In case you weren’t already aware, beauty has a big plastic problem. And while you hopefully recycle regularly and have given up disposable plastic grocery bags for a cute Baggu, you would probably be shook at how much plastic has quietly infiltrated almost every product in our beauty routines. (I would know, because I was.)
Last month, I challenged myself to swap my entire beauty routine — hair, skin, makeup – for packaging- and plastic-free products. And mind you, as an oily-skinned, extremely acne-prone beauty writer, I tend to cling to my routine like it’s a life raft in the middle of a tidal wave. Sure, my job involves testing new stuff all the time, but a total top-to-bottom overhaul? I prepared for my skin to be very unhappy, to put it mildly.
That said, if we know that plastic is no bueno, why aren’t more people weeding it out of their routine? Well, if you’re like me, there’s an emotional attachment to the products we put on our skin every day, and changing things up can be scary in a small-scale way. "There are hygienic and regulatory reasons for packaging in the personal care and beauty space, [but] I also know many of us look at package-free beauty products the same way some look at shopping for food from the bulk bins," Ashlee Piper, sustainability expert and author of Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet tells Refinery29. "There’s a concern that naked products are going to be germy or somehow not the same if they’re not swaddled in billions of layers of plastic."
Luckily, there are more products than ever to get your plastic-free fix, and as Piper says, it can actually be a fun process. "Nearly any product you love has a more eco-compatible dupe that you’ll equally love," Piper says. "When you’re ready to get that replacement, enjoy the hunt: There’s a lot of adventure and fun to be had in researching, smelling, and sampling new products." Click through to see what I used, plus other options for a variety of skin and hair types.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Skin
Joanna Vargas Ritual Bar
I like to use a gentle cleanser in the morning, and facialist Joanna Vargas’ green tea, caffeine, and olive fruit oil-infused bar soap definitely fit the bill and didn’t leave my skin feeling tight or dry after rinsing clean.
Joanna Vargas Ritual Bar, $22, available at Revolve
Skin
Beautycounter Charcoal Cleansing Bar
At night, my skin craves a deep, thorough cleanse of all dirt, residual makeup, and excess oil. Beautycounter’s charcoal bar did all that and more, leaving my face feeling balanced and clean.
Beautycounter Charcoal Cleansing Bar, $26, available at Beautycounter
Skin
Drunk Elephant Juju Bar
I occasionally use a fine-grain face scrub to exfoliate once or twice a week, and Drunk Elephant’s gritty Juju Bar is the perfect plastic-free answer to jars or tubes of product.
Drunk Elephant JuJu Bar, $28, available at Sephora
Skin
LOLI Beauty Aloe Blueberry Jelly
This watery gel is made with food-grade ingredients, and is the perfect daytime summer hydrator. (Plus, you can repurpose the glass jar to hold everything from trail mix to multivitamins.
Loli Beauty Aloe Blueberry Jelly, $28, available at Madewell
Skin
Lush Light Touch Naked Facial Oil
I’ll admit, the idea of a solid moisturizer sounded like a breakout waiting to happen. However, Lush’s witch hazel- and blue spirulina-laced face oil bar not only quenched my skin, it helped calm and soothe any redness.
Lush Light Touch, $12.95, available at Lush
Skin
Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers
Remember what I said about having oily skin? That means I’m somewhat of a blotting sheet connoisseur. Tatcha’s oil-absorbing papers are not only fancy AF (they’ve got tiny flecks of gold leaf), but don’t disturb your makeup — a total MVP.
Tatcha Original Aburatorigami Blotting Sheets, $12, available at Violet Grey
Skin
Dr. Bronner’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
In addition to being a great ingredient in the kitchen, coconut oil can be used as a body lotion or makeup cleansing balm.
Dr. Bronner’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, $19.79, available at Thrive Market
Hair
Ethique Heali Kiwi Solid Shampoo Bar
Ethique makes everything from shampoo to body lotion in solid form, with nothing priced over $20. However, I have a soft spot for their Heali Kiwi bar, made with kiwifruit, coconut, calendula, and manuka oil, plus oats and neem oil to address a flaky scalp.
Ethique Beauty Eco-Friendly Heali Kiwi Shampoo Bar, $16, available at Target.com
Hair
Ethique The Guardian Conditioner Bar
I’ve got short, fine hair, so a heavy conditioner can sometimes do more harm than good. Ethique’s solid conditioner (pro tip: which I also used on my legs before shaving) hydrated my strands without weighing ’em down.
Ethique Beauty The Guardian Conditioner Bar, $18, available at Target.com
Hair
Love Beauty and Planet Murumuru Shampoo Bar
If you have dry or coarse hair, a hydrating shampoo bar is for you. Love Beauty and Planet’s rose-scented option is wildly affordable and is gentle enough for color-treated strands, too.
Love Beauty and Planet Muru Muru Shampoo Bar, $4.99, available at Target.com
Hair
Meow Meow Tweet Lavender Hemp Conditioner Bar
Looking for more moisture? Meow Meow Tweet’s adorably- and sustainably-packaged conditioner bar contains omega-rich hemp seed oil and lavender for an all-around sensorial experience.
Meow Meow Tweet Lavender Hemp Conditioner Bar, $16, available at Meow Meow Tweet
Body
Burt’s Bees Nourishing Bar Soap with Honey & Shea
Want an easy way to dip your toes into the world of plastic-free products? Swap your shower gel for a bar soap that doesn’t leave a footprint once you’ve used it all up.
Burt’s Bees Nourishing Bar Soap with Honey & Shea, $4.97, available at Walmart
Body
Fresh Seaberry Exfoliating Soap
I have keratosis pilaris, so I regularly use a body scrub to help keep my upper arms smooth and bump-free. Fresh’s exfoliating soap contains morsels of cranberry, bamboo, and orange to gently buff away dead skin while sea buckthorn oil keeps you feeling hydrated.
Fresh Seaberry Exfoliating Soap, $17, available at Sephora
Body
Meow Meow Tweet Grapefruit Citrus Baking Soda Free Deodorant Stick
Natural deodorants are great if you’re looking for a safer alternative to aluminum, and Meow Meow Tweet’s baking soda-free option is a formidable opponent against B.O., and comes in a biodegradable paper tube.
Meow Meow Tweet Grapefruit Citrus Baking Soda Free Deodorant Stick, $14, available at Follain
Makeup
RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up
This hydrating foundation-concealer hybrid offers sheer, radiant coverage, and is encased in glass and metal packaging that can be re- or up-cycled.
RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up, $36, available at Credo
Makeup
RMS Beauty Contour Bronze
This subtly shimmery bronzer can be used to enhance cheekbones, or applied as an eco-friendly smoky eyeshadow.
RMS Beauty Contour Bronze, $28, available at Credo
Makeup
RMS Beauty Living Luminizer
This fan-favorite highlighter imparts the juiciest, healthiest glow on skin, aided in part by ultra-hydrating ingredients like coconut and castor seed oil.
RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, $38, available at Credo
Makeup
Kjaer Weis Cream Blush
This chic cream blush plays double-duty as a lip tint, and features refillable metal packaging that can be replaced with single pans of product.
Kjaer Weis Cream Blush, $56, available at Credo
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
The 8 Best Anti-Frizz Shampoos To Outsmart Humidity This Summer
Baby Ariel Uses Eye Cream Somewhere You’d Never Expect
The "Lipstick-Shaped Nail" Is About To Blow Up On Instagram
Source: Refinery29 – Karina Hoshikawa