Happy May! As I’ve mentioned numerous times since the pandemic locked us in a bit over a year ago, I have made several purchases that I wouldn’t make under “normal” circumstances. That being said, there are still items that I no longer buy. Why? Sustainability aside, these are items I don’t find value in having. If you do, that’s okay. There is no judgment here. You’ll also noticed it abundance of the word I in this post. That’s because, while I’m low-waste, my fiancé is not. I won’t force my lifestyle on someone else, and simply choose to “live and let live”.

High-End Makeup (and makeup in general)

This one is specifically related to personal use and inventory. I don’t spend loads of money on makeup for myself. I used to. In fact, if I had to add everything up over time, I’m sure it would be priced at thousands of dollars. Since I’ve become more sustainable, and more lazy, I just don’t buy it anymore. It has saved me loads of money. Plus, with everything I have, there is no reason to spend more. When I run out of a product, or it goes off (some of my lip balm has) I replace it if I need it.

Ziploc®-Style Bags

We don’t really have the need for disposable plastic bags. I used containers, mainly old glass jars, beeswax wraps, and Stasher bags. Now, I have a love-hate relationship with both beeswax wraps and Stasher bags. They both work well for what we need, but the one major down-side is that EVERYTHING sticks to them. What do I mean? Any little fiber/hair and speck of anything will stick to it. When I say any, I mean it. My backpack is organized with Stasher bags, and the outside of every single one has something stuck to it. That being said, the ones I’ve had have held up well so far.

Most Disposable Period Products

This, in particular, has been discussed a few times on my blog. I rarely purchase disposable period products because I use menstrual cups and washable liners. Plus, my body reacts to most disposable products. That being said, there are times when my body doesn’t want the menstrual cup, so I do have unbleached, organic pads for those times. I also just received my first pair of Thinx for All™ that are sold at Target in super absorbency, high-waist. Unfortunately they arrived after my period ended, so I’ll let you know how they work after my next cycle. Hopefully they work. If so, then it will be so-long to all disposable period products for me. Even though washable/reusable options tend to cost more upfront, over time, I’ve saved hundreds of dollars.

Loads of Skincare

If you were following my blog from the beginning (prior to the re-brand) you know that I used to post all about hauls and having the latest *fill in the blank*. It’s not like that now. I use a few products that work well for my skin. I’m still going through sample-sized products from back when I was subscribed to different monthly boxes, which I’ve stopped all (including FabFitFun).

Hair Styling Products

The area under the skin used to be filled with all sorts of hair styling products: Waxes, pomades, mousse, sprays, you name it. If it was new, I tried it. These days, I let my hair stay pretty natural with the exception of a hair spf. I’ve found that my hair looks and feels better without all of the products in it.

Subscription Boxes

And speaking of subscription boxes, I have unsubscribed from all of them. I had thought about trying out Causebox, but I just don’t need more things. Yes, getting a box filled with goodies is fun, but it’s not worth it to me. At this point in time, I’d rather save the money versus spend it on more items that are going to take up room in my tiny space.

Glass Jars

Sauces, dressings, condiments, sides, etc. all come in glass jars. When I first went zero-waste I bought a few packs of jars that were varied in size. I really didn’t need to do that. So many products come packaged in glass that can be repurposed. Of course you will want to check and make sure that you can repurpose the glass item to suit your needs. Some glass, for instance, isn’t meant for fermenting and can explode. Safety first!

Disposable Cotton Rounds and Balls

Excluding sets, I no longer have facial cotton rounds nor cotton balls in the bathroom. We, personally, don’t have a use for them. Instead we have washcloths, washable rounds, and a few of The Original Makeup Eraser® cloths. The Original Makeup Eraser® products were gifted to me by my grandma and work really well. They tend to repel cold water, so keep that in mind. I’m honestly not sure about their sustainability factor, and hope they don’t do more harm than good in terms of environmental impact. If you know anything about it, let me know.

Travel Utensils

Prior to the pandemic I would do a fair amount of traveling. I had purchased travel utensils, straws, and containers. While the containers and straws get loads of use, there was no need to have multiple travel utensils. Personally, my least favorite are the utensils made from wood. They just don’t do as good a job as metal, and even plastic (that can be washed and reused until they break), counterparts do. I do have some wooden spoons that I got with coconut bowls, which are okay, but not a favorite. In reality, you don’t even need travel-specific utensils at all. Take a set of utensils that you already own– knife excluded, although round-bladed butter knives are okay according to the TSA website, at the discretion of the TSA officer. I do have a couple of metal sporks, one of which was free, that I use regularly. Side story: I never liked sporks until these. The thought of sporks brought back awful memories of shite cafeteria lunches from elementary school that would never stay on the worthless plastic spork that was provided. After using the metal ones, I have to say they are quite nice. Up until the pandemic they had taken quite a tour through theme parks, states, and countries, and have held up incredibly well.

Junk Food

Okay, this one is a bit of an exaggeration because I buy very limited amounts of junk. With all of the health issues I have, it’s much more beneficial to eat well than to indulge in the processed snacks that line grocery shelves. Although, with everything being as it is, I’ve bought a bit more than usual. Since my body is feeling it, and I never finish junk food anyway and that is incredibly wasteful, I’m going back to my old ways of having it be just a once-in-awhile purchase. My body doesn’t need it, and I’d rather have a plate of crudités.

What items do you no longer buy, or would you like to purchase less? It can be difficult to change purchasing habits, especially with things like same-day delivery and conveniences at our disposal, but it is possible. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the weekend.

Peace & Love, always!