I’m very interested in finding ways to be more sustainable in day to day life. But I don’t want to spend inordinate amounts of money, or end up with a sub-par product in order to do it. Over time, I’m looking for easy swaps for a more sustainable life, without breaking the bank, or never washing my hair. I’ve started with the bathroom, because it’s the most single-use plastic area of my house.
These five swaps are actually pretty easy, and all are quite affordable (spoiler, some will save you quite a bit of moolah). I also like them because they have actually improved my experience, so I’m not losing functionality to reduce my waste. Amazing!
1. DIY reusable make-up wipes
I made some of these babies myself and I cannot recommend them enough. I was tired of spending money on cotton wipes, which came in plastic and were only good for one use. So I bought myself some soft flannel and spent an afternoon making myself twenty of these reusable make-up wipes. If you are looking for some instructions, you can find a good one here.
You don’t even necessarily have to make your own. There are plenty of fabric wipes out there which you can purchase. You’ll still be able to complete your skincare routine but without the waste or expensive of one-use rounds.
2. Shampoo and conditioner bars
One of the big single use plastics in the bathroom are the ubiquitous shampoo and conditioner bottles. I wanted to make sure that whatever I swapped from, I would still have soft, clean-feeling hair. After a fair bit of research, I found that the Ethique shampoo and conditioner bars are just what I needed.
These babies are made sustainably and you can get a compostable case for them to protect them in the shower. Because they’re concentrated, they last for three times as long as a normal bottle of the liquid stuff, possibly more if you don’t wash every day. This means that although you might pay $56 for a set of bars vs $20 for a set of bottles, over time you end up saving yourself a few dollars. This makes it good for your budget as well as the planet.
3. Reusable sanitary products
Stick with me here, ladies. One of the best things I ever did was get myself a Lunette menstrual cup. It has made the monthly cycle so much more comfortable, it’s almost like not having a period. It has also saved me some serious cash. Lunette advises you change these medical grade silicon cups every five years. I worked out that by using a cup I was saving myself $430 over that five year period (pun intended). Not too shabby!
Obviously, you’re also cutting back on a lot of plastic waste by not using throw away sanitary products. If you’re not comfortable with a cup, there are also plenty of reusable pads on the market, which are also a good way to reduce waste. I’ve tried Hannah, an Aussie business, and found them pretty good.
4. Try a reusable razor instead of the plastic ones
This is another swap which I’ve found has improved my experience as well as cutting back waste. My Lilvio reusable razor has much better quality blades, so I get a closer and smoother shave. They also last so much longer, which means they come almost on par cost wise with the super cheap plastic razors.
You will have to adjust your shaving style a little to match the different razor position, but it is well worth it. They also aren’t anywhere near as scary as you might think. Get old fashioned and enjoy a better shave and way less waste. They also come in some really cute colours. And those dull blades? Totally recyclable.
5. Bamboo toothbrushes can help cut out a bit more plastic
We go through quite a few toothbrushes in a year (or we should, remember to change those things people). By swapping to bamboo handles, we can reduce how much plastic we’re adding to the environment.
I know a lot of purists are anti these more mainstream toothbrushes because the bristles are still plastic. But for me, it’s about making realistic improvements, not aiming for total perfection. Having a sustainable material for most of my toothbrush is good enough. It’s also more affordable than the 100% compostable ones. That said, these are a bit more pricey than your standard brushes, so maybe some of your period savings can go towards covering the difference.
There you have it, five easy swaps for a more sustainable bathroom
These swaps were pretty painless, and in some cases have given me a way better result. Funnily enough, a few of these things are actually pretty old fashioned. Our great-grandparents were using shampoo bars, fabric wipes and reusable razors for years, and it might be time to learn from them. Swapping these out can reduce waste and save you a bit of money to boot.
Have you tried any of these swaps? Let me know what you think or if you have any other tips in the comments below.
