What alternatives can you find on your local high street for all the squeezy bottles in your bathroom?
Washing & Deodorant
Look out for solid bars of all of these items:
- Hand soap (Of course soap comes in bars! If you really need liquid soup look out for a large refillable bottle)
- Shampoo bars – much safer to travel with, Lush has a great selection
- Conditioner bars– Lush sells it by weight and has metal boxes for transporting around.
- Shower gel – Dove even do body wash bars
- Deodorant – Lush do deo bars
Why do we need shower gel anyway, is it any different to soap? This humorous, illuminating article highlights the marketing gimmick and the chemical compounds that make us suckers for shower gel.
Make-up Removal
Wet wipes are made with plastics which means they don’t break down, but instead clog up the drains and overflow into rivers and beaches. Don’t believe the ‘flushable’ label, this is often in lab conditions and not in our sewer system. See the City to Sea Video ‘Don’t believe the wipe’
Instead, choose:
- Reusable pads
- Washable flannels
- cotton pads
- Put wipes in the bin
Smooth Over
When buying moisturisers, look out for:
- Moisturising bars
- Refill options (BathSpaSkincare offer a mailorder refill)
- Coconut oil is super versatile and can be used as a moisturiser and conditioner, as well as to cook with
- Lush make all their plastic pots from recycled plastics and take their pots back – ‘Closed Loop’ recycling
NOTE: Don’t be put off by the strong smell in Lush Cosmetics, it specialises in packaging-free, natural options good for you body & the environment!
Teeth
Looking after your teeth is the best you can do all round as the dentist uses lots of single-use plastics for any dental work and it’s expensive. There are a few low-waste options to consider:
Brushes
- Bamboo toothbrushes
- Reusable toothbrush heads
- Miswak sticks – yes this is a twig that you chew to get teeth clean
Toothpaste alternatives
- Toothpaste is sold in jars on Etsy
- Make your own toothpaste – if you choose a flouride free toothpaste what is in it anyway?
Toothpick/floss alternatives
- Floss sticks can be cleaned and reused multiple times.
- Still looking at the best options for these in the UK!
Menstrual Products
Did you know menstrual pads have equivalent to 5 plastic bags per pad! And applicator-free tampons have a thin film of plastic for insertion, which is sat next to the skin all day (see the City to Sea Plastic-free period video).
- Menstrual Cups – Save a fortune on these reusable options that are bleach and chemical free.
- Reusable Pads – simply soak in water and chuck in the washing machine to use again
- Period Pants – Technology means these are super thin and can hold between 1-4 tampons worth of blood!
Useful low-waste alternatives on Amazon
| Mooncup | Sustain Ultra Tailored Fit Condoms | Cloth Menstrual Pads | Ecological Bamboo Toothbrush |
Washable Cleansing Pads | |
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