How to Make Your Self Care Routine Greener

My minimalism efforts are expanding. What started with clothes and toy clutter in my home, has traveled to my day-to-day self care. I’m paring down the products I use and making my self care routine greener and healthier. Here are a few tips on how you can do the same:

Simplify your Self Care Routine

An easy way to “green your routine” is by simplifying it. This means paring down the steps you take, to have a simpler routine. This automatically makes your self care routine greener by requiring less products. The less you use, the less you waste. Your impact goes from your bathroom counter all the way to the transportation, farms and factories and corporation’s boardrooms. Simplifying your routine makes a big difference.

Switch one product at a time

If you’re switching items in your routine from harsher chemicals to cleaner, greener products, I suggest you try swapping out one product at a time. This gives you the ability to notice any changes that occur and immediately know the source of the change. If you get a reaction to something, and you’ve changed your lotion, soaps, detergent, cleaning products, makeup and deodorant all at once, it’ll be a lot harder to pinpoint the source of the reaction. So take it one product at a time.

Give your body time to adjust

Along with changing only one product at a time, comes in a very key piece in greening your routine….patience. You have to be patient and give your body time to adjust to the new product. My body chemistry changed after getting pregnant. Products that worked before simply stopped working.  Antiperspirants and lotions that were my faves were rendered useless. I had to try a few before finding a new one that worked well, and when I did, I had to give them each a couple of weeks to see how my body adjusted to them.

Read ingredients thoroughly

You can go green in your routine in an easy, stress free way. You don’t have to get fanatical about ingredients, but you do have to be aware of what you’re putting into and onto your body. Know the few key ingredients to be aware of in each type of product you’re shopping for. Last year I switched deodorants and was sure to look for the following on the label:

• No Aluminum
• No Animal Testing
• No Artificial Colors or flavors
• No Artificial Fragrances
• No Preservatives

I’m really happy about my recent switching of products. It’s an easy switch that feels good. I haven’t gone 100% green nor have I switched out everything. But… It’s a reminder that greening my self care routine, and the care I give my family can be easy and stress free.

Check out: How Your Hair(care) Can Save the Planet

Have you greened your routine lately?