Plastic Reduction Challenge Day 50: Try Bar Soap

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The next two weeks are all about your bathroom and personal care items and how to approach the plastic here. After the kitchen, this is the area with the most. I will admit, the bathroom has been more of a struggle for me than the kitchen and it has taken me a loooooong time to get to where I am. So please, go easy on yourself. I’m going to try to give you the best swaps to get you started, the first of which is soap.

If you are getting low on body wash, this is the perfect time to switch to bar soap. It’s a super easy swap and oh so good for the environment due to less water usage in production and little to no plastic packaging. I was hesitant at first when I tried bar soap because it was something that my grandma used, not me. I can remember those fancy rose shaped soaps in her bathroom that no one was to touch. And the actual bath soaps we did use left a film on my skin that wasn’t too pleasant. But if you haven’t used bar soap in a while, you may be surprised at the selections now available. There are some really good ones out there made from olive oil, goat’s milk, and other skin nourishing ingredients. Once you switch, you will never go back! Bar soap is less drying to the skin than liquid soap. And if you are looking for a way to save money, then this is the challenge for you. Most bar soap costs a fraction of the price of liquid soap and will last much longer. You also may be able to find handmade soaps locally which will reduce your overall carbon footprint.

Today’s Challenge: Replace your body wash with a bar of soap. If you already use bar soap for your body, then try bar soap for shampoo, conditioner, hands, your face and shaving. Truthfully, soap is soap and one bar could be used for all these things, but personally there are certain oils that work better for my body versus my hair or face. And if you want to shave with bar soap, then you need to find one with a good lather.

Check out these brands that I have personally vetted and found to have the best quality ingredients while also very effective:

LuSa Organics: made in Wisconsin, but sold in stores around the country. Hand, body, facial, shaving, and shampoo bars available. Some are vegan. You have the option for package free soap if you request it. Their shampoo and shave bar is the BEST all in one bar I have ever found! The lavender mint smell is amazing and it has a really nice lather for shaving.
Pacha: Body and hand soap bars made in the US with responsibly sourced materials. They have many that are vegan and gluten free. They also make a Pacha Nada bar which is safe for babies and small children. The bars are really beautiful and great to use as guest soap. My whole family loves picking out their own “flavor” and there is no packaging when purchased in-store. Check out their location finder on the website.
HiBAR: Shampoo and conditioner bars made in Minnesota. Packaged in a paper box. I’ve tried a lot of brands of shampoo bars and this is the best. The shape of the soap is nice for rubbing onto your head. The conditioner takes a little bit to work into your hair, but leaves it feeling soft and without any residue or build-up. These bars will last you months.
Ethique: If anyone out there is from the South Pacific area like New Zealand or Australia (hello Uncle Tom and Ryan!) then you can check out this brand. When I first switched to bar soap for my hair, it was the only brand I could find that carried conditioner. I was shocked by the high price tag, but the bar lasted me almost 2 years!! In just a short time, there are so many American companies now selling conditioner so I probably won’t purchase from here anymore only because it doesn’t make sense to get it shipped from New Zealand. Face, body scrub, shampoo, and conditioner bars available. Packaged in paper boxes and all are vegan.

There are so many options for bar soap out there. Look around and find one that works for you. Some traditional brands are super cheap, but you do have to be careful as the ingredients may not be the best, and these are the ones that leave a nasty film on your body. Additionally, they often come swathed in plastic coated paper with several bars held together with a plastic film. Search for brands with minimal, paper packaging or even no packaging at all. Even better if you can find something made local!