The Plastic We Can’t See, And the Simple Swaps That Change Everything.

We often think of plastic as something we throw away. But what if it never truly leaves? What if it lingers — not just in our environment, but in our bodies — hiding in the things we touch, use, and trust every single day?

My journey toward wellness didn’t begin with plastic. It began with pain. With a body that felt like it was working against me. But as I began to strip back toxins — from what I ate, to what I applied to my skin — one thread kept surfacing: hidden plastics.

Today, we know that the average person consumes a credit card’s worth of plastic every single week (yes, really — Dr. Josh Axe recently shared this). It’s in our water. Our skincare. Our toothpaste. Even the steam rising from takeaway coffee cups.

Why We Chose Glass — Not Plastic

When I created Vemel, I knew our formulas had to be radically clean. But it wasn’t just about the ingredients, it was about the packaging too. Plastic can leach. Especially when exposed to oils (like those in skincare), heat, or light. Over time, chemicals from plastic packaging can migrate into the very formulas meant to nourish your skin. It’s why we bottle every Vemel product in glass not plastic jars. Because clean beauty should be clean all the way through.

The Deeper Impact

Plastic isn’t just an environmental issue – it’s a wellness issue. Microplastics have been found in our bloodstream, lungs, and even placental tissue. And we encounter them every day,  through packaging, residue, drinking water, and products we trust to be safe. But there’s another way. By making small, conscious swaps and asking more from the brands we support  we begin to detox more than just our skin. We lighten the toxic load on our bodies, our homes, and the planet.

Wellness Starts at Home. What I Use and Why

My commitment to plastic-free wellness goes beyond skincare. It’s something I’ve brought into every corner of my daily life  from the dishwasher to my daily supplements. You don’t need a total lifestyle overhaul to make a difference,  just a few mindful swaps, guided by awareness and intention. Here are some of the changes I’ve made and the brands I use and trust:

Supplements Without Plastic Capsules

Many conventional supplements come in plastic jars or synthetic-coated capsules  which can contribute to your microplastic exposure over time. I take Symprove (get 50% off your first 3 months with my referral link)  liquid probiotics (capsule free), and Wild Nutrition supplements that avoid synthetic capsule coatings, Ancient + Brave (get £10 off your first order with my referral link) radiant collagyn in powdered form (in glass).

Dishwasher Swaps

Most mainstream pods are coated in PVA  a “water-soluble” plastic that doesn’t fully break down. That filmy layer you sometimes see on your dishes? It’s not just leftover grime it’s microplastic residue and grime. I use DIP for plastic-free dishwasher sheets and laundry sheets; zero microplastics, zero compromise.

Coffee Cups & Bottled Drinks

Single-use coffee cups and plastic water bottles often release microparticles when exposed to heat or acidity, yes, even before they hit your lips.

Toothpaste Without the Plastic

Most mainstream toothpaste comes in tubes lined with plastic laminate, making them nearly impossible to recycle. What’s more, some formulas may include microplastic particles (often as thickeners or abrasives) ingredients that can end up in your body. Plastic exposure aside, many mass-market toothpastes are also filled with questionable additives from fluoride to artificial sweeteners, petrochemical-derived foaming agents, and synthetic flavours. I use Waken a fluoride-free, clean formulation packaged in recyclable aluminium tubes.

These aren’t ads — they’re just brands I genuinely use and believe in. Some I work with as an affiliate because they share the same values I do.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about small, consistent shifts, ones that support your health, your home, and the planet we all share.

I created Vemel for people like me, who’ve had to question everything, and who want more from their skincare than pretty-packaged water in plastic containers.

If we’re going to talk about wellness, we have to talk about what wellness really means. It’s the choices we make when no one’s looking  the toothpaste we reach for, the mug we sip from, the skincare we trust on our skin.

Small changes. Big difference. Always with purpose.