Originally published 29/01/2020 Updated 05/03/2024
The bathroom is where we as a family produce a heck of a lot of waste. From shampoos to shower gels, shaving products to styling products, dental care to menstrual care, the list goes on. I've been a long time fan of solid products like soap and shampoo bars for many years, but recently I've been switching more of what we use over to more eco-friendly options and trying to get the rest of the family on board too. Here are some of our bathroom swaps so far.
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Dental Care
One of the first swaps I've noticed people doing is toothbrushes. You can get toothbrushes made from biodegradable materials such as bamboo and corn starch [affiliate link]. For those using electric toothbrushes, Live Coco do recyclable toothbrush heads [affiliate link] which you send back to them for recycling. For in-between cleaning, you can now get silk dental floss in glass vials and nylon floss in cardboard boxes. Silk is something I won't personally use, when you're a vegan who's also trying reduce your impact on the earth it can be a bit of a juggle! For toothpaste there are a whole array of options, from dental tabs in cardboard boxes, dental powders in paper bags, even Colgate have come out with a more sustainably-made version of their own toothpaste. I have made my own toothpaste with coconut oil, bicarb and peppermint essential oil which works well!
Hand Wash, Body Wash & Shower Gel
A good bar of soap will do the job of all three! I love the handmade soaps from Read the Label which I buy from my local zero waste shop. I buy a different one each time and have yet to try one that I've not liked. They smell good, look good, they're non-drying and great for sensitive skin. If you prefer different products for different uses then the *ECO WARRIOR range from Little Soap Company is ideal. It has six job specific bars so from washing and exfoliating to shaving and shampooing you have a biodegradable, eco-friendly option that is also affordable.
Toilet Paper
I have been on a bit of a journey with loo roll, as I had started using WGAC thinking I was doing the right thing as it is all wrapped in paper. I then learned that actually, the carbon footprint of doing it this way was vastly outweighing the small reduction of plastic wrapping. Argh, what a minefield! However, I have found several brilliant UK/European brands that are plastic free! Paper-wrapped Renova can be found in some Tesco stores, Ecoleaf [affiliate link] comes in compostable packaging, which I reuse as a food caddy liner, Cushion Soft - Soft on Nature [affiliate link] also comes in compostable packaging AND they make a donation to charity, and finally Boxroll comes naked in a cardboard box. I have used all of these brands and rate them all. Of course, there is also the option of using washable wipes to be totally waste-free!
Shampoo & Conditioner
I first started using shampoo bars over 15 years ago, when I had a little bit of an obsession with Lush products. At first I tried them purely out of curiosity, but found I actually really, really liked them. They were also super convenient for travelling, especially Lush Godiva which is so nourishing I didn't need to use a conditioner with it. Nowadays my favourites are the Jason and the Argan Oil shampoo bar and Big conditioner bar from Lush. I recently have been using the shampoo bar from the ECO WARRIOR range. Their *Deeply Nourishing Shampoo Bar is wonderfully cleansing and conditioning, so much that I don't need to use a seperate conditioner when I wash my hair with it.
Deodorant
I was super nervous the first time I tried a natural deodorant, as I am someone that has struggled with sweating A LOT. I got my hands on a little sample sized pot of Native Unearthed deodorant and just gave it a go. And I was very pleasantly surprised with the results! No stinks, less irritation and actually, despite it not containing any anti-perspirant, I found that I had way less dampness. I've been using natural deodorant for the last three years or so, and now use one that I make myself with a mix of coconut oil, arrowroot, bicarbonate of soda and essential oils. I'll share the recipe in future post. Another brand of natural deodorant that I've tried is Earth Conscious which you can find on the high street at Holland & Barrett [affiliate link].
Menstrual Products
I first tried using reusable menstrual products over a decade ago, when I tried out a Diva Cup. Nowadays I love my Bloom & Nora cloth pads [affiliate link]. They are washable, come in different sizes to suit your needs, and are so comfortable. There are loads of other cloth pad brands out there, but these are my favourite. I also have a menstrual cup from Fleur Cup. If you're keen to try cups but don't know which one to get, then do this quiz which will help you find the right one for you. I also have some period pants from *Modibodi which are a-ma-zing! They are the most comfy pants I've ever had and you don't feel like you're wearing a menstrual product. They are really absorbent, the ones I have hold the equivalent of 3-4 tampons or 4 teaspoons, so I like using them overnight.
Cleanser & Make-up Remover
I literally have one thing to suggest here, because it is awesome, and that is grapeseed oil. I love using oils in my skincare and have been using grapeseed oil as a cleanser and make-up remover for longer than I can remember. Initially, using grapeseed oil wasn't related to reducing waste at all, it was simply because it works! I was using a make-up remover by Aesop when I glanced at the ingredients: grapeseed oil and blue chamomile. That's it! I thought to myself, why am I spending a fortune on a tiny bottle, when I could get a massive bottle for a fraction of the cost? I apply the oil to my face, massage all over then remove with a cloth and warm water. Or apply directly with a cloth to remove make-up, for example, removing eye make-up. I don't use fancy cloths by the way, a good old fashioned flannel is perfect!
I hope this post helps to inspire you with some changes you might be able to make, even small changes will add up to have a big impact! Let me know what swaps you've made as I'm always looking for more ways to reduce our footprint on the Earth.
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