I had heard about people trying to cut back on plastic products that they use in the bathroom/kitchen. So that got me thinking: are there skincare/body products that work, are affordable, easy to find at a local store, and don’t have plastic packaging? After a lot of trial and error, I have found some products that, mostly are plastic-free with sustainable packaging.

Face Wash/ Face Scrub: I used to be risk adverse about using bar soap to clean my face but Erno Laszlo  has cleansing bars including the sensitive cleansing bars formulated without a lot of harsh chemicals for the face. They actually clean without leaving a weird residue or over drying. Tory Burch swears by the mud bar one. If you get the 50 gr one its half the price and doesn’t come in a plastic container. I actually found a few sealed ones at T.J.Max for 7$! I found a face scrub at Trader Joes that comes in a glass jar with a metal lid and no plastic for it’s packaging: Blueberry and Acai facial scrub. It works and smells so nice!

Serums: A affordable serum line that actually works that I love is from The Ordinary The serums I use are the Hyaluronic acid for moisture which makes my skin plump and dewy. While the retinoid in 2% is for anti aging which I only use at night. I like retinoid better than retinal because retinal was too harsh on my skin that I got from my dermatologist. Retinal is even banned in some countries. Both serums come in glass vials. The cap is plastic, but the rest of the packaging is either rubber or glass, and the vials are small enough to be used for other things once finished. As for a moisturizer I list some below in the Spf section, but I feel like it is easier to find a moisturizer for the face that comes in a glass jar with a metal lid.

Face Masks: Your best option are Korean sheet masks that you can get from target or ulta. I found a clay mask that comes from target.com that is from White and Elm but it does have a plastic lid. It comes like a powder and you have to mix it with a little water then spread on the face. Its pretty good and my skin looks great using it! If you want another completely plastic free (hopefully) option, but more expensive and luxurious with imported clay from around the world you could also try: Artifact Skin co.

Body Lotion: Savannah Bee Company  sells creams that are made out of completely plastic free packaging that really softens the skin. You do have to dig your fingers into the jar but the cream is thick enough, while absorbing into the skin that it doesn’t feel like a chore, but rather a luxurious experience. The scent isn’t too strong, but that may depend on your tastes. It’s a great winter cream, but when my hands dry/crack in the winter I put some on and it stung really bad, but for my body it’s great and makes my feet/legs so soft! They also have hand creams which might be better. Burt’s Bees also sells a hand cream in a jar without plastic. Other skin options could be argon oil, which you can find a variety of brands selling in glass jars with vials, or other types of body oils. I also like the lotion from Weleda Skin food line, it comes in a metal tube with a plastic cap but it’s so rich and heavy. They also sell lighter versions of their creams and can be found at most natural stores.

Hair Shampoo: J. R. Liggett Shampoo Bar is available at whole foods, and I read great reviews about their shampoo bars. They do not have harsh detergents and really clean and shine my hair! I tried the moisturizing shampoo bar and it’s great! I also like that it makes carrying shampoo around on a trip so much easier. I also recommend the brand Lather  the Bamboo lemongrass hair wash makes my hair so shiny and soft. The packaging is ‘bio-degradable’ plastic BUT it will only biodegrade if the right conditions are met and that by only less than 50%. I also prefer their hair treatment: Avocado Mint hair repair. That’s the best hair mask I have ever tried! You could also use coconut oil for a hair treatment or essential oils like a few drops of lavender oil on the scalp for increasing blood circulation. I haven’t been able to find a good conditioner in a non plastic packaging, unfortunately. I will keep looking and update this page! But the J.R. Ligget shampoo bar is pretty good for conditioning/cleaning. You could also use a leave in conditioner but I haven’t found one that is in a non plastic packaging, yet. If you have suggestions I appreciate it! As for hair styling: artifact co. sells what I believe are plastic free hair styling products. I usually don’t style my hair anyway and just prefer to keep it natural and healthy. I do take the GNC women’s hair, skin, and nails vitamins, once every couple of days (because it does have a very high amount of supplements), after dinner.

Toothbrush/Toothpaste: It’s so hard to find sustainable toothpaste! I did find toothpaste from Weleda  that sells toothpaste that comes in a metal tube. It does have a plastic cap but oh well. It is a little pricey but heck how many plastic toothpaste containers do you use in a year and then just toss forever? Hopefully I can find a plastic free alternative that’s cheaper. I have used bamboo toothbrushes that actually work and cost the same amount as a regular toothbrush from Woo Bamboo  you can find them at Sprouts sometimes, and you may be able to find other brands that sell bamboo brushes. You could just try the traditional Middle Eastern toothbrush which comes from a special tree branch. It’s called a Miswak and could be sold at ethnic stores or online. As for floss I found some from Public goods dental floss its made from silk! You may have to get a membership, but their products are pretty cool with neat packaging some of which are plastic free. Unfortunately their dental floss is sold out so keep checking or message them!

Deodorant: I have tried so many organic/all natural deodorants. They either didn’t work, stained my clothes, or made me have lumps under my armpits! But miraculously at target.com I found this amazing deodorant that actually works and smells great: Little Seed farm  has a deodorant that comes in a glass jar with a metal lid. It is a solid that you just swipe your finger over and when you put it on your arm pit it completely wipes off the finger and adheres to the armpit skin. It doesn’t feel gross or leave a mess on my clothes and so far I haven’t had a reaction to it. It is aluminum and baking soda free. I got the grapefruit lemon scent from target.com and it’s amazing! I love when a product solves so many problems all at once. I have also used it while exercising and it did the job, no b.o.! It is 14$ but think about how many deodorants you use and then toss in a year? So much waste! This one, a little goes a long way and you get a lot. One thin layer is all it takes for me. I also get my armpits waxed so that helps in reducing the amount I have to put on as well as keeping the pits cleaner/hygienic. Is that TMI? I don’t know, lol.

Body wash/hand soap: For body I use Irish spring body soap, it cleans without drying, and doesn’t leave a residue on my skin. As for hand soap, I would say use a antibacterial hand soap bar or a refillable hand soap brand like Common Good co . You can buy a soap and on their website they have locations in a lot of cities where you can just go and pay to refill your soap (as well as other products for you or the household). Check if your city has a refilling station. I personally love this idea and need to visit one of the refill stations in my city to see if they carry the products I need, thus eliminating the need to buy another plastic container! For a body scrub I would either just make my own with: baby oil/body oil, honey, and sugar or you could use a scrub mitten that works well too, I got one from H-mart for like a dollar and it really works! Just make sure to take a bath first to soften the skin or it may be too hard on the skin.

SPF/Sunblock: This was a hard one to find as well! I found from a brand called Coola  that sells sunblock products that some of which come in a glass container. Available at Ulta, they are also mostly all natural and the one I linked won’t block your pores. Another would be from Dr. Jart + which is plastic free but expensive. It has color correcting and is a moisturizer so you may get more bang for your buck depending on your skin concerns. I also found Josie Maran spf 47 there’s a smaller size that’s a little cheaper. It comes in a glass bottle but the pump is plastic. It is also a moisturizer made from argon oil, so that may suit some individuals tastes as well as having a higher spf.

Well that’s my skincare suggestions for you. If you have any suggestions post below or on my instagram! I will try to update this article as I find new products that are plastic-free! Thanks again!