The Star Malaysia - Star2

Raising the bar

For something different, with less packaging and a more eco-friendly option, check out these shampoo and conditione­r bars.

- By SANDRA LOW star2@thestar.com.my

WHO loves to use their beauty products to the last drop and cares about the environmen­t? If you raised your hand, this is definitely for you.

With beauty products, there’s packaging from glass, plastic, biodegrada­ble to the newly anointed ocean plastic. So now, there’s the option of buying shampoo in a bar sans packaging.

Soap bars have always been popular but not the idea of shampoo bars, until recently.

The simplicity and minimalist­ic feature of a shampoo bar makes so much sense and beauty brands are only now catching on and including this sensible beauty product in their lineup.

Shampoo bars that come in a small paper packaging or with no packaging at all are environmen­tally friendly as there’s no need for plastic bottles that include additional plastic material for its pumps.

According to UN Environmen­t.org today we produce about 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, which is equivalent to the weight of the entire human population.

A staggering eight million tonnes of plastic end up in the world’s rivers, which serve as direct conduits of trash from the world’s cities to the marine environmen­t.

The same properties that make plastics so useful — their durability and resistance to degradatio­n — also make them nearly impossible for nature to completely break down.

Most plastic items never fully disappear as reported on the UN Environmen­t.org website; they just get smaller and smaller. Many of these tiny plastic particles are swallowed by farm animals or fish who mistake them for food, and thus can find their way onto our dinner plates. They’ve also been found in a majority of the world’s tap water.

By not buying a shampoo that comes in a plastic container, you’ll be doing your part in protecting our environmen­t and not adding to an increasing problem of plastic pollution.

What’s more, the shampoo bar is totally travel-friendly and you won’t have to worry about your shampoo spilling out and messing up your beautiful toiletry bag.

If you’re wondering about a hair conditione­r, some brands are also weighing in with the creation of hair conditione­r bars so that you can use shampoo and conditione­r bars together.

All you need to do is rub the shampoo bar onto your hands to create a lather, then apply by massaging onto hair and scalp before rinsing off. To prolong its usage, just keep the shampoo and conditione­r bar dry in between uses.

Generally, shampoo bars last three times longer than its liquid counterpar­ts or for about 80 washes, depending on your washing habits. A regular shampoo bar, which provides about 80 washes, is equivalent to about three 8fl oz (236ml) bottles of liquid shampoo.

So, isn’t it time to welcome these sudsy shampoo bars? It will not just give you a headstart in keeping your hair clean but also make you feel better knowing that your shampoo bottles are not polluting the environmen­t.

 ?? Photo: AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star ??
Photo: AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
 ?? — 123rf.com ?? Want a more eco-friendly way of washing your hair? Then turn to the efficient shampoo and conditione­r in solid form.
— 123rf.com Want a more eco-friendly way of washing your hair? Then turn to the efficient shampoo and conditione­r in solid form.

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