Periods, PMS & The Environment

Are you an advocate for the environment? Do you care about animal rights and the care of our planet? Well, periods can often put a spanner in the works when it comes to the effect it has on our environment. After all, there are so many products out there that are centered towards period care that harm the environment. Let’s look at solutions to this ever-growing problem.

Tampons, Sanitary Pads & Menstrual Cups

Ever wondered which does more harm to the environment – tampons, sanitary pads or menstrual cups? Well, you are about to find out!

Sanitary Pads & Tampons

Women have been using tampons and sanitary pads forever. Unfortunately, every time you buy tampons or sanitary pads, they come in boxes and are covered in plastic. Obviously, once used, they are not recyclable, and often women flush tampons and sanitary pads which end up in sewer systems or water ways.

In rural areas of the world, sanitary pads create many bacterial diseases while occupying landfills. There are also toxins that are dangerous to us and the environment that are released into the atmosphere, when burning the plastic parts of sanitary pads.

If you do prefer to use pads, make sure you use a reusable type!

Menstrual Cups

Many menstrual cups are created to be used over a long period of time. This saves you a lot of money instead of having to buy costly tampons and sanitary pads every month. Besides this, since you can use your menstrual cup over and over again, not so much waste is created. This is the waste that ends up in landfills. Also, in the end, more trees are saved as menstrual cups are not made of paper, which turns into cardboard housing tampons and sanitary pads.

Make sure when buying a menstrual cup to always purchase one that is durable and long-lasting. Also, menstrual cups are made of either silicone, TPE or rubber (latex). Silicone is not biodegradable, but there is no problem recycling it. Some menstrual cups are made out of TPE. TPE stand for Thermo Plastic Elastomer and is completely biodegradable and meant to decompose. Some cups are also made of rubber latex which is also biodegradable.

Check out the top 5 menstrual cups for 2020.

Skin Care That Supports the Environment

During PMS a hard fact of life is that all impurities in the body surface on your face and on the body. That’s why you will get pimples, blackheads and whiteheads all before your period. There are so many products out there to take care of your skin, but so many actually harm the environment. Let’s look at the brands out there that are good for the environment and your skin:

Therapeutic Tea Tree Oil Soap with Neem Oil

Both tea tree oil, as well as neem oil, are good to use against acne and other skin irritations. This wash is plant-based, by one hundred percent, and is made up of ingredients that are all natural and organic. It’s a product that is very high quality and is even harvested by hand in batches that are rather small.

A lot of attention is put into this product. It is free from:

• Thickeners
• Detergents
• Preservatives
• Petroleum
• Silicone
• Synthetic Fragrances
• Dyes

It is rich in Omegas three, six, seven and nine, which all moisturize the skin and make it appear more youthful and healthier.

The tea tree oil fights acne in a big way, and is antibacterial too. There is peppermint in the product as well, which deep cleanses all the skin’s pores. This is a face wash that will keep pimples at bay and under control during times of PMS.

Christina Moss Naturals Organic Acne Face Wash

This is an organic beauty product that is from a family owned business called Christina Moss Naturals, and has been around since 1999.

The face wash was created to attack pimples and keep them away. It is made out of gentle plant extracts, as well as essential oils. These remove both makeup and dirt. It is free from any chemicals that may be harsh and the ingredients are absolutely lovely. Your pores will never be clogged and your skin will always be soft.

Inside is rosemary flower extract as well as rosemary essential oil. They both serve antiseptic properties and help prevent acne. The added bonus is the fact that your skin will be protected from the damage of the sun as well as free radicals.

There is also olive fruit oil, which is an antioxidant, and aloe vera juice to soothe the skin and reduce inflammation while cleaning. Coconut oil features strongly as well, as it is antibacterial and moisturizes at the same time.

Makeup that is Cruelty-Free

When you do actually have pimples, it’s important to cover up. That way you will look better and feel better about yourself. If you care about the environment, you want cruelty-free makeup. There are so many products on the market to enhance beauty, why go for ones that torture animals?

Everything You Want to Know About Cruelty Free Makeup

Cruelty-free means that no animal in the world was tested on with regards to the makeup brand. However, any makeup made in China is not cruelty-free as, by law, all products have to be tested on animals before they go out to the public.

How to Find Out If a Beauty Product is Cruelty-Free

There are two websites you can look at that will help you determine if a product is cruelty free. These websites are called Logical Harmony and Cruelty-Free Kitty, which explore cruelty-free makeup and let you know which products are or aren’t cruelty-free. The people behind these websites are very passionate about what they do, and regularly update the websites. 

Cruelty-free makeup options which are vegan or have vegan options include:

• All Heart
• Bloomtown
• Cocofloss
• Dermorganic
• Edible Beauty
• Floss Gloss
• Giovanni
• High Beauty
• Isle of Paradise
• Joshik
• Kavella
• Lillian Eve
• Misa
• Natasha Denona
• Ofra
• Pelle Beauty
• Red Apple Lipstick
• Soulflower
• Tree Hut
• Urban Decay (not vegan)
• Veggimins
• Weleda
• Xyliwhite by Now Foods (not vegan)
• Yardley London

The following is a make-up routine you can follow that is environmentally friendly and contains very little waste. You can use this to cover pimples caused by PMS:

Conclusion

Your period and PMS symptoms don’t have to impact negatively on the environment. With conscious care, you can experience your period every month knowing no, or very little, harm is done to the environment.