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With a thousand and one zero waste swaps out there in the world, it can be a challenge to know what is actually worth investing in. I’ve tried a ton of products in my zero waste journey thus far so hopefully, this helps make your journey a little bit easier.

Here are the 10 best and worst zero waste swaps I’ve tried. Let’s get into it.

THE WORST

1. Reusable Straws

Okay before you question me on this one, it’s not that I hate all reusable straws. I do have a few personal favorites (the FinalStraw and BiggieStraw are top contenders). But, I bought way too many reusable straws at the beginning of my journey, which was pretty wasteful. The first mistake was I bought my first set on Amazon, and I’m pretty sure they were drop shipped, and not sustainably or ethically made (oops). So I learned my lesson, I did more research from this point on and I wish I stuck with one or two sustainable brands.

2. Traditional Safety Razor

I’m a big advocate of safety razors. I tried a traditional safety razor and it was a lot more complicated than my trusted Leaf razor. The traditional razor was more affordable, however it just wasn’t as user-friendly…especially if you’re making the switch from a disposable razor. I’ll talk more about this one a little later on!

3. Blueland Bottles

I absolutely love Blueland’s cleaning products. I’ve raved about them before on here and on YouTube. But here’s the thing, their bottles are just not that great. I’ve experienced some leaking, some that crack at the top and it just hasn’t been great when it’s supposed to be a forever bottle. (They have come out with a newer version of their bottles, and I’ve heard they’re much better).

The actual Blueland products are amazing, easy to use, and come in compostable packaging… however the old bottles are a no-go for me.

4. Zero Waste Toothpaste

To get specific, we are talking about the zero waste toothpaste made from clay. I purchased it from a local zero waste shop…and I’ll never try it again. It was awful. The salty texture was so nasty and I’ll never recommend it. Ever. There are a lot of zero waste toothpastes out there. And a lot of them are BAD haha. I have found some keepers though!!

5. Shampoo Bars

This is not about every shampoo bar because there are actually some amazing brands out there (I mentionn my favorite below). But this is about the awful ones, and there are plenty. So please do your research, watch the YouTube reviews, and look through the blogs to find the top tier shampoo bars for your hair type. It will save you so much time and money, and it’ll reduce waste.

THE BEST

1. HiBAR (The Good Shampoo Bars)

There are some amazing shampoo bars I couldn’t go without. Specifically, I’m talking about the HiBAR Solid Shampoo and Conditioner Bars. I absolutely love them and if you’ve been here a while, you’ll know just how long they’ve been a part of my hair care routine. I have wavy hair and these are my go-to. The quality is amazing and they work for SO many different hair types. If you haven’t tried shampoo bars yet, HiBAR is a great place to start.

2. The Tushy Bidet

Just between you and me, if this wasn’t gifted to me at first as a PR product, I probably would never have tried the bidet. So if you’re a bit of a skeptic and think it might not be for you, trust me I’ve been there. I was grossed out at the thought of a bidet, but it has been life changing. So many countries outside of the U.S. have been using bidets for ages…and for good reason. Not many people consider how much water is used to make toilet paper. Plus, using a bidet cuts down on toilet paper (or eliminates it completely)! It’s a huge sustainable yes from me! The Tushy Bidet is amazing and definitely one of my favorite zero waste swaps!

3. TruEarth Laundry Detergent

I absolutely rave about this detergent all the time because it is one of my favorite eco-friendly swaps. They are laundry detergent STRIPS! This means no more mess, no spills, and the products are super compact and easy to store and travel with. They are SO easy to use! And most importantly, they clean well and don’t irritate my sensitive skin. I’ve tried a lot of eco-friendly detergents and sometimes they don’t fully clean your clothes. But I’ve never had this issue with TruEarth laundry detergent strips.

4. Leaf Shave

We are back to the topic of safety razors and Leaf shave is one of the best zero waste swaps I’ve tried! The Leaf and Twig razors are so user-friendly…especially if you’re making the switch from a disposable plastic razor to a reusable option. A traditional safety razor can be a little harder to use and the Leaf razors have always given me a close shave.

5. By Humankind Hand Sanitizer

It has been SO hard to choose my best zero waste swaps as there are so many good ones out there. But, By Humankind hand sanitizer has been something I’ve used almost every day, especially since 2020. My favorite thing about this product is that it contains hyaluronic acid so it is not as drying as other hand sanitizers. The packaging is aluminum instead of plastic so bonus points for sustainable materials!

Let me know what your favorite and least favorite swaps have been on your zero-waste journey. I’d love to hear about your biggest zero waste swap regrets so far! Always remember you do not have to be perfect to live sustainably!