Living plastic free - The eco-friendly bathroom
We undoubtedly have a plastic pollution crisis. Plastics release harmful compounds into our air, food, water, and the environment during production, everyday use, and when finally thrown out. Only a small percentage of all plastic waste gets recycled. Studies found microplastics in our bodies, harming our health. Therefore, I try to reduce my own plastic consumption and plastic waste by applying the “7 Rs”.
Source: GAIA Foundation
Many products used in the bathroom come in plastic containers or even worse: the products contain microplastic (e.g. peelings, makeup, shampoo and even toothpaste). Following the “7 Rs” I refuse products that contain microplastics, I reduced the products I use to a minimum and if possible, I buy products that are not packaged in plastic and that can be washed and reused. I am still far from being perfect but remember:
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” Anne Marie Bonneau
With the following tips I drastically reduce my (plastic and other) waste in the bathroom.
Soap bars
Bar soaps are a great alternative to liquid soaps. They require less packaging than liquid soap or shower gel, need less water to produce, last longer and - being lighter and smaller to transport - have a lower carbon footprint. There is such a wide choice of hand and body wash soap bars available that I could find some that work great on my skin.
Even shampoo and conditioner are available as bar soaps. Sustainable brands like Rahua sell liquid shampoos and conditioner but package some of their products in glass bottles and offer refill pouches that are not as harmful as a whole plastic bottle.
Keep an eye on the ingredients of the soap bars: they might contain palm oil or other ingredients that are not very eco-friendly.
Body lotion bars, solid hand cream and foot cream bars
Shampoo, conditioner, bodylotion, even hand and foot cream are available as solid bars.
Usually lotions and creams come in plastic bottles or containers. However, they are also available as solid cream bars. I tried all of them: the solid body lotion, the hand and foot cream bars. Eventually I switched back to liquid creams and lotions. I had issues applying the solid body lotion. The bars were always rock hard, my body was not warm enough to properly dissolve distribute the lotion. It felt like a sticky film on my skin after applying. Their cardboard packaging still requires a thin layer of plastic to avoid oil stains. The bars must be stored in containers, otherwise they catch dust and dirt. Even though I applied the solid cream with clean hands on clean hands or feet, they got dirty. All in all, the solid cream bars did not convince me. But maybe they work for you!
Safety razors
I love my rose gold safety razor from Bambaw! I used to buy plastic razors and only realized how scratchy they are on the skin when I switched to safety razors. Since plastic razors are expensive where I live, buying a safety razor and some razor blades was a one-time investment that saved me a lot of money in the long run. I will not finish the razor blades in my lifetime, they are so abundant. My safety razor shaves much cleaner than plastic razors. It takes some courage to shave “down under” with a safety razor but with practice it gets easier. Just use good shaving foam, also available as solid shaving bars. I will never go back to single use plastic razors.
Reusable make up remover pads
The only thing I regret about reusable make up remover pads is that I did not get them earlier! I love them! I ditched all the make-up removing products. Just wet the pad with water. After removing the make-up, let them dry, collect in a little washing bag, machine-wash at 60° C and reuse. After using them for years, mine still look new. Good old washcloths also do the job. No need to buy expensive make-up removing products! They do the job very well.
Face masks and peelings
I used to buy individually wrapped face masks and peelings that contained microplastics. I mainly used the masks and peelings to keep my (hormonal) acne under control. Unsuccessfully. Then I discovered Rügen healing chalk! I mix a bit of Rügen healing chalk with water and I have the most amazing cleansing face mask and peeling in one. The big boxes of chalk I buy last forever and the only waste I get is a cardboard box and a paper bag.
There are many other sustainable alternatives to individually wrapped face masks and peelings containing micro plastics. Peelings can be easily made with salt, sugar, coffee and other ingredients to be found in the kitchen. Same goes for face masks. They can be easily made with natural ingredients found in the kittchen.
Washable sanitary pads
Get a leakproof pouch for reusable sanitary pads.
Disposable sanitary products contribute to large amounts of global waste. There are a lot of sustainable alternatives to disposable sanitary products, e.g. washable sanitary pads (my favorite), menstrual cups and period underwear. Washable pads absorb so much more (!) than the usual disposable sanitary pad. Menstrual cups are not my cup of tea, but they might work for you. I have never tried period underwear. I feel like they might work very well for sports and activities, but I want to be able to change my absorbent anytime without having to take off my pants… No matter what you choose for you personally, all of them are more sustainable than disposable sanitary pads.
Shower toilet/portable bidet
Toilet paper is bad for the environment. To produce just one roll of toilet paper, about 170 liters of water are required. Entire forests are cut clean to get raw materials for toilet paper and a lot of chemicals are used in its production. The chemicals in the toilet paper as well as excessive rubbing to get the backside clean can lead to skin irritation. A much more hygienic and environmentally friendly solution is a shower toilet or a so called “bum gun”. Both require some work in the bathroom and are quite expensive. However, there is a cheap and easy to use alternative: portable bidets. I love mine because I can take it with when I do outdoor activites with no access to a restroom.
Brushes, combs or containers
Toothbrushes, dental floss, combs, brushes etc. are made of plastic or come in plastic containers. They are all available in eco-friendly materials like wood, bamboo or other biodegradable materials. Check these sustainable cotton buds.
By putting all these suggestions into practice, I managed to drastically reduce my plastic waste and moreover, I save a lot of money. Find some more good reasons to refuse single-use plastic in the graphic right below.
Source: lessplastic.org.uk