Going plastic free; Alternatives for day-to-day essentials

Reducing the single use plastic in your life can be intimidating. One thing I recommend is to take it one step at a time instead of trying to change everything all at once. When you notice you’re starting to run low on something start looking for plastic free or zero waste alternatives. Don’t wait until the last minute as I find it easier to avoid plastic filled purchases if I’m not rushed.

Here are a few of the plastic free/reduced plastic and or zero waste options for commonly used items:

Plastic Free Toothpaste-

  1. The Dirt All Natural Tooth Powder: Wet your toothbrush, then dip it in the powder and brush. I recommend the mint flavor. I found mine on amazon.

  2. Bite Toothpaste Bits: Make sure to enter your email when prompted to get an extra discount) You can purchase these: https://bitetoothpastebits.com/ .

Plastic Free toothpaste with Bite Bits

Plastic Free toothpaste with Bite Bits

Plastic Free Shampoo-

  1. HiBar: One of Josh’s recommendations from our Interview . Check it out: https://hellohibar.com/

  2. Lush: A coworker turned me into a Lush fan. They have a variety of different products, and if you’re not sure, talk to one of their associates who will be happy to help find whats good for you. P.S. They do give samples.

Going plastic free with shampoo bars from Lush

Going plastic free with shampoo bars from Lush

Plastic Free Skincare-

  1. Lush: They have a variety of naked products that work great!

Going plastic free with face moisturizer bars from Lush.

Going plastic free with face moisturizer bars from Lush.

Plastic Free Dish soap:

  1. DIY: I’ve been making my own using this simple recipe from Zero Waste Chef . Its super easy to make, you only need water and 2-3 ingredients, which are easy to find and affordable. Occasionally the soap thickens up, so I just shake the bottle before each use.

Going plastic free with easy DIY dish soap

Going plastic free with easy DIY dish soap

Plastic Free Deodorant:

  1. DIY: Another easy to make recipe I found through the Instagram page of Sustainability Saturday. You only need 4 easy to find and affordable ingredients for this one. After you finish your current deodorant, clean out the container and pour your newly made DIY recipe in, allow to solidify in the fridge for an hr, and apply as usual.

Plastic Free Sunscreen:

  1. Avasol: Another of Josh’s recommendations, you can find it here: http://avasol.com/


These are just a few of the items I have found alternatives for, but there are many more out there. I would love to hear about the products you’ve tried and what you hated or loved about them, so leave a comment below!