living lightly in ireland

30 minute or less Homemade Christmas Gifts

Homemade presents are a great idea – when they’re done well – but then reality sets in and you realise you’ve zero time. That’s where these simple, easy-to-do, quick homemade presents come in. You should be able to get each of these crafts done (excluding buying ingredients / equipment) in 30 minutes or less.

Sustainable Ethical Low-Waste Make-up 2026.

sustainable ethical zero waste cosmetics

We have all become more conscious of what we ear and the chemicals in our skincare but we don’t tend to give the same attention to our make-up.

I am not a chemist or a scientist so if you’d like more information on ingredients etc check out this comprehensive evaluation of toxins in make-up brands. It’s focused on the US, so not ideal for us in Ireland but it’s the best resource I’ve come across to date. Interestingly they do hightly concerns over mineral-based make-up, which are a popular ingredient with the low-toxin, low-waste ethical make-up makers I list below.

Homemade Mozzarella & Ricotta

We make home-made pizza once a week in our house. We’ve managed to crack the pizza base, but for a long time struggled with the mozzarella. Then I stumbled upon raw organic milk at my local market and this video of a simple mozzarella recipe. These two simple tutorials make homemade mozzarella and ricotta a breeze.

Using Soapnuts to Wash Clothes – the verdict

When we started on our low-waste journey we tried washing our clothes with soapnuts for about a year. I love the idea of cleaning with something that was 100% natural, that was compostable at the end-of-life. But as is often the case with eco-switches our enthusiasm faded over time. Read on to find out why we fell out of love with soapnuts.

Do-able Hallowe’en Makeup Ideas

There can be soooooooo much waste at Hallowe’en particularly when it comes to putting together a costume. But there is another way, Hallowe’en makeup is the perfect low-waste solution to your Hallowe’en costume needs, created with items you probably already have to hand. I love this creepy doll face, if you do too click on the link to see a tutorial, or read on for other great ideas.