Zero Waste Shampoo by Plaine Products

A couple months ago I challenged myself to live completely zero waste for 7 days. This meant I didn’t use a trash can, only ate things that I could buy in mason jars, and kept compost peels in my fridge. Luckily, my roommate was very supportive at this time. During this challenge I came across some roadblocks. I was able to buy food zero waste food products somewhat successfully, but how about beauty products? Specifically, how do you get zero waste shampoo?

I’ve made zero waste toothpaste which I could roll with, but zero waste shampoo? I’m not sure if baking soda and apple cider vinegar was gonna cut it for me. My hair is part of my identity and I’ve gotta be honest – I don’t know if I could give up great shampoo.

Not too long after my hardcore zero waste binge I was introduced to Plaine Products. They are a body care line that has a sustainable packaging system with refillable and reusable bottles!

How It Works

First you order your products: shampoo, conditioner, and/or body wash. The zero waste shampoo will arrive in the mail in a refillable bottle! Once you’re getting low on the product, order a refill bottle through the Plaine Products subscription service and they will mail a new bottle. Switch the pump from the empty bottle to the new bottle, and place the empty bottle back in the mail with its enclosed return label. Plaine Products covers the cost of shipping, so it’s completely free to be waste-free!

Stopping Single Use Plastic

Only 1 in 5 people consistently recycle items from the bathroom. Most of the products we use in the bathroom are made of plastic, which means a majority of the bath products we buy end up in the landfill. Plastic takes 500-1000 years to fully decompose, and the thought of it makes my stomach turn, especially knowing 8 million tons of plastic leak into the ocean every year.

The beauty of Plaine Products is that there is finally an option to be completely package-free and waste-free. By returning empty bottles to be sterilized and refilled again, it takes away the excess resources and energy used to create new bottles or even recycle other plastic bottles.

Since Plaine Products is set up in a circular economy and only 5 – 10% of plastic is reclaimed for recycling, their system has less of an environmental impact even if you do currently recycle all of your bath and body containers.

Offering an option to be sustainable through this method “inspires a transformation of our consumer culture.” It shows that being zero-waste is an option, and that’s it’s pretty effortless and affordable too.

The Plaine Products bottles are made from aluminum so they can take a lot of use before having to be recycled and remade into new. My bottles I have, which are really chic looking, also had a couple tiny dents on them, which I love. It’s awesome to me that these bottles have been used by others, had a place in their home, and now have a place in mine. The shift of consumer mindset to appreciate objects in this way is what I believe is how we’re going to save the world.

Natural Shampoo

Another great thing about this zero waste shampoo and conditioner is that they are natural, biodegradable, paraben-free, toxin-free, color-safe, organic, vegan, and sulfate-free. Whoa.

It makes me seriously question my old both care purchases…why the heck have I been buying shampoos with so many chemicals? I actually would pay more money to have sulfate-free shampoo, not realizing that I could buy it organic and waste-free for half the price.

The formulas are made from nutrient- and vitamin-rich plants and minerals, made and manufactured in the U.S.A. The products are also cruelty-free and very gentle on your body and the environment. Some of the ingredients in the zero waste shampoo, conditioner, and body-wash include organic aloe leaf juice, safflower seed oil, red algae extract, organic green tea, and essential oils.

Aloe Vera Extract, which is the main ingredient in the formulas, has 75 nutrients including 8-essential amino acids and lots of vitamins. I’ve been obsessed with how much I love Aloe Vera in my skincare, that I love incorporating in my shampoo as well!