Are you looking to make easy switches to sustainable products in your hygiene routine? Well look no further. Over the past year, I have been determined to find products that work just as good as our usual plastic-packaged essentials that we have sitting on our bathroom shelves.What’s even more enticing about switching to zero-waste toiletries is that there is typically a wide selection offered by small businesses. Most of the plastic-free goodies I purchase are from Etsy. It feels good to support small business, while saving the planet at the same time!
I have compiled a list of some zero waste toiletries. Some that I have tried, and some that I want to try that you can easily swap from your cabinets!
Shampoo and Conditioner
When looking for a zero-waste shampoo, you will typically find options that come in the form of a bar, or hair care packaged in aluminum bottles that you use and send back to the company to refill. Through my research, bars tend to be the most inexpensive option. When you’re on the hunt for zero-waste shampoos, there are two types that you will come across. Syndet shampoo bars, which operate like normal shampoos in bar form, and all-natural shampoo bars, which are made from cold or hot soap processes. In my experience, my hair never got used to the all-natural shampoo bars, which tend to leave a residue in my hair. Typically, many sellers of shampoo bars will tell you that your hair goes through a transition period. Some people use an ACV rinse to balance the pH of the hair and get rid of some of the residue, but I could never get my hair to adjust. For that reason, I prefer syndet shampoo bars, and I’ve attached the shampoo and conditioner bars I use below! I store them in tin containers that I got from Lush.
- https://www.etsy.com/listing/858094709/shampoo-and-conditioner-bar-set-shampoo?ref=related-2&frs=1
- https://www.lushusa.com/discover/naked/round-tin/22016.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwt4X8BRCPARIsABmcnOqCCI7ACj1vR20_eKLSKUUJBKVrOPXPrkArWgIgSyYksLNp8edthTQaAtUDEALw_wcB
Body Wash:
This swap may seem obvious, but it’s so simple to switch from body washes in plastic bottles to soap bars. Honestly, I feel much more luxurious washing my body with bar soap, and the bars make my skin feel so moisturized and smell so amazing compared to the number of commercial body washes that I have used! Not only that, but I use a “soap saver” baggie that you can put your soap into for travel, and also to scrub your body with! They are reusable, so I typically throw them in a wash after some use in the shower. It’s an amazing replacement for plastic loofahs that you eventually throw out, and it’s super exfoliating!
- Bar soap: https://www.etsy.com/listing/698491206/goat-milk-soap-natural-handmade-soap-bar?ref=cart
- Sisal Soap Pouch: https://www.etsy.com/listing/859167115/natural-sisal-soap-pouch?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=sisal+soap+pouch&ref=sc_gallery-1-2&plkey=ca78943075e8e1454e0ae00f913056cfb51daa83%3A859167115
Dry Shampoo
Instead of using dry shampoo in aerosol cans, a zero-waste alternative is using powder dry shampoo that comes in a jar or paper packaging. You can even use a single ingredient, such as simple cornstarch or arrowroot powder! I have been using arrowroot powder that I purchased on Etsy, and it completely absorbs any grease in my hair! Just apply with a brush, “zhuzh” your hair, and grease no more!
Deodorant
A lot of natural, zero-waste deodorant is packaged in kraft tubes, or just in bar form that you swipe onto your armpits like you would with a normal deodorant. I have yet to try the zero-waste options, because I am currently waiting for mine to get shipped to me! But I do love natural deo, it smells amazing and lasts the whole day on me. Keep in mind thought that they do not function as anti-perspirant.
Toothpaste
I have yet to try zero-waste toothpaste, but the countless reviews that I have come across for these plastic-free tooth powders look promising!
Now, I could make an extensive list of zero-waste swaps to choose from, but I think this is an easy start to living a low-waste lifestyle. Remember to respect your Mother Earth!