In this blog post I would like to introduce you to my 10 favourite zero waste bathroom essentials. These are products I absolutely love and work for me.
1. Deodorant
Number one has to be my all time favourite, and I know I say that for a lot of recipes, but trust me, this is a really good one. My Shea Butter deodorant. It's super creamy and lasts a really long time. Once I finish it, I simply make a new batch; which takes approximately 10 minutes to make.
2. Soap
Next is a good soap bar. If you know me, you probably know I am completely obsessed with soap. So much that I have a full library of it!
I use up each bar until it disappears, and when it is too small I just stick it on top of another bar and I am good to go. The great thing about these soaps is that they can easily last up to 2 years.
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3. Shampoo bar
At number 3, is my shampoo bar. To be completely honest, I had a really difficult journey adapting to using shampoo bars. I first started using shampoo bars which were made like a soap, but I soon realised that there was no such a thing as a transition phase, and it was in fact the soap's PH which was not right for haircare.
However, since I started using and making PH balanced shampoo bars my haircare routine has improved so much. Now my hair is always super clean, soft and manageable, all of which is achievable thanks to teaming up with my next minimalistic bathroom essential....number 4.
4. Conditioner Bar
This is probably one of the least seen zero waste swaps. Not many brands offer solid conditioner bars. They are tricky to formulate, many don't work that well and it's very difficult to make them palm oil free. It took me about a year and a half to formulate a good one, which I really truly love using. It's made with tomato seed oil which is a by-product of the food industry and it's also palm oil free. As conditioners are very concentrated the price goes up quite fast but they last for an incredibly long time.
5. Wooden Brush
Next up is a wooden brush. The best brand in my opinion is Tek, which is an Italian brand specialised in brushes. They are made in wood and the bristles are so durable. I have thick wavy hair so all my brushes used to just come apart, but my current one is basically like new and I've had it for about 8 years.
6. Toilet Paper
And now, one we have all been waiting for: toilet paper! Technically you could go toilet paper free but I have not taken that step yet and not sure if I ever will. At the moment I am using Good Roll toilet paper which are made from recycled paper; plus, half of their profits go towards building toilets in developing countries which is awesome!
7. Bamboo toothbrush, toothpaste & floss
Ok, let's talk about dental care; perhaps you had a hard time finding the perfect zero waste toothpaste swap? I have tried many different products and also tried to make my own but I've now found a toothpaste which I truly love; it's from a new French startup brand called Noice. They send the toothpaste in a cute glass bottle, and once you run out of product you just order the refills which come in compostable bags. I have been using this since Feburary and I still have quite a lot left, which is mind blowing. I highly recommend them.
8. Oil and Cream
Moving onto skincare! Oil cleansing has seriously changed my life! I find that for me, it seriously works using 3 oils: hemp seed oil, tomato seed oil and jojoba.
I picked these oils because they are amazing both for skincare and haircare. Hemp seed oil is a dry oil which has a 0 on the comedogenic scale, so it does not clog pores. It's also awesome to use as a scalp massage.
Tomato seed oil, as you have seen I use it also in my conditioner bars but it's is crazy amazing to use also for dry hair. I apply a couple of drops right after my shower and my hair ends gets silky soft.
You can also use jojoba which is amazing both for skin and haircare. Jojoba is a temporary occlusive moisturiser, which means it has the ability of reducing water loss from the skin, and as it has a composition which is very similar to our sebum making it awesome for haircare.
I use it when my skin is very dry and right after applying it my skin is back to being soft.
Generally, I don't normally buy creams, I really enjoy making them to control exactly what I put in and on my skin.
I really enjoy using my shea butter & grapeseed oil cream for my face and body, I normally apply it in the morning right after washing my face or taking a shower when my skin is a little damp, and at night before going to bed. If you are looking for something lighter, I recommend using plain cosmetic aloe vera gel. It comes in plastic but I normally buy 1 KG of it and lasts for several months. I used to add oil to it but now prefer to keep it simple so I don't have to worry about shelf life.
9. Safety Razor
I also love using a safety razor, it helped me ditch all those plastic ones and is truly easy to use. I use it along with a bubbly soap bar like a 100% coconut oil soap. The blades are really durable and in stainless steel. As long as you keep them clean they last a long time - even up to 6 months.
Once you are finished you can just replace the blade and recycle the old one, and for safety reasons it is best to collect a few blades and store them inside a container as opposed to throwing them loose into the recycling bin. The safety razor I am using is from a brand called Bambaw and you can get the blades from a brand called Astra which packs them in cardboard.
10. Zero Waste Periods
Last but not least, whenever that time of the month comes, I love using reusable pads. They are made with soft fleece, I got them on Amazon which I know it's not the most sustainable option but that was a couple of years ago and I seriously swear by these pads. They are super absorbent, still like new. I use them along with some panties to contain any possible spills and this works really well for me. I have been trying to use the cup but had some hard times as I haven't found the perfect measure for me yet; I will try a new kind soon and update you with my progress.