This post explains the principles of a sustainable personal care routine and has a list of easy sustainable swaps!
Taking care of yourself should feel simple, nourishing, and supportive of your wellbeing. But modern personal care routines often become the opposite. Endless product launches, complicated skincare steps, and plastic-heavy packaging can turn something that should feel grounding into something overwhelming.
Building a sustainable personal care routine is not about perfection or replacing everything overnight. It’s about simplifying where possible, choosing better materials and ingredients, and being more mindful about what you bring into your daily routine.
Over time, small changes can make a big difference for both the planet and your own wellbeing.
7 Essential Sustainable Personal Care Principles
There are plenty of sustainable personal care product swaps you can make, some of which I will suggest later in this post, but really it all boils down to a few key principles. Because a sustainable routine isn’t really about swapping out all your products with “eco” branded versions. It’s about taking a more mindful approach to your habits and purchasing choices.
1. Keep your beauty routine simple
One of the most sustainable things you can do is reduce the number of products you use.
Personal care marketing constantly pushes the idea that we need dozens of products to look and feel our best. But always keep in mind that any influencer or beauty brand trying to convince you of the benefits of a ten-step skincare or hair routine, is just trying to sell you stuff. You don’t need a cabinet full of products, or that latest viral cream, or that influencer-branded haircare routine.
Overconsumption does not only lead to excessive waste, but can also do more damage than good as you risk suffocating your skin or hair with layers of chemicals and product.
I used to be guilty of this too. At one point my skincare routine was about eight products and I was still breaking out and having greasy skin. But then I started seeing through the marketing fluff and trimmed my routine to just a gentle cleanser, a serum, a moisturiser, and SPF, and my skin has never been better. The same principle applies to haircare, body care, and makeup; you rarely need more than 3-4 products. Fewer products usually mean less irritation, less waste, and a routine that is easier to stick to. Let your body do its job naturally!
2. Use what you already have first
When you start reading up about the harmful impacts of plastic products or synthetic ingredients, it can be tempting to replace everything at once. But the most sustainable personal care product is the one you already own.
Finish the products you currently have before switching to more eco-friendly alternatives. This avoids unnecessary waste and also gives you time to do more research to mindfully replace or phase out your products as they run out.
3. Prioritise reusable products
One of the best principles to apply for more sustainable living is finding reusable alternatives for your most common single-use products, and there are a lot of these with personal care products.
Reusable items can last years, resulting in less waste, less resources, and fewer new purchases. I’ll give some specific examples later in this post.
4. Reduce plastic where you can
Focus on avoiding plastic products as much as possible. The main ways to do this with personal care products is to find either reusable products or biodegradable products.
When looking for plastic-free reusable products, look for materials like glass, stainless steel, aluminium, bamboo, or wood. And biodegradable products often use a zero-waste design with any packaging being made from paper, bamboo, or another explicitly compostable material.
Refillable packaging and solid products are especially helpful for reducing plastic waste, as well as buying certain products in a bulk size.
5. Choose gentle, natural ingredients where possible
Most personal care products on the market are full of complex and synthetic ingredients. These types of ingredients are not just made with fossil fuels and chemicals that harm the environment, but they are also not beneficial for your skin in the long term.
Look for products that use gentle, naturally derived ingredients and avoid synthetic chemicals where possible. You may have already heard of avoiding sulphates like SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate), silicones, and parabens. I find these generally a good place to start as they are the most common synthetic ingredients in beauty products.
While “natural” ingredients are not always perfect or well-defined, it is often a good starting point when trying to reduce exposure to overly synthetic formulations. Look for organic certified products or 100% (or at least mostly) natural products, and really pay attention to the ingredients list and the brand’s explanation.
6. Research the sustainability efforts of the brand
For skincare and makeup in particular, it is important to look carefully into the sustainability efforts of the brand you are buying from. What is their ethos, their main positioning, their transparency around sustainability? Try to look through buzz-words like eco-friendly or circular if they can’t back it up with concrete information.
Look for
- clear ingredient lists with mostly natural ingredients
- information on sourcing and production
- sustainability certifications, especially around their ingredients
- plastic-free and zero-waste packaging
- refill systems
7. Do what works for you
You do not need to change everything overnight. Make one swap at a time, and only do what really works for you. Not every zero-waste product or habit works for you and that’s okay, as long as you make a step in the right direction and are able to maintain a more sustainable personal care routine that actually works.
For example, I do use reusable cotton pads most of the time but I still buy few disposable ones for removing stubborn eye makeup. But as a result, I buy disposable cotton pads about 4 times less often than I used to.
13 Best Sustainable Swaps for Your Personal Care Routine
Once you start looking at your routine, you will likely notice plenty of opportunities for small improvements. Here are some of the easiest swaps to begin with.
1. Reusable cotton pads and face cloths
Disposable cotton pads and make-up wipes create a lot of waste over time, since they are often used least once a day. Make-up wipes especially are usually made from synthetic fibres and coated in harsh chemicals for makeup-up removal. An easy alternative is to get a set of reusable cotton rounds made from cotton or bamboo, and cotton face cloths.
These can be washed and reused hundreds of times, and work just as well for removing makeup, applying toner, or cleansing your skin. And especially compared to synthetic makeup-wipes, a simple cotton cloth with natural make-up remover or face wash is much healthier for your skin.
And like I said before, you can always keep some disposable cotton pads on hand if you’re afraid reusable pads won’t work as well for removing makeup. As long as you’re making little swaps in your daily habits that reduce part of your single-use waste, you are making progress.
2. Plastic-free cotton buds
Cotton buds are one of the most commonly found plastic items in ocean pollution. Fortunately, plastic-free versions are becoming more common. Look for biodegradable cotton buds made from paper, bamboo, or wood instead of plastic.
Just remember that even when something is biodegradable, you still don’t want it to end up in the environment as they can still harm wildlife before they eventually biodegrade. When possible, put used cotton buds in your food bin or at-home compost.
3. Refillable or solid deodorant
It’s pretty well-known by now that spray deodorants release harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, are made with synthetic ingredients, and create unnecessary packaging waste. Fortunately there are some great alternatives on the market now, like solid and cream deodorants.
When it comes to solid versions, pay attention to the packaging. The best options are either in completely biodegradable packaging or use a refill system. Other than the packaging, solid and cream deodorants also usually use more natural and gentle ingredients which are still effective and better for your body too.
Having personally tried several types, my favourite is refillable deodorants. I get mine from Fussy, but there are many other brands available!
4. Refillable or solid soaps, shampoos, and conditioners
Liquid soap, shampoo, and conditioners are another product that causes a lot of packaging waste. To reduce this, you can go for either refillable versions or solid soap bars
Refillable soaps and shampoos often come in biodegradable refill pouches, bulk size packaging, or if you are lucky a local store might have refill stations where you bring your own reusable bottle. There’s also brands like Upcircle that make concentrated soap and shampoo creams which reduces the size of the packaging, and they provide them in glass jars.
An even better option is solid soap, shampoo and conditioner bars. These can take time to get used to, but they almost completely eliminate packaging and last much longer since they are more concentrated without the liquid. As a bonus, they are also amazing for travelling since they don’t count towards liquid allowances when flying.
5. Plastic-free toothcare
Pretty much all toothcare products, like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental floss, are normally made with plastic and create a lot of waste. Fortunately, it is pretty easy to swap to plastic-free versions.
You can find plenty of plastic-free toothbrushes, usually these have a wooden or bamboo handle. Pay attention to the bristles: some still have nylon bristles, but to go completely plastic-free you need to look for plant-based bristles.
For more sustainable toothpaste, try toothpaste tablets. I have been using them for years and they work just as well as regular toothpaste, prevent a lot of waste, come in glass jars, and are super practical for travelling. If tablets is not your thing, you can also find toothpaste sold in glass jars instead of plastic tubes.
Most dental floss is often made from plastic and packaged in plastic containers. Look instead for compostable floss made from natural materials such as silk or plant fibres, often packaged in small refillable glass or metal containers.
6. Bamboo hair brush and combs
Hair brushes are another item that is usually made from plastic, which releases microplastics that damage both the environment and your body.
Bamboo hair brushes are an amazing swap from plastic brushes. Not only are they way more sustainable but I also find them easier to clean, they brush better, and they are great for stimulating your scalp to promote hair growth.
7. Natural shower loofah
Plastic shower loofahs shed microplastics and wear out quickly. Did you know that loofahs are actually named after a real plant? A natural loofah has the same exfoliation properties without the harm caused by plastics. They take less resources to make, are biodegradable, more durable, and don’t release microplastics.
Similarly, there are also sisal scrubbers (another plant), or simple cotton based loofahs.
8. Multipurpose products like castile soap
Multipurpose products are incredibly helpful for reducing the number of items you need. Many products branded for a specific purpose are just intended to make you buy more, but really, soap is just soap.
Castile soap is an amazing type of multipurpose soap. It is natural and can be used for body wash, facial cleansing, make-up removal, hand soap, shaving, and even household cleaning when diluted. I buy these in bulk from Dr Bronner and use it for all of the above.
9. Sustainable skincare
Skincare and routines are highly personal, so there is no single “correct” approach. But apart from reducing the amount of products you buy, the best skincare swaps you can make are products with natural ingredients.
I know it’s easy to get tempted by the highly scientific products with acids and harsh but effective ingredients, but ultimately these do more harm than good. Go for gentle, natural and organic products over ones with synthetic and harsh formulas. Both the environment and your skin will benefit from it.
In terms of sustainability, packaging is not as important as natural ingredients but still important to reduce pollution. To be honest, I struggle to find skincare products in refillable or biodegradable packaging, so I usually get ones in glass containers which are easy to reuse and recycle.
To make it easier for yourself, look at sites like Big Green Smile or Ethical Superstore, who have already done the research for your and stock only sustainable brands.
10. Sustainable make-up
Makeup is ultimately about personal expression, so, just like with skincare, how much you use is entirely up to you. But many people find that lighter routines feel more comfortable and allow their natural features to shine through. Embracing your natural beauty makes your routine and purchasing habits a lot less complicated, saves a lot of money, protects your skin, and reduces waste.
It’s a bit harder to find make-up with natural ingredients. One of the few I have found is Zao Make-up, who uses 100% natural formulas and refillable, bamboo packaging. But do some research and you will likely find a natural make-up brand in your location that suits your needs.
11. Sustainable haircare
For sustainable haircare, again, focus on using fewer products, gentle and natural ingredients, and minimal and plastic-free packaging.
When it comes to ingredients, avoid harsh synthetic ingredients like SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate), silicones, and parabens. These strip way to much oil from your hair and then overcompensate by coating it in artificial chemicals. But a gentle shampoo followed by light moisturisation and a little bit of leave-in give much healthier long-term results.
Both refillable options and solid versions of shampoos and conditioners are common now, and most of them are made with natural ingredients too, so there is no reason to not try out sustainable haircare products!
There are many good sustainable shampoo and conditional brands, but one I especially love is Green People, especially for their leave-in and styling products!
12. Keep bottles for reuse
Not every product you need will come in biodegradable, refillable, or even plastic-free packaging, and that’s okay. But remember that you can still prevent waste by keeping some of those empty bottles and reusing them for other purposes. Smaller bottles are perfect for travelling (instead of buying a travel bottle set) and some of the prettier bottles can be used for DIY projects.
13. Buy certain products in bulk
If there is no plastic-free or biodegradable option available for a type of product you like, buying in bulk is a great option.
For example, I am not a fan of solid hand soap, so I buy 5L bottles of soap from Miniml and use it to refill my glass soap bottles. Miniml takes the 5L bottles back, but even without that, you are saving a lot of plastic with a bulk package size vs individual plastic bottles.
Creating a sustainable personal care routine does not have to be complicated.
Start by using what you already own, simplify where possible, and gradually swap products as they run out. Over time you will naturally build a routine that produces less waste, uses better ingredients, and feels more aligned with your values.
Sustainability is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about making thoughtful choices, one small step at a time.
