Despite what you might think, living greener doesn’t have to cost a pretty penny. From personal care to items around the home and everything in between, there are countless products with eco-friendly ingredients and packaging, that are made with earth-conscious manufacturing processes. Here are some of my favorite recent finds.
HAIRCARE
Alodia Haircare
This Trichologist and Black-owned clean haircare brand specializes in products for textured hair. The products are packed with organic ingredients and all the packaging is made from 100 percent recyclable plastic or glass. I’ve been enjoying their Nourish & Hydrate Deep Conditioning Mask ($18), which is currently on pre-order, and their Curl Enhancing Butter Cream ($15.99).
Ecoslay
Another brand I’ve enjoyed for curl care is Ecoslay ($8-30). Their nourishing products feature a selection of natural ingredients and all products come in an eco-friendly pouch or otherwise sustainable packaging. Customers can send their empty packaging back through the Ecoslay Recycling Club for points toward future orders.
Something that is becoming increasingly common is that brands are removing water from their products. The reason is simple – water is heavy and requires bigger outer packaging. One category where we are seeing this is haircare. Three brands to check out are Viori, BRIXY, and Good Time, which also come in sustainable packaging.
Viori
I like Viori’s Travel Shampoo & Conditioner Bars, which are packaged in ornate paper boxes perfectly sized for travel. The combo sets are $39 and come with 4 different shampoo and conditioner bars in 4 scents. These mini bars can be used about 10x each.
BRIXY
BRIXY’s bars are available in shampoo, conditioner, and body wash formulas and have a gender-neutral vibe. They come in three scents, are vegan, Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free, and crafted from premium materials that are rainforest friendly. You can get a set of all three for under $30 on Amazon.
Good Time
Good Time, which is a sister brand to sustainable toilet paper company, Who Gives A Crap (one of my personal faves) uses natural, sustainably harvested ingredients in their bars to cleanse and nourish the hair and skin. They offer shampoo, conditioner, and body bars, which can be purchased separately or in bundles ($48). The long-lasting bars smell fantastic and the shipping is 100 percent carbon-neutral. Both brands donate half of their profits to clean water initiatives.
SKINCARE
There is a dizzying number of skincare brands playing in the eco-friendly space, which is great to see. Here are a few that really stood out in my research.
Green Forest Lady
This brand feels very homegrown, which is what is charming about it. The products are lovingly made with pure and simple ingredients like cold-pressed coconut oil and essential oils and they are packaged in glass jars with wooden tops. A nice intro to the brand is their Body Care Gift Set, which includes their Coco Cleanse facial cleansing balm, Whipped Berry Silk Moisturizer, and your choice of sugar scrub ($70, value $75).
Fig.1
These high-tech products, which are available at CVS, come in refillable, airtight glass bottles with recyclable packaging and discounted refills with high-performing biocompatible ingredients in their formulations. Some of my favorites include a Vitamin C 15% Treatment ($38, refill $33), and Retinol Night Cream No. 1 ($41.99).
Thrive Skincare
Thrive is known for their award-winning, gender-neutral, best-selling SPFs on Amazon ($24.95), but they also have other efficacious products, like their Vitality Revive Eye Stick and Vitality Spot-On Balancing Serum, which are packed with super plants. Thrive uses a regenerative farming process, which not only leads to high-quality, proprietary ingredients, but this process helps to support their Costa Rican farming partners and their land. The packaging is also eco-friendly.
Glowoasis
This clean, vegan, cruelty-free skincare brand has an array of products with responsibly and sustainably sourced packaging. Their natural ingredients contain probiotics that help to foster and maintain a healthy microbiome. The brand will not use over 2100 ingredients that they deem to be potentially harmful. I enjoyed trying their new Probiotics + Moringa Oil Makeupmelt Cleansing Balm ($38), which leaves the skin feeling cleansed, but also nourished.
BODYCARE
Healthy skin products are not only for the face! In addition to the body bars from Brixy and Good Time that I mentioned above, here are a few other brands I’d recommend for the body.
Ingreendients
This hair and body care line is comprised entirely of plants and the formulas are made in the US with a minimum carbon footprint. The products are certified biodegradable and reef friendly and the brand bans over 1,400 ingredients. Their gender-neutral packaging is made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastics and is fully recyclable. A nice intro to the brand is their Daily Shampoo, Conditioner + Bodywash Bundle ($49.50 on Amazon).
Gntl
This brand currently carries one multi-functional product; the pH balanced Skin Wash ($38), which is designed for men, women, and children. It can be used on the face, body, and hands as a wash, and it can serve as a shaving gel! The wash has a light, refreshing fragrance and is packaged in a large 32oz bio-based, recyclable pouch made using carbon-negative laminates. You are encouraged to dispense the contents into a container that you already have or you can also dispense from the pouch. The brand’s goal is to dispense with multi-step skincare routines and will continue to expand into other universal formulas.
Spongology by Spongelle
Love a good scrub while you cleanse? The eco-friendly Travel Body Buffers ($12) are scrubbing sponges infused with your choice of essential oil scent, including Coconut, Lavender, and Geranium. Each 100 biodegradable soy & cotton sponge is packaged in a recycled paper box and can be used 5+ times.
Cashmere Moon Body Brush
Another scrubbing solution is the new ergonomically-designed dry Body Brush ($24) from green skincare brand Cashmere Moon. The sustainable bamboo and plant-based bristles exfoliate the skin and tackle hyperpigmentation and cellulite. I recommend following up with the Lavender Rose Glow Oil ($14), which is a favorite in our house. The brand used biodegradable packing materials and the products are primarily packaged in glass and paper.
Every Cycle
Single-use plastic period products create tremendous amounts of waste, but thankfully, even period care can be eco-friendly. Every Cycle offers an FDA-cleared reusable tampon applicator and 100 percent certified organic cotton tampons ($39.99). These solutions can help to eliminate 10,000+ plastic applicators, according to the brand.
DENTAL CARE
I was surprised by how many green dental care brands there are! We’re seeing innovation in format, function, and packaging. Here are a few standouts.
Bite (Because It’s The Earth)
Bite aims to be “the world’s most sustainable personal care company.” A good intro to their dental care is The Starter Kit Gift Set ($40), which has a selection of plastic-free dental floss, bamboo toothbrushes, water-free toothpaste, and mouthwash tablets. The brand has recently branched out into water-free body balm and body cleanser, and plastic-free deodorant (which smells amazing). Their products are tube-free, all-natural, zero-waste, vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free.
Poppits PopGel
According to Poppits, it takes up to 500 years for plastic toothpaste tubes to biodegrade. Their dentist-designed PopGel ($9.99 on Amazon) fluoride toothpaste comes in sustainable aluminum tubes with a recyclable metal cap and is available in Cucumber Spearmint Whitening, Peppermint Super Whitening, and Mild Mint Sensitive Kind. These FDA-approved toothpastes are free of SLS, triclosan, artificial preservatives, parabens, and microplastics. The brand also makes a bamboo toothbrush and dental floss in a glass jar with an aluminum top.
Cocofloss
This refillable, award-winning dental floss is available in several flavors and comes in fun, colorful packaging made using recycled materials. The boxes are made from 100 percent recycled paper and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. When you finish your floss, you can pop in a refill, which is packaged in backyard compostable wrappers made of renewable wood cellulose. A good intro to the brand is the Cocofloss Trio ($27), which includes your choice of three tasty flavors.
HOME
From home office essentials to cleaning, fragrance, and storage solutions, there are so many eco-friendly options for the home.
HP*
If you’re in the market for a printer or computer for your home office, look for brands with eco-friendly initiatives, like HP. HP offers machines made from recycled and renewable materials that are designed to use less energy and are recyclable after use, like their HP Smart Tank 5000 Series and HP Envy Inspire printers. They also have an ink cartridge recycling program, Planet Partners, with more than 1 billion original HP ink and toner cartridges recycled by customers, which HP uses to make new ones, reducing the fossil fuel used for plastic production by 62%. You can score additional savings during a 3-day flash sale from April 20-22 on HP.com!
Wisdom Supply Company
This female-owned Certified B Corporation is dedicated to offering goods that can be fully recycled or reused. The brand uses soy-based inks and FSC Certified kraft packaging, and no plastic or vinyl. Their beautiful and affordable home office supplies include Zero-Waste Weekly Planners ($28.35 and up), Zero-Waste Binder Kits ($24), Stainless Steel Pen + Refill Sets ($25.50), and more.
(re)zip Co
Using reusable bags to keep foods fresh in the fridge is an easy way to live greener. According to the company, a single freezer-safe and BPA-free (re)zip storage bag can replace up to 300 disposable baggies. (re)zip makes a variety of sturdy, leakproof, washable resealable bags that are available in a variety of sizes and styles for your food preservation needs. Prices vary. From April 16-22, save 25 percent off at rezip.com.
Rugs.com
Rugs.com has an ever-expanding selection of affordable eco-friendly rugs including those made of recycled materials, like plastic bottles and denim. I had a chance to try the Eco Trellis Rug (currently $87, which is 61 percent off) which is made from plastic bottles, and it is as soft as any rug I’ve experienced! For every rug purchased, the company plants a tree with the Eden Restoration Projects, planting more than 400,000 trees so far.
Cloud Paper Spring Cleaning Bundle ($30.99, a $10 savings)
What better time to stock up on green cleaning supplies? This set of all compostable products includes 2 plant-based Coconut Sponges, which are 100 percent biodegradable, 3 Swedish Dishcloths, which are plastic-free and reusable for 4-6 months, and 4 rolls of absorbent paper towels, which are 100 percent FSC-certified, eco-friendly, plastic-free, and recyclable. On Earth Day (April 22) the brand is matching all sales with product donations to sanctuaries that protect wildlife.
ECOS Laundry Detergent Sheets ($24.61 for 114 sheets on Amazon)
These laundry washing sheets are the latest from women and black-owned sustainable cleaning brand, ECOS. The dermatologist-tested sheets replace traditional detergent and are water-free, fresh smelling, and tough on stains while being gentle on the skin. Toss the 100 percent dissolvable sheet in the washer with your clothes and that’s it!
Enviroscent ($8.99 and up on Amazon)
Many air fresheners are made with chemicals and toxins, including carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic chemicals that are known to disrupt essential hormone functions, according to Enviroscent. The brand aims to change the industry by introducing liquid-free, non-toxic, pet-friendly, and recyclable options for the home and car. Many of the options are refillable as well, like the Refillable Vent Clip for your car and Plug Hub Warmer Kit for the home. If you’re shopping in-store, there’s a very handy scratch + sniff feature on their boxes!
Farberware Eco Advantage Cookware
This collection from Farberwear is eco-friendly and made from 100 percent recycled aluminum. The pots and pans are durable, available in two colors, heat up quickly and have a scratch-resistant ceramic nonstick surface that is free of potentially harmful elements, such as PTFE, lead, or cadmium. The collection is produced in an energy-efficient manner and includes my new go-to pan, the Aqua 12.5-inch Deep Frying Pan ($34.99).
Mindful Classics Games for a Shared Planet
This assortment of classic, family-friendly games is made with eco-friendly and sustainable materials. The playing pieces are made from recycled plastic, the wood and paper components are from 100 percent FSC certified, responsibly grown and harvested trees, cases are made with strong & renewable bamboo and the outer packaging is all plastic-free. My favorite is the beautiful Chess + Checkers Set ($16.33 on Amazon). I’m determined to finally learn chess, once and for all.
Gear Hugger Multi-Purpose Lubricant ($12.89)
It’s always good to have a lubricant product on hand for squeaky door hinges or sticky bike gears. Gear Hugger’s is plant-based and non-toxic, with over 1000 uses and 3x the lubricating power than other petroleum alternatives, according to the brand. The formula is 96 percent USDA Certified Bio-Based so it’s safe to use around children and pets, and it comes in a recyclable metal can with minimal plastics and virgin materials.
Good Green Cleaner ($13.99 on Amazon)
Another excellent example of a product that ships water-free, these environmentally friendly, effective home cleaning sprays come with a recyclable pod that you twist on the empty spray bottle and then add water. There are several bio-based, people-safe formulas for a variety of uses around the home. Woman-owned.
Remedium
I love burning candles, so I was excited to find two affordable, eco-friendly options, Remedium and R. Riveter, both of which are women-owned companies. Remedium candles ($16 and up) are handmade in small batches, using natural coconut wax, phthalate-free essential oils, and wood wicks in clear, reusable glass jars with sustainable cork lids. Available in a variety of scents.
R. Riveter
R. Riveter candles ($25) are available in several scents and made in the US with American-grown soy wax. They are phthalate-free and scented with fragrances that adhere to Research Institute for Fragrance Materials standards. The jars are glass with wooden tops. R. Riveter was founded by two military spouses to offer employment opportunities to other military spouses.
APPAREL & ACCESSORIES
Maison Miru
Two jewelry favorites are Maison Miru and Catherine Weitzman. Maison Miru’s genderless jewelry collections include their recycled and recyclable Stainless Steel collection ($60 and up), recycled 14K gold pieces, and earrings from recyclable Titanium. Many of the brand’s pieces are customizable, which I always appreciate.
Catherine Weitzman
Jeweler, Catherine Weitzman, creates her pieces by hand with recycled metals, casting from natural elements, like her beautiful Plumeria Earrings ($90), which are cast from plumeria leaves. From each piece to the outer packaging, sustainable practices are used. A portion of all sales is donated to the Surfrider Foundation, which helps to protect the oceans.
Kindred Bravely Swimwear ($29.99 and up)
For their swimwear, this intimates line uses polyester fabric from recycled plastic bottles, which requires fewer resources than new materials and generates fewer CO2 emissions, according to the brand. The swimsuits are also multi-functional, as they can be used through pregnancy and beyond, eliminating the need for maternity swimwear. The brand also used earth-friendly shipping materials.
JanSport
You probably know JanSport for its durable and functional bags and backpacks, but the brand is also on a mission to create products that are kind to the earth. The majority of their styles are made with 100 percent recycled fabrics and the brand is incorporating eco-friendly practices into their supply chain while using 100 percent recycled FSC Paper, which saves 1,338 trees annually, according to the brand. I had a chance to test the cute Restore Tote ($30), which is made from RENU® recycled waste fabric, 100 percent surplus webbing and cording, and a 100 percent recycled polyester label.
Skyway Luggage Rainier Collection
If you need travel gear, check out this new collection of well-designed bags and wheeled cases that are made 100 percent from recycled plastic water bottles. The Simple Backpack (currently ½ off for $49.99), is my go-to for travel. It can be worn and carried several different ways and has tons of pockets, padded sections for electronics, and a suitcase handle sleeve.
TIJN
This on-trend, affordable accessories brand is committed to sustainability, using eco-friendly materials, like recycled yarns and vegan patent leather, for over half of their products with the goal of reaching 80 percent this year. I am a fan of their Larya Recycled Knitted Buckle Flats ($70), which are made with recycled yarn and an eco-friendly rubber sole.
Threads
This collection of tights for women and men are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 and OEKO-TEX STeP certified, which means that the manufacturing processes are environmentally friendly with socially responsible working conditions. The tights are flattering and sturdy so they will not have to be replaced often. I am a fan of the Opaque Contour ($25).
*I have a financial relationship with HP
Pin it!
We may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. In addition to a handful of affiliate networks, TrueTrae.com/TraeBodge.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
