I’m so excited to be sharing my journey to a lower waste lifestyle. You can read more about all that I’m sharing here. But today I want to share with you a few things I’ve recently switched out to have a zero-waste bathroom. Keep reading to see what I’ve switched so far!
Products for a Zero-Waste Bathroom
Marley’s Monsters Reusable Cotton Rounds
Each night I wash my face, then I tone it. The toner requires a little cotton round to apply it. I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve been using single-use cotton rounds for over ten years. Not only do I have to buy them (it’s not my favorite thing to spend my money on), but they go into the trash, which ends up in a landfill! All so I can wash my face. There had to be a better way. And there is!
Marley’s Monsters is a new brand to me, but I’ve fallen in love with their mission and their products. Their reusable cotton rounds come in adorable prints, and they allow you to use your toner, remove eye make-up, or use the rounds however you need to. Then you wash them, and reuse them!
Reusable Menstrual Pads/Period Underwear
THINX period underwear eliminate the need for wasteful pads or tampons. I find that mine work great in conjunction with my menstrual cup. More on that and period product waste below.
Reusable Menstrual Cup
Ahhh, the menstrual cup. I really hope my Dad isn’t reading this đ awkward. Anyway, I’ve been using a menstrual cup on and off for around three years. I had a pregnancy in between, and now that I’m having periods again, it’s been great for the last year or so. I still don’t know if I’ve found the perfect cup style/brand for me, but I’m close.
Anyway, I plan to try and review specific cups and share my experience with cups someday, but right now, all you need to know is that single-use pad and tampon waste is crazy. In an article by Bustle, the writer states, “It’s estimated that, every year, over 45 billion products related to periods, including tampons, pads and applicators, are thrown in the garbage.”
The thought of contributing to this number makes my stomach churn. So I decided to try out a cup a few years back. It’s honestly been a game changer for me, despite the learning curve in the beginning. I currently use the Lena cup, and really like it. Like I said, I’ll share my personal review of menstrual cups and brands sometime soon, but If you’re cup curious, check out these resources:
“Put A Cup In It” Menstrual Cup Quiz
Cloth Diapers
Cloth diapers are such a great option if you have children. I’ve used the same cloth diapers for Gracie and Norah, and I could use them with a third child if I wanted to. We’ve cut our diaper spending from $70 a month to $0, but that’s not why I cloth diaper. The impact of single-use diapers on the environment is appalling. It makes me feel so much better knowing we don’t contribute to that by cloth diapering.
If you’re curious about cloth diapers, or you’re considering it, check out my Beginner’s Guide to Cloth Diapers. I have so much information about cloth diapering there, so hopefully it helps!
DIY Hand Soap
Non-toxic products are important to me. My little ones wash their hands with our hand soap, so I want something that’s carcinogen-free, toxin-free, SLS free, and synthetic fragrance-free. I was spending $8.99 for ONE bottle of artisan, toxin-free soap with a dispenser PER bathroom. So, we have three bathrooms, and the kitchen. That’s a lot of money on soap per month. I knew there had to be a better way.
I’m a huge fan of the Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap. We use it for so many things around the house. I finally got smart and started diluting it with water (it’s very concentrated) to make a hand soap! We use a foaming soap dispenser and just refill the soap around the house as we need. I’ve saved so much money on this and I know that the hand soap we are using is safe!
I also love the Urban Oreganics simply coconut cleansing bar. You can easily cut it into thirds and melt it down to make a liquid soap! It’s such a great way to save money and live sustainably.
A few things I am still working on…
Compostable Shampoo and Conditioner Containers
It took me forever to find a non-toxic shampoo and conditioner that actually worked on my hair. But sadly, they come in plastic bottles. I don’t buy them often, but eventually I’d love to switch to a more sustainable option. I’ll update you when I’ve found that!
Beauty Products & Make-Up
As for beauty products. Most of the brands I buy have sustainability in mind. However, I still do have several empties at the end of using the make-up products. I’d love to move to a more sustainable option. The Organic Bunny store has a few make-up lines that are leaning more sustainable packaging, but it’s still a work in progress for the beauty industry. Fortunately the products I do use come in glass, for the most part, so I feel better about my purchases.
Urban Oreganics is a great option if you’re looking for skincare products that come in glass. The empty jars are great for repurposing! The owner, Emily, is always sharing amazing zero-waste content, so be sure to check out her Instagram!
I hope this post about products for a zero-waste bathroom was helpful to you! It’s just the beginning for me, but I’m excited to dive into a more low waste lifestyle.
Thank you so much for reading!
