Our bathrooms are full of visible plastics, from toothpaste tubes and floss containers, to shampoo bottles and lip gloss tubes. Plus the synthetic ingredients we can’t readily see. The good news is that nowadays there are lots of comparable swaps that are plastic-free or at least unpackaged.
As part of Plastic Free July, we’ll learn about less obvious plastic-based ingredients in personal care products, a free tool than can help you spot them, plus a few examples of our favorite low-waste swaps.
One important note before we dive in, please don’t feel like you need to replace everything overnight. It’s OK to use up what you have on hand, armed with the knowledge to make a more informed decision on a move forward basis.
Hidden Plastic-Based Ingredients
Plastic comes in many forms in personal care. For example, you probably already know that exfoliating microbeads are plastic. But there are also less-obvious materials called “synthetic polymers” that can be solid, liquid, semi-liquid, or water-soluble, and they’re often listed under names most people can’t even pronounce. That’s not inherently a bad thing, but it can make identifying them as plastic a more confusing process.
Synthetic polymers are used in MANY ways. For instance, they can change the texture of a formula, like creating a “silky” feel. They can also stabilize other ingredients, create a foaming effect, or act as a binder for other ingredients. But we have to remember – nature simply does not recognize synthetic materials, nor does it have the ability to process them – so these materials (that are used in such staggering volumes across many industries besides personal care) accumulate and persist in our environment. In large part, they break down into tiny, even microscopic fragments (aka micro- or nano-plastics) and spread all over, into the air, into our food chain, and into our bodies.
These materials are so prevalent in our personal care products, that the Plastic Soup Foundation, an organization dedicated to reducing microplastics, performed a 2022 analysis of 7,704 products from 10 major beauty brands and found synthetic polymers in 87% of them. That’s almost 9 in 10 personal care products that have plastic-based ingredients in them.
Common Synthetic Polymers:
- PE (Polyethylene)
- Acrylates Copolymer
- PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
- PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate/Acrylic)
- PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
- Nylon, Styrene, & Ethylene
- PVAc (Polyvinyl Acetate)
- PEG (Polyethylene Glycol)
- PPG (Polypropylene Glycol)
- Carbomer (Polyacrylic Acid)
- Poloxamer
That’s undoubtedly a long list and a lot to remember. Which is why it’s so exciting that The Plastic Soup Foundation now offers a FREE app that lets you scan personal care products and it will tell you if they contain any snythetic polymers.
The study of synthetic polymers and microplastics, and their effects on the environment is still evolving, and avoiding all of these ingredients entirely is no small feat. But as Maya Angelou so aptly said (probably not in respect to the environment, but it still rings true), “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”
For more information, or to support the fight against plastic pollution, check out organizations like Beat the Microbead, The Plastic Soup Foundation, and The Plastic Pollution Coalition.
Our Favorite Low-Waste Personal Care Swaps
It can be tough to walk the line between offering alternatives and promoting products and consumption, so it’s important to us to continue to reiterate that the most sustainable place to start is by using what you already have. Refer back or come see us when it’s finally time for something new.
Washable Cotton Makeup Towel
This washable, reusable 100% cotton chenille makeup remover cloth is a great plastic-free alternative to microfiber cloths and single-use makeup wipes. It features a ribbed texture, a woven loop so you can hang it to dry between uses, and an open side so you can slide it on like a mitt if you wish. *Microfiber cloths are typically made from polyester (which is made using synthetic polymers!) and, unfortunately, shed tiny plastic fibers when using and washing/drying. Single-use makeup wipes are synthetic AND disposable, so replacing them with a reusable option will save you money and produce way less waste.
Bamboo Cotton Swabs
Cotton swabs are the ultimate cosmetic multi-tool, but conventional options found in big box stores often come in plastic packaging, have plastic stalks, and often the “cotton” is actually a synthetic material as well (ugh). These, however, come in a paperboard box, using sustainably-sourced bamboo for the sticks, and the soft ends are real organic cotton. The same tool, just… plastic-free.
Refillable Mascara + Sustainably-Packaged Lip Gloss
Cosmetics that come packaged in little glass vials and bamboo handles on the applicators are lower waste because the glass can be washed and recycled. The products themselves are cruelty free and synthetic polymer free. We even offer ‘refill’ vials for the mascara, so you can clean and reuse the spoolie again and again.
Glass Nail Files
Unlike foam emery boards, glass nail files are sturdy, waterproof, and infinitely reusable. They are hand painted by an independent artist in Arizona, and make perfect gifts. You’ll find these nail files work even better than the foam boards you may be used to, and can be used wet or dry to file in either direction, with no tears or rips in your nail.
Plastic-Free Deodorant
Lots of the other aluminum-free, natural deodorant brands are packaged in plastic applicators. Not these! We have a bunch of options to peruse, in paperboard applicators, glass jars, or even completely package free, and made with natural ingredients like coconut oil, baking soda, and shea butter.
Stainless Steel Reusable Razors
Disposable razors are built for the landfill, but these razors are built to last. We sell two options for double-edge safety razors, plus the Leaf 2, a revolutionary razor with a pivoting head that accommodates two-single edge blades, stacked like their disposable counterparts. Leaf Shave also makes a dermaplaner or eyebrow razor that’s equally as durable and luxurious. All razors are plastic-free, stainless steel, and designed for life, so you never need to buy a new razor again. Plus, the replacement blades are relatively inexpensive.
Plastic-Free Non-Toxic Toothpaste
This toothpaste is EWG verified, meaning it meets EWG’s strictest standards for health and safety. It comes in a 100% recyclable aluminum tube. A few of their formulas also include nanohydroxyapetite, a fluoride alternative mineral that NASA uses to keep astronauts’ teeth sparkling clean up in space. We also carry plastic-free tooth tabs with the same active ingredient.
And that’s only the beginning. We also carry lower waste hairbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, lip balm, soap bars, and more.
Check out all of our Personal Care here.
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