How Men Can Green Their Grooming Routine

GUEST CORRESPONDENT: OSCAR COLLINS

In the cosmetic industry, hygiene and other personal care items typically come in plastic packages and containers. These cases eventually get thrown away without being reused and recycled.

However, you can reduce waste by buying green hygiene care solutions for your daily routine. Here are some things you can do right now to promote better choices for our planet.

Do Some Research on Each Product

In the last several years, many companies have made tremendous efforts to create sustainable products for everyone who buys them. While you’re exploring the web for green care items, look for descriptions like:

• Eco-friendly
• Vegan
• Natural
• Organic
• Cruelty-free

These terms mean the particular object is sustainable for you and the environment. However, it’s equally important to read the label and determine how these items were made and how they’ll degrade or decompose after you’re done using them. Many brands make great men grooming selections that provide results while promoting sustainability.

Adopt a Sustainable Diet

Your grooming routine doesn’t end in the bathroom. Adapting to a healthier lifestyle by selecting specific food options is a great way to promote your hygiene methods and improve overall health. For example, eating sustainable seafood can decrease your risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Fish like salmon and mackerel also contain a fatty acid called omega-3, which improves your overall hair growth. In one study, 120 women were given the nutrient of omega-3 over time, and the result was a reduction in hair loss and an increase in hair density.

Eating seafood from safe and natural fishing sources can help you achieve the best grooming routine for both your face and body. Just remember to read the label and look for the freshest options available to get the best bang for your buck.

Swap Your Cleaning Tools for Green Options

There are many natural methods to implement in your hygiene routine. Many pads and swabs are made from cotton, and these products take a lot of water from animal habitats for production. Instead of using items you throw away, consider using:

• Washcloths: You can wash and reuse this material for your face or body.
• Reusable facial pads: Purchasing these reusable pads allows you to save money.
• Recyclable bottles: Look for opportunities to buy recyclable shampoo and shaving cream bottles.
• Refillable deodorant: Innovative new brands have created refillable deodorant so you can keep the container indefinitely instead of tossing it in the trash.
• Reusable cotton swabs: A single swab can replace 1,000 single use cotton swabs so you can live waste-free and keep the environment — and your ears— clean.

Take stock of your bathroom and see what you can replace with reusable and sustainable options. Odds are there are a dozen items you could swap out for more eco-friendly alternatives.

Make a Positive Grooming Routine Change Now

Creating sustainable practices is becoming the new standard. Hundreds of companies have entirely redirected the way they make their hygiene products. With modern technology, we have the power to recycle and reuse thousands of plastic and packaging materials for any industry. However, using sustainable products — or crafting your own — is still better than using and reusing plastics and other similar materials.

Men today have so many more options for their grooming routines than they did years ago. You can change what products you use and have a healthier life. You just have to do a little research and make a concerted effort. Eventually, those small changes will add up and make a huge difference.

Going Green with Captain Fawcett

Captain Fawcett’s Beard Balms, Moustache Waxes and Fawcett’s Physician Lip Balm come in tins which may be repurposed or recycled.

The Shaving Cream, Post-shave Balm, Tattoo Salve, and Hand Cream are packaged in recyclable aluminium tubes and the board for boxes is FSC approved.

Fragrances and oils are in readily recyclable glass bottles, which may be reused as delicate bud vases. A scented nosegay on one’s desk is rather delightful, what?

Both Captain Fawcett’s Luxurious Shaving Soap and the delectable Scapicchio Shaving Soap nest in reusable wooden bowls, with soap refills available and the block of Gentleman’s Soap is neatly packed, wrapped in paper tucked into a nifty little cardboard box. Shower Gels, the Bay Rum Tonic and Sea Salt Spray all come in fully recycled plastic bottles which may be further recycled after use. Likewise the 250ml shampoos. While the larger 1L bottle is not yet made from recycled plastics, it is comprised of PET, so can be recycled after use, as can all other plastic bottle products. In addition, all such bottles are made in the UK, thus maintaining a low carbon footprint.

Captain Fawcett’s Traditional Alum Bar arrives in a handy little cloth bag, the ideal accompaniment to a perfectly weighted and balanced razor such as the Rockwell Razor. A true investment in both the environment and many years of sustainable shaving pleasure. Futhermore, all Captain Fawcett products are EU compliant and no ingredient is tested on animals.

And should you be fond of a damn fine coffee, Captain Fawcett’s Coffee of Choice is sourced from the verdant hills of East Congo, grown by the Kawa Kabuya Cooperative whose work provides schooling for the local children.

Huzzah!

Oscar Collins is the founder and editor-in-chief of Modded, where he writes about grooming, fitness and similar topics. Follow him on Twitter @TModded for frequent updates of his work.