Bag

Help Me!

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Review - There's no Planet B!

This is my 21st review on plastic alternatives.

Scoring system:

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Twenty One - There's no Planet B

For a late Christmas present I treated myself to a book called There’s no Planet B by Mike Berners-Lee. I bought the latest version which was released in January 2021.

I remembered seeing the author Mike Berners-Lee on the TV show called 'Feast to Save the Planet' about the impact of our food on the environment.  I’m a lover of statistics so felt encouraged that I would learn lots, & lots I did indeed learn! I have added some quotes from the book below with some of my interpretations.

“It’s not what we do, see or have that matters but how much we appreciate it.” p141

The tendency in today’s society is to have it all, do it all and want more of it. But can we appreciate the amount we do have without pushing for ever better (but also more wasteful) things? We need to find the right balance of having just enough & not pushing for more. Businesses need to learn from this too as they are often the ones driving our wasteful society.

“Human impact = impact per person x no. of people.” p169

How many people think ‘there’s no point me doing anything if everyone else is not bothering’ but if all the folks who wanted to do something make a start then as a collective it does make a difference.

Per person, our own little bit of impact can benefit the planet as a whole, but be careful as this can apply both ways, bad as well as good! By doing nothing we are creating a bad impact so any little bit in the right direction really does help. In other words, do start to make changes no matter how small they are & build on them. You could influence others to do the same!

“12 billion careful people could live well on the planet, whereas 1 billion careless people couldn’t.” p262

Our planet can survive even with a bulging population but only if those very people take care of Earth’s precious resources. If not then the planet would have trouble even with 1 billion of us. Us humans are intelligent enough to realise that all is not well but realising is not enough, we need to create the action needed to change our ways. But, it can be done!

“If all the world’s discarded plastic was cling film, it would be more than enough to wrap the whole planet.” p63

Well if that doesn’t get you started in cutting back on plastics nothing will!

Some changes I made

During my 50^th year on this planet I decided to make some changes in reducing plastic. 

I am not claiming to be perfect, my house does still have plastic products in it, but I have tried to make the switch in many ways (more soaps, shampoo bars, bamboo toothbrushes, non plastic razors, recycled bottles, re-using old bottles with re-fills, making my own products & more). 

Click here to see how I made some switches. I hope it will provide some inspiration to others who want to make a start too.

I highly recommend reading 'There's no Planet B', it really will get you thinking & is packed FULL of information from start to finish. It is indeed a love ❤ from me. Happy reading!

Meanwhile let’s give the Earth a bit of TLC, because, where would we be without her?

Mike is also the author of the books ‘How Bad Are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint of Everything’ & ‘The Burning Question’ (a book about climate change).

Just Peachy Soap!

My 20th review on plastic alternatives in my bid to reduce 50 plastic items. Hope you enjoy! 

Scoring system: 

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Twenty - Just Peachy Soap

If you're starting out on your journey to reducing plastics a great place to start is in the bathroom. Far too many plastic bottles in there, ranging from shampoos, conditioners, body wash & bubble baths. So why not step back in time & go back to soap? 

I recently discovered that Imperial Leather do a new soap called 'Just Peachy' which looks lovely, smells devine & feels really nice & creamy.

In World War II, Imperial Leather marketed their soaps as being long lasting & the soap of choice, for that savvy wartime family when soap was being rationed!

And did you know that in the 1950s, Imperial Leather was one of the 1st brands to advertise between dramas, which led to the phrase of 'soaps' in TV shows? 

The new just peachy soap brand comes in a card box, is a good price & smells lovely too. So I give this a big love from me ❤ Additionally, why not try their pink lemonade & donuts? 

Happy lathering!

Spring is Springing, what better way to enjoy than getting wildflower seed balls for your garden. See our Etsy store to order.

Wildflower Seedballs by Lovelier Planet.

Review - Turn the Tide on Plastic

This is my 17th review on plastic alternatives. Hope you enjoy!

Scoring system: 

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Seventeen - Turning the Tide on Plastic 

The paperback book 'Turning the Tide on Plastic' is written by Lucy Siegle. Some may be familiar with Lucy as she regularly appears on the One Show (UK TV). She (like me) loves facts, figures and statistics. The author includes quotes for her words at the bottom of each page so curious minds can read up more later.

The book reads very much like a novel - at first I was a little bemused when I saw no graphics, no colour, no imagery at all. I am a lover of colour and variety, so at first I thought I would struggle to absorb the text, without anything to break it up. But to be honest I only managed to read bits at a time anyway, so it really didn't matter not having anything to break up the text.

Lucy has a lot of knowledge on the subject and explains it in a way that most households can appreciate. I found myself writing notes of things to look into later! 

She explains the need to take action now. 'Without big action, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the seas.' 'It is estimated that 5.1 trillion tiny pieces of plastic litter the world's oceans.' are examples of quotes to make us all think.

My Verdict?

I found the writing matter of fact and helpful and something you can pick up and read a bit at a time to absorb the information. I think for me, seeing graphics does lift up my interest, but I realise graphics means colour print which can push up the costs and extra ink. I guess it's down to the reader what they prefer. Beth Terry's book I reviewed in a previous post had a mix of graphics and text and is my preferred choice of the two.

Having said that, the text is more relevant to UK readers than Beth's and I found the links at the bottom of the pages and the resources section at the back very useful, so I will score it a love ❤ from me! 

♻ See also our list of books on the following pages:

10 books on reducing plastic for adults
10 books on plastic waste for children 

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Review - Plastic Free Sanitary Wear

This is my 16th review on plastic alternatives. I hope these help give some ideas on alternatives you can use in your daily lives.

Scoring system: 

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Sixteen - Chemical and Plastic Free Sanitary Wear

Why on Earth are sanitary towels made with plastic I hear you ask. But is this true? 

According to Natracare, they say, on average, there may be 36g of plastic in every packet of period pads. That’s 2.4g of plastic per pad, and 2.5g for the outer pack itself. That’s the equivalent of 5 plastic carrier bags per pack. They go on to say that the average woman uses 11,000 menstrual items in their lifetime. And that's just one person!

Discarded items sometimes wash up on beaches (menstrual products are the 5th most common item washed up on European shores). 

I'm sure the Marine Conservation Society weren't particular happy when they found 20 tampons and sanitary items per 100 metres of shoreline during a beach cleanup in 2016!

Despite the name, 'fat bergs' in sewers are mostly made up of personal care products:- According to the BBC wet wipes contribute to 93% and the other 7% included feminine hygiene products. Only half a percent was actually made up of fat!

According to friends of the earth tampons have plastic in them too – even in the string – and plastic applicators are made from polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). They say 90% of a menstrual pad can be plastic and 6% of a tampon.

If that's not enough to put you off how about this:- A recent study from the US found that non-organic rayon-based tampons contain nasty chemicals including Carbon Disulfide, a known reproductive toxin and Methylene Chloride which is a chemical found in paint stripper! (Carbon Disulfide was not found in organic cotton tampons thank goodness).

So What Can We Do?

Friends of the Earth recommend switching to menstrual cups (have seen them being sold in local supermarkets), or washable pads from online stores or look for the organic plastic free alternatives that are chlorine free.

With this in mind I have been switching to a brand called Natracare. Made from organic cotton and wood pulp, according to their web site, Natracare pads have been plastic free since 1995.

As well as Natura Care I have also tried a product called Flo which is a natural, plant-based product, biodegradable and hypoallergenic - they use materials like organic cotton and organically-grown bamboo. 5% of proceeds goes to charities, which includes providing sanitary wear for schools and asylum centres. 

According to their site the pads use plant based biowrappers although the pad backing, and tampon wrapper and applicator is made from plastic (they're currently working on compostable materials). I have noticed on ethical superstore that their FLO tampons now say the applicators are made from plant based plastic so looks like advancements are being made.

Their sanitary wear is free from chlorine, synthetics, chemicals and fragrance free which is an added bonus.

My Verdict?

I have tried the Natracare tampons with no problems to report. They are very much the same as my normal product, but I rest safe in the knowledge that these are plastic free, organic, chlorine free and are also biodegradeable.

The natracare pads I tried were soft and comfortable. A little on the short side but they do stick very well. (You need good muscles to peel them off after use!)

With the Flo sanitary towel I bought the night and day pack. You get more day time ones which makes a lot of sense. The product with wings has the wings about a third of the way up meaning you can't position the item centrally. I find this doesn't work as well as those that do position centrally (for me anyway!) 

I love the box - it says 'Hello Gorgeous' on it and was nice to think some profits goes towards charities. Having a product that uses bamboo is a nice change to try and help save the trees.

So my verdict for both Natracare and Flo products was a love from me 💗. You can order both brands from ethical superstores.

Check out this video, it may help you make the change!

https://www.natracare.com/blog/turning-the-tide-on-plastic-period-waste/

Review - Plastic Free Deodorant

This is my 15th review on plastic alternatives. I hope these help give some ideas on alternatives you can use in your daily lives.

Scoring system: 

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Fifteen - Earth Conscious Deodorant

I made the decision to swap out or reduce 50 items for my 50th year on this planet and very quickly built up a whole arsenal of plastic free products for personal care, bathroom and kitchen use. I found the switch for most items really easy (albeit at times expensive) - finding a suitable plastic free deodorant though has become a bit of a challenge.

I chose to buy the award winning Earth Conscious deodorant which has a base of bicarbonate of soda and coconut oil with jasmine and rose scent. It comes in a card tube so certainly hits the brief of being plastic free. Jasmine is one of my favourite scents too so I was super excited to give it a go. I bought mine from the Floral Fox shop.

However, for me the scent just wasn't there - at one point I thought I'd bought a scent free version by mistake. I wasn't so keen either on how the dry product pulls the skin as you apply. I thought at first it was due to it being cold having just arrived in the post on a cold day - but nope, even with being in a warm bathroom it didn't improve.

As I worked my way to the bottom I found the consistency changed slightly, I think I was reaching more of the coconut as it did glide a little easier but only just a slight improvement. The scent didn't get any stronger either.

I also found a strange odour being created which I couldn't quite work out! After googling I found the smell could be coming through your skin, as you start to eliminate the aluminium found in many products - I checked my normal product and found it did contain aluminium. 

So with the extra weird smell and the fact the product had little scent of its own I ended up having to use body spray on top to provide that extra bit of floral notes (the first time I've ever had to use two products to do one job!)

My normal deodorant though used to make me itch for a few days after shaving & this product didn't do that so that's one plus I can take away. 

I have read that some of their other products may have a stronger scent, maybe if I was to restart again with hindsight I would try a different one. A quick note though that some can be sensitive to sodium bicarbonate so wouldn't be suitable for all.

My verdict?

I love the fact it comes in a card tube and made in the UK, however due to the lack of scent and pulling on the skin I would have to rate this a no, it's not for me 😐.

This is not meant to discourage others by the way from trying it out. They do have a tin product you apply with your fingers but I'm a little put off by this (fingers on pits on a daily basis doesn't appeal to me!)

My mission to find a good plastic free alternative is certainly not yet complete but kudos to the company who make plastic free alternatives available to all 👏 .

Review - Plastic Free Shampoo

This is my 14th review on plastic alternatives. I hope these help give some ideas on alternatives you can use in your daily lives.

Scoring system: 

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Fourteen - Alternative by Suma Shampoo Bar

Recently I looked at shampoo sold in 100% recycled plastic bottles made by a company called Love Beauty and Planet (a Unilever brand). But to switch to non plastics altogether I have been using shampoo bars which is a great way to get your hair washing done plastic free.

My very first try at shampoo bars was via a company called Soaperlicious on Ebay. This helped me try it out as they sell small samples to give it a go first. 

I was quite disappointed that the bars contained sodium laureth sulfate which I believe causes scalp irritation for me, so although the product had natural ingredients I decided to search around for a bar that does not contain this ingredient.

You may find that plastic free items can be very expensive so I was happy to find a brand called Alter/Native that produce natural shampoo bars, conditioning bars for hair and body soaps too, all available in card boxes.

Suma is a worker's co-operative. None of the ingredients are tested on animals but are instead tested on Suma volunteers first! 

The products are said to be proudly make in Yorkshire (UK).

I bought my shampoo bar from ethical superstore at a reasonable price in a rose and geranium scent.

I found that a quick rub around the scalp lathers up the soap bar nicely. The lather is thick and creamy and you don't need to use a lot for a good scrub. Rub into scalp as well as hair and rinse off as normal.

I notice that this shampoo helps bring out the natural highlights in my hair which is an added bonus.

My verdict?

I love that it comes in an attractive card box, has a nice scent, lathers well and has nice natural ingredients in it (no laureth sulfate hurrah!) I will certainly continue to use this product regularly. 

I have also bought some body soaps to reduce my use of body wash in plastic bottles. I will review those body soaps in due course but for now I have scored the shampoo bar as a love ❤ from me!

Review - Organic Tooth Powder

This is my 13th review on plastic alternatives. I hope these help give some ideas on plastic reduction, or alternatives you can use in your daily lives.

Scoring system: 

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Thirteen - Georganics Tooth Powder

In previous reviews I looked at bamboo toothbrushes & some plastic free toothpaste (save some green tooth tabs plus truthpaste products). 

Here I review a third toothpaste that I have used, called georganics tooth powder.

Georganics is a UK company set up in 2014 & aims to use organic natural products. They say around 300 million empty plastic toothpaste tubes are sent to landfill every year. 

The company tries hard to combat plastic waste with their wide range of products including tooth tabs, mouth wash, tooth powders, plastic free paste, as well as beech wood toothbrushes and various types of floss.

I bought my tooth powder from Ethical Superstore although you can buy direct from the company also.

My verdict?

Out of the three teeth cleaning products I have reviewed so far this is my favourite. I love the little glass jar and metal lid and card box it comes in. The product I tried is described as 'English Peppermint', however I get mostly orange in taste, not very strongly minty for me. But that is why I like it!

It fizzes in the mouth very briefly to start with. I usually dab the brush into the powder first then apply on various parts of teeth before brushing.

The end result makes my teeth feel clean and smooth and it doesn't leave a strong after taste. I can see myself using this again so have scored it a love ❤ from me!

Review - Truthpaste Tooth Tabs

This is my 12th review on plastic alternatives. I hope these help give some ideas on plastic reduction, or alternatives you can use in your daily lives.

Scoring system: 

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Twelve - Plastic Free Toothpaste

In a previous reviews I have looked at bamboo toothbrushes & plastic free razors. The bathroom is awash with plastics so it was a natural choice to make big changes in those areas. Lately I have been using 3 different types of teeth cleaning products. I will review 2 of them below and follow up with the 3rd one soon. Hope you enjoy!

Save Some Green Tooth Tabs

These are baking soda based tooth tablets that you chew to let them dissolve & then brush the product into teeth before rinsing. The product comes in a small tin, so it's useful for travelling as doesn't take a lot of room. I bought mine from a lovely company called Floral Fox to try them out. You can buy refill pouches (fluoride or fluoride free) that come in little greaseproof paper pouches from the Save Some Green site. 

They also do a dental subscription pack with bamboo toothbrush, tooth tabs & dental floss. This is delivered every 3 months. You can choose different options so you don't have to select all 3 items. There's even a selection of kid's brushes so you can order a pack for the family too. A great idea!

My verdict

No real problems to report - the product is minty and makes my teeth feeling clean & fresh. Adding water to the brush before brushing does make it very slippery. Normally with toothpaste the water holds in your mouth as you brush, with these baking soda tabs the water runs down the handle (so I tend to skip the water & use with a dry brush instead).

Some folks may find it strange not having a foam in the mouth using this product. As long as my mouth feels fresh and clean afterwards then I don't mind.

So for me my verdict is ❤ = Will keep, I love it!

Truthpaste

Handmade in Brighton, this product is clay based with calcium carbonate and essential oils. It is a thick teeth cleaning product available in a clear glass jar with metal lid. Similar to the tooth tabs product above, I got mine from the online store Floral Fox. I purchased the smaller size as a trial.

It's great to have a choice of products not in plastic tubes, the supermarkets are awash with those so having online stores that sell alternatives is great. 

My verdict

For me the particular flavour I tried (peppermint and wintergreen) was very, very strong. At first I was worried I wouldn't be able to complete the trial but I did adjust to it slightly. I did find that you get a gritty feeling in your teeth, possibly from the clay. I tried very hard to like it but have to declare, this was a hard one for me to enjoy. 

I absolutely love the idea and the company does produce other flavours. Of course, with products you are going to put in your mouth it's a personal choice and some may find the strong flavour just right for their needs.

 Also they do a sweet orange and mild mint for children in their site which could be an option to try also. I recommend going for smaller sizes first to give them a try. It does last a long time as you only need a small amount for each brushing.

For me I would give top marks for the company but for the product I found it too strong and didn't like the gritty texture (just my own personal thoughts though). 

Unfortunately I rate this as 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me!

In my next review I will be looking at tooth powder, another possible alternative in reducing plastic waste. Stay tuned for more - & of course there's more bathroom and kitchen reviews to follow as I have been working my way through the 50 items challenge.

Review - Plastic Free Straws

This is my 11th review on plastic alternatives. I hope these help give some ideas on plastic reduction or alternatives you can use in your daily lives.

Scoring system: 

❤ = Will keep, I love it / 👀 = Not sure, will try some more / 😐 = Oh dear, it's not for me

Review Eleven - Silicone Straws

In a review about silicone covers I described silicone as a hybrid between plastic and rubber. It's composed of silica which is mostly sand based. For this reason it can withstand freezing and heating conditions and is machine washable too. 

It's far less of a throw away item than regular plastic straws, but it does have the downside that it can take an age to rot down in the environment, causing a similar problem at the end of its life as plastic.

Below I'll suggest some alternatives to disposable plastic straws and explain why I plumped with the silicone choice in the end.

Paper Straws - many of the supermarkets have signed up to the Plastics Pact UK. On top of finding alternatives to plastic cotton buds (see my review on bamboo cotton buds if interested!) they are also committed to phasing out plastic straws by 2020.

However, I've never liked the feel of paper straws and hate when they start to go soggy. It could be tricky to find ones durable enough to be washed and used again, although they would be easier to discard at the end of their useful lives.

Bamboo Straws - bamboo is naturally anti bacterial and pretty strong, however I found my toothbrush made from bamboo does start to discolour slightly when water collects on it, so have been put off using bamboo straws as a result.

Metal Straws - I'm a bit put off by the thought of cold metal in the mouth, especially as I have sensitive teeth - yikes!

Glass Straws - this was my 1st choice. I like the glass set I bought that has different coloured ends to help choose whose straw is whose. However the glass has to be toughened for safety reasons and was quite thick. I have a painful condition called TMJ which makes it quite difficult for my jaw to handle.

Silicone Straws - I settled eventually on a colourful set of silicone straws. They have the advantage of being firm but flexible at the same time, so if you have a painful jaw condition like me they have a little give. The colours are pretty too and there should be no reason for us to need to replace them anytime soon. So, it's a ❤ love from me!