This post was sponsored by Eco & Earth. The opinions are my own.
If you’ve been following me for any amount of time you know that I’m passionate about the environment and have been making changes over the last several years to live more sustainably. We’ve made the usual swaps (reusable grocery bags, more efficient light bulbs, faucets, and appliances at home, bringing our own water bottles, coffee mugs, and straws when we travel, etc.), have been incorporating more plant-based foods and meals into our diets, and choose organic products when we have the option. But this year we decided to kick our efforts up a notch and made a New Year’s resolution to make new sustainable swaps every month. While we haven’t gone completely plastic-free (this darn pandemic has made things difficult in that area), we have been switching some of the things we use to zero-waste products. For the entire year I’ve been testing different zero-waste swaps from my go-to online eco boutique, Eco & Earth. Today I’m sharing my reviews of several plastic-free swaps that I love so much that I won’t go back to the plastic alternatives. If you’re looking for ways to reduce plastic use, these are all easy, attainable eco-friendly swaps that I personally recommend.
As I said, I have been using Eco & Earth products for a long time (some of these products for over a year now). I’m a fan not only for the quality of the products I’ve been using, but also because Eco & Earth’s prices are really reasonable, which makes their sustainable swaps achievable for the average person. Doing the right thing for the environment shouldn’t have to be expensive! Eco & Earth also carries unique, ethically-sourced organic products that you won’t find at other eco-friendly online retailers, and gives back percentages of their profits to support causes like 1% for the Planet, Organic Seed Alliance, Wild Oceans, and One Tree Planted. Learn more and browse their store at ecoandearth.com.
Here are my favorite zero-waste products and sustainable swaps from Eco & Earth organized into a few categories: shopping, hair & shower, skin & beauty, and fashion. Eco & Earth carries so many eco-friendly and organic products, so I definitely recommend that you check out their online store to see even more sustainable products that might be a fit for your lifestyle.
Zero-Waste Swaps for Shopping
Low-Waste Lifestyle jute reusable shopping tote. This durable reusable shopping tote is both eco-friendly and stylish. I love the fun checklist on the back for “livin’ that low-waste lifestyle,” and the size is just right.
Sakwabag plastic-free reusable produce bags. I now refuse to use plastic bags for my produce when grocery shopping thanks to these reusable organic cotton mesh bags. You can buy them in sets of three and take them to the grocery store or farmer’s market to buy your fruits and vegetables without unnecessary single-use plastic.
Zero-Waste Products for Hair & Shower
Zero-waste shampoo bars. Switching to plastic bottle-less shampoo and conditioner bars has been a long-time goal of mine. It is definitely different when you’ve been using bottles of liquid shampoo your entire life, but it has been worth the learning curve. Eco & Earth carries a HUGE variety for different hair types (dry, oily, or normal), hair colors (I’ve been using one for dark hair, but they also have color-enhancing shampoo bars for redheads, brunettes, and blondes), and scents depending on what natural fragrances you like. I’ve found that the learning curve for using shampoo bars is easier than the conditioners since they lather up like soap and can be worked through your hair easily. We’ve even gotten my husband and kids onboard with shampoo bars in the last few weeks. Our plan is to use up any shampoo we have in bottles currently, then recycle the bottles and stay with zero-waste shampoo bars going forward. This will be really easy to do since the prices are so reasonable at Eco & Earth, and shampoo bars last a long time.
Plastic-free conditioner bars. Making an eco-friendly swap to zero-waste solid conditioner bars comes with more of a learning curve than shampoo bars. Once you get the hang of rubbing the bar through your hair and working up a lather (less of a lather than you’d get with a shampoo bar), you let it sit on your hair for a few minutes before rinsing (just like traditional conditioner). Eco & Earth also carries several varieties of solid conditioner for different hair types and natural scents. Since I straighten my hair I’ve been using the solid conditioner for heat damaged hair. I sometimes follow it with a conditioning vinegar rinse (don’t worry, it doesn’t smell like vinegar).
Skin & Beauty Sustainable Swaps
Solid night cream. Moving to a solid night cream bar (swapping from bottled, chemically-laden night serums) is a newer zero-waste swap for me. I’ve only used it for about a week and I have loved it so far. Just rub the bar onto your face and the heat from your skin melts enough of it for your application. I wake up with my skin soft, moisturized, and glowing. I have somewhat sensitive skin and tend to break out from some products, but haven’t experienced that with this baume de nuit from Eco & Earth.
Dual-action jade roller. I use Eco & Earth’s jade roller to work in the night balm and boost my skin elasticity and firmness. It’s also really cooling and calming, and adds a little bit of a self-care feel to my nightly skincare routine. If pink is your color, Eco & Earth also sells a really pretty rose quartz roller.
Reef-safe sunscreen and after sun balm from OntkOrganix. I started using Eco & Earth’s reef-safe sunscreen over a year ago during a girl’s getaway to Puerto Vallarta. They carry it in a few different size options (for everyday use and a travel size) in both SPF 30 and SPF 15, along with a soothing after-sun balm. Since many sea turtles lay their eggs in Puerto Vallarta it was important to me to use non-toxic sun protection on that trip, and it worked so well that I haven’t used anything else since.
Body butter bar. I wanted to wait until my plastic bottle of lotion ran out before I swapped to a solid body bar to use instead of bottled lotion (being sustainable also means not being wasteful; before making zero-waste swaps always use up whatever products you’ve got first, then be sure to recycle the plastic bottles). I’ve been using this solid citrus body butter bar in place of lotion for about a week and have been really happy. Like the solid night cream, you just rub the bar on your skin and your skin’s natural warmth melts the bar. You get just the right amount of moisture, and in my experience it lasts at least a full day on my legs and doesn’t leave any oily residue. I’m very happy with this eco-friendly swap.
SHIMIROSE Coconut Shea Butter. When I need serious moisture, I reach for this shea butter. I’ve been using it for a few months. Not only has it literally healed cracks in my hands from all the hand-washing, it helps clear up and relieve my eczema when it flairs up. My sons have been using it when they get dry patches on their skin, too, and they love it. In addition to how well it works, one of the things I love about shea butter is how it’s highly moisturizing, but not at all oily. It just absorbs right into my skin, and a little bit goes a long way.
Maggie Anne Beauty vegan, cruelty-free, non-toxic nail polish. I haven’t been to the nail salon since early March due to the pandemic, so I’ve had to take my nail care into my own hands. I’ve been really pleased with these non-toxic gel-effect nail polishes from Eco & Earth. They have a huge line of different beautiful colors plus a high-gloss clear top coat. The polishes are “gel-effect,” meaning they are ultra-shiny, apply smoothly, and the color is long-lasting (but without the chemicals and UV rays). Even with all my cooking (and the dish scrubbing that goes along with it) I’ve been able to go over a week without a single chip. In addition to being non-toxic, they are cruelty-free and vegan nail polishes.
Sustainable Fashion
‘Sustainability is Sexy’ organic cotton women’s graphic tee. Not only is this tee adorable, it’s super soft organic cotton sustainably made in the US. The blue color is so pretty in person.
Unisex bamboo and organic cotton infinity scarf. Light and versatile, great for layering for protection from wind or cold, but light enough for winters in places like Texas, too. It is super soft, and available in many different colors. Eco & Earth also carries several soft and sustainable tees and tops in this same fabric.
What eco-friendly swaps have you made? I’m always looking to learn more ways to reduce plastic use and live more sustainably, so please share your ideas in the comments, and don’t forget to check out ecoandearth.com.
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