The first time I got my hands on a shower gel was when I was a teenager. 10 years ago, shower gels were pretty new in the Indian market and everyone wanted to switch to them because they were far more hygienic than the regular bar of soap. However, 10 years is a long time ago and things are different now. Traditional soap bars have their formulas revised today. Brands who make them are more conscious of their ingredients in their soaps and whether or not they’re safe for the environment and your skin.
Your Shower Gel May Be Ruining The Planet
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Not to defame shower gels in any way. They smell good, they clean and improve the texture of your skin yada yada. What’s troublesome is that every single liquid soap product comes in some plastic packaging or the other. They claim their products are safe for the skin, but is safe for our planet? According to an international news organization, India generates 26,000 tonnes of plastic waste is produced every day. If I had to count every plastic bottle I found on our roads, gardens and rivers, I’d be a millionaire by now. Truth is, I’m not a fan of plastic products and in the past one year, I’ve been mindful about my plastic consumption. I’m constantly on the hunt for sustainable and eco-friendly products and in this case, a humble bar of soap makes the cut.
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According to another research company, liquid soaps require more raw materials and more energy for packaging production as compared to soap bars. This is taxing for the environment and won’t add any value to nature in the long run. The more colour, fragrance and microbeads present in your liquid soap, the higher chances of the product stripping away all the natural oils that are responsible for protecting your skin.
In the case of soap bars, most of them don’t come in plastic packaging. They come in tiny cardboard boxes and things end there. Soaps today are loaded with moisturising base ingredients such as shea butter, olive oil, coconut milk, goat milk and cocoa butter. These ingredients aren’t so bad for the environment and they’ll moisturise your skin to the fullest too.
At the end of the day, it’s a matter of choice. If you can’t part ways wit your liquid soap, then search for refills online. If like me, you’re conscious about the environment and want to do your bit, then be more mindful about the products you spend your money on. A good old DIY bar of soap is a good bathing product to start with. I really hope you pick the latter and say no to plastic once and for all.
Images: Shuttertock
