Zero Waste Soap

This blogpost is about soap. You can use soap for just about anything. To wash your hair or body under the shower, to shave (yes, I use soap as shaving cream in combination with my safety razor), or to wash your hands after you’ve been to the bathroom. Yet, there is one thing very special about soap. You can buy it zero waste. Today I’m telling you all about zero waste soap.

Where to Buy a Soap Bar

Zero waste soap is available at many shops. And with soap I mean a bar of soap, not the liquid form (which usually comes in a plastic bottle, jikes!). In the beginning I bought soap bars at Dille & Kamille (a Dutch store), there they have a lot of choice. In The Netherlands there are a lot of Dille & Kamille stores, so there might be one near you if you live in the Netherlands. The soap I used smells like vanilla, and I pay €2,50 for 100 grams. Maybe this sounds expensive, but a vast bar of soap last you way longer than liquid soap (which is about 80% water you’re paying for). 

The Soap Bar I Use

Unfortunately the bar of soap from Dille & Kamille is not as environment friendly as I thought. It is however free from parabens and is not tested on animals (yay!). I recently looked at the soap bars from Lush. These are zero waste, not tested on animals and most ingredients are organic too! I have to say, I have been a fan of Lush for a while now. All their products are vegetarian (some vegan), ethical, handmade, fresh and they’re fighting animal testing! The only negative thing is that all this is more expensive, €5,25 for 100 grams. And there’s no Lush store in my hometown Enschede.

Zero Waste Soap

Back to my original point. That is that when you use a vast bar of soap, you avoid waste from plastic bottles. Bye, suckers! If you buy zero waste soap, it is essential that when you pay you immediately tell the cashier that you want to bring the soap home without packaging (I personally use my cotton handkerchiefs to store the soap bar in my bag). Because, the first time I bought zero waste soap I wasn’t paying too much attention and before I knew it she packed the soap in paper (still not plastic, but unnecessary) with tape (Ugh, plastic). Since a few weeks they also sell the bars with stickers on them. Small, but still waste. That’s why I plan on switching to the soaps from Lush soon! Update: I have been using Lush soap for over 4 years now, I am still happy with their brand.

Zero Waste Liquid Soap

A bar of soap at the sink, a bar of soap in the bathroom, a bar of soap in the shower and away with all the plastic bottles! If you really dislike vast soap bars (which some people do), there are a few places in The Netherlands where you can buy liquid soap in bulk. I personally don’t use this because it’s 80% water and there will still be plastic in the supply chain of liquid soap.

So the zero waste alternative for soap? Soap. 

Yours sincerely,
Romee