3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD SWITCH TO SOLID SKINCARE, FOR YOUR KIDS

 *Originally written for Baby Bloomberg

Many parents are looking to make sustainable changes, but it can be a bit of a minefield.  Making the swap to shampoo and body bars, otherwise known as solid skincare, is a simple change that makes you and your children part of the solution, here’s why

IT’S PLASTIC FREE

A child born today will use 50,000 single use plastic bathroom items in their lifetime. 

Unfortunately, the bathroom is synonymous with an endless trail of plastic bottles and waste, in fact recyclable bathroom waste accounts for 30-40% of total landfill waste in the UK.   Truth is, while most Brits recycle about 90% of their kitchen waste, only about half of bathroom waste makes it to the bin.

It’s undoubtedly hard to navigate the green-washing in order to make the right choice for the planet, but swapping to solid, sustainable skincare is a clear way to avoid plastic all-together and make a really positive impact.

IT SAVES CO2

Swapping to a solid solution saves CO2 in two ways: the product manufacturing and materials, and in shipping and transportation.

Did you know that up to 90% of a bottle of shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser or body wash is water?  Yup, the same water that’s already coming out of your tap at bathtime.  

A bar will save about 85% of the CO2 emissions in transportation, as you are transporting only the active ingredients, none of the filler. Secondly, you haven’t contributed to manufacturing extra plastic bottles.  Rowdy Kind bars contain the same amount of active ingredients as two of the plastic bottled equivalents.  1 kg of plastic bottles takes about 4.4 kg of CO2 to manufacture. 

We have calculated that every one of their bars saves 60g of CO2, it sounds like a small swap, but it sure adds up.

If every child in the UK swapped to solid skin care when they next ran out it would immediately save 240T of CO2.

A POSITIVE (BATHTIME) EXAMPLE

Children are well aware of the climate crisis and are looking to their parents to empower them to make positive change.  In fact, the idea for Rowdy Kind was inspired by Kate's son's (then aged 7) question at bathtime “Why are we using so many plastic bottles when we know they are bad.”

Swapping to bars is a great example of a positive change you can make alongside your children, establishing sustainable lifelong habits.

As an added bonus, bars not only represent a positive change for the planet, they often lead to a more positive bathtime for your littles as well! Is your child fiercely independent? Using shampoo and conditioner bars vs a liquid bottled product lets them take over control. Don't like the feeling of a wet goopy moisturiser? Try a solid skin balm.  Not a bathtime  Fan? Transform bathtime into an playful adventure with colourful bath bombs! 

There is really no downside to swapping to solid skincare. In a world where ‘doing-good’ can feel quite hard, this is an easy change you will feel great about and make it enjoyable too.

- Kate & Anne Marie