Having turned thirty earlier this year, I’ve found myself a bit obsessed, er preoccupied, with the number thirty. In addition to the 30 goals I set for myself before the big birthday, reducing my waste has been one of the most important things I’ve worked on this year. So, in honor of 30, I thought I’d share 30 (mostly) easy ways to reduce your waste and stop creating so much garbage that is actually expensive, unnecessary, and bad for the planet.
Because 30 changes is A LOT to make at once, and reducing waste can already seem pretty hopeless, I’ve split these 30 things into 5 different categories, making one potentially crazy long post a more manageable series. This is Part 4: Low(er) Waste Personal Care.
Find Part 1: Ways to Create Less Waste with your Skincare Routine HERE, Part 2: Ways to Waste Less and Still Go Out to Eat HERE, and Part 3: Ways to Create Less Waste in Your Kitchen HERE.
Links on this page may be affiliate links (I receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you click on the link and make a purchase). I only recommend products I’ve used and love.
A quick disclaimer about the following low-waste personal care swaps:
I will be the first to admit that none of the changes I’ve recommended in any of my posts thus far are easy. It’s hard to remember to bring your own straw everywhere at first, and it’s hard to turn down packaged convenience foods when you are really hungry and don’t have other options. Even so, I’d guess that many people would find the suggestions in this post to be the most challenging. We are dealing with low-waste personal care swaps, and frankly, this is a well, *personal* topic.
I was incredibly hesitant to write this post because I grew up never ever ever talking about overtly personal topics. I’m pretty sure I thought “period” was a dirty word for the better part of two decades. It’s okay, I know better now. And so I’m going to share these low-waste personal care swaps because we should stop stigmatizing women’s bodies and save the planet and all that jazz. 🙂
If you have read this far and are cringing, I suggest you find a different post of mine to read, because this one might contain a lot of what some people might consider “hippie bullshit”. I own this title proudly. Let’s jump in:
1. Menstrual cups are the real heroes.
Yeah, I thought I’d just get it out there. I think when these first came onto the market a lot of women were beyond skeptical. However, they are serious money savers and, of course, planet savers. Tampons can take CENTURIES to breakdown in landfills, and according to Stanford Magazine: “In the United States alone, approximately 12 billion pads and 7 billion tampons are discarded each year.”
A menstrual cup will save you money. Each can last for up to ten years if cared for properly. I’m so obsessed with mine (but so uncomfortable with bringing it up in conversation) that I’ve written an entire post about all the reasons I love mine.
2. “Thinx” about what’s in your tampons.
If you aren’t already convinced to ditch your toxin-filled tampons, maybe this will help. If you aren’t ready to try a cup, but you want some better (i.e. safer for you and the planet) alternatives, give Thinx a try. Washable period underwear might make you think of diapers, but Thinx come in fun colors and are actually quite stylish. They are also super comfortable, easy to care for, and all around awesome.
Also, as a company they are awesome about sharing coupon codes. Here’s my link; if you use it you’ll get $10 off your first purchase and I’ll get $10 for sharing with you. A win-win-win if you consider how much waste we are keeping out of landfills!
3. Cloth pads are also cool.
Let’s just stay on theme here with yet another alternative to traditional, disposal pads and tampons. There are a whole bunch of brands making reusable pads. These are another great choice over the plastic and bleached cotton pads sold in supermarkets. Not only are these better for sensitive skin, they once again are way better for your wallet and the planet. I will say that these are not my first choice just because I don’t think they feel quite as secure as the two above choices. I do have a set from Amazon that I’m very happy using as backups though, and would recommend them. They are affordable, cute, and they have held up super well to wash and reuse throughout the year or so that I’ve had them.
This is the brand I like, though not the exact set I have. You can choose the pattern and size you prefer to personalize it a bit, which is fun.
4. Is your deodorant poisoning you and ending up in landfills?
Deodorant is another source of dangerous toxins, and the containers it comes in? Usually nothing but plastic. I’ve experimented with quite a few different natural deodorants and have found a favorite through all my trial and error. Note: Lush has a few package-free deodorants that I have tried and would “sort-of” recommend. I have very sensitive skin and found that these are just a little too drying for my skin.
My deodorant winner is any scent from Meow Meow Tweet. I adore their skin and bodycare products, and everything is in recyclable or compostable packaging. I’ve tried their deodorant in a glass jar (you apply using your fingertips) and loved it. You get used to the application really quickly, and it kept my underarms soft and non-stinky. Currently I have the grapefruit scent in the compostable cardboard tube and I’m liking it equally well as the jar version.
Bonus: Meow Meow Tweet just started selling in Target, so you can pick it up at the same time as your groceries, new clothing items, and the fifteen random items from the dollar spot that you decided you need. 🙂
5. Smile without sacrificing the planet.
A low-waste personal care swap that every human can try is switching out your oral care. Bamboo toothbrushes are all over the market right now. I personally haven’t tried one, but I have been using a Norwex toothbrush for over a year. These come with brush head replacements so you don’t have to throw out the base of your brush each time you’re ready to switch. I’m happy with this system, so I won’t be trying something new because that in itself would be creating more unnecessary waste at this point.
I also like silk floss in glass jars from my go-to Package Free shop. While I don’t always floss like I should (seriously, who does? I want your tips…), when I do floss I use this. The replacements come in small bags and it’s easy to switch out in the jar. The floss is also compostable and biodegradable.
**Notice that low-waste toothpaste is noticeably absent from this section. While I’ve tried both tooth powder and tooth tabs in recyclable containers from Lush, I haven’t loved either one. They both came in fruity flavors and I’m too used to the mintyness of standard toothpaste to feel like my mouth is clean without it. I’m dabbling with the idea of making my own toothpaste, so if I go that route, I’ll update this section.
If you have a low-waste toothpaste that you love that also really works, please let me know in the comments! I feel like this is one of the harder swaps.
6. Get a bidet toilet seat and get ready to feel superior.
I joked that I was going to install a bidet in our bathroom for months. And then for my husband’s birthday this year, I actually did it. Mostly, I wanted to make “happy b-day/bidet” jokes, but I was also super curious about them. I got a bidet seat attachment from Tushy that was really easy to install. Their marketing campaigns are hilarious, and I really love having a bidet seat, I can’t lie. Outside of the U.S., lots of countries use bidets or some similar variation and it’s totally normal, so I’m not sure why people here are so weird about having a cleaner behind. 🙂 If you’re ready to make a ton of bidet jokes, enjoy $5 off your purchase from Tushy using this link.
Tushy also sells bum towels specifically for the purpose of using less toilet paper. I know what you’re thinking…toilet paper is literally meant to be flushed; that’s what it’s made for. While you’re right, the process of making toilet paper is actually pretty bad for the environment as it involves a lot of water and energy use and a slew of chemicals. Because I’m not to the point of being comfortable with just the towels yet, I am looking into “better” brands of toilet paper. Basically you want to look for something that is free of dyes, scents, and made in a more environmentally-friendly manner. Tushy also has bamboo toilet paper, which I have just ordered. I’ll report back on how we like it.
And there you have a few low-waste personal care swaps. Hopefully these will help you to create less waste in your personal care routine. I swear, not only will these swaps make the planet happy, they will make your body happy as well.
The Grand Finale, Part 5, is coming up next and will feature ways to waste less while you’re shopping for food and beverages. Stay tuned!
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