SOME BY MI – Vitamine C pure

“Promises” to be moisturizing, brightening, smoothing.
Size: 95 gr
Organic: no
Not tested on animals.
Price: 10 EUR
Price on sale: 8 EUR
Ingredients: Glycerin, Water, Sodium palmitate, Sodium Stearate, Potassium Laurate, Sodium Laurate, Coco-betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sucrose, Sorbitol, Decyl Glucose, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), Niacinamide (VitaminB3), Stearic Acid, Fragrance, lex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Ubiquinone, Boesenbergia Pandurata Rhizome Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Powder, Fragaria Ananassa (Strawberry) Fruit Powder, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Peel Oil, Riboflavin, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Peel Extract, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Calcium Pantothenate, Inositol, Folic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Biotin, Cyanocobalamin, Limonene, Linalol
Made in South Korea

Marked OK for sensitive skin, though note that vit. C can be very drying and irritating. Also, vitamin C makes skin photosensitive, so apply sunscreen, if you are using it in the AM.

Zero waste packaging: yes or no?

The packaging isn’t zero waste, the facial bar comes in a paper box and the soap is wrapped in thin plastic foil, so I would grade this as a low-waste product. Both are recycled where I live, but that will likely not be the case for everyone.

Smell/how long does the smell last?

When you first open the bar, the smell is divine, like cutting into an orange (plastic wrap helps to keep the scent in…). I thought the scent will dissipate after having the bar open for a couple of hours, though this didn’t happen. I keep my soap bar in the shower, unwrapped, and after several months, it still has a gentle orange-almond smell.

When you use it, the scent is very gentle and dissipates almost immediately. I don’t quite care for scents in skincare products, my skin much prefers natural to no scent, but I had no reaction after this one and I’m pleasantly surprised with the formula.

How easy it is to use?+tips for use

Some By Mi Vitamine C soap bar is super easy to use. It lathers immediately and applies well. I also use it to remove sunscreen and makeup and it does the job well.

If I feel my face really needs a good wash in the evening, I wash my face twice. I apply the soap, massage gently, rinse and then repeat. I normally only use my hands, to avoid stretching or tugging on my skin, but I also have a small wash/massage silicone pad I use together with the soap.

The lather is silky and thick, but and not really foamy. It rinses off easily.

Does it work?Results/Looks and feel of skin?

The face bar promises to be moisturizing, brightening, smoothing. Now, I didn’t buy this soap, particularly for the brightening aspects. Knowing Some By Mi is a Korean brand, I am very much aware of Korean beauty standards and what they may bring.
I do have hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage, though I am not addressing it with soap. Why?

1. Soap only stays on our skins for a very short time.
2. Vit.C is a very reactive ingredient. It loses potency after a very short period of getting in contact with light, heat and oxygene. If you want vitamin C in yourskincare routine, it’s best to buy vitamin C in powder, keep it in the fridge and mix in the base product 1-2 applications at the time.

For my skin, the Some By Mi Vitamine C soap bar was not moisturizing. Especially after the first week of use, I felt my skin be a tad dried than usual. But it never got tight ( I never had the squeaky clean feeling).

Especially in the summer, after heavier sunscreen application, my skin quite enjoys it, but I only use it in the evening. In the morning, I just rinse my face with water.

Some By Mi low waste face wash for men

My partner’s skin type is the complete opposite of mine(mixed to oily), though he really enjoys the bar. His skin is cleansed well, but it’s not stripping. He says the scent is pleasant.

How long did it last?

It lasts exceptionally well.

My partner and I have been using the face bar for 3 months and still have 33gr left (1/3 of the bar). We both use it once per day though, so with a bit of calculation… it would last 1 person 4-5 months with 2 uses per day.

How to store the face bar?

I keep all my bars in the shower, away from water, but close enough I can reach it without a problem. I have a regular metal shower rack that allows airflow under the bars as well.

Who would I recommend it for?

I think this soap bar is best for mixed to oily skin. My dryness-prone skin is OK with it, which is actually already a lot. I wouldn’t recommend it for people with dry or reactive skin.

But with that said… I likely would buy it again for my partner for sure. The price is a bit high for me, but we have already gotten several months of use out of it.

Where to buy?

I got mine at Iherbs which is based in the USA and they ship to most countries of the world. If you’d like, you can use my code NTN955 for a $5 USD discount on your first purchase.

I have seen it on Amazon as well (which I’m trying to avoid) or Stylevana (they ship to limited countries).

More: Zero waste makeup tips and tricks

Recap

We both really liked this face bar. It’s not 100% plastic-free, it is more in the low-waste category, but we’ve been using it for several months now and we are both quite happy.
I wouldn’t recommend it to people with very sensitive reactive or dry skin, but it worked quite well for us.

The post Some By Mi Vitamine C soap bar – low waste face wash review appeared first on ZERO WASTE THINGS.

Who is this shampoo bar for: all hair types, normal hair
Size: 40 gr, cube shape
Organic: yes
Certification: vegan
Price: €7.00
Price on sale: €3
Ingredients: Cocos Nucifera Oil, Vitis vinifera seed oil, Aqua, Sodium hydroxide, Butyrospermum parkii butter, Ricinus communis seed oil, Limonene, Citrus sinensis peel oil expressed, Citrus limonum oil, Pinus sylvestris oil, CI77492, Illite, Citral
Made in France
Good for sensitive skin/pregnant women/breastfeeding(EO)

Packaging: without plastic, in a recyclable paper box

Balade en Provence (means walk in Provence) is a waste-free organic cosmetics company from the village of Opio in France. All their skincare products are 100% plastic-free.

How easy it is to use?

I really like simple “old-school” shape shampoo bars, I find them the easiest to use. The bar is really smooth, sort of small to hold in your hands, and has a present herbal scent.

This bar lathers quite differently from Lamazuna shampoo bars I’ve been used to so far. It lathers much faster and spreads easier, a bit more like regular liquid shampoo.

Does it work? Results

It cleans my hair just as well as any other shampoo I’ve used before in terms of removing dirt and grime from my scalp but without stripping out all the natural oils which can lead to dryness over time. I found it made my curly (prone to dryness) hair a bit frizzy on some days, but it was all pretty manageable.

After shampooing I didn’t really use a conditioner, I used a bit of oil on my ends and this was sufficient for me.

Smell/how long does the smell last?

The shampoo bar has an orange blossom scent, it’s very gentle, a tad herbal and sweet. The scent is really gentle and doesn’t really stay. I actually prefer less fragrance, so this is a big plus for me.

How does it perform as a beard wash?

My guy really quite liked this shampoo bar for his hair and his beard. It did the job, and it made his beard softer (his words). The scent was Ok and didn’t stay too long.

How to store the shampoo bar?

We keep all of our shampoo bars and solid soaps on a metal rack in the shower. It doesn’t really get sprayed on and the bar gets dry between washes. This ensures longer use. We don’t really put them in boxes, except for travel and it works great for us.

Tips on making soap last longer

Am I rebuying?

We both quite liked this shampoo bar, so I would say yes. It wasn’t so amazing, I don’t want to try any others, but it’s a very solid shampoo (pun intended). I would say it’s a great starter shampoo if you never tried a zero waste one.

If it’s worth the full price is very subjective since everyone’s hair is different. It lasted us both for several months, so it was a good puchase.

What I liked best about the Balade en Provence shampoo bar was the gentle fragrance and decent lather.

Hope you enjoyed my Balade en Provence’s solid shampoo for normal hair review it it might make the switch to plastic-free products easier. The shampoo bar is good for all hair types and has a neutral-ish scent. I like the fact that this shampoo does not contain any plastic packaging which helps reduce my plastic consumption further.

What is your favorite shampoo bar?

The post Review normal hair solid shampoo for normal hair by Balade en Provence appeared first on ZERO WASTE THINGS.

Lamazuna has 2 solid shampoos for normal hair (plus some special editions this year), one with pine essential oils and one without essential oils for pregnant, breastfeeding women and children. I have been testing the solid shampoo for normal hair with Scots pine (Shampoing solide pour cheveux normaux au parfum pin sylvestre if you are looking on their French website).

I actually do not have an image of the box, because I was able to buy it without packaging in my local organic food/cosmetics store.

Lamazuna shampoo for normal hair review

Ingredients and production

All of their solid shampoos are vegan and certified organic. Production happens is a small-ish company in Drome department (south of France). They are committed to reducing their impact by using solar power, have their own restaurant so they can reduce food waste and have a garden.

There are no silicones or soda.

SODIUM COCOYL ISETHIONATE***, KAOLIN**, COCOS NUCIFERA OIL*, AQUA, STEARIC ACID**, PALMITIC ACID**, DECYL GLUCOSIDE**, MONTMORILLONITE**, ILLITE**, PINUS SYLVESTRIS LEAF OIL*, GLYCERIN*, LIMONENE****

* organic ** natural *** derivatives of natural ingredients **** naturally present in essential oils 

How easy it is to use a solid shampoo bar?

Solid shampoo bars are concentrated versions of liquid shampoos, so they can be drying on the scalp or hair if they use a harsher solid cleansing agent or the formula isn’t quite right.

Lamazuna bars come in a canelé shape (Canelé is a small French pastry) which is not my favorite for application, but it’s also not a deal-breaker. My partner on the other hand finds the shape harder to handle and bothersome to use.

How to use the bar with greater ease

The easiest method I’ve found is to hold it in my hand and rub it directly on wet scalp. It takes a bit to get going, the bar is rather on the solid dry side (but that’s what makes it last longer). I gently massage the scalp and front there just move the shampoo down with my fingers, adding a bit of water if needed.

You could also try to lather it in your hands, but then the shape is awkward for that.

The lather is thinner, definitely not as rich or smooth as a liquid shampoo I’m OK with that, but that also means it’s more difficult to spread-which can be a problem (you will see why I’m saying that).

How to store the shampoo bar?

We keep it on the soap holder in the shower all the time, where it doesn’t get wet and can dry really well between uses. Because of its shape, it does tend to fall through the cracks faster than a rectangular bar does, but I just set it on top of a regular soap bar and it works just fine. I only have 1 holder for all my shower supplies and don’t keep bags or individual boxes. For travel, I just wrap it in paper and it’s ready to go.

The review of the scent

Scent is actually not a deciding factor for me. The shampoo does have a soft herbal scent but it does not linger.

How long will it last?

The bar itself weighs 55gr which is pretty small, but remember that it’s a concentrated cleanser. Ours lasts for several months, but we do not wash hair every day and I do an occasional clay wash in between.

I explain why it lasts longer in more detail in my Lamazuna oily hair bar review.

Lamazuna solid shampoo for normal hair review: Does it work?

Disclaimer: We’ve both been doing sulfate-free shampoos for years and can go over a week between washes.

CURLY HAIR (MY REVIEW)

Yes! I have curly (not kinky) hair with a sensitive scalp and I’m super happy. The best thing about this shampoo is how well it treats my curls. They are really nicely defined and hold shape also on the second and third day, without using any other products. My sensitive scalp is mainly happy.

THIN HAIR + BEARD (MY PARTNERS REVIEW)

Note: his hair longer than mine, mid-back or so

My partner also tried this shampoo bar and is kinda bad. It does the job but it also tangles his hair. No matter the application method, his thin hair, water, and this shampoo resulted in knots and it was had to spread around..

However, he also uses it on his beard and he’s super happy (his beard hair is thick and strong). His beard looks and feels really healthy, split ends are gone. I trim his bear and can really tell the difference. It’s the healthiest he’s ever had.

The thing is, we are all different. How the product behaves depends not only on our hair type but also water type, how we treat our hair, weather, season….

Where to buy Lamazuna?

Organic food places, I’ve seen it in parapharmacies in France as well.

In France, Beaute Privee often has Lamazuna products at a reduced rate.

Elsewhere: Amazon or your local zero waste store

Lamazuna shampoo for normal hair review recap

• gentler wair wash, vegan, certified organic
• the shape is inconvenient for us
• lasts a very long time
• LOVE for: curly hair, normal healthy hair, beard
• HATE for: thin brittle long hair, look for something more luscious

If you have any comments or questions, I would be happy to answer.

Please like and share this post if you found it useful. It helps to support the blog.

The post Lamazuna solid shampoo for normal hair|our HONEST review appeared first on ZERO WASTE THINGS.

Conditioner Lamazuna review: ingredients and production

Lamazuna company is actually based 80km West from where I live, with all of the production on-site (Drome region, France). They have their own garden and a very mindful approach to the environmental impacts of the company. This also means I really like the brand and I really want their products to work. From beauty products, they only make solids, like solid shampoos, solid conditioner, solid deodorant and so on, and they come in a paper box.

Ingredients list:

ZEA MAYS STARCH*, GLYCERYL STEARATE**, COCOS NUCIFERA OIL*, GLYCERYL CITRATE CROSS POLYMER**, POLYGLYCERYL-4 OLEATE**, GLYCERIN**, COPERNICIA CERIFERA CERA*, CAESALPINIA SPINOSA GUM*, PARFUM**, AQUA, CAPRYLYL/CAPRYL WHEAT BRAN/ STRAW GLYCOSIDES**, SORBITOL**, TOCOPHEROL**, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS SEED OIL**.

* organic farming ** of natural origin

The Lamazuna conditioner bar is also essential oils-free, vegan, and certified organic (Cosmos).

The scent is vanilla, it’s a gentle sweet smell. You can smell it when the hair is dry, but nothing intense.

Storage

The bar comes in a paper box that can be recycled. With that said, we never put it back in to box. We keep it on the drying rack in the bathroom at all times. It probably takes most of the day to completely dry after use.
It could be a bit tricky to travel with, but I would probably just wipe it off and wrap it in a paper wrapper for transport.

Where to buy Lamazuna?

Organic food places, I’ve seen it in parapharmacies in France as well.

In France, Beaute Privee often has Lamazuna products at a reduced rate.

Elsewhere: Amazon or your local zero waste store

How easy is it to handle and apply the bar?

The Lamazuna solid conditioner bar is in a cute animated shape like the rest of their zero waste bars, and it’s supposed to be easy to hold. We both found it easier to handle compared to the solid shampoo bars, it fits naturally into the hand and it has some grooves which make it less slippy.

I was afraid that the solid conditioner would be really soft, melt in my hands, or disappear down the drain. It doesn’t. It’s actually pretty solid and you can handle it dry without getting greasy. It more like a solid soap than a soft solid moisturizer for sure, the closest I can think of for the texture or feel of the bar is maybe a solid block of bee wax, but a bit softer.

Some pluses and some minuses

The instinct is to rub the bar onto your hair as you would with a soap bar, but we both found it harder to apply than way. Plus rubbing can damage your hair, causing them to break off (rubbing them off with a towel is also a bad idea for the same reason). The instructions call for making a lather with your hands and apply onto wet washed hair.
The bar produces a thin silky-slippy lather, it’s very even, but it’s not really creamy.

In my experience, it takes a fair bit to really get enough product for my hair and warming the bar with my hands before lathering helps. I found it easiest to apply it with long strokes down, calming it thoroughly with my fingers. It takes quite a while to work up enough product into my hair and this is also what my partner noted. He said he couldn’t quite tell just how much product he applied. The feel is a lot more slippy silky than a rich cream texture we are used to from regular-plastic-packaging conditioners, organic or standard.

Conditioner rinses off easily.

Solid conditioner Lamazuna review: DOES IT WORK?

Did it moisturize and made our hair more manageable, smooth, and lovely in general?

My review:

Maybe. Let me explain. I’ve written about this in other posts too, I used to have crazy frizz, dry ends, the normal stuff every person with curly hair deals with. After I stopped using SLS based shampoos, my hair and scalp improved. After I stopped using a blow-dryer, it got even better. I either do a rhassoul clay wash, DIY ayurvedic shampoo, or use a sparing amount of a gentle solid shampoo bar. I normally use oils to condition my ends. My hair rarely gets frizzy nowadays and my curls are well defined without using extra hair products. In my case, the need for all the other moisturizing products was created by using the wrong shampoo and some poor techniques to handle my hair.
For this review, I stopped using oils to see how the Lamazuna conditioner bar compares. With that said, Lamazuna did OK. My hair felt nice, relatively soft, pleasant to touch, it did not ruin my curl pattern, I have nothing unusual to report. It rinsed off well and my hair wasn’t greasy at all. But is it better than the oils I was using? No.

At 12€ per bar, I will stick with my oils.

My partner’s review:

I got this conditioner bar for his dry ends (which honestly got pretty bad, but he probably wouldn’t buy anything for himself).

He doesn’t mind the solid conditioner but finds the shape and texture awkward to use and it doesn’t apply easily. The conditioning is gentle. Now he is using it on his beard mostly and it works pretty well for him.

I(we) also overview their shampoo bar and have a couple of more views from the brand in the works.

Would I recommend Lamazuna conditioner bar?

For someone with hair similar to mine, relatively healthy and strong-ish, especially if you can’t/do not want to use oils… it would probably work well without having to use other products.

On very dry hair or curly, kinky hair this bar will not moisturize enough, you will definitely have to use other products as well.

If you have thin brittle hair, it would probably be decent, since it doesn’t leave hair oily or heavy afterward, but you need to be very careful to not damage hair when applying.

For a beard: very nice.

Conditioner Lamazuna review recap

• great zero waste brand
• conditiones gently
• not everyone will find the shape cute and fun-we both find a solid traditional block easier to use and store
• moisturising is gentle
• does not make hair greasy of heavy

What do you think?

The post Solid conditioner Lamazuna review: curly hair, thin hair, beard appeared first on ZERO WASTE THINGS.

In full transparency, I made all purchases with my personal money. This is a non-sponsored review. All opinions are my own. If you wish to buy the Ecoegg, please consider buying via my affiliate links. It shows appreciation for my work and time and helps to pay for hosting, that keep this blog going. It is of no extra cost to you.

Ecoegg review: How does Ecoegg laundry Egg work?

The official website presents the Ecoegg as a zero waste replacement for laundry detergent and laundry softener.

The laundry egg has anionic and non-ionic surfactants which have no charge on their hydrophilic end, similar to organic laundry detergents, but in dry compact form.
(If you want to know more about the difference between soap and detergent, I wrote tons more in my post about why I’m not using natural soaps to do laundry.)
The pellets are to soften your water which means you do not need to use a softener.

The ecoegg laundry egg pellets do not contain any palm oil, SLS or SLES, parabens, petrochemicals, enzymes, phosphates, or microplastics.

ecoegg.com

It’s free of harsh chemicals, is vegan, not tested on animals, suitable for kids or people with allergies. It saves tons of single-use plastic with replacing laundry bottles or bags, and the refillable laundry egg is guaranteed to reusable for 10 years.

How I do laundry so it’s fast, efficient and zero waste.

Review of the Ecoegg

If you have read any other Eco egg, eco laundry egg reviews, you saw they are mainly positive. After reading everything I could online and comparing ingredients (making sure it is a detergent, not soap), I decided to try it as well. I was worried about efficiency, ruining my washing machine, possible skin reactions, wasting money and resources on something that doesn’t work and noise levels.

I bought and an reviewing:

• Ecoegg casing (the egg) with fragrance-free pellets for 70 washes: 12.36 EUR (photo below)
• Ecoegg refill fragrance-free pellets for 210 washes (returned): 9.40 EUR
• Ecoegg refill Spring Blossom pellets for 210 washes: 8.74 EUR

Ecoegg costs and savings | Ecoegg review

PLASTICS SAVINGS: They estimate you will save 40 bottles every year if you do 7 loads per week, but that also depends how much and what kind of detergent you would normally use (estimation includes replacing laundry detergent bottles + softener bottles).

Prices for the Ecoegg vary a fair bit and you might find different sizes, depending on what they are doing at the time. I was able to find 2 variations at the time of purchase.

At the time of purchase on amazon.de, the Ecoegg egg came with pellets for 70 washes, which totals to 17c per wash, but after the initial investment into for the laundry egg casing, the cost per load is 4 cents. That is 0.0416 EUR for the scented version and 0.0447 EUR for the fragrance-free option. (I had 1 month free Prime test, so shipping was free.)

The official website ecoegg.com brakes down the cost to 14p per wash or 10p per wash when you buy the refill (they have smaller sizes than what I bought).

As a comparisons, the cheapest laundry detergent from the refill shop was 20c per wash (0.20EUR) and I still had to lag it from the other side of town.

I got all of them from Amazon, which I try to avoid, but the price was nearly halved compared to the original website (and those were the only two options I managed to find). I initially thought I might not need to buy the Eco egg casing itself (just make a small fabric bag from scraps), but their customer service advised against it. The efficacy was only tested with the egg, so they couldn’t recommend it. Alas, I bought the set, the Ecoegg casing (the egg) with fragrance-free pellets. At the time of purchase, I couldn’t buy just the egg casing.

The link below is the one I got. The link is affiliate, which means I get a very small percentage of the sale (without any cost to you) which would help pay to cover the costs and work involved of hosting of this website. You can use the link or not. What No matter what you choose to do, try to buy the Ecoegg from the “official Ecoegg” Amazon store. I have seen some resellers, and you can’t never bee too careful.

Ecoegg review – instructions and other products

Do you need Ecoegg Detox Tablets?

Their website recommends using their detox tablets before starting to use the Ecoegg and every month thereafter to have your washer free of build-up.

As I describe in my zero waste laundry guide, too much laundry detergent and ward water create a build-up in the washer, so it is wise to do a thorough clean up every once in a while and I’m glad they mentioned that. Having your washing machine built-up free makes it more efficient and working much longer. However, do not use a soap-based laundry detergent and I’m very conservative with detergents and softeners, so I’m guessing (and guessing is all any of us can do without opening the washer) it’s probably relatively OK. Just to be on the safe side, I got a washer “detox” cleaner from my local drugstore for 1/3 of the price with the same ingredient list, in a recyclable paper packaging.

I would say, if you’re heavy handed with detergents/softeners, you have hard water or you’ve never done a “detox”, then buying some cleaning tablets might not be a bad idea, especially when switching to a milder, less aggressive laundry detergent like Ecoegg.

Is it for colors only or does it also work for white clothes?

Both works and you can add stain removers, like washing soda or bleach without a problem. But it does not have a bleaching effect.

How often does the laundry egg need refilled?

I got 210 washes refills and my instructions say you put 3 bags of white pellets and one bag of black pellets into the egg case. That suffices for a loads of 6-8 kg.

You need to add pellets when they fall below a specific line marked on the egg with the 210 refills. After 6 months of use, the beads are smaller and more compact, but nowhere near the designated line, so I would say it’s probably accurate. I somewhat regret not counting the washes, but I didn’t know I’ll be writing an Ecoegg review when I started using it. It seems close enough to me, but if you measure it, let me know in the comments below.

If you have 50 or 70 washes refills, then they estimate for a refill is every 2 months or 7-10 weeks depending on how much laundry you do. Hotter and longer cycles will use up the pellets faster.

Info for short cycles or handwashing

For short washing cycles or handwashing pre-soak the beads for 10-15 min. After testing it, presoaking them for about 20 min is best for my laundry machine/cycle/water. I don’t soak for cycles longer than 1 h.

Can you use the Ecoegg in an HE machine?

Yes. I had a chance to test in 2 different washers (I moved in this time and switched washers), both were HE machines.

In general is pretty straightforward to use, you just put the egg directly in the drum with your clothes and take it out when the washer is completely finished. There’s no visible soap left or anything.

My experience with noise levels

I have read reviews of the Ecoegg where reviewers said the sound is minimal or they do not hear it at all. This was my experience:

1 apartment: I’m talking about a 55 m2 apartment and the washing machine was in the bathroom. With the door closed, the sound was manageable.

2 apartment: the new apartment is bigger, with a different layout, etc. and the washing machine is different – the inner plastic “bars” on the drum are bigger and have a swirl – and it’s too loud for my comfort.

So I tried ditching the laundry egg casing and made a small fabric pouch for the pellets (not recommended by their customer service). I think it washes even better this way, maybe the beads get soaked more this way and the sachet takes longer to dry, but there is zero rambling.

Ecoegg review with stain tests

In general, I have now tested the Ecoegg in 2 front load European style washing machines in two locations (we moved in between) – so in two different waters. I do about 4 loads per week, normally nothing gets really stained with the exception of kitchen towels.

I normally do a short 40-50 min cycle on all of our clothes, at 40°C (which corresponds to 104 °F, I believe that is marked as cold on American style washers).

Both washing machines were about 3 years old, mid-range and newer high efficiency. I liked the old one – before the move – better, I think it did a better job regardless of washing liquid, but most of the tests below were done with the new one.

The short version: my review is very positive. It was passed all my tests for normal use and relatively light stains. It cleans sweat stains well and it’s gentle on all fabrics.

Results of stain tests with Ecoegg |laundry egg

I stained 3 small 100% cotton fabric remnants with coffee, grape seed oil, regular Pilot blue ink pen, red beats, dried cranberry, organic ketchup, organic black mascara (non-waterproof), and grass.

All stains had a 1h soak-in time, no pre-treatment, just straight in the wash. I applied stains 1 patch at a time, so all the test patches had the same soak-in time.

I washed all patches in the same cycle- the cycle I use most often with is mix 40 min, 40°C.

I added a couple of kitchen towels in the wash with the stain patch for efficient tumbling. I used the same ones in all the test washes.

I tested the same stains with the same cycle settings with

1. Ecoegg only,
2. Ecoegg + 2 TBS of soda percolate directly in the drum
3. water only,
4. organic laundry detergent

I only tested each detergent once.

*photos are subjected to change of light and auto-contrast. I did what I could to take before and after photos in same conditions, but refer to descriptions as well.

TEST 1: Ecoegg only before and after

The coffee stain was about 90% gone, still, a bit visible, oil stain was gone, the ink stain was still there, so were the mascara and lipstick (I didn’t try to scrape them off before washing, it was maybe 40% gone), beat stain 100% gone, not visible, organic ketchup stain 90% gone, slightly visible and the grass stain was unchanged.

TEST 2: Ecoegg + 2 TBS of soda: before and after

I added some washing soda in the wash to see if the stains would come out cleaner without extra work for me. I put it in directly in the load, no soaking, no changes to the cycle or temperature.

Coffee stain 90% gone, barely visible, oil stain was gone, the ink was still visible, but cleaned slightly better than washing with Ecoegg. I was hoping washing soda with help with mascara and lipstick stain, bet the result was equally poor as washing with just Ecoegg. Red beat stain was 100% gone, not visible at all, ketchup was still visible and the grass stain was still very much there. All in all, results of the second test were very similar to the first one, washing soda only helped with the coffee and ink stain, but not enough to bother. Test failed, but now we know.

TEST 3: organic fragrance-free detergent: before and after

I used Briochin organic fragrance-free detergent (suitable for white and colored textiles, concentrated formula, efficient at 30 degrees), the recommenced amount for the load size.

Coffee stain 90% gone, barely visible, oil stain was gone, the ink stain hardly changed(this was the worst result from the 3 tests), mascara and lipstick were quite comparable to the other two tests – still very much there. Red beat stain was 100% gone, not visible, organic ketchup stain 80% gone and the grass stain was still very much there.

I was actually a bit disappointed with this test, I thought “a proper detergent” will perform better than the Ecoegg. The ketchup and ink stains were the worst from the 3 tests and everything else was very similar.

What happens if I pre-soaked the stains?

If you just look at the original tests, it would appear the Ecoegg is kind of bad and doesn’t work well. I knew even before the tests that Ecoegg doesn’t do great with heavy stains, at least not as a stand-alone. Also, I wash on very short cycles and cool water, which is not what the average person does, especially not with stained clothes.
So, for my final test, I did what I would normally do with heavy stains. I pre-soaked them in hot tap water with washing soda and washed them at 60°C (140 °F) for 1h 15 (synthetic cycle). By this time, test swatches were several hours old.

The ink was disappearing in front of my eyes in the soaking phase, so I had to relabel swatches with a piece of tread.

The ink stain is a tad visible but nearly there and the only visible stain in this test is lipstick (I would say about 90% gone).

This test also reinforces the importance of soaking stains beforehand (I’m normally in too big of a hurry to do) and that I maybe do not need a standard detergent as back-up.

Is Ecoegg really 2 in 1, can it replace a fabric conditioner?

In my experience yes. The softness can’t be quite compared to commercial softeners like Silan or Lenor, those make clothes even a bit fluffy and ultra scented if that description makes sense. I would say the softness when using Ecoegg is comparable to organic softeners I was using (I used Rainett). They are gentler, less scented, and better for the environment, and I would say, a bit less potent than the major brands.
Softness and the desire for soft clothes are pretty relative though and though I don’t notice a major difference and I actually don’t need/want my clothes to be ultra-soft.
My partner on the other hand enjoys very soft clothes. His review: his clothes are slightly less soft than usual, but not enough that he would want to add softener.

*Dryer makes clothes soft weather of not you use a softener. I have newer owned one, I dry everything on a rack.

Ecoegg review: how does it smell?

If you are used to your laundry smelling super fresh or floral sweet after you wash it, you will be disappointed. I am used to mildly scented laundry detergents and I prefer them that way.
Scents can often be a cause for itchy rashes so I first ordered scent-free. I was getting a yearly supply after all and didn’t want to chance it.

Side note: Egoegg is awarded allergy friendly by Allergy UK, so it should be a good detergent for sensitive or eczema-prone skin, but I had issues before and I’m extra careful.

After testing both, fragrance-free and scented versions, both came out approximately the same. No scent, or maybe I should say “neutral wet clothes” scent. If you ever used laundry soap nuts, then you know they have a gentle earthy smell. It doesn’t smell like that, it really is a “nothing smell”. Nothing ever came out musty smelling, even if I forgot to take a load out for several hours.

I like my clothes to smell gently fresh, and I have found a low waste solution without adding softener, and I’ll post it in a future post.

UPDATE AFTER ALMOST 1 YEAR

I had to refill the egg in May 2021, so the pellets did last almost a full year, doing 4-6 loads per week. Some of the black pellets were broken (and much smaller in size). I could tell the difference, the water was visibly soapy after the refill and clothes were much softer. I think I could have refilled it a couple of weeks sooner and it would have been perfect, but all in all… I’m still very happy.

Where can you buy it?

You can get the EcoEgg and/or refills from their website, they ship out of the UK.
The other option is Amazon. At the time of purchase, Amazon was by far the cheapest option so I got it there. You might be able to get it in your local drug store or other natural online shops. I haven’t seen it in my local zero waste shops yet.

Ecoegg laundry egg review final thoughts

Just from general washes, I knew the laundry egg does well for day to day washes, stuff that isn’t too dirty. I kept a commercially made organic detergent around the house as well, to deal with heavier stains. Clothes never stink (but don’t smell fresh\floral either). For this Ecoegg review, I’ve tested Ecoegg on heavy-duty stains and I was surprised it does OK with a bit of help from a stain remover.

It’s super eco-friendly and the cheapest detergent I’ve ever had. As a side benefit, it saves space in the bathroom too and time in the store (I do not have to buy anything from the laundry isle for the next year, imagine that??). In the end, I don’t regret buying it and I’ll most likely be re-buying when my supply runs out.

Hope my Ecoegg review proves useful to you, if you have any questions, let me know.

Pin it using share buttons!

The post Extensive Ecoegg review with stain tests – non sponsored appeared first on ZERO WASTE THINGS.

The simplest Aroma Zone alternative is your local zero waste store if you are lucky to have one. But if you don’t, and most people don’t, I would first look in:

• organic stores for small producers of carrier oils, essential oils and clay.

• your local Indian or Asian store for plant powders and henna

• fair trade and direct trade shops for oils and butters.

Aroma Zone alternative in France

Day by day chain zero waste store has a couple of basic DIY ingredients you can buy in bulk in your own container. They also have zero waste beauty finished products.

Slow Cosmetik maybe closest alternative to Aroma Zone, they have DIY ingredients from various smaller brands but you order and pay on the Slow Consmetik page and your full order is shipped together no matter the producer.
They also have Ayurvedic plant powders, that are sometimes hard to find. They are also great for purchasing finished clean beauty skincare. Not everything is zero waste or plastic-free though.

The selection is big enough to complete with Aroma Zone, and so are their shipping rates: for deliveries in France: 4.90 euros Colissimo and 3.90 euros Mondial Relay.

Revel Essence is another certified organic shop to buy cosmetic ingredients with prices really comparable to Aroma Zone. They work directly with producers, without intermediaries. The website gives a sort of similar feel to Aroma Zone, they have a really wide selection of essential oils and more plant extracts.

My cosmetik is another shop selling most DIY cosmetics ingredients, emulsifiers, butters, equipment, and all that jazz. In full disclosure, I haven’t ordered anything from them yet in quite a while, since most things come in plastic bottles, and plastic bags and there are already decent alternatives in the top two suggestions.

Private Green is a vente prive deal page for organic brands only. So far, I have seen My Cosmetik, Formule Beaute, and other brands selling DIY cosmetic ingredients, oils, and they often have zero waste sales as well. The savings are really up to 50%, they didn’t just inflate price to make it look like you are getting a deal.

I also have to mention a herbalist based in Paris called Maison Neroli. They sell essential oils, floral waters, perfumes, and oils from small French distilleries.

Joliessence is a France-based bauety shop with international shipping (though many countries excluded). See my review below.

I sometimes also use Beaute Prive. They are an aggregate for all sorts of beauty brands (and small spa companies), big and small, the nasty and organic, small and zero waste. Essentially, it’s a private sale site for all skincare and makeup related brands with reductions up to 60% or so. For organic or zero waste products, select the category on the left side.
They get their products from overstocked stores or special discounts and in my experience, the items were always original and in mint condition.

Zero waste or organic brands they carry are the likes of Lamazuna, Feel Natural, NAE, Alepia, Beauty formula (cosmetic ingredients), Blinx (menstrual undies), Fleurance nature, Nacomi, Christian Lenart (I wasn’t a fan), Glamza, Nuxe Bio, Pulpe de Vie (had the apricot scrub, was OK), Boho Green (low waste -ish makeup), Retour à l’essentiel (organic essential oils)… you get the idea. Using this link, you get 5EUR off a 15€ purchase.

I also purchased essential oils directly from Pranarôm, La Compagnie des Sens, Ladrôme all with good success. All are organic and made in France (and available in my organic store or a bigger parapharmacie).

Aroma Zone alternatives based in Europe

Joliessence is a Provence based lab working directly with producers and artisans to eliminate much of the handling resources and costs. They have organic certified oils, essential oils, pure organic cosmetic ingredients, and some cosmetic packaging as well. They also have harder to get essential oils of higher quality than Aroma Zone for medicinal purposes.

Their shipping is zero waste too, my packages are always wrapped in craft paper. For shipping costs, I can say they are one of the most reasonable ones for shipping outside of France as well and their shipping policy seems to be based on Aroma Zone’s shipping policy. They have a smaller fee for small packages and international orders can be as low as 5 EUR to Germany and 12 to the UK.

Ordering via this link will get you an additional 5,00€ (on an order of 35€).

Bioflore is another great all-rounder based in Belgium, doing deliveries all over the world. They have everything, essential oils, carrier oils, floral essences, but also soap making ingredients and emulsifiers. I like the page layout, it’s a lot clearer and simpler to Aroma Zones. You can surf based on your concern, and they will have just the most potent and tested ingredients. The recipes are simple and efficient. Love.

Free shipping for orders over a reasonable amount, 4.95€ for shipping to France, 7-12 for other European countries, and they also do worldwide shipping.

Kosmetikmacherei is a small shop in Vienna, Austria. They have all the basics plus some more. They are also the only shop where I could buy aluminum tubes for DIY creams. Though totally optional in your DIY cosmetics, metal tubes help preserve homemade cream for longer by preventing oxidation. If you happen to go there in person, be mindful of opening hours, they aren’t open every day.

Eccoverde is a European online store with organic products, oils, clays, good quality plant powders, makeup, and finished products. You can really get anything there, prices are a bit higher than Aroma Zone, but the quality is often higher, plus you are supporting local artisans.

They carry many European and foreign organic brands, some bigger ones and many smaller ones as well, like Dr. Hauschka (all plastic-free packaging, it’s either metal or glass), Zao, even have the Korean skincare brand Whamisa with some glass containers.

They deliver CO2 neutral to over 90 countries and the shipping rates are very reasonable.

Where to buy craft paper/bamboo packing for DIY cosmetics?

 After many hours of searching, I found 2 options, and only 1 is suitable for an occasional DIY maker, like me. Dynamica, a Swiss company, has some kraft paper/bamboo packaging for lips balms and and small pots. From what I can tell, orders from Switzerland have limits, orders from EU start from 95 EUR. That is still too big of an order for me, I just don’t use/make that much.

Which brings me to the next option…

Etsy. There are a couple of sellers selling paper lip balm tubes and paper tubes for zero waste deodorants. Where and how they are made is often not disclosed. Etsy has changed their rules years ago, even back in the days when I had my store on it. They allow factory-made imported products to be sold as handmade, so do a bit of research where things actually come from.

For personal use, I ordered a couple of refillable metal lipstick cases from Lush. The cases are made in France.

To conclude this Aroma zone alternative post, let me leave you with this last shopping address from my grandma. Europe has a great (now somewhat forgotten) tradition of herbalists and herbal pharmacies, not found online. They have all sorts of forgotten plants available in tea, powder, maceration forms… Often those are found also in monastery shops, an ancient tradition from the times when monks were local healers and medicine men.

The post Want to shop sustainably? Tested Aroma Zone alternative(s) appeared first on ZERO WASTE THINGS.

Using clay might also be a good addition if you are transitioning from an industrially made SLS based, powerful shampoo to a less harsh shampoo or a no-poo regimen. Clay will absorb excess oil and make the transition easier.

Rhassoul clay is a traditional natural skin and hair goody, used in beauty rituals for centuries. You can also find it under names like Moroccan red clay or ghassoul clay.

It is naturally occurring in the Atlas mountains in Marrocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The area is rich in minerals, rare animal species, and precious plants.

It is extracted in brown chunks, but after drying and refinement it has a brown-gray color and it’s a really fine powder.

Rhassoul clay is also rich in minerals, namely ghassoulite with traces of silica, iron, calcium, magnesium, dolomite, quartz, and others. There aren’t a lot of clinical trials or medical literature on clays in general, though there is some evidence showing it can restore damaged skin barriers. The natual silica works as a very gentle exfoliant and makes hair shiny without excessive drying.

The benefits rhassoul clay for hair and scalp

• it adds volume, even to thinner hair
• exfoliates scalp gently
• natural silica makes hair shine
• great for absorbing excess oils
• as a raw ingredient, it’s budget-friendly
• super easy to make

The biggest benefit of using rhassoul clay in a hair wash is that it cleanses the scalp and hair while being non-stripping and gentle to scalp and hair follicles. I have tried white illite clay hair mask and bentonite hair mask on my hair, but I found them either too gentle or too stripping.

The challenges of rhassoul clay hair wash

• naturally available only in Altas mountains
• it can get messy, like really messy
• clay can stain things if you don’t rinse it off
• for some hair, it’s hard to completely rinse off depending on your hair and water – it’s better on low porosity hair

I have naturally curly hair, medium to high porosity hair, and a sensitive scalp. So far so good. I tested hair masks and have been doing a rhassoul clay hair wash for about 1 month now.

General tips

Remember to never use metal pots or metal spoons with any sort of clay.

When making any sort of mask or shampoo with this clay, note it can absorb about 150% of its weight, the clay will expand quite a bit so get a big enough bowl.

Rhassoul clay likes to clump a bit, especially if you didn’t add enough water from the get-go. Adding a bit is OK, adding lots more water results in clumps.

For best benefits, buy pure and cosmetic grade.

Related: Lamazuna shampoo bar review

Basic rhassoul clay hair wash recipe:

1. rhassoul clay
2. water

How much you need depends on your hair length and hair type. A good start is about 3 tbs of clay with 6 tbs of water for shoulder length medium thick hair.

Additions and improvements for oily hair:

• add a small amount of bentonite clay
• use rose water, hamamelis water, cedar water, or black tea instead of pure water
• a couple of drops of tea tree or cedar essential oils

Additions and improvements for dry hair:

• add a small amount of your favorite carrier oil
• use nettle water instead of pure water
• add a spoon of oat flour or oat powder

Additions and improvements for sensitive scalps:

• test on a small patch for sensitivities before using, though it’s more often healing than not
• do not use essential oils to avoid irritation, or use a very small amount
• use chamomile tea or gardenia/ lavender water instead of water
• add a spoon of oat flour or oat powder
• add ayurvedic plants, like amla or brahmi

METHOD

Rhassoul clay as a hair wash is really simple.

I pre-mix the clay and water in a low glass so I know how much water I need. The consistency and texture are actually like you would melt milk chocolate and the scent is very gentle.

I apply it to wet hair in the shower. I massage my scalp well, leave it to sit for a minute or two, and rinse like normal. If I get consistency right, then it’s actually not a big mess.
You could finish with a conditioner or not, depending on your hair. I have simplified through the years and just put a bit of oil on my ends and it works for me (and that is huge for curly hair).

You can use it as a mask as well, especially if your hair is a bit oily for whatever reason. For a mask, I wet my hair a little and apply the mask starting with my scalp and roots. I keep it on for 15-20 min.

If you have tried a rhassoul clay hair wash, let me know how it went, or if you need some help, I’m here to cheer you on!

The post The humble rhassoul clay hair wash appeared first on ZERO WASTE THINGS.

Like all other reviews on this website, I cannot promise you will have the same result, since we are all very different. I am also not saying that you should or shouldn’t buy from Aroma Zzone. I’m definitely glad it exists, it changed a lot in the natural/organic skincare industry, made it a whole lot more accessible for a lot of people which is sth. I really appreciate. More details to follow.

The advantages of buying from Aroma Zone for me:

1. gigantic selection of DIY cosmetic ingredients
2. big selection of DIY homemade cosmetics packaging, even the ones hard to get, like DIY lip gloss tubes, mascara tubes, mini travel size reusable small perfume bottles you get the picture
3. big selection of vegan waxes
4. big selection of organic products
5. they have a big selection of plant powders that are hard to get nowadays
6. all of their packagings are made out of recycled materials, and most are recyclable
7. the are switching out their non-recyclable plastic bags with biodegradable paper ones for clay, dry plants, powder emulsifiers, soaps, and waxes
8. not tested on animals (but that is general law)

These are all some very massive pluses for shopping at Aroma Zone, plus their prices range from really cheap to reasonable. Aaaaand, as with everything (overtly) cheap… corners need to be cut.

Aroma Zone carrier oils review

When I first started making my own (basic) skincare, I was so thrilled to find Aroma Zones shelf of carrier oils. It was like walking into a candy store. You name it, even the most -foreign to me-sounding oils and plant-based butters, they had it. Even with my student budget, I could afford to buy several. But the thing was… ALL OF THEM PERFORMED KINDA THE SAME. The viscosity varied a bit sure, but they smelled similar, moisturized kinda the same – I would say very average, kind of like an average to lower quality jojoba oil. None of that rich yummy goodness their fiche produit and DIY cosmetics blogs talk about. So I didn’t re-buy any of their oils.

Several years and tests of extracts, plant powders, and floral waters later, I found a French blog, explaining the quality variation of Aroma Zone’s products. To lower the price and grow the business further, Aroma Zone changed the handing in the supply chain, they, in fact, don’t test the quality of their products until after they are already delivered, and they do not require their suppliers to adhere to a high standard like they used to. So the quality difference between batches can be noticeably big. This is not a small company somewhere in the South of France collecting flowers, it’s a well-oiled machine, optimized for profit.

Another thing Aroma Zone does is offer more and more products, without informing the consumer about the environmental consequences. They sell surfactants that might be better than plain SLS, but some are still pretty harmful to the environment, like SLSA. All these products are legal to sell, for sure, but the implementation of Aroma Zone is that things will be well, less harmful, biodegradable, natural for the lack of a better word… Do your own research, independent of Aroma Zone.

How is the quality of essential oils there?

Essential oil production follows the same business formula as carrier oils. I do not test buy and get only what I know I will use up. Their selection is huge and it’s so easy to just buy everything they have – but knowing the quality may be variable, I started opting for other brands instead if I know I will be putting in on my body.

I still buy essential oils for cleaning (like lemon and orange essential oil) or rarely oils for aromatherapy from them. Since I am not a professional (do not sell skincare or offer aromatherapy services) I do not need top grade quality every time.

Also, when buying essential oils, be careful of chemo-types, so you get the right plant for what you are looking for. They really have a massive selection, though the plants may have a very similar function. Chemotypes are listed for each essential oil in the description box.

Aroma Zone and their recipes

Aroma zone is really generous with giving out free recipes for DIY cosmetics, DIY hair products, shampoos, bar shampoos, styling products, candles, perfumes, and well as DIY cleaning products for home. You name it, they probably have it. Several variations of it. I even got a complimentary booklet of recipes with the order once, they have books and workshops. Are Aroma Zone recipes any good?

With experience, I learned not to trust the recipes blindly. Their recipes are a way to promote their products further, and quality formulations take a lot of time and testing. As it says on their website, they do have a lab and all the recipes are formulated by a professional. On the website, they say recipes are tested for the stability of the formulation. Obviously, they choose ingredients for a particular purpose, but the actual efficacy and concentrations are to be tested at home.
Reviews of actual people that have tried the recipes are the same as for their products, many have 4 or 5 stars, but upon reading the comments, it’s not really so. Often people are also asking for additional guidance or ingredients substitutes in the reviews (with still marking the recipes as 5) – and they rarely get an answer.

I guess, the point I’m trying to make here is that the recipes are very basic. Ingredients need to be in certain concentrations to be visibly effective, and the recipes seem to mimic the store-bought formulations, with lower concentrations of active ingredients, with saves skincare manufacturers money. There hasn’t been one recipe on their website I didn’t modify: substitute ingredients, tamper with quantities, etc. I take the recipes as a good safe baseline, to get ideas from, not the actual recipe I use. I pick ingredients that are backed by science and emit the rest.

I start looking with the mindset, I need this, how do I make it, not what do they have and what do they offer, what is new etc. I do not make/use many of the items they have recipes for.

Aroma zone review: plant extracts, plant actives, plant powders

Comparing these to what my mom used to have (collect and dry herself), I was neutral to disappointed every time… I love ayurvedic plants for my scalp and hair, and these come nowhere near what I’m used to getting from the Indian store. Some of the plant actives I tried from Aroma Zone, did hardly anything (tested over several months). Back when I was bought them, these also came in a non-recyclable plastic bag, which they have changed now.

Aroma Zone review of user experience

First I need to say, people in the store are always busy and helpful when you can get a hold of them.

What I realized pretty early on, their online customer service and reviews at the bottom of the page are nothing to rely on. Their products and recipes often have 5 stars and really bad comments, so I’m wondering if there is something wrong with the review submission process and they never bothered to fix it or what. They offer workshops as an additional service so they might not be willing to dish help for free or maybe they just don’t have enough staff to offer help online after purchase.

Their description of each ingredient (on fiche conseil) is really good, though I just skim the first part. Most ingredients are anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and suitable for sensitive skin..The second part is a lot more helpful, with recommended quantities and uses. Remember to double-check elsewhere for any contraindications or potential side effects, not all plant ingredients have been tested a lot.

Packaging and shipping

Their package is plastic-free, it’s always a carboard box with more craft paper as padding, plus they ship with Colissimo in France, which has been CO2 neutral for years. Colissimo uses electricity from renewable sources, employ electric vehicles for delivery and they optimized their delivery chain to be more environmentally friendly.

I never had issues with spills or pierced packaging. They wait time is never super long (less than 1 week normally) and as they predict, the only minus is they sometimes use a much bigger box than necessary.

(What) Do I still buy from Aroma Zone?

1. lemon and orange essential oils for laundry and DIY cleaning recipes – I can buy them in bulk (100 or 250 ml) to save packaging
2. essential oils for diffuser sometimes
3. powdered surfactants and emulsifiers
4. vegan waxes – they have a huge selection and they are hard to get elsewhere
5. citric acid
6. xantam gum
7. alum powder for my zero waste deodorant spray (it’s not an Aroma Zone recipe)

Really nice one-off purchases

Years ago, I got a wooden box for essential oils. It is a bit of a splurge item, but it made my life so much easier (and organized). I keep all my small bottles in there, essential oils or not.

I also got pH measuring strips, now years ago, and I still have them. This is essential if you are making any sort of skincare or hair care at home, even just a vinegar hair rinse. The wrong pH can be really detrimental to skin and hair. If you follow their recipes exactly, the pH is already accurate. I’m not sure where else you could buy those, maybe at a pet store, with aquarium equipment?

If you are making bath balls at home a lot, they have metal molds.

Tiny 5ml, 10 ml spray glass bottle for perfume, with a screw top, so they are reusable.

What I’m not buying at Aroma Zone?

1. testing products – they just create more waste (plastic may be recyclable, but it isn’t really recycled in most places)
2. carrier oils
3. butters (the quality varies so much, and I’m not sure they are paying a fair price for butters coming from economically less fortunate countries – none of it is fair trade, though some of at least without palm oil)
4. empty plastic jars – I’m reusing
5. plant powders, ayurvedic powders (I got several of poor quality)
6. mica: it’s unclear if mica is sourced ethically – most of the world’s supply of mica is produced with children mining it, in dangerous circumstances, I emailed them, but they have not replied
7. aloe vera products (poor quality compared to what I get when I’m in Canada)
8. measuring spoons – they do not correspond to regular measuring spoons, so you can’t use them for any other recipe

*I have not tasted their bases or soaps. I dabbed a bit in the DIY makeup, (I liked the mascara), but found it too time-consuming to continue testing more.

This is what I do instead to zero waste my makeup bag.

To cut back on waste, I buy ONLY if I need something, I check alternatives, compare prices, etc., I buy in bulk, and only what I really need. I am not subscribed to their newsletter, not do I follow them on social media, so I don’t get sucked into the hype.

I would love to support only small producers, but I’m looking for balance between price, my time available, quality, and availability. And with Aroma Zone, I’m still faithfully buying certain products and repurchasing them over and over again.

How would you review Aroma Zone?

The post Should you buy from Aroma Zone? An honest Aroma Zone review appeared first on ZERO WASTE THINGS.

I’ve actually made my own shampoo for years. I used a mix of ayurvedic plant powders that I customized for my scalp and hair. After a couple of months, my scalp was never healthier and my occasional eczema flairs disappeared. It worked that well, that several months in, using my own zero waste shampoo, my partner asked me if I could make him something as well.
The problem is, we moved and I can’t get all the ingredients I want for a reasonable price anymore. I also don’t always have time to mix stuff up and it’s really not convenient for travel.

Lush is actually the most known around here now for solid bars of soap and shampoo, but I had an odd reaction years back, I was looking for a different solid shampoo.

here enters, Lamazuna solid shampoo. It’s actually the second best-known brand and they sell them in many organic food stores around here, so it was a natural choice. They are designed and made in France and fully committed to reducing waste in their own company as well. They even have their own garden for ingredients now.

I wasn’t payed or gifted the product.

This year, I had an odd period of greasy, oily scalp situation, so I got Lamazuna solid shampoo for oily hair.

Lamazuna shampoo bar claims

• vegan and zero waste shampoo
• the bar weighs about 55 grams and should last twice as long as a classic liquid shampoo bottle
• 100% of natural origin (the shampoo bar is of natural origin, not organic or organic certified)
• no harsh sulfates
• made in the south of France, close to Nice (I really like knowing where the products I use come from)

Box says it’s good for 1 year (12 months) after opening.

It comes in a recyclable paper box, though mine will not be accepted. They only accept 100% clean paper where I live, and my box has soap residue on it.

More info on their official page.

Ingredients of Lamazuna shampoo for oily hair with litsea cubeba:

Lamazuna shampoo bars are cruelty-free and vegan certified and made out of natural or organic ingredients and they are COSMOS certified.

I looked up all ingredients on EWG Skin Deep database, from an American non-profit Environmental Working Group. They mark based on research and reports from the USA, CA, JP, and EU. I take their data with a healty grain of salt and double (or triple) check with other sources, but they are a good starting point.

They estimate human and environmental risks, 0 is best (no threat), and 10 the highest.

*certified organic

What EWG 55 didn’t pick up on, it that the ingredients citral and limonene are naturally present in Litsea cubeba oil. They are not separate entities (but have to be listed separately), so in fact, Litsea cubeba oil should also be marked 3-5. All essential oils are natural, but also very potent chemicals that can cause irritation, dermatitis, or provoke allergic reactions. For this reason, Lamazuna makes essential oil-free versions of their shampoo bars, recommended for kids, pregnant women, or allergy-prone individuals.

Note: I am not a doctor or a dermatologist. Use your common sense when assessing the risk and consult trained medical professionals.

Lamazuna shampoo review: ease of use

I was a bit perplexed by the shape of the Lamazuna shampoo bar at first. They are using the French canelé pastry mold which Wikipedia describes as: “striated cylinder up to five centimeters in height with a depression at the top.” Yep, that sounds right. It has nooks and crannies and it’s an irregular shape. I actually wonder if the shape would make it easier for kids to hold??

I really enjoy the scent, it’s citrusy fresh and not dominant, the scent comes from Litsea cubeba EO which is similar to lemongrass.

Does it lather well?

My partner had issues getting it to lather nicely and it wasn’t easy to spread all over at first, as he was trying to lather it in his hands first and then apply (like regular shampoos or lather rich soap bars). The shape and texture really lend themselves to being used directly on the scalp (also much easier to hold). After changing the application method and hold, the shampoo applies well. It does not lather as a commercial SLS shampoo would, but we find it quite good.

The lather takes a bit to get going, but it’s quite silky. The bar feels quite textured – because of all that clay.

How I use Lamazuma shampoo bar

I wet my hair thoroughly and gently rub the shampoo directly on my scalp. I move my hair out of the way, so I really mainly apply on the scalp. I then massage well in circular motions. It’s soap + agitation that loosens the gunk out of our scalp and hair. I let the shampoo spread down my hair, adding a bit more water if needed. If my hair feels like it needs more soap on the hair itself, I’ll gently apply the bar, in a downward motion. I never scrunch, rub harshly. If you rub too much, you can damage or break your hair. The shampoo is very hard and won’t just dissolve in your hands (or hair).
I repeat the process if I feel like I need it (most of the time, I just wash once).

Lamazuna shampoo for oily hair that I have is harder than many other soaps I’ve used. This means it doesn’t dissolve in water as fast – which makes it last longer but also not spread as smoothly.

Does Lamazuna solid shampoo bar really last twice as long as liquid shampoo?

I would say yes, and I think it goes even farther in our household. There’s two of us using it and we both have long hair. What might be different is that we have been washing our hair with more natural SLS-free shampoos for years and do not need to wash our hair every day.
I wash my hair about 1 per week on average and my partner goes even longer between washes, 10 days or so. The shampoo bar gets used daily as his beard wash though. We’ve had it for 2.5 months now and I would say we are probably about halfway through.

My guess is that there is a higher % of stearic acid in the shampoo bar and less water than other shampoo bars I’ve used. Stearic acid makes soap firmer and makes lather richer/velvety so it’s a good ingredient to look for when choosing soaps and shampoos.

Lamazuna shampoo review: RESULTS

LAMAZUNA BAR ON CURLY HAIR

My curls range from B1 to B3, depending on the products used. I actually love Lamazuna on my curly hair. They feel stronger and more set, without using any other products. Normally the curls flatten after wearing a ponytail or bun but not after using this shampoo. I still have a similar volume and curl pattern on day 3. Very much impressed.

My ends aren’t dried out either and the frizz is relatively under control.

LAMAZUNA SHAMPOO ON OILY HAIR

Now that my hair/scalp isn’t oily anymore. I am finding it even a bit too drying.

LAMAZUNA ON SENSITIVE SCALP

After continued use, this particular shampoo bar, the Lamazuna shampoo for oily hair with litsea cubeba, was too drying for my scalp, especially if I used it more often. I love the hardness and texture, but I’ll be trying their shampoo for normal hair next.

Recommended: The humble rhassoul clay hair wash

For this Lamazuna shampoo review, I also asked the opinion of my partner. He hair is complete opposite to mine, blond, thin and brittle (thanks to those Irish-Viking roots).

LAMAZUNA ON THIN BRITTLE HAIR

His hair would fall into normal to sometimes oily hair. He can’t confirm with absolute certainty that it’s the shampoo making his scalp a tad dry or it’s just external factors.

LAMAZUNA ON A BEARD

Without using any additional moisturizing for his beard, he says he’s quite happy and his beard looks and feels more moisturizing. He is still not the biggest fan of the shape, it is hard to apply and scrub in.

On the whole, we will not be re-buying this particular shampoo bar. I would say this one – for oily hair and the essential oil is a bit too active for both of us and I will try the Lamazuna shampoo bar for normal hair next. I really like the fact it lasts so long, that it’s really solid and it worked decently well, so I’m willing to give Lamazuna shampoos another go.

My partner would not re-buy it again, in his words: “I want to try something else. It’s not bad, so I might come back to it. I’m not dissatisfied, but I don’t love it enough.”

So there you have it, this is my Lamazuna shampoo review on the Lamazuna shampoo for oily hair with essential oil on my curly sensitive scalp and my partners brittle thin hair (plus on his not so brittle beard).

Do you know the brand? Have you tried it yet?

The post Lamazuna shampoo review: zero waste wash for oily hair appeared first on ZERO WASTE THINGS.

Microplastic has been found on all continents, in all of our waters: oceans, rivers, ponds, rural creeks, but it recirculated to our soil, and is now also found in our fruit and veg.

How does microplastic get into our water?

Our plastic-made clothes shed plastic

Nowadays, most of the clothes are made out of plastic, or a blend of plastic and natural fibers. When we wash them, they break apart, and particles hardly or not really visible to the human eye release into our waterways. Water treatment plants filter about 60% of microfibers.

The recovered microfiber mass per garment ranged from approximately 0 to 2 g, or exceeding 0.3% of the unwashed garment mass. Microfiber masses from top-load machines were approximately 7 times those from front-load machines.

Microfiber Masses Recovered from Conventional Machine Washing of New or Aged Garments

The number is per garment, per wash. Guppyfriend calculated that to be the volume of the city the size of Berlin (how did they calculate that?) or approx. 500,000 plastic bags – every single day.

Even when we buy second-hand clothing, fleeces from ethical brands that use recycled polyester or better yet, clothing made out of recycled ocean plastic, we return bits of plastic back into circulation every time we wash them.

There is plastic in our washing detergents

Another way of getting microplastic in the water is simply by putting it in out washing detergents, like a lot of brands do. Sadly, plastic in detergents is allowed and unregulated, the producers actually do not have to list it as an ingredient (or any other ingredient for that matter).

Read more about zero waste laundry detergents and how to make your whole laundry process plastic-free.

When we wash ourselves…

Our cosmetics and soaps also contain plastic, not only micro beads for peeling.

Why did I buy the Guppyfriend instead of a filtering system?

As first, I was looking at other options to contain microplastic in my washing machine, and microplastic filters that can be installed in our washing machines already exist. However, they are another cost for washing machine manufacturers, that they don’t want since it’s not contributing to their bottom line. The governments aren’t requiring them to be responsible. There are already plastic filters for consumers, but they come with a regular subscription model, you need to replace it regularly (extra waste). I strongly disagree that all the microplastic in the world should be solved by the consumer directly. Same as with Coca-Cola and other major plastic polluters, it’s the manufacturers that take zero responsibility for the disposal of their products. It is our governments that allow loose (or zero) regulations. The long term solution getting non-plastic clothes and creating fabrics that do not shed. But until something changes, I got myself a Guppybag.
The Guppybag was a much simpler solution compared to built-in filtration. It is 1 item, no replacements, no recurring costs, and the material was developed and tested to be high quality, so it should last OK.

Does Guppyfriend reduce microplastic pollution?

I had a healthy dose of scepticism at first and then decided to test it myself.

As it turns out, the Guppybag does work. Every time I use it, I get visible balls particles, bunched up in the corners.

I did however have this instinct to rinse the bag away after use, which is very lame. I still consciously tell myself every time, do not wash away. I guess they predicted that, because the bag actually says “do not rinse. residues must be collected and disposed of properly” right under capitalised “STOP!MICRO WASTE”. Smart.

It is made out of a special polyamid.

Classic size is 50 x 74 cm or 19,7 x 29,1 inches.

Guppyfriend bag review: positives

• it very obviously traps microwaste
• I like the big size: it’s big, for several sweaters or pants
• it has a safety pocket of the zipper, so it doesn’t catch on other clothes
• light + it dries fast
• can be used as delicates bag as well (2 in 1)

Guppyfriend bag review: negatives

• after a year of use, the ribbon on the corners started to fray a bit – it still seals perfectly, buy…hej
• price
• made in China

What fabrics exactly should you put in the bag?

I put the Guppyfriend bag in any load together with the rest of my clothes.

And I opt to put all my synthetics in, not just fleece. The reason being is, that the shedding of microfibers depends on different polymer types, origins, yarn size, length, brightness, cutting/sewing methods, age…

A study published in 2020 they tested 12 different textiles and they all shed, though some more than others. The study was sponsored by Procter & Gamble, a manufacturer of detergents and fabric softeners, but I can’t see reasons for them to skew results. We also have several studies saying that the use of detergent increases fiber loss, some saying it doesn’t or makes little difference (I didn’t check them all or their big daddy bosses). It’s hard to compare since they didn’t use the same machine, water, detergent, fabrics etc. It stands to reason, that anything that gentle on the clothes creates less fraying, with is lower temps and liquid SLS-free detergent.

Where can you buy the Guppyfriend?

I actually got it at my local Jack Wolfskin store, but you can also get them online via Patagonia website or obvious, Amazon.

If you buy via their official website, shipping is free within Europe.

All the shops I saw, say they sell it with no profit for them – the fabric material was lengthy and costly (another reason to get our microplastic producing fashion brands to contribute to new research) and there was no difference in price.

I also saw smaller versions in a grocery store as a part of a special one off offer, but those would maybe be good for 1 sweater. Very small and not economical.

To recap Guppyfriend bag review

My review of the Guppy bag is very positive. Use it with all synthetic fabrics. I recommend buying the bigger (standard) size. Never rinse the gunk into a sink.

Over to you

Did you know about microplastic in our waters? What is your solution?

The post Does Gupyyfriend work?? Guppyfriend bag review appeared first on ZERO WASTE THINGS.