The Zero-Waste Way to Wash
The plastic-free packaging revolution is here, and it’s starting with your bathroom. With just 4 simple steps, these vegan, cruelty free, and refillable products from Plaine Products will change the way you think, and feel, about your bathroom. Let’s break it down.
Step 1: Order your non-toxic, natural, and totally awesome shampoo, conditioner, hand wash, body wash, or moisturizer–either in travel size, or 16oz. It will arrive in an aluminum bottle, and you can replace the aluminum lid with the provided pump. Recycle the shipping box and aluminum lid.
Step 2: When you’re getting low (usually 4-6 months in) order a refill bottle from us at EarthHero!
Step 3: When your original bottle is empty, give it a good rinse to get the extra product out, and then switch your original pump to the refill bottle.
Step 4: Put the new refill’s lid on your empty bottle and place it in the refill box. Stick the enclosed return label over the existing shipping label (making sure it’s totally covered), and send it to your postal carrier like any other letter. The best part? It’s totally free to ship it back!
Plaine Products doesn’t just offer an alternative to single-use plastic bathroom bottles, they also offer plastic-free shipping for a 100% zero waste experience. Their boxes are from EcoEnclose (a proud partner of EarthHero as well) and are made from a mix of 95% post-consumer waste and 5% post-industrial waste. While absolutely no new materials were used to manufacture their cartons, they did work with EcoEnclose to ensure their boxes can stand up to the aluminum bottles being refilled (aka no broken boxes!)
To label all their boxes they use plastic-free, water activated tape from paper, not synthetics. And inside these boxes? Just product–no plastic, packing peanuts, or styrofoam. From the moment it arrives at your house, to the day you send it back, Plaine Products goes the extra mile to ensure a zero waste, minimal plastic experience.
Refill, Reuse, Rejoice!
Look at your old shampoo and conditioner. Now look at the first ingredient. Can you pronounce it–out loud? Or is it just water? Unlike the other guys, Plaine Product’s first ingredient in their shampoo and conditioner (well, all of their products) is natural aloe vera. Their formulas are vegan, color safe, and totally natural–bringing your hair back to life and adding sheen and softness. What they don’t have? The harmful chemicals usually found in hair care–like silicone, parabens, sulfates or isopropyl alcohol. Every ingredient is run through the Environmental Working Group’s database to ensure it’s safe for you and the planet.
Silicone is a mineral that can make your hair seem smooth and soft, but can build up over time and seriously dull out your locks. Silicone is basically like rubber or plastic, and can be used as a sealant against water or air (so just imagine what it would do to your hair!). The good news? Silicone isn’t directly linked to any health issues. The bad news? You probably already have it in your shampoo. Just look for ingredients with “-cone” at the end, like cyclomethicone or dimethiconol.
Plaine Product’s also ditched parabens in their plastic free products, and for a pretty good reason. Basically a chemical preservative, parabens are used for antibacterial and antifungal reasons–which seriously aren’t needed unless you want your shampoo and conditioner to last you for decades. Best case scenario, they just irritate your skin or dry out your hair, but we recommend you stay clear of parabens all together, as studies have started looking at health impacts that may be linked to the chemical.
But there is a better way to wash. Plaine only uses natural, chemical-free, biodegradable ingredients in their hair care, perfect for any type of hair–from curly to fine and even color treated hair! The main ingredient, aloe, contains over 75 nutrients, including minerals and essential amino acids that nourish and revitalize the hair and scalp. The hardest part will be choosing between the volumizing Rosemary, Vanilla & Mint scent, or the Citrus and Lavender!
Simply Soap
Plaine Product’s natural hand soap isn’t antibacterial… but that’s a good thing. According to the pros over at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there isn’t enough science to prove that antibacterial soaps can actually prevent illness any better than a good ole’ rinse with plain soap and water. Believe it or not, to this day, the benefits of antibacterial hand soap have never been proven. What the FDA does say though… is that using antibacterial soap, which contains the toxic chemicals triclosan and triclocarban, can potentially have negative health impacts if used widely, and over a long time.
Studies on animals have shown that triclosan can alter the way some hormones work in the body, raising questions about the impact on humans. While much more research is needed to prove that antibacterial soaps are safe, we prefer sticking to what we know is good for our skin–organic, vegan ingredients from nature, not a mad scientist lab.
Made without harsh chemical detergents, triclosans, or triclocarbans, Plaine Product’s hand wash (like all their awesome products) is vegan, hypoallergenic, baby safe, cruelty-free, with no animal testing, or toxic additives like PEGs, PGs, parabens, sulfates, dyes, synthetic fragrances, or petrochemicals (that’s a mouthful!). With natural aloe as the main ingredient, and essential oils from citrus and lavender, this hand soap gently washes away germs and bacteria on even the most sensitive skin.
Your New Sustainable Shower
If we didn’t already blow your mind with everything Plaine Products has thought of when crafting their personal care–there’s more. Their products are Leaping Bunny Certified to be cruelty free, and their entire business is a member of 1% for the Planet as well as B Corp, joining 150+ businesses who hold themselves to rigorous third-party environmental and social standards. Plaine Products simply does business better, and we’re thrilled to welcome them to our conscious community of companies making an impact.
