The Hidden Plastic in Your Beauty Products

Plastic is absolutely everywhere. It's been found in the most remote places on Earth—the North and South poles, on top of the Himalayas, even in the deepest parts of the oceans where sunlight never reaches! Every single year, around 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in our seas. That's a number so big it's hard to wrap your head around.

We've all seen the images by now. Plastic packaging clogging waterways, bags floating in the ocean, straws stuck in the noses of sea turtles, household waste suffocating marine life. These pictures have become heartbreakingly commonplace, and they've motivated many of us to make changes.

I know you're already trying, but...

Maybe you're already making a real effort,you've switched your beauty products to ones in paper or aluminum packaging. You're refilling your own glass bottles. You've ditched the plastic bags. And honestly? That's brilliant. You should feel good about those changes because they matter.

But here's the thing that made me so frustrated when I found out about it: what if the biggest plastic problem isn't the packaging on the outside at all? What if it's actually inside the bottle? What Can We Do?

The Beauty Industry's Dirty Little Secret

Despite all the "progress" and all the brands patting themselves on the back for being microbead-free, the beauty industry still has a massive plastic problem. And most of us have no idea it's happening.

Here's what they don't want you to know: plastic is still being added into our bottles and tubes. Not as little beads you can see, but as liquid plastics woven right into the formulas themselves. They use it as an emulsifying agent, to add that silky texture we all love, or sometimes just as a cheap filler to make the product cheaper to produce (and sometimes cheaper to buy, though let's be honest, they usually just pocket the difference).

Every time you wash your face or rinse out your hair, you could be sending liquid plastic straight down the drain and into our water systems. Same environmental damage as the dreaded microbeads!

So What Can We Actually Do About It?

Look I know life is busy and we're all doing the best we can just to get throught the day right now, but once you know about this stuff, you can't unknow it, right? Here are some genuinely useful things you can do.

Switch to Bars (Seriously, Just Try Them)

Bar soap and shampoo bars are proper zero waste solutions. No packaging waste, no hidden plastics inside and when kept dry, they last ages. You can even pack these bars into your suitcase without some customs officer fishing them out because you've exceeded your liquids allowance!

I always get asked - "But do shampoo bars actually work?" I get it. I was skeptical too. But here's the truth: they're NOT the same as soap. Modern shampoo bars are incredibly cleansing and hydrating, nothing like those harsh soap bars your gran used to use.

You genuinely won't know until you try one. And once you do, try a few, there are so many different recipes out there, you will find the one you love.

They're easier to use than you think, they save you money in the long run, and your hair will thank you for ditching all those hidden plastics.

Buy in Bulk

Refill shops are popping up everywhere these days. By shopping there, you're also supporting your local businesses instead of pumping more money into massive corporations that honestly couldn't care less about the planet.

Know What You're Actually Buying

I've got a simple rule that I swear by - If I can't read it or pronounce it, I won't be putting it on my face or in my body.

Start looking at ingredient lists. Really looking. If you see words ending in "-ethylene," "-propylene," or "polymer," there's a good chance you're looking at plastic. Choose brands that are transparent about what goes into their products and use ingredients you can actually understand.

It sounds like effort, but once you get used to it, it becomes second nature. Plus, you'll feel so much better knowing exactly what you're putting on your skin.

NETTLE, ROSEMARY & YLANG YLANG SHAMPOO

£9.00

Buy Now

Ready to Actually Make the Switch?

I put together a free guide because I was tired of feeling overwhelmed by all this stuff. It gives you easy, practical steps for swapping your conventional products for zero waste alternatives without losing your mind in the process.

No judgment, no perfection required. Just real, actionable advice that actually works in real life.

Download your free guide at www.simplehomeholism.com 

Look, none of us can be perfect. But we can be better. And every shampoo bar you use, every product you refill, every plastic ingredient you avoid—it all adds up. Small changes from loads of people make a much bigger difference than one person trying to do everything perfectly.

Show me how