Zero waste swaps: body and beauty

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means that if you click on the link and then decide to buy the product, I will receive a percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.

Switching over to zero or low waste bathroom products has been a slow process as it has taken time to find versions of everything that I like enough to buy again.  Aside from being low waste, many of these options are more compact than their counterparts, which leads to a less cluttered bathroom.  

Here are a few of my favourite things…

Shampoo bars

People say it can take time to get used to a shampoo bar. I used them for about 9 months and my hair still felt greasy, but then I tried the Eco Warrior Shampoo Bar (not an affiliate link) from the Little Soap Company and my hair finally felt clean and glossy again, but without the irritated scalp that you can get with liquid shampoo.

One thing worth knowing is that if you live in a hard water area you might find an insoluble residue forms on your soap and it doesn’t work as effectively.  This is a chemical reaction between the minerals in the water and the sodium salt in the soap which turns into its calcium and magnesium counterparts.  If this is the case for you but you are looking for a low waste option I’d recommend finding a shop which will refill your shampoo bottle for you.  Our local pharmacy in Edinburgh does this for Faith in Nature Shampoo and here’s a list of other places you can do this

Deodorant

I’ve used aluminium free deodorants for years but only recently found one whose formula I like and also has low waste packaging.  I’ve been using this Scence Cool Rose deodorant (affiliate link) which is vegan and comes in cardboard packaging.  It has a creamy solid consistency and a gorgeous rose smell although you can also get an unscented version. 

Toothbrush

I use a bamboo toothbrush. There are a few options and I’m not sure if there is much difference between them. This is the one I use (affiliate link).

When I’ve finished with them I pull out the bristles with pliers and use the stick as plant labels in my raised bed. To save money and stock up you can buy in bulk (affiliate link).

Tooth tabs

Toothpaste tubes are notoriously difficult to recycle so I’ve switched to tooth tabs.  I chose ones that have flouride in (some don’t).  The taste is much milder than toothpaste, which I prefer.  I buy mine from my local zero waste shop so I don’t know what brand they are, but you can buy similar here (affiliate link).

Period pants

Probably my favourite swap has been period pants (affiliate link), which I first bought when my periods came back after my second baby, but I wish I had discovered earlier. They would have been great during pregnancy and after the birth. The initial outlay is high but you should get your money back in under a year if you normally spend around £10 a month on single use period products.

You need to rinse them in cold water after use then pop in a cold wash, which has become habit now and they tend to be fine for the day. A few months, in my view is that they are comfortable, flattering and seem to be good quality.

You can save money by buying a bundle pack (affiliate link). I’d recommend making sure you have enough of the heavier absorbency ones as they are more versatile.

A menstrual cup works out much cheaper but I don’t personally find them comfortable.

So there’s my very minimal range of low waste beauty products. I’d love to hear what zero waste swaps you are enjoying, especially for mascaras, moisturisers, hair serums, which I’m on the lookout for…

A metal safety razor

This type of razor will cost more than a plastic alternative (approx £15 versus £5-10).  However the cost of safety razor blades is far lower than other types of refills and the razor itself should last forever, so over the years this gift could save them hundreds as well as avoiding plastic waste. People also typically find that a safety razor gives a much cleaner shave although it can be a bit hair-raising the first time you try ;). I’ve switched and would recommend.