We are two friends living on opposite coasts (Brooklyn, New York and Santa Monica, California) that share a passion for living a minimal, zero waste lifestyle and on a mission to help others do the same.
Harper. Lives in Brooklyn with a +1. Sassy pup. Matcha. Wine. Whiskey. Cheese. Proscuitto.
Charley. Lives in Los Angeles with a +1. Doofy pup. Coffee. Wine. Whiskey. Cheese. Pasta.
It’s not really a buy from us. Kind Laundry detergent sheets are available in a scented and unscented options, and zero waste packaging, which we love. Sheets are lighter to ship, which means less carbon footprint overall. Unfortunately, they contain a sulfate which can be harmful to aquatic life and also isn’t one of the cheaper options. For convenience, and in a pinch, however, Kind Sheets are also available on Amazon.
It’s a BUY. We purchased Gaia Body 5% Bakuchiol Facial Oil primarily to help with dry skin and it delivered! It absorbed into our skin much better than other oils we have tried in the past (including argan, plum seed, squalane, blue tansy and more. Skin feels dewy and plump, and when we put it on before bed, our skin feels moisturized in the morning (not the case in the last couple of years after having a baby). We also appreciate that there are studies that say Bakuchiol is comparable with Retinol, without the irritation…
Maybe buy. We liked the ingredients and ease of use of Dropps Active Wash. Our only beef with the active line is how pricey it is compared to powder and liquid detergents. To be honest, this is generally the case with standard laundry detergent. If you like the convenience, Dropps is the only brand that makes zero-waste pod detergent, and we like it.
Probably not a buy. We think the ingredients in Earth Breeze Laundry Sheets may be questionable, offsetting the good done by being plastic-free, lightweight (less carbon footprint!), and having a fragrance free option. Lastly, this brand is relatively affordable if you go the (very flexible) subscription route.
We are a bit on the fence about Grab Green 3-in-1 Laundry pods. The positives: our laundry came out clean and smelling AMAZING (we got the geranium scent). Warm cozy scent that might be our absolute favorite of all the many laundry products we have tried. However, the price is on the more expensive side (albeit not the most expensive, still almost 2x the cost of Dropps (read our review here)!). Additionally, we did not love that the pods came in a plastic pouch that was marked number 7 recyclable — a 7 means it is often made out of multiple plastic types or out of other types of plastic that can't easily be recycled.
Not a buy. We found the experience of using Grab Green’s Automatic Dishwasher Pods to be pretty good (no complaints on the pods themselves). Our two biggest complaints - the plastic pouch isn’t really recyclable and the price is pretty darn high 😔
It’s a buy! We thought ECOSNext Liquidless Laundry Detergent Squares worked well, and larger strips vs other comparable brands — as a much better price! Highly recommend!
Not a buy. While we thought Tru Earth’s laundry strips worked well enough, we did not see enough of a difference in the product from Beyond Laundry Strips or Sheets Laundry Club to warrant the MUCH higher price tag.
BUY. We love byHumankind’s conditioner bar in grapefruit — it is super easy to use and leaves our hair moisturized without having to blow dry. No waste, lasts a long time, and costs about the same as drugstore conditioners? Yea, we converted. We are excited to try the other scents.
Not really. That said, byHumankind’s refillable, natural deodorant is one of the best intersections plastic reduction and natural deodorants on the market, but it still misses the mark on consistency. The drawback is that it is a little pastier (rather than gel texture) than we would like. Note: byHumankind has not increased prices!
We think that Nature Clean Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner is a buy! We like how it dissolves and foams up nicely, is biodegradable* and comes in slim, recyclable paper packaging and very convenient to not have to deal with a bottle of liquid. However, you are paying a bit of premium for this strips format (versus a bottle) so we’re mainly using this for the powder room and guest bathrooms when we need to quickly clean up before company comes over!
*Note: this product does include PVA — read more about it in our article.
It’s a Mixed Buy! Sheets Laundry Club is a good option if you are looking for a linen scented option — middle of the range in cost when compared to other laundry sheet/strip options, though you can find other options that are more cost effective.
It’s a Strong Buy! Beyond Laundry Sheets is a terrific option if you are looking for an eco-friendly, linen scented option — less expensive than Dropps (our other favorite) and just as convenient and clean. This might be our new go-to for laundry!
Not a buy. While we thought Clean People’s laundry detergent strips worked well enough, we did not see enough of a difference in the product from Beyond Laundry Strips or Sheets Laundry Club to warrant the higher price tag.
We really like using Meliora’s foaming refillable hand soap - it’s a buy from us! The soap is super concentrated, light-weight and comes in unscented as well as a few scented options like Lavender, Lemongrass, and Tea Tree. The packaging is plastic-free and the soap is also palm oil-free. We have loved Meliora’s Laundry detergent ❤️ in the past and now we can buy the hand soap concentrate all in the same shipment! Plus, it is made in the USA.
BUY. Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder was an accidental find at our grocery store. We liked that you can clean a load of laundry with 1 tablespoon: less shopping, less refilling, less waste in landfills, less space in your home. Given its eco-friendly ingredients, reduced-plastic packaging, and cost per year, we think this laundry powder is a BUY.
It’s a BUY. We are big fans of Cocofomm powder shampoo! We like that it can replace full sized bottles of liquid shampoo, completely plastic free packaging, and how nicely it foams up in the shower. Most importantly, our hair and scalp feels incredible clean and healthy afterwords. Great for travel too!
Buy. We liked using Ecover Dishwasher Soap in Tablet form. The product is made of better ingredients than traditional dishwashing liquid. The packaging uses much less plastic, despite the tablets being individually wrapped. For cost, Ecover is near the cheapest dishwashing of the options we’ve reviewed.
Probably not a recommend on NOICE Toothpaste. We like that it’s a refillable toothpaste that comes in a gel form and that the ingredients are super clean. NOICE uses licorice extract to help remineralize teeth. If you do not care for nHap or fluoride, then maybe NOICE is for you. For us, we like ingredients that re-mineralize teeth to keep them healthy (like nHap or fluoride). Lastly, like the other zero waste toothpastes, this one is on the pricey side.
Overall, Hawaiian Tropics Tinted Mineral Face Sunscreen with SPF 30 is a buy. Because of the tint, the cast is a bit less noticeable, especially if you blend with foundation. The texture is still liquid (‘milky’) and more easily spreadable compared to other products we’ve tried. In terms of cost, Pipette is a much better deal, but for a tinted sunscreen, the Hawaiian Tropics Mineral is right in the middle in terms of price, which may be worth it given the tint.
