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10 Plastic Free Bathroom Products you should try

Whether or not you work in the consumer goods industry, it won’t have gone unnoticed that plastic waste has become a widely recognised problem.

Plastic is versatile, strong and cheap to produce, making it a perfect solution for manufacturers to package our day-to-day goods. However, even though recycling rates in the UK are improving, only 46% of plastic packaging is recycled.

Un-recycled plastic packaging, which includes shampoo bottles and tubes of toothpaste, take up valuable space in landfill sites and are polluting the natural environment. To make matters worse, whilst the average UK household recycles 90% of their kitchen packaging, only 50% of the packaging we use in the bathroom ends up in the recycling bin.

As part of my effort to reduce the amount of plastic waste I produce, I tried switching 10 of my every day bathroom products for plastic-free alternatives.


Here’s what I discovered:


1. Montalbano Shampoo Bar from Lush £8.00 for 55g | Lush


When I decided to take on this challenge, Lush was my first port of call. It’s well known for it’s packaging free products and perfect for what I was trying to achieve.

Because Lush is very much an experiential shopping environment, I found it hard to find specific items in store. Looking through the range of shampoo bars I was initially quite intimidated, but as it was a quiet weekday the lovely store assistant was able to talk me through all the different variants they had available. 

There were 10 different shampoo bars for different hair types and needs, as well as 4 conditioners. The selection seemed great! Each bar was priced at £7-8 but, according to Lush, should last 3 times as long as a typical 250ml bottle. I went for the Montalbano, a citrus scented shampoo bar with promises of shiny hair.

I was pleasantly surprised when using the bar. It lathered up much more than expected and it felt very similar to a regular shampoo. After using the shampoo bar with the conditioner bar, I noticed it was a lot harder to get the brush through my wet hair. My hair felt soft when wet, but as my hair dried it was a bit fluffier than usual.

I visited my hairdresser after a few weeks of using the shampoo and conditioner bars and he commented that my hair was much drier and it was clearly not getting enough moisture. I tried using the shampoo bar with a regular conditioner to see if there was an improvement…

VERDICT: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | I might have to try some more shampoo bars to know for sure.

 

2. Sugar Daddy-O Pressed Conditioner from Lush

£8.50 for 60g | Lush

Along with my shampoo bar, I looked at Lush’s selection of “pressed conditioners” and selected the Sugar Daddy-O. This conditioner bar aims to "bring back moisture" to chemically treated hair.

As you know, conditioner doesn’t lather, so it’s quite different from using a bar of soap or shampoo. Running the bar under hot water and working between my hands was supposed to release a creamy consistency but I didn’t get the desired effect. Massaging the bar directly onto my hair didn’t seem to be helping matters either.

When wet, my hair felt soft but as it dried I still felt my hair lacked the moisture I would get using my normal products.

For those who don’t need as much moisture in their hair, perhaps a switch to bar shampoo and conditioner isn’t so bad.  But for me, it’s not a switch that I’ll be sticking with.

VERDICT: ⭐️ ⭐️| Not for me.

 

3. The Classic Dove Beauty Bar 60p for 100g | Boots


I didn't pick a bar of soap on my trip to Lush as I figured, 'how hard could it be to find a bar of soap that isn’t wrapped in plastic?'. Actually, it was quite hard...

I couldn’t initially find one on the High Street. I visited Boots, Superdrug and Wilko and I couldn’t see a single bar of soap that wasn’t wrapped in plastic.  


The cardboard packaging for the Classic Dove Beauty Bar is wrapped in plastic to create multi-packs. It took visiting a few more stores before I found it in its single form in a larger Boots store. I later discovered a wide range of eco-friendly soap options in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado.

Using a bar of soap instead of a bottle of shower gel was a no brainer. The only real downside is finding somewhere to put it and it’s a tiny bit messier, but it works just as well. So, with the investment of a soap dish - it’s a switch that’s here to stay.

VERDICT: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Everyone invest in a soap dish.

 

4. Schmidt's Bergamot & Lime Natural Bar Soap

£4.50 for 142g | Ocado

To swap out the liquid hand wash I thought I’d go for something a bit fancier and try Bergamot & Lime soap from Schmidt’s, a naturals brand that was acquired by Unilever in 2018.

On offer on Ocado for £4.50 (down from £6), it wasn’t cheap, but it smells lovely and works just as well as a liquid hand wash.

Another simple and easy switch that’s here to stay.

VERDICT: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Make that two soap dishes.

 

5. Humble Bamboo Toothbrush

£4 | Boots

I've often noticed the Humble Bamboo Toothbrushes on those clip strips in Boots. Made from 100% biodegradable, sustainably-grown bamboo and with eco-friendly packaging, it’s a significant improvement from a category with high levels of disposable plastic. But at £4, it’s a significant trade up from a plastic toothbrush.

Other users have given it mixed reviews and honestly, I’m on the fence. It works just as well as any other manual toothbrush. The feel of the bamboo in your mouth takes some getting used to but it’s not unbearable.

I normally use an electric toothbrush and that’s what’s preventing me from taking on this switch, though it has spurred me to look into more eco-friendly options for my toothbrush heads - not plastic-free, but a step in the right direction. VERDICT: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Worth a try.

 

6. Humble Bamboo Interdental Brushes

£4 for 8 pack | Boots

Just when I thought dental hygiene was incompatible with going plastic-free, I discovered that Humble also have a range of interdental brushes. I have been using TePe sticks for years and although it’s a tiny bit of plastic, I’m sure by using them (almost) every day that plastic adds up.

The bamboo equivalent are roughly the same price and work just as well. These were one of my favourite discoveries and definitely here to stay.


VERDICT: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Why go back to plastic?

 

7. Denttabs Toothpaste Tablets

£3.75 for 62 tablets | The Plastic Free Shop

The hardest thing to find for this challenge was a plastic-free toothpaste. There was nothing in any of the major retail stores, so I moved my research online.  It was then that I discovered The Plastic Free Shop - a Bristol based store with a really great website and plenty of toiletries products to help with my challenge.

This range included Denttabs, tiny little tablets to replace your toothpaste. You can get these tablets in a lightweight aluminium bottle or a compostable refill pack. Not completely convinced by this idea, but willing to give it a go, I ordered the one month supply for £3.75, which came in a little aluminium bottle.

In practice you chew the tablet with your front teeth until the chalky texture becomes more like a paste, then you just brush your teeth as normal. I found the resulting chalkiness wasn't particularly pleasant, but once you start brushing it’s not so bad.

From what I could tell, the Denttabs cleaned my teeth just as well as toothpaste. However, after a week of chewing on chalky tablets twice a day, I couldn't take it any longer and I reverted back to my tube of toothpaste.

I’d recommend you try these for yourself. I think Denttabs would be great for a couple of days if you were camping but not for every day use.


Last week, Colgate announced they are FINALLY launching the "first-ever" recyclable toothpaste tube, which will help ease my conscience somewhat.


VERDICT: ⭐️⭐️ | Not for me, though I tried.

 

8. Shoreline Bamboo & Steel Safety Razor Kit

I’m ashamed to admit that, for the last few years I’ve been using disposable razors. Shaving is a category I find overcomplicated and I’ve always gone for the cheapest option.

When visiting the Plastic Free Shop I invested in a Bamboo & Steel razor kit which came with a unisex razor, spare blades and a bar of natural homemade soap. When it initially arrived, I was terrified to put the blade in the razor, but it was much easier than I had envisioned.

It has a solid handle, it’s really easy to use and after 2 months of use I am yet to cut my legs shaving, which is rather out of character for me!

This razor is here to stay, meaning I can ditch quite a lot of pink plastic!


VERDICT: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Great switch!

 

9. T’eo Deodorant Bar from Lush

£7 for 90g | Lush

Another purchase from my Lush visit was my plastic-free deodorant. There were only two to choose from and the difference was unclear so I went with the one that didn’t need cutting - the T’eo.

In terms of ease of use, it’s no different than using a roll on or stick. I’m not convinced it’s as effective as the aerosol I normally use, but it is perfect for every day use.

I’ve made the switch to the bar as my main day-to-day deodorant but I’m keeping an aerosol on hand for those particularly active days… just in case!


VERDICT: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Great for every day use.

 

10. "Who Gives A Crap" toilet roll.

£36 for 48 rolls | Who Gives A Crap

It wasn’t until I embarked upon this challenge that I realised even the toilet roll we use comes in plastic packaging. Some of the supermarkets wrap their value own brand in paper, but for the most part the outer packaging is all plastic.

I’d heard about "Who Gives A Crap" from a friend and thought it would be great to try out as part of this challenge. Not only is there no plastic packaging in sight, the standard toilet roll itself is made from 100% recycled paper and the company donates 50% of their profits to help build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world.

It’s delivered through a subscription model, which means I don’t have to add it to a shopping list when it’s running low and I think it looks quite nice in the bathroom.

The only downside is the cost. 13.5p per sheet might not sound like a lot, but when you compare that to a full price 24 pack of Andrex from Tesco at 0.25p per sheet (£10.25 at the time of publishing), it’s a big trade up for many people.

Given the positive impact of this purchase, I’m going to stick with this switch for now.

VERDICT: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | All for a good cause.

 

Overall, of the 10 switches I made to plastic free products, I plan to keep up with 6 of them.

This is a significant reduction in how much plastic I’ll be using in my bathroom.

I’d love to hear your stories and recommendations for how to reduce plastic in the bathroom and beyond!



Stepping into the shoes of your consumer is a great way to understand their needs. Get in touch to find out how I can help you organise a consumer immersion activity!


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