These Zero-Waste Bath Products Make Self Care More Planet-Friendly

Sustainability is the latest buzz word in beauty and at the far end of the ethical spectrum are the waste-free. It's a feat that seems near impossible — admittedly — when every cream, serum, oil, and powder in sight is packaged in landfill-destined plastic. But don't be disheartened: Some of the easiest zero-waste swaps you can make are actually bath products.

According to Forbes, 80 billion (yep, that's a "b") of the plastic bottles that wind up in landfills every year are from shampoo and conditioner alone. Hence all the new emphasis on shampoo bars and refillable bottles and recyclable packaging and compostable packaging, even. The staggering statistics have people at least Googling the term "zero waste" (at more than double the rate it was being Googled in 2017, Vox reported last year). So, how does the internet define this influencer-favorite movement anyway?

At its core, zero-waste living means not sending anything to the landfill. In general, products that claim to be waste-free are not packaged, or packaged in refillable, reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging. Recycling, however, is a last resort.

Beauty brands on the front lines of this undertaking include Lush, who long ago made the package-less (i.e. naked) bath product mainstream, and The Body Shop, a pioneer in refilling and in-store recycling.

But there are infinite brands on board with this mission, now marketing planet-friendly shampoo and conditioner bars, soaps, scrubs, face masks, and soaks. Sound like the ideal bath experience to you? Six zero-waste products to keep tub-side, ahead.

We only include products that have been independently selected by The Zoe Report's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.