When you’re in the shower, water in your eyes and reaching for your shampoo, don’t you wish there was a better system than all those plastic bottles? They’re crowding the bathtub ledge and they all look the same, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Taking the dive to go low waste (once you’ve finished all your current products, of course) can require looking through several shops to find products in your scents and matching your skin’s needs. Start here with some of our favorite low waste stores for all your clean needs.
Not only will you be able to replace your hair care, but you can replace your exfoliating body wash and plastic razor, too. That’s right, we thought of everything so you don’t have to.
Better Than Bar Soap
Your soap may already be low waste if you’re using bar soap, but you can upgrade to Meow Meow Tweet’s Body Soap. We love this brand for their plastic negative mission and because we get to support local- Meow Meow Tweet was founded right here in Brooklyn. With scents like lavender and lemon, you’ll be loving your wash more than ever.
While you’re switching things out, say goodbye to your plastic loofah in favor of an all natural one. These come from the luffa plant- yep, loofahs grow on vines- and provide a gentle exfoliation. JnL Naturals’ two-pack is the perfect set to get you started.
Solid Hair Routine
Natural ingredients and zero waste packaging make Rainwater Botanicals Hydrating Solid Shampoo Bar a bestseller. Ingredients like quinoa protein and virgin coconut oil make this bar the ideal fit for hair types needing moisture.
Solid shampoos and conditioners lack the sulfates that make typical hair care suds up, and instead offer natural ingredients to bring life into your hair. If hydration isn’t what you’re looking for, they also offer lines of nourishing and healing bars, each with their own great ingredients.
Giving your solid products somewhere to rest is a must, and while many shops sell tin containers for them, just a few dollars extra can bring a gorgeous aesthetic to your bathtub. Brooklyn Made Natural sells handmade wooden soap dishes with draining grooves so your products can stay fresh, and look fresh too.
Shave The Day
Plastic razors, even those with replaceable blades, are on a one way ticket to a landfill when you’re finished with them. For a long term replacement, treat yourself to a safety razor, which will save you money almost right away. Smile Boutique’s safety razors are a small investment, but the single blades they require are less than a dollar each.
You’ll want to give it something smooth to glide on, like Atlanta Body Culinary’s Organic Shaving Cream. Full of mango butter, coconut oil, shea soap and avocado oil, this will ensure easy use and lack all the waste of an aerosol can. And how could you say no to over 20 unsiex scents made with essential oils?
Scrub and Soften
Too many exfoliants come full of microplastic beads that are harsh on your skin- it’s time to replace yours with something natural like Badger Face Beauty’s Whipped Body Scrub. This spunky brand based their scrub with naturally grainy ingredients like coffee and sugar, combined with shea butter and coconut oil to smooth everything out.
After you’ve hopped out of the shower and are ready to apply a lotion, you can do better than a plastic pump with Ethique’s Hydrating Body Lotion Concentrate. This unique product is halfway DIY- all you need is boiling water to turn this zero waste concentrate bar into creamy lotion, then pour it into a reused container of your choice.
These low and zero waste products are sure to leave you feeling cleaner and greener than ever, and can wash all your worries about plastic straight down the drain.
–Tori D’Amico
