The following is a list of products that I recommend you switch to in order to decrease your trash production, limit your chemical usage, and increase your overall happiness with your bathroom routine.
AIR FRESHENER - Hydrosols are wonderful air fresheners! You can mix essential oils and a small bit of vodka in distilled water to make an easy bathroom scent!
BODY SCRUB - Homemade sugar scrubs like this simple recipe. Add a little vanilla and it smells amazing!
BIRTH CONTROL (WOMEN) - IUD's are said to be the most eco-friendly form of birth control without a huge risk of pregnancy. The Vaginal Ring is also a good option. Here are two articles to read on choosing an eco-friendly birth control: Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Birth Control and How to Green Your Birth Control.
BIRTH CONTROL (MEN) - Latex condoms are inherently biodegradable and therefore, the variance in certain brands is very minor. I currently do not include birth control or STD protection products in my waste jar because I believe these should be used even with the waste they produce. You do have a few options however: Lamb Skin condoms will biodegrade faster than latex ones but will not protect against STDs. French Letter and Sir Richard's Condom Company use fair-trade latex. Sustain Condoms are now the first certified fair-trade condoms on the market!. And companies like Hero Condoms donate one for each you buy to support efforts against AIDS!
CHAPSTICK/LIP GLOSS - Juniper Seed Mercantile on Etsy provides chap sticks and lip glosses in cardboard containers (100% recyclable or compostable!). You can also make your own with my recipe!
CONDITIONER - Conditioner bars work okay or check your local health foods store for refillable conditioner containers. You can also use coconut oil or skip the conditioner all-together!
COTTON BALLS - Although 100% cotton balls are compostable, a better alternative is to invest in reusable facial rounds for your bathroom. Simply use and wash!
FLOSS - In regards to floss, it is possible to purchase floss made out of silk which is biodegradable but not vegan. Eco-Dent Gentle Floss is vegan and comes in cardboard packaging. You can also look at investing in a WaterPik. You can also use TerraCycle and send in your plastic floss containers (see my post on TerraCycle's dental recycling program!).
HAIR TIES - You can now find plastic free hair ties! Kooshoo makes hair ties out of natural ingredients that do not contain plastic. Their hair ties hold my hair back well and also look cute as a bracelet on my wrist!
LOOFAH - I love the Ayata Washcloth 100% Natural Agave Fiber because its compostable and great for scrubbing your skin. You can also find loofahs made from cucumber "shells" or grow your own.
LOTION - Coconut oil or Jojoba oil are great moisturizers for your body! Facial lotions may need to be made from different kinds of oil such as Olive Oil or Argan oil which are rated lower on a non-comedogenic scale.
MAKE-UP - See the section on make-up for specific recommendations!
MENSTRUATION - The DivaCup (and similar brands) are the go-to replacement for tampons. I recommend you do a little research on which brand is right for you depending on your period flow, activity level, and whether you have kids. THINX panties and Luna Panties and Pads are a wonderful replacement for panty-liners as well!
MOUTH WASH - You can make your own mouth wash with distilled water, baking soda, tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and stevia. There are also many recipes available online!
PERFUME - Essential oil blends are wonderful to use as perfume. Just mix and match until you find one that smells right!
Q-TIPS: In general, cleaning your ears is not the safest or healthiest practice as is leads to an increased production of wax and can damage the inner ear tissue. But if you can't live without q-tips, consider a LastSwap reusable one or make sure to buy ones that are 100% cotton and can be composted afterwards.
SHAMPOO - J.R. Liggett's Shampoo Bars are my favorite and use only certified sustainable palm oil unlike many brands. Ethique also work great and are quite economical. You can check your local health foods store for refillable shampoo containers as well.
SHAVER - Try a Safety Razor with recyclable blades. Read more about shaving with a safety razor!
SHAVING CREAM - Any castille soap will work fine! Many health food stores carry them in paper packaging.
SOAP - Look for locally-handmade bars of soap that come unpackaged or in cardboard.
TOILET PAPER - Seventh Generation 100% Unbleached Recycled Bath Tissue is a good option. You can also look at investing in "family cloth" or purchasing a bidet such as the one I bought!
TONER - You can make a great toner with just 1 part apple cider vinegar and 2-4 parts water. But make sure to read my post here before trying!
TOOTHBRUSH - Biodegradable toothbrushes such as Got Wood from Urban Outfitters or the Environmental Toothbrush sourced from Australia. I have not yet found a 100% compostable toothbrush as the bristles are made from nylon (which can be recycled in some areas). Preserve toothbrushes are made from recycled yogurt cups and can be mailed back in to be recycled into more toothbrushes!
TOOTHPASTE - Try out my DIY Toothpaste recipe!
TOOTH WHITENER - Uncle Harry's Natural Products Tooth Whitener or go without!
This is just a sample of the many switches you can make in your bathroom. Not every brand is covered here that I might recommend but it will get you started. Please contact me if you are looking for a specific recommendation or try looking for it in the search bar!