Plastic-Free Toiletries: The Best Zero-Waste Products [That TSA Won’t Steal]

Look no further for plastic-free toiletries that feel like a treat to use – not an obligation to be more eco-friendly. These are the best of the best reusable, refillable, plastic-free and zero-waste toiletries – after years’ of product testing for my other sustainable product reviews.

What began as an attempt to get through airport security with my toiletry kit intact has evolved (after a three-year process of searching and testing) into a plastic-free toiletry upgrade for my entire home medicine cabinet.

So while this is what I call my “travel” toiletry list (it’ll definitely stop leaks in your luggage and problems with TSA), these plastic-free toiletry brands are what I use at home, too.

[Related: This guide is also one small part of my strategy on how to pack light – be sure to check out that post before your next trip, too!]

“Zero-waste” feels impossible – and it probably is. But after almost three years of testing and reviewing sustainable toiletries and other products, I’m amazed by how much unnecessary plastic I’ve been able to cut out of my daily toiletry routine. (Almost all of it.)

There’s no reason to stress ourselves out striving for perfection when we can make a difference starting with just doing better.

Why do I keep writing about going plastic-free? 

Mostly: Because plastic recycling doesn’t work. 

Plastic wasn’t designed to be recycled. And you know those little triangular recycling symbols with the numbers? They were actually invented by oil company marketers, not by recyclers. Essentially, they’re just greenwashing to make us believe there’s an environmentally responsible (and economically feasible) way to recycle plastics, when in reality there isn’t. 

Recycling plastic is a band-aid solution at best. The only real solution is to stop depending on recycling by buying less plastic.

That’s why I’ve been relentlessly, maybe even obsessively, testing plastic-free alternatives for everyday toiletries.

(Yes, I actually use everything on this list.)

All the toiletries here are refillable, and/or designed to use minimal and more easily-recyclable packaging (paper, cardboard, aluminum or glass).

These brands meet other sustainability criteria, as well:

Many on this list are carbon-neutral, certified B Corps, members of 1% For The Planet, or all three! (That’s the starting point for me to try them. To get on the list, their products have to also work really well.)

Without further ado, here’s my list of the best sustainable, plastic-free toiletries, which also happen to be travel-friendly. (And I can offer unique discount codes for a lot of these brands! They’re noted throughout the article, or you can jump down to my list of discounts at the end.)

1. Plastic-Free Hand Sanitizer 

Let’s start with an easy one that everyone needs these days: A good, eco-friendly hand sanitizer that doesn’t stink, and doesn’t leave your hands sticky. Plus, my favorite from by Humankind is refillable.

by Humankind is a New York-based start-up that’s completely carbon-neutral, and makes lots of high-quality, refillable and plastic-free toiletries. I’ve tried almost everything they make, and I think this hand sanitizer is one of their best products.

The small, aluminum bottles come in three-packs with optional plastic pumps – meaning if you already have pumps at home from your last order, you can reuse them.

When you have enough travel-size bottles, just order the larger (8-ounce) refill bottles, which are also packaged in aluminum.

Hand Sanitizer Scents & Formula

I love this formula because I think it feels smooth and silky, not sticky or chemical-y. 

And it contains hyaluronic acid for hydration. So it doesn’t dry out your skin like other hand sanitizers. (It’s also an ingredient in some of my zero-waste skincare favorites, below.)

I really like both the Grapefruit and Eucalyptus scents. They’re pleasant and not too strong.

But if you’re using hand sanitizer constantly throughout the day, the unscented option is ideal. It truly doesn’t smell like anything. No alcohol fumes; no industrial cleanser after-smell. Just clean.

2. The Best Shampoo & Conditioner Bars 

After testing a lot of shampoo bar brands, I’ve settled on a favorite brand that I recommend to everyone – The Earthling Co., and a really good alternative – HiBAR.

I’ve used HiBAR off-and-on, for years. I think it’s a great option if you’re looking for shampoo and conditioner bars with formulas specific to your hair type. (They make five different formulas: Maintain, Volumize, Moisturize, Curl, and Soothe – a formula for sensitive scalps.)

But The Earthling Co. is the only brand I’ve found whose bars might be even better than HiBAR.

I say that because I have several friends who hated other shampoo bar brands (including HiBAR) but loved The Earthling Co. That’s just hard to argue with.

Earthling makes just one formula of moisturizing shampoo and conditioner bars that lather better than any other shampoo bar I’ve tried. (And come in lots of great scent, including fun seasonal scents, or unscented.)

(Personally, I alternate between the Earthling Co. shampoo bar and HiBAR’s Maintain shampoo.)

And Earthling’s conditioner is by far the best conditioner bar I’ve found.

And The Earthling Co. is a carbon-neutral company, a 1% For The Planet member, and ships entirely without plastic.

(Related: For details, read my full review comparing Earthling Co. and HiBAR zero-waste hair care.)

Save 15% on any order from The Earthling Co. with any link in this post. (No code required – the discount will apply automatically after you enter your email at checkout.)

Save 10% on HiBAR when you shop at Earth Hero with the discount code tiltedmap10 . (It works for any other products you order, too!)

Concentrated, Plastic-Free Shampoo (That’s Not in a Bar)

Yes, I’m a hard-core evangelist of the shampoo bars above, because they work wonderfully and they don’t require any plastic packaging – just a paperboard board for each bar.

But I get that bars aren’t for everyone. That’s why I tested another very nearly plastic-free option that turned out to be really lovely, and still totally travel-friendly.

Behold: The waterless shampoo, conditioner, and body wash from Everist. These are powerful, concentrated formulas that come in aluminum packing.

Each tube is 100mL, which means they’re perfectly fine to pack in your carry-on. And the beauty of being concentrated formulas is that, despite the small size, they still last at least a month (a claim I tested in my review).

The aluminum tubes are recyclable – and we’re a lot better at recycling aluminum than we are with plastic. The lids are plastic, which isn’t ideal, but, as I explained in my full review of Everist, at least the company accepts them for mail-in recycling. (They’re saving them up and planning to melt them down to make into hair accessories.)

You can save 10% on any Everist order with the code TILTEDMAP10 – even if it’s not your first order! So be sure to bookmark this, or save the code to reorder if you like the products.

[Related: Read more about Everist in my post about eco-friendly small companies – there’s also a map that you can add your own points to!]

3. All-in-One Hair + Body + Face Bar 

When I travel (or when I’m in a hurry at home), I use the Ultimate Body Bar, from California-based 100 Senses, as the company intended – for everything.

For me, it works wonderfully to replace not only shampoo, but also body wash and even face wash! I have sensitive skin that breaks out if I use the wrong face wash, but this doesn’t give me any problems. It also lathers easily and richly, and works great for shaving my legs.

They bill it as a conditioner-replacement, too – and I do often use it without conditioner. It works well enough, but if your hair really needs moisture, the Ultimate Body Bar alone might not be quite enough. (In that case, I’d recommend pairing it with an Earthling Co. conditioner bar.)  

Ultimate Body Bar Scents

I’ve been through several bars of the Citrus Neroli scent (which is fruity and bold and reminds me of this luxe perfume, which I absolutely love), and several bars of Wild Lavender, which smells luxurious and light. It’s not sweet, and not too herbal either – I’d call it a modern scent. They also offer Green Tea – the most subtle and, in my opinion, gender-neutral scent. I love them all! (And there’s an unscented bar, too.)

You can use this referral link for $15 off a non-subscription order of $50 or more from 100 Senses!

4. Plastic-Free Hair Ties (Natural Rubber)

Most hair ties are made of synthetic, petroleum-based rubber – so every time you lose one, it’s essentially like throwing a piece of plastic out the window.

But these hair ties from Terra Ties are made of organic cotton and natural rubber, which makes them biodegradable.

And they’ve become my favorites, not only because they’re eco-friendly, but also because they don’t cut off the blood flow when I keep them on my wrist!! They’re just a tiiiny bit larger than normal hair ties, and also a little thicker and softer.

So after years of putting my new hair ties around my fattest lotion bottles to stretch them out (am I the only one who does that?), Terra Ties have been a welcome discovery.

As with most products I’ve comparison-shopped, Earth Hero has the best price on Terra Ties, and you can use the discount code TILTEDMAP10 to save another 10%!

5. Plastic-Free Face Wash (Three Ways)

This was the hardest category for me to get started with, because… it’s my face.

I’ve had such trouble with persistent acne (moderate… but still annoying) and dry skin that I was reluctant to mess with my skin care routine. (Even though it wasn’t really working – I just didn’t want to make things worse.)

But again, after a lot of testing, I’ve found several options that work even better than anything I used to use in plastic packaging.

(Related: For details, read my full review of six plastic-free face wash brands.)

1. Refillable Powdered Face Wash

The “Lucid Enzyme Cleansing Powder” from the zero-waste skincare brand Dew Mighty has become not only my favorite way to take a plastic-free face wash on the road, but my absolute favorite face wash of any kind.

The process takes some getting used to – you pour a small amount powder out of the metal tube into your hand, then add a few drops of water to make a clay-based face wash paste.

But the results are amazing. I’ve never found a face wash that gives me an actual glow like this does, and it doesn’t strip or dry out my skin at all.

(Bonus: This cleanser doubles as a face mask. Just make a thicker paste and leave it on for up to 20 minutes. Since it’s full of niacinamide, spirulina and antioxidants, it’s a great zero-waste acne treatment booster.)

I follow the Lucid Cleanser up with Dew Mighty’s solid serum bar (another amazing little discovery – more about it below). And my skin looks and feels great with just two products. It’s truly the most travel-friendly skincare I’ve ever found, and ideal for packing light.

(Related: Read more about Dew Mighty here in my review of several plastic-free face wash brands.)

If you want to try Dew Mighty (which is one of my favorite brands on this list of favorite brands), you can save 10% with the code TILTEDMAP.

I know the powder face wash concept can be a little awkward (I prefer to use it at the sink, so I don’t risk getting water in the tube in the shower). So here are a few other great plastic-free options that I alternate between:

2. Refillable, Zero-waste Oil Cleansers

Activist Skincare is my new, overall favorite option for all kinds of plastic-free skincare. Like Dew Mighty, Activist is a small, woman-owned brand out of California that does absolutely everything right when it comes to sustainability.

Activist makes three formulas of oil-based face washes in very unique, totally refillable packaging. And their refills use less plastic than just the lid for “zero-waste” products that come in glass bottles!

I really like the Sea to Skin Cleansing Gel and the Botanical Cleansing Oil, which is the easiest to rinse off and the best for acne-prone skin.

You can save 20% on your Activist Skincare order with the discount code TILTEDMAP20

(Related: Want details? Here’s my full review of Activist.)

3. Eco-friendly Face Wash Bars

Even though they’re the easiest, most sustainable option, I was reluctant to try face wash bars. I assumed they would either be heavy, home-made formulas that would leave a residue and clog up my pores, or would dry out my skin, like regular bars of soap.

But I’ve since tried about a dozen different face wash bars from several brands, and luckily, I’ve found some that have proven me wrong. My favorite is from Earth Harbor, and there are more options in my sustainable face wash review.

Earth Harbor Face Wash Bars

Earth Harbor’s Coconut Charcoal Purifying Facial Soap really changed my attitude toward the “need” for a liquid face wash.

I find it more gentle than most of the other bars I’ve tried, but just as cleansing.

Be warned though – despite the name, this face wash bar doesn’t smell like coconut. It has more of a light herbal scent. (It must be called coconut because it’s formulated with coconut oil, like many facial soap bars are.)

(Earth Harbor also makes a balancing facial bar, which is designed to be even more gentle. It would be a good choice for normal or dry skin – especially if you’re not worried about acne or oil-control.)

For travel, there are two reasons this bar is ideal:

First, it’s so long-lasting (I’ve been using mine for months, and see many more months left in it). And second, it stays hard in the shower (instead of going mushy, like many bars).

That all makes it really easy to pack one away in my travel toiletry kit, and just forget about it.

Use the code EHTILTED for 20% off your first order from Earth Harbor!

11. Plastic-Free Dental Care

Just like deodorant tubes, toothpaste tubes can’t be recycled, except through this TerraCycle program. But most people don’t know about that (myself included, until last week) and it’s not exactly convenient to mail your recyclables around the country. So most of them go to landfills. 

And those indestructible little floss containers are too small to be sorted by recycling machines, so they can’t be recycled either. (And why build such a solid package anyway, if it’ll only be used for a couple of months??) Plus, normal floss is itself made of plastic!

Luckily I’ve found completely plastic-free options that I actually prefer to the drugstore brands:

Refillable Floss

After trying several brands, by Humankind makes my favorite refillable, plastic-free floss.

Their floss is smoother than other brands – including others that are waxed. It’s just a matter of preference, but for me by Humankind was the strong favorite.

When you order your floss refills (in peppermint or cardamom – my favorite), they come in simple, compostable and/or recyclable paper packaging.

I also love by Humankind’s sleek and functional refillable floss case (in the picture below).

Toothpaste Tablets (even for sensitive teeth!)

When I say I have sensitive teeth, this is what I mean: I can’t bite into ice cream without tears coming to my eyes. And I’ve had two oral surgeries attempting to fix it. So let’s just say my mouth is a good litmus test for whether something will cause sensitivity.

And most plastic-free toothpaste options don’t contain fluoride, which helps with sensitivity. But I decided to try the original Bite Toothpaste Bits when they added nHap – a fluoride alternative and sensitivity fighter – to some of their formulas. 

And it works! Bite has become one of my favorite plastic-free toiletry finds. The “bits” foam up just enough, and the flavor is minty, but not overpowering.

Because of the texture and taste, I actually prefer Bite tablets to toothpaste in a tube.

Use the code tiltedmap10 for 10% off at Bite! (Subscribing also saves you another 33%, and the subscriptions are easy to change or cancel, if needed.)

Plastic-free Mouthwash Tablets

Bite also makes fresh-tasting mint mouthwash tablets that I think are the best on the market.

You just pop one tablet in your mouth, chew it up (don’t swallow), and take a sip of water to swish. 

I was skeptical before trying them, but they work really well, and are perfect for packing light. (They come in a refillable glass jar to use at home, with a matchbook-sized tin for travel. It’s much more convenient than liquid, since you can carry the tablets around in your bag or even in your pocket with the tiny travel tin.)

And they have all the same good-for-your-teeth ingredients as Bite’s toothpaste. Just like for their toothpaste, refills come in compostable paper packets.

And don’t forget the discount code tiltedmap10 for 10% off at Bite.

12. Plastic-Free Lip Balm

Lots of brands make plastic-free lip balms that come in a cardboard tubes – and I’ve tried what feels like all of them.

My favorite so far is the plain, unscented Bare Lip Balm from River Organics, a small, North-Carolina-based beauty company. It’s a husband and wife team behind the brand, and everything they make is organic, vegan and plastic-free (including the minimal and recycled paper shipping materials, as you can see in the photo below).

From the very first swipe, their super moisturizing lip balm was creamier and smoother than just about any other lip balm I’ve used.

River Organics also makes tinted lip balms, lip stains and other make-up with an important difference from other brands: They use lab-made mica, instead of natural mica.

Normally that might sound like a bad thing, but mica mining is infamous for exploiting child labor, and mica is everywhere. We think of it as what gives shimmer to eyeshadow and lip color, but it’s in everything from toothpaste to mascara. (And it can be called “mica,” “potassium aluminum silicate,” or “CI 77019” on ingredient lists.)

Anther thing I love: They sell “imperfect” products at a discount (items with minor packaging defects). Much better than throwing them away!

You can save 15% on any River Organics products with the discount code TILTEDMAP15 .

Earth Hero also carries River Organics, along with other lip balms (most of which are also plastic-free and packaged in cardboard tubes). Of course, from Earth Hero, you can use the code tiltedmap10 for 10% off.

Another Alternative:

The Earthling Co. used to make a peppermint lip balm that was almost identical to Burt’s Bees’ classic balm, but with fewer ingredients (nothing but organic beeswax, organic coconut oil and peppermint essential oil).

But it’s currently out of stock, as they’re updating the formula to make it vegan. I’ll let you know here when I try the new formula!

Save 15% at The Earthling Co. with this link.

13. Body Moisturizer in Aluminum Packaging

For a hand and body moisturizer, I use the Castanha Hand Cream, which comes in an aluminum tube, from Natura Brasil. (Aluminum is always better than plastic for recyclability.)

I love how rich, thick and moisturizing this cream is. And the Castanha scent (Brazil nut, in Portuguese) is really warm and delicious, but not overpowering. (It’s a very gender-neutral scent, too.)

They make several other scents and varieties, including lighter ones, that also come in aluminum.

Only Mostly-Plastic-Free (But it’s progress)

Because of the cap, these creams aren’t 100% plastic-free. And many of Natura’s other products are packaged in plastic, so I skip those. I also wish Natura’s website would let you search for only products in aluminum packaging.

But mostly aluminum with just a bit of plastic is still a step in the right direction, and Natura Brasil still does a lot right as a sustainable company. They’re a B Corp, 100% vegan, and use Fair Trade ingredients responsibly sourced from the Amazon, for example.

 

14. Plastic-Free Deodorant 

Deodorant packaging often isn’t recyclable in curbside recycling programs, and the fact that it’s always such heavy, solid plastic drives me crazy.

Luckily, there are two ways to do deodorant without single-use plastics: A sturdy, refillable aluminum tube, or a compostable cardboard one.

1. The Best Refillable Deodorant

The best refillable deodorant I’ve found is from Bite. (Yes, the toothpaste tablet company above.)

At $16 for each refill tube, it’s not cheap. But formula lasts a really long time, smells great, and leaves less white residue than any other brand I’ve tried. (Pretty much zero residue. It’s really about as close to perfect as possible.)

How does it work? Your first order comes with an aluminum deodorant tube. (Which is refillable, and easy to eventually recycle if you change your mind.) Then refills come in cardboard tubes (which are home compostable or recyclable with your normal cardboard).

It’s the most sustainable deodorant refill system I’ve found, and it’s the only one that’s truly plastic-free.

Use the discount code tiltedmap10 for 10% off Bite’s deodorant, toothpaste and anything else.

[Related: My second choice is the refillable deodorant from by Humankind. See my review of Bite, PAPR and by Humankind deodorants for details.]

2. For long-term travel: Deodorant in cardboard packaging

Overall, Bite makes my favorite plastic-free deodorant. But for long-term travel, PAPR deodorant is a great alternative.

When you run out of deodorant on the road, you don’t have to keep carrying around your refillable container. (Although since Bite’s container is just aluminum, it’s easy to recycle in most of the world.)

Just like Bite, this brand is also vegan, cruelty-free, carbon-neutral and aluminum-free. And this deodorant also leaves very little white residue (although it’s not quite as good in this respect as Bite). And like Bite, it comes in natural, fresh scents that I actually like – not just tolerate, like most drugstore deodorants.

15. Reusable, Eco-friendly Period Products 

Admittedly, both of the products sound a little weird and dubious at first, but I give you my word that, at least for me, they work wonders.

Between period underwear and menstrual cups, I no longer buy anything disposable for my period.

Menstrual Cup or Disks

Honestly, it took a few periods of practice before I figured out how to position a menstrual cup comfortably. But it was worth it. Menstrual cups are reusable for years, with nothing to throw away or repurchase. And you only have to remove your cup every 12 hours for cleaning. Plus, I’m convinced that my cramps are less intense using a cup than they were with tampons.

The Lena Cup works for me. I’ve had it for five years, and don’t see a need to replace it anytime soon. But if I were shopping for a menstrual cup now, the first brand I’d look at would be Saalt. They’re a B-Corp, a plastic-neutral company, and manufacture their menstrual cups and disks in the US.

Every brand has a different size, shape and firmness.

This quiz is helpful to figure out which brand will fit you best. And Saalt has a quiz to help you figure out whether a cup or disk will be best for you.

Earth Hero also sells Saalt and a few other brands of menstrual cups, and you save 10% with the discount code tiltedmap10. 

If you want to try Lena Cup, you can use the discount code LENALOVE for $5 off. It works whether you order directly from Lena Cup, or on Amazon. 

Even Easier: Period Underwear

I was proud of myself for adapting to a menstrual cup instead of tampons, but honestly, period underwear are a much easier change and have become my go-to period product. 

Now that I use them, I would never go back to pads/tampons/pantyliners.

Thinx is the most famous brand, but by no means the only or most sustainable option. (Among other issues, they don’t ship plastic-free, while other brands do.)

After lots of comparison testing, I think the best brand, which also checks all the sustainability boxes, is Saalt. 

Saalt is a certified B Corp. They donate 2% of their revenue to projects to end period poverty around the world. And they’re certified plastic-neutral. (That means they remove more plastic pollution from the environment than the amount of plastic they use.) 

And their manufacturing ethics are top-notch: Their factory in Sri Lanka employs a 90% female workforce – all earning a living wage. They provide workplace education to seamstresses and school supplies to their children, and even have a platinum LEED certification.

One of the first things you’ll notice when you order from Saalt: Their packaging is entirely, 100% plastic-free – from the outer mailer (made of recycled cardboard and sealed with paper tape, so it’s 100% recyclable), to the inner packaging for each pair of underwear.

(Most brands, including Thinx, use plastic bags for both, but Saalt uses recycled and easily recyclable paperboard.) 

My favorite styles from Saalt:

• The Leak Proof Lace Hipster – a great pantyliner replacement, with extremely soft, comfortable, and beautiful lace. Made from recycled plastic bottles. 
• And the Leak Proof Comfort Bikini from their Modal line. It’s pretty much the softest, coziest underwear fabric I’ve ever tried. Made from sustainable beech wood.  

Other brands to try:

• Knix – I like their comfortable bras, loungewear, and fun prints (including new ones by Betsey Johnson). They also make both regular and period underwear.
• ModiBodi – an Australian brand that also makes lots of other intimates, including period underwear styles for teens and tweens, plastic-free reusable baby diapers, and men’s underwear styles for bladder incontinence.

You can save $15 on an order of $120 or more from Knix with the code TILTEDMAP

17. Travel-Friendly Laundry 

Finally, these aren’t exactly travel toiletries, but it’s relevant. If you’re planning to stay in Airbnbs (or similar but more interesting vacation rentals) or otherwise do your own laundry while traveling, these concentrated laundry strips are a must. (They’re what I use at home, as well as on the road.)

[Related: For details on both, check out my post about all the plastic-free laundry and cleaning products I tested!]

Questions? Ideas for other sustainable brands to check out? Drop them in the comments below, get in touch on Instagram, or email me!

More sustainable product reviews:

• SBTRCT solid skincare, from the UK
• Activist Skincare review (a rare, truly refillable skincare line)
• Sustainable Gift Ideas!
• Safety razor review and comparison (PLEASE read this one before spending money on safety razors!)
• Details on my favorite shampoo & conditioner bars (from Earthling Co.)
  • Lots of other shampoo & conditioner bars I’ve tested
• PAPR, by Humankind, and Bite deodorant review
• Review of Thinx and the best Thinx alternatives
• Several brands of toothpaste tablets (some great, some never-again)
• LastObject products: Q-tips, cotton pads & tissues – and tips on how to avoid greenwashing (AKA fake-sustainable companies)
• The best cleaning & laundry products, sans plastic
• Everything I learned in a master’s degree in sustainability!

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