Hygiene! It’s a very important part of life. Wondering how to do it in a more sustainable way? I’m here to help.
As a quick note, all of the following products linked, to the best of my knowledge, are cruelty free and vegan. Save the animals! Of course, you should always do your own research and make the decisions that are best for you and your lifestyle. Additionally, I’m not a professional; I’m just a college student, so feel free to ask your doctor or do additional research about how switching to natural alternatives may affect you. Now let’s jump right in.
Toothpaste – An obvious option is to make your own toothpaste. But if that’s not for you and you’d rather buy toothpaste at the store something to look out for is staying away from harsh chemicals. Not only do those chemicals go into your mouth but they also end up down the drain and into water systems.
The toothpaste I personally use and love is Jason’s Powersmile Powerful Peppermint Toothpaste. If you look at the ingredients their almost identical to toothpaste you would make yourself. Jason Natural claims to be all natural and free of harsh chemicals. It’s also fluoride free if you’re not a fan of fluoride in your toothpaste. They also have a good amount of different flavors to choose from and toothpastes that target specific concerns like enamel defense.
Deodorant – Ok this is a difficult one. Once again you can always make your own deodorant. There are also a ton of options at the store. Keep in mind, however, that when switching to a natural deodorant it might take some time for your body to… adjust. During this time you might sweat a bit more, smell a bit more, or have to reapply when you didn’t before. Once you get over that hump though you should be good to go!
Some things to look for in a deodorant are no harsh ingredients and no aluminum. Some deodorants may contain sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) which is great at deodorizing but some people may experience irritation.
Trust me, I have tried so many natural, cruelty free deodorants that just didn’t work for me. Because of this I’m not going to suggest a specific deodorant only because what works for me may not work for you. You have to find what works best for your body personally. I know it can be frustrating but you will find one.
Shower Supplies – A fun way to make your shower time more sustainable is to use products with no or little packaging. Lush is an amazing brand to look into for this. I personally love Lush as they’re really into ethical buying, handmade products and their 100% vegetarian with tons of vegan options. They tend to have a lot of campaigns that focus on human and animal rights as well as environmental issues. They currently have their Naked campaign which focuses on no packing on their products.
Some awesome examples of this that I’ve personally tried and loved are their shampoo and conditioner bars. They have tons of options to choose from that target all types of hair problems or aspirations. You can buy little tins for these to go in and keep them right in your shower or, in my case, your shower caddy. Just take out the bar, lather up, and rub it on your head.
Another awesome option is this shower scrub bar. Not only does it have no packaging but it also doesn’t contain any harmful micro plastics that contaminate waterways. There is another tin that you can buy to safely store this product. (You can also make your own shower scrub from spent coffee grounds!)
While some of their stuff is on the more expensive side, I find that there’s always at least one option that even I, as a broke college student, can afford. I honestly use Lush for a lot of my shower needs so I highly recommend them as a company or at least looking into some of their past environmental campaigns like saving sharks killed for shark fin soup.
Facewash – Once again, facewash is a very personal thing depending on what issues you may be looking to address. Because of this I’m not going to make any specific recommendations, however, here are some things to look out for.
Stay away from anything that contains microbeads, instead go for a natural exfoliate such as almonds. An easy way to look for micro plastics is to check the ingredients for polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), or polypropylene (PP). You’ll want to stay away from products that contain these ingredients. Just one 5 ounce bottle of cleanser can contain more than 300,000 microbeads.
Once again, stay away from harsh chemicals and stick to more natural ingredients to help with skin issues like acne. Remember that whatever you put on your face will get washed down the drain.
Konjac sponge – A konjac sponge is made of konjac root. It is a very gentle exfoliator which you use very similarly to a face brush. Apply your facewash, wet the konjac sponge so it gets soft and spongey and then rub in circular motions.
Konjac sponges are also often infused with some other ingredient to target a specific skin problem. For example, charcoal is sometimes infused to target oily or acne prone skin.
Konjac sponges should be replaced every month or so but because they’re made of konjac root they’re biodegradable which is a lot better for the environment than replacing a brush head that runs on electricity every 3 months. I usually get mine in a 2 pack from TJMaxx for a few dollars but there are also tons of options on Amazon where you can get 3 or more in a pack for less than $10.
And there you have it everyone. Those are my tips for finding sustainable and natural alternatives to your hygiene products. Let me know if you have any hygiene products that you love and think I should try out!
Written by Patricia Van Valkenburgh, Class of 2019