Charlotte Willis show you how to get creative with your bathroom routine and banish plastic-wrapped body washes, creams and body butters for good

Reading the back labels of cosmetics and beauty products is concurrently a flashback to chemistry lessons and a source of gross confusion. Sodium this, pantothenic acid that – none of which seems to make sense. It does make one wonder what exactly you are smearing onto your skin, in a seemingly innocent act to become clean, soft and smell heavenly. And what’s with all the unnecessary packaging? Boxes concealing plastic cartons, wrappings and labels, all for 250ml of body wash. I need a simpler alternative.

Having sensitive skin makes you think twice about the products you use regularly. As such, I’ve ditched massproduced and pre-made body washes in favour of handmade soaps, and began creating my own body moisturisers and scrubs. A little bit of luxury everyday never hurt anyone. Plus, you can have peace of mind knowing exactly what is on your ingredients list, with no hidden chemicals or allergens inside. Ultimately, by opting to use your own containers, you are actively reducing your dependence upon plastic and helping reuse some of those mason jars and empty tubs of peanut butter.