RILEY J ROAMS

So many toiletries are disposable such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, and hair products. But they don’t have to be. The hardest part about switching over to less wasteful products is, in fact, switching over. Once I started using less wasteful products I never had to think about buying the disposable version again. Not only is switching over to non-plastic alternatives sustainable, but it saves you money in the long run too!

1. Buy a Safety Razor

Changing over to a safety razor was one of the best purchases I have ever made. Disposable razors are so wasteful and aren’t very efficient either. I bought a Van Der Hagen safety razor for $20 and I only have to change the razor blade two to three times a year. The razor blades usually cost around $5 for a pack of them, so I can typically go years without running out of blades. The blades are very sharp on the first use, so be careful when shaving with a new blade. The biggest downside of using a safety razor is that I cannot bring the razor blade in my carry on luggage when traveling.

2. Make Your Own Toothpaste

Toothpaste containers can take over 500 years to decompose, and around 400 million toothpaste containers are thrown away annually in the United States. Making your own toothpaste is so simple and only takes a few ingredients. All you need is:

¾ cup of baking soda

1 tablespoon of salt

~15 drops of peppermint essential oil

A splash of water

Mix the baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Add the peppermint oil and gradually add in a little water until the desired consistency is reached.

You will also need a reusable container to put your toothpaste in. A mason jar got pretty rusty when I tried to use it, but Tupperware worked pretty well. The container that has worked the best for me has been a small glass container from a cannabis dispensary.

3. Purchase products with Recyclable or Minimal Packaging

One of my favorite stores to buy skincare and hair products is Lush due to their recyclable packaging. They allow you to bring their containers back into their store and get a $1 off your purchase for each container you bring.

I also love buying shampoo and soap bars because there is so much less plastic packaging. The bars at Lush are wrapped in a wax paper.

4. Use a Bamboo Toothbrush or a Toothbrush Made From Recycled Materials

Toothbrushes made of plastic can take around 500 years to decompose, but bamboo toothbrushes tend to take three to six months. I like to buy mine in bulk online, so I always have extras when the bristles start to break down after a few months.

I also recently bought a Suri Electric toothbrush which is made completely from recycled, plant-based materials, and I love it.

5. Install a Bidet on your Toilet

Having a bidet has been life-changing. I use so much less toilet paper now, and it always makes me feel so clean. I bought a NEO bidet for $40 a few years ago, and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. It’s so easy to install, and I think everyone should have one.

6. Use Period Underwear

If you’re someone who has a period, I think period underwear is the way to go! I haven’t bought pads or tampons in years, and I can just throw them in the washing machine when my period is over to clean them. Unfortunately they are a bit pricey, but then you don’t have to spend money on any feminine products if you buy enough to get you through the week. Some period underwear has been known to have harmful PFAs in them. I use Knix and I love them – especially the boyshorts.

7. Wear bi-weekly contacts instead of dailys

If you’re someone who wears daily contacts, switch to bi-weekly so you are only opening new contacts twice a month or so. If you have glasses, try to wear your glasses a little more often so you don’t go through your contacts as quickly.

There’s so many swaps you can make to be a little more sustainable and reduce plastic waste. These are just a few of my favorites for the bathroom. Making these swaps are long-term so you don’t have to keep re-buying disposable products every few months. If you’re able, it’s always nice to be sustainable by buying better products so you aren’t wasting money on something disposable that will just end up in the garbage.