Reducing plastic waste was a big goal for me in 2018 and has carried over into 2019. If you are like me and interested in learning how you can reduce your plastic use, read on.
One room of the house where you find a lot of plastics is the bathroom. From toilet paper wrapped in plastic to every toiletry coming in tubes or bottles (some recyclable) the bathroom was definitely one of our worst rooms for plastic waste. With a little research and some trial and error, we have found some unpackaged products that work for us
Bar soaps
When you think of bar soaps, you probably think of your grandma’s bar of Ivory or your dad’s Irish Spring. Bar soaps are a great way to eliminate the plastic bottles that most body washes and hand soaps come in. The thing I love about bar soaps is finding artisans soaps at markets and craft fairs. Bars of soap typically last longer than liquid soaps. My kids love using bar soap, especially ones with bright colours and fun smells.
Bamboo toothbrushes
If you haven’t jumped on the bamboo toothbrush craze yet then you are late to the game! Bamboo toothbrushes are an excellent alternative to their plastic counterparts because they are compostable. In my experience, they also last longer than plastic toothbrushes.
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Compostable dental floss
If you floss as much as your dentist recommends, this hygiene habit can produce a lot of waste. Switching to a compostable version like KMH Touches floss pot is a great eco-friendly switch. Their original product is made of silk, but they recently came out of a vegan alternative made from corn silk.
Shampoo and Conditioner Bars
If you are loving using bar soaps for your body, why not try shampoo bars for your hair? Like soap bars, shampoo bars tend to last longer than liquid shampoo because you don’t have the chance to over pour. My son uses a plain shampoo bar from Bulk Barn. I use a Lush shampoo bar. My daughter’s hair is more coarse, so we are still on the hunt for an extremely moisturising shampoo bar that won’t leave her hair dried out. If you have any suggestions please comment below.
Reusable Menstrual Products
Since we used cloth diapers with our babies, it made sense to try out cloth pads. I purchased a few pads of various sizes from a group buy and loved them from the first time I tried them. There is really no special washing instructions other than rinsing them in cold water then tossing them in with any regular load of laundry. They are cute, they feel amazing and like cloth diapers, they eliminate an extremely wasteful product from landfills.
I have also tried a menstrual cup, which is another amazing alternative to disposable products.
Deodorant
I switched from whatever antiperspirant was on sale to natural deodorant about a year ago. The initial few weeks going through armpit detox was the hardest as far as being comfortable being around people. After that I don’t think I would ever go back. Natural deodorants do not block your sweat glands like antiperspirants do, so of course I am still sweating, but the smell is not offensive. I keep a stick of my current natural deodorant ( Green Beaver lavender scent) in my bag because you do need to reapply throughout the day at least once.
Reusable cotton rounds
Typically when washing my face, I use a washcloth but for days when I have more eye makeup to remove or I am feeling like switching it up, I use reusable cotton cloths. They are about the same size as a cotton pad, but are fully washable. They are so soft and work well with a little coconut oil to remove even the most stubborn makeup.
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Razors
The zero waste version of a razor is a safety razor. I have not tried this yet and am actually a little intimidated by the look of them.
Toothpaste
I have used toothpaste tabs for myself before, which are waste free and work wonderfully on my teeth. For my children, I use a traditional children’s toothpaste. I am looking for a better alternative for them, in either glass or recyclable metal packaging.
Toilet paper
I am always researching and considering the price of toilet paper not wrapped in plastic. If you have any leads on affordable toilet paper that comes wrapped in paper rather than plastic, please let me know, because I have a toddler and a preschooler and they use too much of it.
