Body
What you put down the drain matters more than you may think. Synthetic ingredients, in products like body wash, release microbeads of plastic that, when put into the sewer system, end up in the ocean and waterways. These mircobeads are then ingested by animals, and end up in the fish you eat. The Microbead-Free Waters Act was passed by Congress in 2015 and bans the production and sale of products with mircobeads in them. The issue is they define microbead plastics as piece that is 5 millimeters or less in size. This means products still contain larger pieces of plastic. Further bans need to be put in place to ensure the safety of waterways and animals.
DIY
Making your own body care products greatly reduces the amount of waste you create in your everyday routine! And it is a relaxing activity that gives you leeway to get creative. Food waste can be incorporated into your homemade soaps filling them with nutrients that would have otherwise been thrown out. You can also use soap scraps to form a new bar of soap. Get creative when finding ways to reduce waste.
Another diy you can try is growing and drying your own loofah. Most loofahs are made from synthetic fibers that wash micro-plastic down the drain. A natural loofah comes from the inside of a gourd. You can grow them yourself! They are 100% biodegradable and compostable unlike the plastic version. Learn how on this website and watch a video about it here.
Reuse
Plastic is a huge part of body care products. While you can’t really buy these products second-hand, you can buy refills. First off, like I’ve said before, you can buy zero-waste products at refill shops. They have everything you need! A great option that more and more companies are providing, is refillable containers. For example, once you use up your deodorant, you order a deodorant block and place it in your reusable container. This will last you forever! Myro and by human kind are good options for refillable deodorant containers. Don’t forget about all the other products you use too. Cotton swabs and cotton swabs are just a few of the products whose impact are often glossed over. These single-use products are an essential and have great reusable replacements now. Look on last object for reusable cotton products.
Buy New
You’ll find that a lot of natural body care and cleaners uses castile soap which is made from vegetable oils. It was originally made from olive oil and got its name from the region of Spain it is from, Castile. If it says castile soap, it should be good. For products like deodorant, you really want to avoid aluminum. There have been links between deodorant containing aluminum and breast cancer. Anything that goes on your body should be natural and free of chemicals. You can always trust Certified B Corporations and organic labels when it comes to body care products. You’ll find that when I company is dedicated to having natural and organic products, they also care about the environment. Natural is the way to go!
My Picks
Soapbox
Soapbox wants everyone to have access to clean and safe soap. Their products are made from pure ingredients like oat milk, olive oil, and sea minerals that leave your skin feeling nourished. When one product is purchased, they donate one bar of soap to communities in need.
B corp
Cruelty-free, vegan,, paraben free, petrochemical free
Dr. Bronner
Emmanuel Bronner started Dr. Bronner soap company began in 1948 but the German-Jewish family’s soap goes back to the 1850s. They have soaps for all your needs and is best known for its pure castille soap. Dr. Bronner supports regenerative organic farming projects and reduces their carbon footprint through a multitude of actions you can read about here.
B corp, fair pay, USDA organic
natural, non gmo, cruelty-free, vegan, organic, paraben free, sulfate free
Mad hippie
Mad hippie makes skincare, suncare, and makeup. Mad Hippie’s skin care line is full of antioxidants that naturally rejuvenates your skin. Their tubes are made from bioresin sugarcane which sequesters carbon dioxide from the air when it is grown. Their products are very pure, safe, and natural. They are hippies after all!
Paraben free, free of synthetic dyes, vegan, silicone free
Terracycle program, FSC certified paper, soy based inks, support multiple non-profts
100% Pure Organic
The name says it all, 100% Pure Organic body care! Their products use healing powers of botanicals like green tea to repair skin. They have really great body soap, scrubs, and cream along with a line of natural skincare.
Guranteed pure, cruelty-free, naturally scented, gluten-free, vegan options
Meow Meow Tweet
Meow Meow Tweet, named in honor of the founder’s bird and cats, makes zero-waste deodorant, body soap, skin cleanser, and other body care products. All of their packaging is either recyclable or compostable with fun animal doodles on them. Their products are small batch and made from natural ingredients.
Organic, free trade, vegan, cruelty-free, non-gmo
Climate neutral, certified plastic negative
Native
Native makes natural body care products and is best known for their deodorant. Its natural deodorant uses baking soda and magnesium hydroxide to fight odor causing bacteria. They also have sunscreen, body soap, toothpaste, and a new plastic-free deodorant.
Paraben free, gluten-free, vegan, cruelty-free, sulfate free, dye free, aluminum free, talc free, phthalate free
Let’s Compare
Meow Meow Tweet
Price: $14
Ingredients: coconut oil, arrowroot powder, magnesium hydroxide, cocoa seed butter, shea butter, sunflower seed wax, baking soda, essential oils
Packaging: compostable, paper tubes
Size: 1.8 oz
Native
Price: $12
Ingredients: caprilyc /capric triglyceride, coconut oil, magnesium hydroxide, baking soda, cyclodextrin, shea butter, glucose, probiotics, tapioca starch
Packaging: plastic, has plastic free option for $1 more
Size: 2.65 oz
Dove
Price: $8.29
Ingredients: Aluminum, Stearyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isopropyl Palmitate, PPG-14 Butyl Ether, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-8, Fragrance (Parfum), Dimethicone, Silica, Polyethylene, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Steareth-100, BHT.
Packaging: plastic
Size: 2.6 oz
Check it out
Nablus Soap Company
Nablus Soap Company is carrying on a 400 year old Palestinian tradition of making olive oil soap. Their handmade soap has three ingredients and is100% natural and environmentally friendly. Watch a video about it here.
Stevie Van Horn
Yay for Earth, Yay for Stevie! Stevie Van Horn is a sustainability activist who created a skincare company that aligns with her zero-waste lifestyle. Yay For Earth products are made from natural ingredients that hydrates your skin with the power of botanicals. Click here.
Sources
https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/microbead-free-waters-act-faqs
https://madhippie.com/pages/skincare
https://www.drbronner.com/about/
https://www.treehugger.com/what-castile-soap-uses-and-benefits-4847396
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/antiperspirants-and-breast-cancer-risk.html
https://meowmeowtweet.com/pages/our-values
https://www.soapboxsoaps.com/pages/ourmission
https://www.nativecos.com/pages/faq
https://www.100percentpure.com/pages/about-us