Similar to shampoo, while body wash itself is not harmful to the environment the plastic bottle it usually comes in sure does a number on the planet.
How is bottled body wash bad for the environment?
Body wash itself isn't the problem, it's those pesky plastic bottles.
They're a bit more than pesky though, the facts are quite grim.
- 9 billion ton of plastic is in the world today. 75% of that is waste in landfills, landscapes, the ocean and waterways.
- 448 million tons of plastic is consumed globally every year. Less than 10% ever sees the inside of a recycling bin.
- 238 million people in the United States use body wash in disposable bottles.
- 4 billion disposable body wash bottles used every year. That number based on an average of 6 bottles of body wash per year, not including shampoo or conditioner bottles.
- The production of liquid body wash requires a fair bit of water which makes it a more resource-intensive product.
The best way to cut down on plastic waste making its way into landfills, and our oceans, is to eliminate the plastic completely. Soap bars remove the bottle from the equation while still giving you a nice sudsy wash.
What are the most common bottled body wash alternatives?
Fortunately you can still get clean while nixing the plastic from your morning shower. Here are the most common alternatives to plastic bottled body wash:
- Bar soap
- Solid shower gel/jellies
- DIY body wash
The best eco-friendly body wash alternatives
1) Grove co hydrating soap bar
Price: $5.99
Materials: Made from coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil, sodium hydroxide, wheat bran, safe oil, and fragrances.
Brand ethics: Grove Co is committed to sourcing sustainable products and produces their soap with 100% organic and deforestation-free palm oil.
One of many excellent soaps by Grove Co. An all-natural moisturizing bar soap that washes away germs and hydrates skin, leaving skin clean, soft, and silky.
2) Stirling Soap soap bars
Price: $5.00
Materials: Made from beef tallow, sustainable palm oil, and fragrances.
Brand ethics: Stirling Soap is a small company based in Arkansas that is committed to bringing high-quality soaps to market that do not hurt the planet. All of their soaps are made with natural ingredients, sustainable palm oils. Where possible their labels are made of post consumer waste content, and their plastic wraps for the soaps are made of biodegradable plastic.
Browse dozens of unique scents from Stirling's line of body soaps. Made from all-natural ingredients these soaps give you a rich, luxurious lather that leaves you feeling clean, and ready for the day.
3) Bare Natural Soap Co Soap bars
Price: $5.95
Materials: Made from organic bamboo, unbleached cotton waffle, cotton thread
Brand ethics: Bare Natural Soap Co. Features All-Natural, Vegan handcrafted, unique soaps, skincare products & candles made in small batches & made with materials found in nature like plant-based oils, botanicals, organic oats, almond and coconut milk.
This Soap bar is one of many by Bare Natural Soap. Made with raw shea butter, organic olive oil, organic coconut oil, organic tulsi & rose tea, lye, and a blend of Orange, Lemon, Lavandin, Rosemary, Geranium, + Galbanum Essential Oils, topped with a blend of home grown wild flowers, calendula, chamomile, lavender, rose petals, tulsi leaves, lemongrass & sea salt.
4) Alpine provisions aluminum bottled body wash
Price: $19.00
Materials: Coconut oil, olive oil, sustainably sourced rosemary and mint oils.
Brand ethics: Not only does Alpine Provisions create natural, organic, and vegan products but they are committed to being 100% plastic free by packaging all of their soaps in aluminum.
Elevate your daily cleansing ritual to a refreshing Northwest adventure with this special blend of stimulating Rosemary and refreshing Peppermint essential oils. Alpine Provisions Castile Body Wash is made of a rich combination of organic Olive and Coconut oils, and can be used on both hair and skin. Combined with their sustainably-sourced essential oil aromatherapy blends, it’s an answer to the call of your skin’s desire to be bathed in untamed wilderness.
