LUSH’s Top Five Tips to an Eco-Friendly Bathroom

I received some tips from LUSH Cosmetics, a company that makes fresh, effective products using organic and natural ingredients while being kind to all animals and the environment--they even have an expiration date on them! Try some of these to be more "green" in your daily life!Alison

LUSH’s Top Tips to an Eco-Friendly Bathroom

Mark Constantine, founder of LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, suggests that you become more discerning when choosing your cosmetic products, so you don't end up with lots of half-used bottles. *Alison's Tip: read the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics & Fashion Review Columns regularly http://www.advicesisters.net/whatworkscol3.html to help decide what's worth a try!

Here are more of Mark’s tips:

1) Use soap instead of shower gel or liquid soap, use shampoo bars instead of bottled shampoo and use solid massage bars instead of massage oil. They are all better for the environment as there is little or no packaging and solid products contain no water therefore need no preservatives.

2) Check the products for a use-by date. No use-by date means that the product could be heavily preserved (which means more preservative going down the drain – bad for the environment).

3) Try to buy locally produced cosmetics products. Check the label, have they been made in the US or air-freighted in from afar? Buying local products can help reduce the amount of pollution caused by transportation --but sometimes the larger carbon "footprint" is created when you buy a product that has to be trucked across the country than shipped across an ocean so be aware of this, too.

4) Buy toothbrushes and razors that have a disposable head so that you only replace the head and are not throwing as much away…and don’t forget to turn the water off while you are brushing.

5) Explore water-recycling systems for your bathroom. When you do have a bath make the most of it! Take at least 45 minutes out of your schedule to relax and unwind. Try recycling your bath water to water your garden or share your bath with you partner!

*Alison's Tip: Many companies not only try to make their products more environmentally-friendly, but they give back to Earth-related causes when you purchase certain of their products. Find the companies whose products you love and whose charities you'd like to support. Then you'll be feeling good, looking good, and doing good, too!