Recommended Products: Personal Hygiene
When reducing the amount of single-use plastic in your life, the vast majority of needed substitutions are in the personal hygiene department. From your shower, to your sink, to personal care routines, plastic is prevalent. To take the work out of finding alternatives, here is a list of the products we enjoy to take the work out of making your bathroom better for you and better for the planet.
Shampoo bars:
I try a lot of shampoo bars, “research purposes,” and all that. While most work just fine, we have discovered some clear winners. To use a shampoo bar, wet your hair then rub the bar into your hair…a little goes a long way! Wash as usual and rinse. Here is an ordered list of my favorite brands:
Nourish - a great store in Savannah, Georgia, these shampoo & conditioner bars are consistently the best. We enjoy all of them! The boys like the charcoal peppermint best.
Mini Meditation - these lather quickly & clean well. The scents are light, and I would prefer a bit more, but no complaints.
Aspen Kay Naturals - larger shampoo & conditioner bars than you usually get, they work well and come in a storage tin.
Love Beauty and Planet 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner Bar (also available at Target) - great if you want a bar you can pick up while shopping, and especially for my daughter who doesn’t want to mess with 2 bars. They work well, but my dry hair still needs conditioner after use.
Whiff Shampoo Bar - I’m not a fan of the conditioner bar, but this was the first shampoo bar I ever tried and it works well.
Conditioner bars:
These brands are our favorites, and the best way to use them is to massage the conditioner bar right into the ends of your hair. Let sit for 4-5 minutes while you wash, then rinse well.
Soap:
Bar soap that is not packaged in plastic is pretty easy to come by. Look for bare bars without packaging, or bars wrapped only in cardboard or paper.
We use our own Clean Up Products
Shaving:
Clean Up Products Rosemary Lavender Shampoo & Body Bar works best for the girls in the family, and we have found that any conditioner bar works great too!
For men, my husband uses a straight razor and a shave cup & brush.
Lotion:
I simply use coconut oil in a glass jar, and sometimes add a few drops of my favorite skin-safe essential oil. Lotion Bars by Clean Up Products are easy to keep with you in your bag, by your bed, in your drawer; they won’t leak and your tin can be refilled for $1 discount!
Choose any lotion in a glass jar - for a special treat, my favorite is Savannah Bee Company Royal Jelly Body Butter, especially the Rosemary Lavender.
Try Non Petroleum Jelly by Clean Up Products when you need a more serious moisturizer that is plastic and petroleum free!
Sunscreen:
Most sunscreen comes in plastic bottles, tubes or disposable spray cans. Here are some plastic free and low waste options I use. Raw Elements also has a line of Baby Sunscreen, and I really want the one in the cardboard tube!
All Good Sunscreen - small tin, works well, lasted longer than I thought, doesn’t turn you white
Raw Elements Sunscreen - larger amount, works well, doesn’t turn you white, but I think it smells a little funny.
Raw Elements Tinted Sunscreen - works well, my only critique is the faint smell I don’t love. I still use it in the summer, and may try mixing a drop of an essential oil to help!
Toothpaste:
Bite toothpaste bits are the best! We’ve tried several kinds, but these are the clear winner. We prefer the mint, they are easy to use, easy to transport when travelling, foam like regular toothpaste. Bite offers a subscription service that sends refills for your Bite Glass Jar in home compostable cellulose bags.
We have tested out Unpaste, but found them too “pasty,” and ChewTab tablets, but found them, well, yucky (sorry ChewTab).
Toothbrush:
Pick a bamboo toothbrush, any bamboo toothbrush...most still have nylon bristles, but you can snap them off and compost the handle. Some have replaceable heads, so it further reduces waste. You can order online, or snag one at Whole Foods, and hopefully more retailers soon! Available in child and adult sizes. We have used these brands:
Hello Boo Toothbrush Set - I like these best so far.
Dental Floss:
Choose silk floss in a refillable glass vial - we use Lucky Teeth Floss.
For Floss Picks, we use biodegradable, charcoal based picks also by Lucky Teeth.
Deodorant:
My hands-down favorite plastic free deodorant is the Lavender Bergamot Deodorant stick by Meow Meow Tweet. They also have other scents and a baking soda free version. I am also encouraged to see many more plastic-free deo brands coming available!
Toilet Paper:
Who Gives a Crap is our clear favorite for plastic free, sustainable TP. The toilet paper is a great quality, even for the picky people in my family. The name and packaging makes us laugh, and it gives you funny free paper wrapping (it must be wrapped for hygiene requirements, but the paper is recyclable, compostable or reusable!). The TP is made from recycled paper and 50% of profits go to build toilets for those in need! We started off with a free trial pack, and now have an adjustable subscription which saves money and sends it right to your door when you need it!
Tissues:
We have a box of handkerchiefs that we use, wash & reuse. When you really need a disposable tissue, we just use some of our Who Gives a Crap TP.
Feminine Products:
If you (and in my case, your teenage daughter) aren’t ready to jump to a reusable menstrual cup, period panties or other reusable products, just make some smart less-plastic choices. Tampons are easy to come by without applicators, or if you must have one choose cardboard applicators. Choose pads made with cotton, but most still contain large amounts of plastic. Small steps towards less waste!
Nail Polish remover:
We use this soy based remover that comes in a glass bottle. My daughter loves to paint her nails, and happily uses this quite often!
Hair Spray:
The easiest plastic-free alternative to hair spray has been an easy DIY recipe that I keep in a small glass spray bottle. I use 1/2 cup boiling water mixed with 1 Tbsp cane sugar, 1/2 Tbsp vodka, 10 drops essential oil for scent. Since I only use a minuscule amount to tame flyaways and add a bit of texture, this recipe works great. The first time I made it, I even went outside to see if bugs wanted to hang out, since it had sugar, but they didn’t.
Sea Salt Spray:
An easy DIY recipe for Sea Salt Spray to texturize hair, without the plastic bottle and price tag you find at the store: 1/2 c hot water, 1 Tbsp epsom salt, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp aloe gel, a few drops of essential oils if desired. I fill a small glass spray bottle and use it sparingly.
Dry Shampoo:
Easy plastic-free dry shampoo? Yes please. All it takes to pull it together is an old spice jar + 1/4 cup of arrowroot starch (or cornstarch) & 8 drops of essential oils if desired. I shake a little in my hand, rub it into the roots of my hair, then brush it in. If you have dark hair, you use 2 Tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch & 2 Tbsp cocoa powder instead.
Band aids:
Patch Adhesive Strips are an easy alternative to plastic band aids… as with most plastic free substitutes, the cost is a little higher. But they work! And they’re made from bamboo.
Lip Balm:
We use our own Clean Up Products lip balm in a recyclable or compostable cardboard tube. There are many options available online and in select stores for lip balm in metal tins or cardboard tubes. For the paper tube, just push the circle on the bottom to raise your lip balm!
Reusable Swabs
For gently cleaning ears or touching up make up, we each have a pack of these Reusable Swabs.
Reusable Cotton Rounds
Instead of cotton balls or disposable rounds, we use, wash and reuse reusable cotton rounds. They were easy to make by sewing two pieces together, and work well for applying toner or removing fingernail polish. You can also find many available online.
Take some time to examine your toiletries and personal care products. How many items of single-use plastic do you see in your bathroom? Count them…you may be surprised, I know I was! Choose a plastic-free alternative to try, or several at a time. Small choices, and small steps, make a big difference!
The next time you are shopping for shampoo, toothpaste and other hygiene products, take a moment to consider the material and packaging and see what changes you can make to step away from single-use plastic one day - and one wash - at a time.
Take the #12challengePLASTIC and join us today:
This month:
Count the items of single-use plastic in your bathroom.
Choose one (or a few) plastic-free alternatives to try out, like a shampoo bar or a bamboo toothbrush.
Take a look at your local store, or browse online for reusable products.
Feeling adventurous? Try a DIY, like homemade dry shampoo.
Share about your journey on The Clean Up Project Facebook page!