From bottles to bars: easy swaps to cut plastic from your personal care routine

Most cosmetic packaging is discarded, creating large volumes of waste in the Australian beauty industry. Nearly 60% of beauty packaging is plastic, and items like spray bottles, pumps, and tubes are difficult to recycle. Personal care waste can be hard to avoid, but plastic can be reduced with planning. Start by buying less, choosing locally made products from natural ingredients, and avoiding single-use packaging. Make simple swaps such as replacing plastic loofahs with plant-based versions and removing makeup remover wipes in favor of water and a face towel. Prefer materials like glass and aluminium, or certified wood and paper. Review shower products, skincare, and makeup to identify what is actually used and finished, and keep shelves minimal. Switching from plastic bottles to bar soap can further reduce plastic waste.

"Very few of us, since 95% of cosmetic packaging is thrown away. Given the Australian cosmetics and beauty industry was valued at $17.25b in 2025, this amounts to an incredible volume of waste. To add insult to injury, almost 60% of beauty packaging is made from plastic, with the complicated makeup of spray bottles, pumps and tubes meaning they are difficult to recycle."

"Be sustainable by buying less As with most sustainability advice, the best place to start is by buying less, and where possible buying locally made products derived from natural ingredients, and avoiding single-use items or packaging. Some swaps are simple, like replacing your plastic loofah with a plant-based one, or eliminating makeup remover wipes from your routine and replacing them with water and a face towel."

"Where you can, opt for products made from materials like glass and aluminium, which are easier to reuse and recycle, or wood and paper from certified sources. Next, do a thorough analysis of your shower products, skincare and makeup bag to identify the products you actually use up. A product you love and actually finish is infinitely better than five products you don't, says Dr Anita Vandyke, the author of A Zero Waste Life: In Thirty Days."

"Resist the urge to buy products on a whim and focus on keeping your bathroom shelves minimal. A more curated, intentional kit means less waste overall. Switch from bottles to bars The simplest way to reduce plastic in the bathroom is to switch from bottles of hand and body wash to bars of soap."

Read at www.theguardian.com