Eco toiletries, man, they’ve been my jam ever since I decided to ditch plastic on this wild road trip from Chicago to LA a couple months back. I’m chilling in my tiny Seattle apartment now – yeah, just moved here, rain and all – staring at this bamboo toothbrush that’s got coffee stains because, oops, I’m a slob sometimes. That trip? Total chaos. Spilled shampoo bar suds all over my jeans in a Nebraska rest stop bathroom, smelled like lavender for days. Kinda dope, but also mortifying when I rolled into a gas station and people were sniffing the air like, what’s that smell? These eco toiletries aren’t perfect – some melted in my car’s heat – but I’m hooked on this plastic-free life now.
I snagged my first eco toiletries at this quirky indie shop in the Midwest, all creaky floors and that earthy scent that hits you like a warm blanket. Thought I was a genius, swapping plastic bottles for bars and tabs. Spoiler: I wasn’t. Dropped my deodorant stick in a muddy puddle outside a Utah diner, and it just… fizzed a bit but kept on trucking. Honestly, felt like a tiny miracle.
Why Eco Toiletries Are My New Obsession
Look, I’m just a dude bouncing around the US – currently crashing in Seattle with my judgy cat – and eco toiletries feel like my small stab at fighting the plastic apocalypse. I used to hoard those mini hotel shampoo bottles, feeling guilty but too lazy to change. Then I stumbled on this Sierra Club article last summer that hit me hard – all that bathroom plastic choking the oceans? Nope, I’m done. Switched to eco toiletries fast, but my skin threw a tantrum with this natural soap bar. Itchy, dry, like what even? Took a week to chill out, and now I’m all in. Weird, right? Loving something that annoyed me at first.
Eco toiletries like bamboo toothbrushes and refillable floss are legit for travel. No more shampoo explosions in my bag. But real talk? I bought a cheapo bamboo razor that splintered. Ouch. Lesson learned: spend a bit more for the good stuff.
My Fave Eco Toiletries After a Ton of Trial and Error
Alright, let’s dish on the eco toiletries that survived my road trip. First, shampoo bars – I’m obsessed with Ethique’s stuff, check ‘em out. Lathers great, no plastic guilt. Used one the whole two weeks, even after leaving it in a sketchy motel shower in Arizona. Smelled amazing, but yeah, it attracted a bug or two. Nature, yo.
Then there’s toothpaste tabs. Tried Lush’s here, and at first, I was like, am I chewing minty gravel? But zero waste, and my teeth feel cleaner. I miss the foam sometimes, feels less “real,” but it works just as good.
- Bamboo razors: Got Preserve’s here. Shaved in a gas station mirror – super glamorous – and no cuts. Win.
- Reusable cotton pads: Snagged some from this Etsy shop. Washed ‘em in hotel sinks, felt thrifty but gross when they took forever to dry.
- Natural deodorant: Native’s plastic-free one here. Held up on a sweaty Colorado hike, but melted a bit in crazy heat. Oops.
These eco toiletrie aren’t flawless. My deodorant smeared on my shirt once, leaving epic pit stains – mortifying. But they’re real, and I’m sticking with ‘em.
Random Hacks I Stumbled Into with Eco Toiletries
Eco toiletries taught me some wild tricks. Like, using a shampoo bar as body wash? Saved so much space in my backpack. But in Kansas – flat as heck – my conditioner bar ran out, and my hair turned into a frizzy disaster. Grabbed coconut oil at a truck stop, worked okay but smelled like I was a walking cocktail.
Also, menstrual cups for anyone who needs ‘em – tried a DivaCup here. Total game-changer for plastic-free periods on the road. Nearly dropped it in a public restroom, heart-stopping moment, but worth it for the freedom.
Eco Toiletries Fails I Totally Fell For
Real talk: eco toiletries aren’t all sunshine. I overpacked bars thinking they’d be light, but my bag was heavy as hell. And finding them in rural spots? Good luck. Had to order online mid-trip via Amazon’s eco section, which felt like cheating but whatever.
Also, tried a baking soda deodorant hack – disaster. Rash city. Had to learn to patch-test the hard way. Goes against my “dive in” vibe, but I’m only human.
Wrapping Up My Eco Toiletries Rant
So yeah, eco toiletries turned my plastic-free journey from a total dumpster fire to something kinda dope. Sitting here with rain smacking my window and sipping gross instant coffee, I’m feeling okay about it. Screwed up plenty, but it’s worth it.
