Going plastic-free is a journey that many of us are currently taking as we actively cut down on our plastic waste to help save our oceans and the environment. As we near the end of the Plastic Free July campaign, I wanted to share some of my favourite plastic-free green beauties in this handy edit that covers shampoos, hand and body soaps, toothpaste, deodorant and hand sanitiser.
Shampoo Bars
Having tested out well over 40 or 50 different brands of shampoo bars over the years, I can honestly say that no two shampoo bars are the same and it's a real trial and error process to find 'the one' that will work perfectly for your hair. Some people find this easier than others depending on their particular hair types and concerns, and thankfully there are more and more shampoo bars being released to address frizzy hair, dry hair, coloured hair, damaged hair, greasy hair and everything in between - I promise 'the one' is out there somewhere so don't give hope just yet if you're finding the switch from plastic a bit more difficult than other people's experiences.
I'm a big fan of My. Haircare Rescue My Hair Pollution Patrol Shampoo Bar which I dedicated a whole post to here earlier in the year, and for this round-up, I wanted to shine the spotlight onto two more options that have been working really well for me.
If you have a fussy scalp like mine that's prone to dryness and dandruff and gets easily irritated, I would recommend trying EarthKind Shampoo Bar for Improved Scalp Health* (50g, £6.95, link). This vegan-friendly formula is free from sulphates and contains Tea Tree and Eucalyptus essential oils which have natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties so they can fend off the bacteria and yeast that can cause dandruff. I find this one really gentle and soothing for when my scalp feels itchy or sore and it has a lovely fresh scent to it.
Another SLS-free and vegan-friendly option is Nuddy Ultra Volume Shampoo Bar* (100g, £8.95, link) which is amazing if you have fine and dull hair that needs a bit of a volumising boost. It's pH balanced so again, great for sensitive scalps, and is infused with the likes of Coconut Oil and Argan Oil. This bar lathers up beautifully and makes your hair much more manageable and shiny. Fruity fans will also love the Acai Berry and Peach fragrance which is very summery.
Body & Hand Soaps
Good old-fashioned bars of soaps are well and truly back in the nation's bathrooms, and the choice out there is utterly outstanding. From handcrafted, small-batch, artisan-style soaps to mainstream brands that you can pick up alongside your supermarket shopping, the options are seemingly endless when it comes to multi-purpose soaps that you can use for hands and body. I would be here all day if I listed all of my favourites so here are just two brands that I've been using a lot recently.
The Tropic Cleansing Body Pebbles* (130g, £8 each, link) are round body soaps that are perfect for using in the shower and their larger size makes them easier to hold too. These are great for dry skin as they contain Shea Butter and Oat Oil to help moisturise, they lather up well, and with four different scents available, there's something for everyone; I particularly love the Original and Creamy Colada Body Pebbles, both of which smell gorgeous.
For a budget-friendly alternative, you can't beat the amazing Organii Cream Soaps* (100g, £2.95, link) which are SLS-free, made from 100% natural ingredients, are vegan-friendly and produced Carbon Neutral with Greenpeace energy. These deliciously creamy Shea Butter based soaps have natural essential oils added to them after saponification and they've recently brought out five new scents, two of which you can see above; Almond & Avocado and Verbena & Lemon. They're heavenly!
Toothpaste & Deodorant
It's the little things that really add up when you're switching to plastic-free alternatives, so have a look at the everyday products that you and your family use, and see if there's one which is plastic-free next time when it runs out. Most of us use toothpaste and deodorant every day and whilst these plastic-free alternatives are more expensive, they have much better ingredients in them and are made by ethical brands so if you can afford to, invest in those companies that you want to see more of by purchasing their eco-friendly products for a better world for everyone.
There are lots of options becoming readily available for plastic-free toothpaste, from solid bars and 'tooth tabs', to tubes that feel like regular plastic but are actually made from biodegradable sugarcane. I know many of my readers prefer products which are packaged in glass so the Ben & Anna Natural Toothpaste* (100ml, £8.95, link) range would be perfect for you. The paste is a little thinner than the mainstream equivalents, but it's easy to use the mini wooden spatula that comes with each jar to scoop up a small amount and apply it to your toothbrush - then you simply brush your teeth as normal - easy! With fluoride and fluoride-free formulas available, you simply can't go wrong.
Plastic-free deodorant alternatives also come in a range of different formats, but the most common is as a solid stick or cream in a jar or tin, the latter of which you'll find from We Love The Planet. Their Forever Fresh Deodorant* (48g, £8.99, link) is a hard-working deo which keeps you smelling fresh all day thanks to a powerful combination of Beeswax, Coconut Oil and Cornstarch Powder, citrusy essential oils and botanical herbs. It has a thick and creamy balm type texture and is easy to apply with your fingers.
Hand Sanitiser
Whilst we don't yet know what the lasting physical and mental effects of Coronavirus will be for ourselves, we do know that the ongoing fight against it requires billions of pieces of plastic to be produced and ultimately thrown away, whether in landfill or burnt into the atmosphere. Much of this is unavoidable at this point in time as sadly as there is no cost-effective alternative yet to plastic-based PPE, but there are a few things that we can do as individuals to help. We can switch to plastic-free soaps for hand-washing, wear a reusable cotton/cloth face mask that can be popped into the washing machine after each use, and we can make better choices about the hand sanitiser that we carry everywhere that we go.
One such brand who are leading the way is Beauty Kitchen who have developed an Organic Vegan Hand Sanitiser (link) as part of The Sustainables range. Made with 62% alcohol, Organic Aloe Vera and naturally antibacterial Mint essential oils, it has a light and refreshing, non-sticky feeling and comes packaged in a recyclable aluminium bottle. You can either refill this yourself by purchasing more direct from Beauty Kitchen, or you can send it back to them for free as part of their Return, Refill, Repeat scheme (read more here) where it will be washed and reused. You can also do this with the plastic pump when it wears out and Beauty Kitchen will recycle it for you!
What are your favourite plastic-free alternatives?
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