Ever feel like your bathroom is made up of 90% bulky plastic bottles that take up every inch of counter space? Yeah, we know the feeling.
It's hard to avoid when so many conventional products for the bathroom come in plastic. In the U.S. alone, 550 million shampoo bottles are thrown away each year — that's enough to fill 1,164 football fields.
To make matters worse, that figure doesn't even include conditioner, body wash, or face wash bottles. And given that only 5% of plastic in the U.S. gets recycled, that's a disturbing amount of forever containers in our landfills and dumps.
But not to worry: a sustainable bathroom routine is accessible thanks to a range of awesome eco-friendly brands. Not only are their products packaged in recyclable or compostable materials, but they're also more compact, a vast improvement on many of your conventional toiletries that are filled with up to 80% water … not to mention sulfates, synthetic fragrances, and more unnecessary chemicals.
Now, here are a few of our favorite eco-friendly shampoos, lotions, and more for a super-sustainable lineup of toiletries, TCD tested and approved.
The Cool Down may receive a commission on purchases made through links on this page at no cost to you. Price and availability are subject to change. Learn more about our Product Mission here.
HiBAR Shampoo and Conditioner Bar Set
Why It's Cool
HiBAR is the perfect bar shampoo for all hair types, from oily to thin to curly. The shampoo and conditioners are paraben and plastic free!
$20
Pangea Organics Body Lotion
Why It's Cool
Pangea has a laundry list of sustainable attributes like organic, vegan ingredients, and plastic-free aluminum packaging, but to be honest, the thing that makes this product so addictive is its amazing smell.
$42
Fat and the Moon All Cream
Why It's Cool
This full-body, all-purpose cream hydrates and softens skin with a clean and all-natural formula. It's so fresh and preservative-free, it actually has an expiration date. And it comes in a recyclable glass container — no plastic here!
$20
Meow Meow Tweet Face Cleanser
Why It's Cool
This all-natural juniper and bergamot face cleanser is great for oily or breakout-prone skin without the harshness. It comes in a recyclable aluminum container and the plastic pump can be sent back to the company for Terracycling. They make a cleansing oil for dry skin too.
$25
Nash and Jones Plant Clay Face Mask
Why It's Cool
This French green clay mask made by a small, family-owned company just needs a little water to become a must-have for your self-care day. Unclog your pores, whether you have dry skin, oily skin, or anything in between. Ships in 100% recycled packaging.
$18
Meow Meow Tweet Deodorant Stick
Why It's Cool
We love this herbal, gender-neutral smell as our go-to natural deodorant. Despite its all-natural ingredients, this is a workhorse that gets the job done — and comes in minimal packaging you can compost once you're done with it.
$14
Leaf Shave Soap
Why It's Cool
Leaf started with plastic-free safety razors and has expanded its range to include other all-natural shaving staples. Its simple plastic-free bar shaving soap will cushion your shave and give your razor a smooth ride.
$9
Soap Distillery Beer + Cigarettes Intensive Hand Balm
Why It's Cool
Wondering if this is a trick? Nope! It's a fresh scent for the folks in your life who don't want a floral hand balm. Aside from unique scents, Soap Distillery offers plastic, phthalate, nitro musk, artificial detergent, silicone, preservative, and palm oil-free products (whew!) made in the USA.
$15
Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.