Plastic Free Pearly Whites

As part of Plastic Free July, on Instagram throughout the month I’ve been sharing a few things that help to minimise my daily reliance on plastic.

When it comes to looking after the pearly whites, a bamboo toothbrush has been a solid part of my dental care routine for a good few years now. They’re so handy for me to repurpose in the workshop too.

Finding the right toothpaste fit was bit more of a journey. I really like the Georganics English Peppermint Toothpaste. In attempt to further minimise waste I did have a little a stab at making my own toothpaste. Long story short, it was not for me. I found the required amount of baking soda made it too salty and I couldn’t stick it out. This led me to have a little dabble with toothpaste tablets which I’ve been using for a fair few months now. You pop one in, give it a good chew (which took me a while to get used to), and then brush as normal as it turns to a paste. They create so little waste/mess and I love that you can buy them in bulk and keep in your own container.

I’d also been thinking about making my own mouthwash when the perfectly timed Rachel of The Foraged Life popped up in my Instagram stories with a little DIY recipe (thank you, Rachel!). It’s a really good base that I’ve tweaked just a little along the way to suit my taste etc. It’s so simple I thought I’d share with you what’s now part of my routine in case you want to give it a try. You can also find Rachel’s original recipe here (amongst lots of other helpful info for eco-friendly living).

DIY Mouthwash

Ingredients:

• peppermint essential oil - the essential oils I use for everything (including cleaning etc.) are from Sacred Soul Holistics - they are organic and the packaging is dreamy

• tea tree essential oil

• baking soda - if you don’t have a local bulk store, Zero Waste Club (UK) supply this online, plastic free

• filtered water (I don’t have a water filter so before using, I boil some water and let it cool)

• a glass bottle - my spherical bottle is from a local supplier, Wares of Knutsford

• funnel (this is optional but makes life a little easier, no need to buy one though - I made this from a piece of scrap paper and some washi tape)

Method (to make approx 400ml)

Step i)

Prep your water & pour into your glass bottle with a little room to spare

Step ii)

Add a few teaspoons of baking soda using the funnel. I have found that too much of this can make the solution taste salty so I’d suggest going slowly with this and see what works for you

Step iii)

Add peppermint oil to taste (the more the merrier for me - I add around 20-25 drops)

Step iv)

Add tea tree oil. Not a huge fan of the taste but it’s worth sneaking in for its antibacterial properties (around 10 drops)

Step v)

Shakey shakey

I hope that you have found this little post of use or at least of mild interest! I feel like I’m mostly there with my plastic free dental care routine but I’m still on the lookout for some biodegradable, vegan floss.

Let me know if you give the recipe or any of the products a go. If you have any other recommendations I’d love to hear them.

Lauren

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Essence + Alchemy: A Brand Refresh

Incense | all imagery by E+A

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of interviewing Founder of Essence + Alchemy (E+A), Lesley A Bramwell. During the interview, Lesley announced that the brand would soon be undergoing a refresh:

“I wanted the glass to be reusable and offer my customers physical candle refills which fit perfectly inside the glass.


The reuse of the glass is something that I’m trying to encourage even more of and I am currently working on a brand refresh with a new glass design to make it even more versatile for reuse.”

— Lesley, E+A | Letters of Ara, April 2019

A few months down the line, driven by Lesley’s continued commitment to a circular economy, E+A have re-released some of their existing products and introduced some new additions, with even more focus on designing with re-use in mind. The new line stays true to E+A’s signature aesthetic and materials (the wood wick, rapeseed oil wax, carefully blended essential oils & handblown glass) but with a new glass design intended to be even more versatile for re-use.

The new E+A beaker candle

Handblown in the UK, the new E+A glass containers are labelled with FSC certified, environmentally-friendly ECF pulp paper. Fundamentally, these beakers are designed to last, whilst being versatile for reuse.

“Ancient alchemists were surrounded by glass apparatus in the creation of mystical elixirs.

Taking inspiration from the traditional laboratory beaker, this collection of scented candles are hand poured into reusable British made handblown borosilicate glass vessels.

Wood wicks are handmade in the Essence + Alchemy garden laboratory with natural and untreated FSC wood.  ”

— E+A

Refill beaker candle, E+A

E+A offer refills singularly or as part of a subscription. Along with the rest of the line, they are packaged plastic-free, using recycled materials that are 100% recyclable and biodegradable.

“Essence + Alchemy is part of the circular economy movement — an alternative model to the ‘take, make, use, dispose’ approach to production and consumerism by designing products that can be ‘made to be made again’.

The Refills ⟲ line was launched in 2017 to offer a refreshing way of refilling containers without having to ship anything back.

Simple, no frills, refillable luxury.”

— E+A

New E+A votives, with tea-light refills

Lesley’s brand refresh has enabled her to further minimise waste throughout the lifespan of her products, providing a refreshing alternative to the excess waste often associated with consumables such as candles. The responsibly sourced borosilicate glass can be reused long after the candle has burned away. These are beautifully considered candles that have been designed with the planet in mind.

Lauren

☾

The warm glow of a lit E+A votive candle