Getting a pedi or a mani is a pleasure that I have the hardest difficulties to let go of. So instead of letting it go, I decided to search for an eco-friendly manicure!

Growing up I never had any. The idea would never even pop up in my head. In France, it was all about the good ol’ DIY fashion way. When I visited the US as a teenager and later when I moved here, getting manicures and pedicures by professionals was my own little revolution. I was seeing it as my affordable way to get a nice beauty treat.

Yet, as I grow more each day into the world of sustainability and zero waste, I am having a harder time with some of this industry’s wasteful and toxic practices (from conception to treatments in salons.) It all has gone from awesome to awwww-not-so-some-and-getting-close-to-full.

So I wanted to address this topic as I am probably not the only one who longs for waste free and eco-friendly manicures.

When it comes to reducing our waste it can be hard and overwhelming to decide where to start. If you’re just getting started, I recommend you read this post to learn more about what Zero-Waste and its basics. One thing though that made it clear when I first started were disposable items. They were a big part of my new American life. After spending a couple of weeks, analyzing what was filling my trash bin, it was a no-brainer, I needed to change my daily habits and switch from disposable to reusable containers and utensils.

I came to realize that there were about 5 items that had become a real problem, and if I were able to change these 5 things, I would be more in tune with my goals and values.

The 5 things you can change today to reduce your waste