My sustainability journey all started with seeing firsthand the negative impact that fast fashion had on our environment. Since I had become so familiar with the industry and felt so passionate about fashion in general, it was easy for me to make a change and stop shopping fast fashion. I knew exactly what to avoid and how my choices mattered. After all, fashion was what I knew best.

However, when it came to making other areas of my life more sustainable, I struggled. I felt (and still sometimes feel) pretty overwhelmed about just how much I needed to change in order to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. But every time I change a habit or tweak a routine or swap something out for a greener alternative, I feel that much better about my efforts! Those little fixes really add up.

One of my resolutions back in 2019 was to transform my beauty and self-care routines. I switched out five products for plastic-free, eco-friendly alternatives. And it really made a difference for me! The product switches have been totally painless and 1 year later, I feel so much better knowing that something as simple as washing my face or brushing my teeth doesn’t have to harm the planet. If you’re not sure where to start in upgrading your personal care routine, try starting with one of the below!

An Easy & Sustainable Beauty Routine

1. Bar Shampoo
   Make the switch from liquid shampoo that comes in big plastic packaging to bar shampoo. Since bar shampoos are solid, they don’t come in plastic bottles. Plus, they can last as long as two to three bottles of your favorite shampoo, and most bar shampoos use natural ingredients instead of harsh chemicals that end up damaging your hair in the long run. It’s a win-win!

Lush has a lot of great, affordable options of shampoo bars in different scents. I also love these all natural shampoo bars from Silver Falls Sustainability Co and my recent favorite is Made with Mission available at Wholefoods. Not only does it smell great and leave my hair soft and shiny, but they have a 3 in 1 that is good for your hair, body and shaving! A true win for my minimalist routine.

2. Bamboo Toothbrush

News flash -- the large majority of toothbrushes are made of plastic that isn’t biodegradable. Nearly 50 million pounds of toothbrushes end up in US landfills each year! So I recommend switching to a compostable bamboo toothbrush. For me, it was such an easy switch! It took a little getting used to, but now I don’t even notice. I’ve tried both Brush with Bamboo and Humble Brush and I love both.

3. Nontoxic, Plastic-Free Deodorant
   Conventional deodorants are full of potentially hazardous chemicals and packaged in plenty of needless plastic. We can do better! I was a little skeptical of switching to a natural deodorant since I wasn’t sure if it would work as well as the products I was used to. But Love Momma Bell works great for me!

4. Bar Lotion

I have pretty dry skin, so lotion has always been a really important part of my regular skincare routine. I was really excited when I discovered Silver Falls Sustainable Co.’s lotion bar -- its citrus scent smells amazing and it leaves my skin feeling so smooth! And it’s totally plastic-free.

5. Makeup

Conventional makeup tends to use tons of toxic chemicals and all kinds of plastic packaging. Elate Beauty is nontoxic, vegan, and cruelty-free, with sustainable packaging. Antonym Cosmetics is another of my favorite beauty brands, with natural and organic makeup and bamboo compacts. I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but whenever I do, they help me look and feel my prettiest!

Small changes can add up in a big way. Every time you choose a plastic-free, eco-friendly alternative, you do your part in taking care of the environment and making the world a better, safer place to live in for everyone. And I totally appreciate you for it!

Like I said, upgrading my personal care routine is still an ongoing process… so I’d love to hear your suggestions! Do you have a favorite product you think I should try out? Let me know in the comments!