Happy long weekend friends! Although to be honest, the past couple of weekends have felt like a long weekend anyway because of all the staying in. I thought I’d share some recent zero waste self-care things I’ve been loving and what better time than a long weekend of staying in, to give yourself a little pamper! So kick off your shoes, light a candle, grab a hot drink and let’s get into some cozy zero waste self-care ideas.

Body Scrubs

There are tons of DIY body scrubs out there that you can quickly whip up and use the next time you’re in the shower or having a bath. Body scrubs are an extremely relaxing thing to do and is great for your skin. It helps to remove dead skin cells, leaving your skin feeling refreshed and super soft! Here is a simple recipe you can create using some products you might already have in your home.

DIY Sweet Sugar Body Scrub

In a clean bowl, add 1/2 cup of sugar (I like to use brown sugar or raw turbinado sugar). Gradually add in 2-3 tbsp of sweet almond oil or jojoba oil. Slowly add in the oil and mix the two ingredients together until you reach a consistency that resembles wet sand. Scoop the scrub into an air-tight container. I love to upcycle jars for purposes just like this! I had an old coconut oil moisturizer that I recently finished using up so I cleaned out the container using hot, soapy water and it’s the perfect storage solution for this scrub.

I’ve written about reusing coffee grounds in a body scrub in a previous post which you can check out here if you’re interested in another recipe! If you like, you can try switching out the coconut oil used in that recipe for sweet almond oil.

How to use:

To use this scrub in the shower, scoop a small amount with your hands and gently apply the scrub onto your skin in light, circular motions. Rinse off the scrub with water and pat dry with a towel. Be sure to follow up with a luxurious body butter — see below!

Safety Razor

After exfoliating, now is the perfect time to shave if you wish. I wanted to highlight this safety razor that I’ve been using for the past couple of months from Canadian brand, Well Kept. Honestly, it was a little intimidating for me at the beginning, but after some practice and learning some tips and tricks to using a safety razor, I’ve really enjoyed this sustainable swap I’ve made. I’ve found that using a safety razor has slowed down my self-care process when I’m in the shower just simply because I have to be more careful. The simple act of shaving has become a reminder to slow down.

Do you use a safety razor and if so, do you have any tips for beginners?

Body Butter

I had to mention this body butter again because it is SO good! I have the driest skin ever and it is just so moisturizing and has such a lovely, whipped texture that makes it really enjoyable to use. If you use this body butter followed after the above mentioned sugar scrub, let me tell you, your skin will feel like a baby’s bottom.

DIY Whipped Body Butter

I’ve made an entire video on how to make this whipped body butter which you can find here. Here’s the TLDR version of that video. Melt 1/2 cup of shea butter, 1/4 cup of coconut oil, and 1/4 cup of sweet almond oil over a double boiler until completely liquid. Let the oils harden in the fridge. Whip up the oils with a whisk or electric hand mixer until you’ve reached a light, airy whipped icing consistency. Scoop into a clean air-tight container and there you have it!

How to use:

This body butter is best used after showering because your pores are open and ready to absorb the moisturizer. Apply a light layer of body butter all over your skin. Let the oils melt into your skin.

Clay Mask

I think after all that pampering in the shower, it’s time to work a little magic on our faces — cue the face mask. My personal favourite is doing a clay mask, but really any kind of mask is so soothing and relaxing for your skin. I’ve been using clay masks from Canadian brand, Eluo for the past year and have seen amazing results in my skin. I also thoroughly enjoy the slow, intentional process of mixing up my clay mask and applying it to my skin. Let me tell you, I’m not the only one in my house that enjoys doing a clay mask!

What are your favourite kinds of masks to do?

Get Brewin’

To complete this self-care evening, why not brew a comforting hot drink to enjoy. In the evenings I usually opt for tea and prefer to use loose leaf teas when I can, to reduce on packaging and also because a lot of tea bags are actually made of plastic and can’t be composted. So opt for loose leaf when you can! Other hot drinks I love are coffee (usually in the morning), matcha latte, or the occasional hot chocolate. Whatever your drink of choice, get brewing and enjoy a quiet moment.

Now that I’m at the end of this post, I’m feeling extremely relaxed and ready to grab a hot cup of chamomile tea and snuggle up on the couch for an evening in.

My evening plans? Maybe read a book or catch some reruns on Netflix!

---

This post is not sponsored and but mentions some gifted items. I only share products and brands I love and support. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Candice Tay!

Earth Week Tips: Sustainability While Social Distancing

Part III: Sustainability At Home

Originally this last post was going to be about sustainability while on-the-go, but while we’re all staying in, I thought it’d be best to pivot a bit and write about ways to celebrate Earth Week from the comfort of our homes while still being sustainable.

Get Comfy!

Whether you’re working from home or just staying in like me, let’s tackle these days in our best and favourite comfies. Whatever that might look like for you, here are some of my favourite sustainable brands for comfy, loungewear outfits. 

• PACT for comfy organic cotton bedding and loungewear

  • My picks: Room Service Duvet Cover and Sham, Sleep Set

• Encircled for pyjama-like, video call appropriate clothing:

  • My picks: The Dressy Sweatpant

• Frank & Oak for my favourite sweatshirt (I loved it so much, I got one for my mom and sister too!)

  • My picks: Good Cotton Gym Crewneck

• Kotn for more work-appropriate and lounge-appropriate comfy clothing

  • My picks: Fitted Turtleneck, Puff Sleeve Sweatshirt

And hey, if you don’t want to wear loungewear and want to get dressed up each day, you go ahead and do that! I did a fun fashion challenge last week that got me into my regular clothes again and having fun with some of my favourite outfits.

Here’s a recent video I made sharing 5 Work From Home Outfits!

Get Moving!

It’s important during this time to keep our bodies active and also if you can, go outside and enjoy the weather and beautiful nature in your own backyard. 

If you’re looking for sustainable activewear, I’ve written a whole review showcasing a few different sustainable brands in this post.

Declutter!

If you’ve been following me on Instagram or on YouTube, you probably know how much decluttering and reorganizing I’ve done around the house as a result of being at home. This is a great time to go through your things and evaluate what kind of things are lying around your home. If this seems like a daunting task, don’t tackle it all at once, maybe just declutter a drawer a day. Remember when you’re decluttering, to declutter sustainably! This could be an entire post on its own, but simply remember these 2 things:

• If an item can still be used, try to find a second home for it or repurpose it

• If an item is at the end of its life, dispose of, recycle it, or compost it properly

Reorganize!

Once you’ve decluttered, reorganizing things is a fun, sustainable way to give your space a whole new feel without spending a dime. Re-jig your furniture to update your space, reorganize a drawer or cabinet to make things easier to find or more aesthetically pleasing, or simply find a new organization system so your things all have a home.

Unplug!

While we’re at home, there’s probably a lot of devices being used. A little tip is to unplug your devices when you’re done with them at the end of the day or if they’re on a charging cord, simply switch that off to save energy. Constantly being on our devices can also be extremely exhausting, so try to find time to mentally “unplug”. Read a book, journal, enjoy a moment of stillness. Whatever it is, enjoy and treasure the time we have now to slow down.

Try something new!

Since we’re staying at home, this is a great time to try something new. Whether that be a new hobby, or taking an online course you’ve always wanted to tackle, or implementing a new personal habit. I personally think it’s the perfect time to tackle a new sustainable habit!

Here are a few sustainable habits you can try today!

• Try not washing your hair! — I mean you’re at home, now is the perfect time to try this!

• Try a menstrual cup! — Staying in is the perfect time to give menstrual cups a go!

• Try to eat less meat! — Now is a great time to get creative with your cooking and test out some new veggie recipes to cut down on meat consumption

• Try some at-home DIY projects — My personal favs are DIY body butter, DIY all-purpose cleaner, DIY cotton rounds)

---

This post is not sponsored but may contain some gifted items and affiliate links. If you decide to shop through the links above, I may make a small commission that helps support this blog and my Instagram. I only share products and brands I love and support. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Candice Tay!

Earth Week Tips: Low-waste Kitchen

Part I: Sustainability in the Kitchen

This week is Earth Week 2020! It’s looking a bit different than the Earth Weeks we’ve had in the past because we’re all staying indoors. Because of current state that our society is in, I’ve also found it more challenging to be plastic-free in certain areas that I was refusing plastic and also not being able to use reusables where I could previously. If you’ve felt discouraged by this, I hope these posts encourage you to continue pressing on and just doing what you can!

I’ve always found that Earth Month is a great way time to encourage people and get people thinking about how to live more sustainably and take care of our planet. Although we’re staying home this week, I wanted to share some of my favourite swaps and sustainability tips in 3 different areas of our life and home…starting off with the kitchen!

If you take a step back and consider your own kitchen, how much waste do you create? For me, the kitchen was one of the most wasteful areas in my home, so even making a few changes has helped me reduce significant waste. 

Zero Waste Swaps: Kitchen

Here are some of my favourite kitchen swaps.

Beeswax Wraps

Beeswax wraps were a swap that I had heard of early on when I first started learning about sustainability and looking into different swaps I could make. They are an excellent swap for traditional plastic cling wrap. I’ve gone 2+ years without cling wrap now and can tell you that you really don’t need it. Beeswax wraps are great for reducing food waste and preserving your food so that it lasts longer.

I typically use the wraps directly on my produce or over bowls to store leftovers. You use the warmth from your hands to mold the wrap over whatever you are covering and then pop it into the fridge — works like a charm!

Things I recommend:

• Abeego

• Ten and Co

Reusable Silicone Bags

Next up — reusable silicone bags. I believe these were the first sustainable swap I had ever purchased. They are a swap for plastic sandwich bags and can be used the same way. I personally use them for freezing things, storing leftovers, and for on-the-go snacks.

My personal favourite are Stasher Bags, because they are made of 100% pure platinum grade silicone, a standard even higher than food grade silicone. This standard passes all U.S. safety requirements and European standards. They are extremely durable and have lasted me for 2+ years. They are also a certified B-corp, which means that their factories and suppliers must maintain very good and responsible practices.

With the rise and “trendiness” of sustainability, sometimes the rush to make sustainable swaps can be even more harmful. I bring this up because, particularly with reusable silicone bags, I see a lot of cheap alternatives that are being sold everywhere, and while I think it’s great that everyone is wanting to make more sustainable changes, I think it’s also important, when making these swaps, to consider the product carefully. What is it made of, how was it made, and what are the conditions these products were made in?

Things I recommend:

• Stasher Bags

Compostable Brush/Sponge

Many sponges these days are made of synthetic material, which means that they can’t be composted. A simple swap for this is to switch to natural, compostable sponges or try a compostable dish brush. 

There are a variety of options out there, like pot brushes with a wooden handle and natural fibre bristles, there are coconut scrubbers and also natural plant-based loofahs. Choose one that best fits to your liking and make your swap! 

Things I recommend:

• Natural Fibre Pot Brush

• Compostable Sponges

Refillable Dish Detergent/Dish Washing Block

This is one that I’d say I’m still in the process of experimenting with. Currently I use a solution of Castile soap and water to wash my dishes, which my husband and I have been doing for a few years now. The only complaint we have with this is that sometimes it’s a bit too liquid-y and is not as grease-cutting as we would like it to be. So now, I’m currently exploring other options like using a  refillable dish detergent from companies like Unscented Co. or Public Goods. Another plastic-free option is a dish washing block, which I find fascinating, but it may require a bit of convincing in my household.

Things I recommend:

• Refillable Dish Detergent: Unscented Co., Public Goods (you can get 15% off your Public Goods order with the code CANDICEPGA)

• Dish Washing Block: No Tox Life

Making my dishwashing solution of 1 part Castile soap to 10 parts water — so simple and quick!

Old Rags & Swedish Dish Cloths

This swap can be a simple upcycling project or you can spice up your kitchen with some cute Swedish dish cloths. These are a great swap for paper towel in your home to wipe up spills and quickly clean up countertops.

If you’re wondering, “what about paper towel for food preparation”, as many people use paper towel to dry off meat or fish before cooking it. This is something that I’ve been thinking of and currently don’t have a “swap” for, but I think, if you really have a need for paper towel in your life, just be more mindful about what brand you purchase from and how much of it you purchase and what the paper towels are made of. Maybe choose something that contains recycled or post-consumer content. And even if you simply reduced the amount of paper towels you use, is already a great step towards reducing your waste.

Things I recommend:

• Swedish Dish Cloths: Ten and Co

• Paper Towel: Seventh Generation

Look how absorbent this cloth is!

Sustainable Habits in the Kitchen

Now that we’ve talked about the swaps, let’s consider a few things (that don’t cost a thing) to keep in mind and be a little more sustainable in the kitchen.

Food Waste

First, food waste. Did you know in Canada, more than a third of food produced and distributed never gets eaten?* Food waste in the home is actually a huge environmental issue and can be reduced at the consumer level with a few changes. 

To reduce food waste:

• Make a list, and buy only what you need

• Learn how to properly store food to prolong its life

• Eat those leftovers!

• Reuse food scraps

*National Zero Waste Council, 2018. A Food Loss and Waste Strategy for Canada.

Upcycling

The kitchen is a wonderful place to upcycle. My favourite things to upcycle in the kitchen are old jars and containers. You simply clean them out with hot soapy water and reuse them! They make pretty vases for plants, they can be restored into a DIY candle, and they can simply be used for more food storage. Take things like old t-shirts and cut them up into small squares to use as rags.

Garbage/Recycling/Compost

Learning to properly dispose of, compost, and recycle things at the end of its life is really important. As I started to learn more about sustainability, there were so many things that I thought were recyclable or compostable that actually are not. Not recycling or composting properly can often contaminate an entire batch of recyclables or compost material, so that’s why it’s important to learn how to recycle and compost properly. Check out your local city’s guide on recycling or composting. There are often great resources on what goes where and how to properly do these procedures.

As you can see, by simply taking a look at the kitchen, there are already so many changes we can take on to be more sustainable. Don’t be overwhelmed and don’t feel the need to tackle everything all at once. Pick one and start from there.

And as always, I'd love to hear from you and your kitchens! What kind of swaps have you made? What are your best sustainable kitchen tips?

---

This post is not sponsored but may contain some gifted items and affiliate links. If you decide to shop through the links above, I may make a small commission that helps support this blog and my Instagram. I only share products and brands I love and support. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Candice Tay!