Low Waste Bathroom Swaps

posted in Beauty, low waste

Last Updated on January 27, 2022

Some of the changes I’ve made to reduce waste with my care and hygiene products.

I now use:

  • Bamboo toothbrush
  • Toothpaste tabs
  • Concentrated mouthwash – you use a few drops in water
  • Menstrual cup – Read my post about switching to a menstrual cup
  • Washable menstrual pads – I have a couple thin liners made from hemp and organic cotton
  • Glass nail file
  • Peel-off nail polish – I like using Little Ondine
  • Cream Deodorant – my DIY recipe 
  • Face/body oils – I’ve liked using jojoba, argan, and sweet almond on my face and I use sweet almond as a body moisturizer (here’s a really helpful video about choosing face oils for your skin)
  • Washable cotton/makeup remover pads – I crocheted my own from organic cotton yarn
  • Shampoo bar
  • Bar soap
  • Safety razor

 

What product swaps have you made?

 

28 Responses

  1. Anna
    | Reply

    I LOVE the picture!!
    Thank you so much for your wonderful post ♥!!

    Happy Saturday!

  2. Nice swaps! I changed my lifestyle into zero (okay, maybe just less) waste more than a year ago. And the bathroom is a field where the switch was the easiest and most effective.

    To your list, I would only add apple vinegar for hair, as a kind of conditioner. To wash my hair I use Aleppo soap which is awesome, but sometimes the hair is not too soft after using it. And here’s where apple vinegar comes with help for me! I mix a spoon of vinegar with a cup of water in a glass bottle and rinse the hair with this mixture under the shower. It gives immediate effect for soft and nice hair! I was really surprised. 🙂 I also described it on my blog, as well as some other zero waste beauty routine hacks.

    Nice work with your hacks!

  3. Dawn
    | Reply

    I make my own toothpaste and deodorant, and tonight I made my own perfume with essential oils!! I haven’t used perfume in years, and I’m quite excited about it. I have also switched to bar soap and shampoo.

  4. Laura
    | Reply

    Hi there!

    awesome post! i was wondering what brand of reusable menstrual pads you use and where can I get them in Berlin!

    • Verena Erin
      | Reply

      I unfortunately don’t know what brand they are or where you can find them… 🙁 I got them at a local unverpackt shop and there was no tag/brand.

    • Kaitlyn
      | Reply

      You can find lots on Etsy

  5. AJ
    | Reply

    For the memstrual cup I recommend “Ruby Cup”. With every cup you purchase you help girls in third world countries cope with their period. They also have a handy container to clean it in the microwave.

  6. Carola
    | Reply

    Well, I do have a glass nail file and occasionally substitute baking soda for Tom’s toothpaste. I have reusable grocery bags. I have many reusable plastic items that I will continue to use until they don’t work anymore because throwing everything away all at once is hard on the recycling system in my area. Things like menstrual cups and reusable maxi pads don’t work for my personal situation. I have problem hair and the eco-friendly hair products I’ve tried leave it in undesirable condition. So, I do what works for the family and me, but I/we’ll never reach Nirvana. 😢

  7. Am
    | Reply

    Hi ! Great post !!

    I use everything on your list except for the razor. I hate that regular razors are so wasteful but i think safety razors are kind of scary. Any thoughts ?

  8. Heather
    | Reply

    Hi there! Where did you find your toothpaste tabs?

    • Verena Erin
      | Reply

      At a local un-packaged store. I unfortunately don’t know the brand that makes them.

  9. Molly
    | Reply

    I’m on the fence about making reusable cotton pads. If I lived in an area with water restrictions, I think I’d rather use cotton that I could compost? Also if anyone decides to see her own, you may want to make sure the thread you buy/use is 100% cotton and not half polyester.

    • Molly
      | Reply

      *sew, not see

  10. Erin
    | Reply

    I’ve had a hard time finding reusable cotton rounds, I never thought to crochet some! Do the yarn fibers get in your eye when you use them to remove makeup? I’ve also recently started using vinegar as conditioner, and it works well, but I’m trying to find a better way to buy it. Even in bulk it seems to come in plastic containers usually, do you have any suggestions?

    • Verena Erin
      | Reply

      The cotton rounds are less fluffy than the disposable kind and I’ve never experienced fibres coming off, you can also sew them from cotton fabric. 🙂
      I’m not sure about vinegar, I’ve always luckily found it in glass bottles.

  11. Feli
    | Reply

    Are the washable cotton/makeup remover pads very harsh on your skin? I’m thinking of either crocheting them or making them from flanel or old towels. Why did you choose the ones you made?

  12. Johanna
    | Reply

    Still working on my swaps but so far a bamboo toothbrush, bar soap, menstrual cup, a safety razor and natural cream deo – however I discovered that I’m allergic to baking soda (or at least my armpits are) and so I’m still trying to find a good alternative without it. Up next I’m trying out one from SoapWalla. And as soon as my current shampoo run out I’d like to try a schampoo bar 🙂

    • Verena Erin
      | Reply

      Great swaps! Quite a few people unfortunately have issues with baking soda. I’ve heard good reviews about Meow Meow Tweet’s baking soda free deo cream but I’m not sure if it’s packaged in plastic or glass.

  13. Lauren
    | Reply

    I’m curious if you have a razor suggestion? I’m about to switch from the plastic kind…have you found one that works well and is eco-friendly?

    • Verena Erin
      | Reply

      Metal safety razors are great! They take a little getting used to because you have to shave a bit differently but they’re really eco-friendly, all you change is the blade!

  14. Jen
    | Reply

    I use cloth menstrual pads, cloth rounds from etsy, make my own deodorant, use mineral makeup, baking soda alternated with activated charcoal for brushing my teeth. I have tried shampoo bars but haven’t found one I like. I use avocado oil on my skin for a moisturizer and Argan oil on my face during the winter. Still using up some products but once they are gone will try to buy better alternatives. I’m interested in the toothpaste tabs as I find the baking soda a bit irritating full time. I am a big flosser so a better alternative for dental floss would be great. I’m pretty minimal.

    • Verena Erin
      | Reply

      Awesome swaps! Dental floss is something we struggle with too, I’ve seen silk floss in little glass jars but it’s pretty expensive. Currently we use a natural floss but it’s still unfortunately in plastic packaging.

      • Molly
        | Reply

        I read about a floss, on another blog, called Dental Lace. It’s sold here in the US…maybe it’s available where you are, also?

      • Kelly
        | Reply

        I have a rechargeable water pik with four swappable heads so the entire family has one waterproof unit, it’s plastic but long term commitment so it’s less wasteful for the product comparisons in my area. Now if we could get a company to make a bamboo one 🤔 and thx these are great tips!

  15. Katja Lindskrone Søborg
    | Reply

    I have started switching some of these things as I run out (I have a lots of shampoo and conditioner to get through before needed to by new.)
    I have switches to reusable makeup cotton pads, I found some on Etsy, I also bought a bunch of wash cloths for when cleansing my skin.
    I am also switching to reusable menstrual products, I have a cup and some pads.
    I just got a bamboo toothbrush, which is a bit weird to get used to. It tastes of wood.
    And I am trying to find out which oils to use for my face and body and which mixes work best. I have some jojoba, castor and hemp seed oil currently.

    • Verena Erin
      | Reply

      That’s awesome! I also found the bamboo toothbrush weird at first, the taste and also it feels really different.

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