Eco Friendly Toiletries For Travelers & Home
Whether you’re a homebody or an adventurer, we’ve come up with the perfect eco friendly toiletries list that is not only good for you but good for the environment. We get it, transitioning to a more eco-conscious lifestyle can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to plastic free bathroom products.
The below list of eco friendly products are perfect alternatives for your every day beauty and bathroom routine. Whether you switch to a few or the whole list, you’re well on your way to making our planet a better place.
Plastic Free Bathroom Products
What Are Eco Friendly Toiletries and Why Use Them?
Simply put, eco friendly toiletries are products that are considered not harmful to the environment. Eco friendly products contribute to green living practices that help conserve resources and don’t contribute to landfill and ocean waste by being recyclable or biodegradable.
If you’re looking for a reason to switch to eco friendly toiletry alternatives, like plastic free bathroom products, how about we give you four reasons instead of just one?
- They’re good for you
- They’re good to the environment
- They can save you money in the long run
- They’ll help you get through TSA
No worries, we’ll explain the above. Keep reading…
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Eco Friendly Toiletries Are Good For You & The Environment
When was the last time you took a look at the ingredients that make up your shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, etc.? More than likely, you’re using a product (or products) that contains harmful chemicals that over time, can do harm to your body and of course, the planet.
From single-use plastics like travel-size bottles and toothpaste tubes to unrecyclable hand soap jugs and exfoliating microbeads, there are loads of ways we unknowingly contribute to waste that is bad for the environment. By switching to eco-friendly alternative products, you are actively taking steps to better yourself and this big beautiful planet of ours.
Eco Friendly Toiletries Can Help You Get Through TSA
Solid toiletries like bar soaps, bar conditioners and bar shampoos don’t have to adhere to the TSA liquid rule as they are not liquids. Since these items are solid toiletries you don’t have to worry about how you have to pack liquids when carrying on your luggage. Plus, solids won’t leak and explode all over your belongings. Which if this has ever happened to you, you know how miserable it can be.
Eco Friendly Toiletries Can Save You Money
As far as saving money goes, there is an upfront investment from switching from single-use items to reusable products. However, in the long run, you’ll see savings. Since you are able to reuse products you are not required to purchase items as frequently, giving you more bang for your buck.
Looking for other eco friendly travel products? Check out 22 Sustainable Gift Ideas for Travelers
Eco Friendly Toiletries – The Buying Guide
1. A Wooden Comb
First up on our plastic-free bathroom products list is a wooden comb. Everyone needs to brush their hair right? Made entirely of wood and fitting perfectly in your pocket, this plastic-free comb is made without any animal products. It’s pretty much the perfect comb for any traveler or homebody.
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2. A Bamboo Toothbrush
If there is one easy way to become more sustainable in the bathroom, it’s with your toothbrush. A whopping 4.7 million toothbrushes are dumped into landfills and oceans every year. Of that number, very few biodegrade in under 500 years – yeah, 500 years….
By using a bamboo toothbrush and ditching your plastic one, you help combat that number. How do you ask? Bamboo is a naturally renewable resource and quickly biodegradable or compostable.
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Don’t forget the Bamboo Toothbrush Travel Case.
3. Plastic Free Toothpaste & Toothpaste Tablets
It’s crazy when you think about how many toothpaste tubes you’ll go through in your lifetime. It’s even crazier when you realize that these toothpaste tubes are hard to recycle and sometimes contain microbeads – yuck. Get rid of hard to recycle packaging by using toothpaste tablets or recyclable metal toothpaste tubes. These items take your single-use plastic to zero waste in a matter of no time.
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What are Microbeads & Why Are They Bad? Microbeads are small plastic particles that don’t dissolve in water. Often found in facial scrubs, body wash, and toothpaste, microbeads are unable to be filtered out of the water by most wastewater management systems. Meaning, these little plastic devils end up in our rivers, lakes, and oceans and have damaging effects on marine life.
4. Natural Mouthwash
Skip the plastic and chemicals and go for glass and all-natural ingredients. By using mouthwash tablets that are made from high-quality natural ingredients, your mouth and the planet will say thank you. The perfect topper to your all-natural oral care routine.
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5. Eco Friendly Dental Floss
One product that often goes unnoticed as a much-needed eco alternative product swap is dental floss. Dental floss comes in hard to recycle plastic cartridges. But what about the floss itself? Well, it’s usually made from nylon and plastic filaments. Aka dental floss will sit in landfills for years.
A great way for all you flossers to become environmental stewards is to use natural dental floss. Made from high-quality natural silk, natural floss will leave your gums healthy and breath fresh.
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6. Reusable Makeup & Face Wipes
Alright ladies, talking to you here. Using cotton balls to take off your makeup is old news. Using 100% organic reusable facial wipes is what’s in nowadays. Use reusable face wipes to take off your makeup and the dirt the day leaves behind on your face. After use, simply rinse, wash, and voilà , these wipes are ready to go again.
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7. Biodegradable Cotton Swabs / Q-Tips
Used for a few seconds and then thrown in the trash. Cotton swabs (or Q Tips) made with plastic handles end up staying in landfills and oceans far longer than they do in your ears.
Make a switch to biodegradable cotton swabs to leave the planet in a little better place.
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8. Shampoo and Conditioner Bars
It’s safe to say that pretty much all shampoo and conditioners come in plastic containers. Everyone in the world washes their hair so just imagine the amount of shampoo and conditioner bottles that lay in landfills. CRAZY AMOUNTS. For this exact reason, eco-conscious brands have started using all-natural ingredients and zero-waste packaging – i.e making the once liquid shampoo and conditioners into solid toiletries.
Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner bars are safe on color-treated hair, eliminate plastic packaging, and are great for all hair types. So, what are you waiting for? Scrubba dub, dub while you save the planet – look at you go!
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9. Eco Friendly Body Wash & Soap
Another way to lessen plastic in the bathroom and while traveling is by using bar soap. By using bar soap you eliminate plastic left behind from body wash containers and the need to use a loofah. All natural soaps that come in plastic-free packaging, are not only great for your skin but great for the environment as they leave behind zero waste.
10. Eco Friendly Loofah
Looking for eco friendly way to exfoliate your body? The Sisai Shower Mitt is made from natural sisal fibers and gives you the extra amount of grit needed to scrub your body after a long day.
Plus, after it’s ready to be discarded, it can be composted. Plus, it dries much faster than a loofah, making it a great item to travel with.
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11: Eco Friendly Razors
Two billion plastic razors are thrown away every year…TWO BILLION. By switching from plastic razors to a more eco friendly razor will not only save you money in the long run, but will help eliminate plastic waste in our landfills and oceans. Made from solid brass and a single high-quality steel blade, these eco friendly razors are not only recyclable but will give you a smooth shave too!
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Amp up your shaving game with some all natural shaving soap.
12: Organic Beard Oil and Beard Balm
Alright, gentleman, this one is for you. Help your beard grow and shine with organic beard oil and beard balms. Made from natural ingredients like babassu and jojoba oils, these beard oils and balms will leave your beard feeling fresh and smelling great.
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Complete your eco friendly beard grooming with a pearwood beard brush.
13. Menstrual Cups and Organic Tampons
Let’s talk tampons. It goes without saying that it is important to know what goes in your body. Fibers like rayon and toxic ingredients like aluminum, alcohols, fragrance additives, and hydrocarbons are found in tampons. SAY WHAT?!
Gals, show your vagina some love and take the chemicals out of her. Focus on organic tampons that are free of harsh chemicals or use a reusable menstrual cup that is made of healthcare-grade silicone. Both are sustainable and good for the environment. Yay for your lady parts and yay for the world!
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Ingredients & Packaging That Are Bad For The Environment
Alrighty. We get it. You may be wondering how do I know what bathroom products and skincare are considered eco friendly and good for me?
You’ll want to focus on ingredients that are either vegan, full of natural ingredients (read the label to confirm), sourced in ethical manners and are cruelty-free (not tested on animals).
When in doubt if a product is all natural or good for the environment, it’s safe to stay away from the below ingredients that are found in hair and skincare products…
- Oxybenzone and Octinoxate
- Triclosan
- Aluminum
- Sulfates
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Synthetic fragrances
- BHA and BHT
- Polyethylene/PEGs
- Plastic Microbeads
As for packaging, focus on companies that use recycled cardboard, glass containers, recycled / post-consumer plastics, metal, and organic fabrics like hemp. Like we said above, start small and swap out a few products. A little bit goes a long way.
WANT MORE INFORMATION ON SUSTAINABILITY?
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Eco Friendly Products For Home and Daily Life
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Happy Travels,
– Lauren & Jesse Stuart (The Stüs)
