Taking your bathroom plastic-free

The bathroom is one of the areas at home where we use the most single-use plastic. But there are a few steps for everyone who would like to reduce plastic waste in their bathroom or to go plastic-free and make Greta proud. Here are little tips to make a big difference:

BODY & HAIR

You can swap your usual body and hair products for package-free or recyclable containers of body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. Soap bars will be your best friends but avoid plastic packaging, chemicals, and palm oil, and you will be on the right path to sustainability. You can replace your plastic shower puff by a loofah sponge which is more natural as it comes from a tropical plant related to the cucumber. You can swap your plastic hairbrush and comb for wooden or bamboo alternatives. You can also get rid of your disposable razors by getting a steel safety razor that will last you forever.

FACE & MAKEUP

Face care is very important and so is the environment: 11 billion wet wipes are discarded each year in the UK, having a major impact on marine life. You can have your say in this by swapping your disposable wet wipes and cotton pads for reusable cotton pads and cloths. To wash and gently exfoliate your skin, you can use a konjac sponge which is very natural and completely sustainable. You can get rid of plastic cotton buds for paper stemmed ones that are 100% biodegradable and won’t end up in the ocean. Makeup items also account for a big part of plastic waste in a bathroom. Today, more and more brands create makeup products with less to nearly no packaging which can be a solution for using less plastic in our bathrooms. You can also buy makeup in recyclable containers and recycle them once they are empty.

ORAL CARE

Perhaps the most famous swap is the toothbrush: bamboo toothbrushes are more and more popular but plastic toothbrushes are still part of our habits. 3.6 billion plastic toothbrushes are discarded in the world every year and 300 in a person’s lifetime, most likely ending up in the ocean. Swapping to a bamboo toothbrush could be a solution, with different models and vegan alternatives with bristles made of nylon, but won’t be totally recyclable. Plastic dental floss can also be swapped for silk dental floss and toothpaste for powder toothpaste.

SANITARY PRODUCTS

Most period products are made of scary amounts of plastic which is not good for our bodies and even worse for the environment as it generates a lot of waste. A few plastic-free and sustainable options are available:Menstrual cups are silicone cups that work similarly to tampons but are much more efficient, designed in different sizes and flows. They also are eco-friendly and prevent a lot of waste.Reusable pads are just like normal pads but they can be washed and reused. A lot of them are made of organic cotton and are chemical-free.Period panties are similar to reusable pads but look like underwear. If you still prefer normal pads and tampons, look for organic and biodegradable pads and applicator-free organic tampons.

DEODORANT

Finding the right deodorant can be a very difficult task and finding one that works for you can be even worse. If you want to swap your usual aerosol deodorant for a more sustainable one, look for deodorants that come in a glass container. More natural alternatives exist, such as deodorant bars and deodorant salt crystals.

Swapping your usual products for more sustainable ones is simple and you can make a big difference by doing it. Recycling is also very important: most products that we buy are recyclable but most of the time we don’t recycle bathroom products and they end up in landfills. So make sure you recycle everything you can and remember that each step counts!