CheekyGlo exfoliating loofah glove

Low-tox bathroom swaps: simple changes for Australian households

Bathrooms fill up quickly. A bottle for every member of the family, a half-used tube from a holiday, three kinds of cleaner under the sink. Making the bathroom simpler isn't about buying a whole new set of products. It's about choosing fewer, clearer ones as things run out, and wasting less water and packaging along the way.

This guide is about ingredients, materials and waste. It isn't skin or health advice — if you have a skin condition or a question about a particular product, talk to your GP or pharmacist.

Step one: take stock

Before you buy anything, pull everything out of the cabinet and the shower caddy. Group it into "use daily", "use sometimes" and "haven't touched in a year". You'll probably find duplicates you can use up first, and a few things to pass on or dispose of properly.

Then make a short list of the products you actually use every day. Those are the ones worth swapping thoughtfully when they run out.

Bars, refills and concentrates

Many bathroom products are mostly water in a plastic bottle. Options with less packaging include:

  • Soap bars for hands and body. Keep them on a draining dish so they last longer.
  • Shampoo and conditioner bars, if they suit your hair. Give them a few washes before you decide.
  • Refill pouches or bulk refills for liquid soap, if you prefer a pump.
  • Products in glass, aluminium or tins, which are widely recyclable in Australia. Check the Australasian Recycling Label on the pack where there is one.

A bar isn't automatically "better" — read its ingredient list just as you would a bottle. But it often means less plastic and less water being transported.

Reusable tools that last

Some of the easiest swaps are tools you'll keep for years:

  • A safety razor with replaceable blades instead of disposable razors.
  • A konjac sponge, natural loofah or cotton washcloth instead of plastic puffs. Let them dry between uses, and replace them when they wear out.
  • Reusable cotton rounds that go through the wash.
  • A glass or metal foot file instead of disposable ones.
  • Bamboo or replaceable-head toothbrushes.
  • A silk or cotton hair scrunchie in place of elastic ties that snap.

You'll find natural-fibre sponges, exfoliating gloves and similar tools in our Body care and Skincare & beauty collections.

Reading a cosmetic ingredient list (the short version)

In Australia, cosmetics must list their ingredients under the Consumer Goods (Cosmetics) Information Standard 2020, which is enforced by the ACCC. Ingredients are listed in descending order by mass or volume, often using international (INCI) names, which is why water appears as "Aqua" and shea butter as "Butyrospermum Parkii".

Three quick tips:

  • The first few ingredients make up most of the product. If an "organic" ingredient sits at the very end of a long list, there may not be much of it.
  • Look for asterisks. Organic ingredients are often marked, with a note such as "*certified organic".
  • "Fragrance" or "parfum" can be one word for many ingredients. If you prefer to avoid added scent, look for products labelled fragrance-free and check the list.

For more detail, see the ACCC's cosmetic ingredients labelling guide, and our guide to eco labels and certification logos, which covers COSMOS and other marks you'll see on body care.

Water: the hidden part of the bathroom

The bathroom is where much of a household's water goes, and heating that water takes energy. The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme rates showers, taps and toilets. According to energy.gov.au:

  • A 3-star shower uses more than 7.5 and up to 9 litres a minute; a 5-star shower uses more than 4.5 and up to 6 litres a minute.
  • Choosing a 5-star shower can use up to 50% less water than a 3-star shower.
  • Aiming to keep showers under four minutes saves water and money.
  • 5- or 6-star basin taps can use at least half the water of a 3-star tap.
  • Fixing a leaking toilet promptly matters: a slow, barely visible leak can waste thousands of litres a year.

If you're renting, a shower timer and a quick leak check are free starting points. You can check a product's rating on the WELS product register before you buy.

Cleaning the bathroom

You don't need a cupboard of separate sprays. A general-purpose cleaner, a scrubbing brush and a cloth handle most bathroom jobs. When you replace them:

  • Choose concentrates, refills or sheets to cut down on bottles. Toilet cleaning sheets are one example you'll find in our Home & living collection.
  • Read the whole label, including any warning or first-aid statements, and follow the directions.
  • Never mix cleaning products unless the label says it's fine.
  • Swap disposable wipes for washable cloths. Fewer wipes means less in the bin, and only toilet paper belongs in the toilet.

Waste you can't avoid

Some bathroom items will always need a bin. A few ways to handle them better:

  • Since 1 September 2023, Queensland has banned cotton buds with plastic stems and plastic microbeads in rinse-off personal care and cleaning products. Paper-stem buds are the standard now.
  • Empty and rinse bottles before recycling, and take pumps off if your council asks (they're often not recyclable).
  • Old towels make excellent cleaning rags or can go to an animal shelter — check first what they accept.

A bathroom swap plan you'll actually stick to

  1. This week: take stock and use up duplicates.
  2. Next time hand soap runs out: try a bar or a refill.
  3. When your razor or toothbrush is due: try a reusable or replaceable-head version.
  4. Over a month: time a few showers and check for leaks.
  5. When cleaners run out: move to one general-purpose cleaner in a refill or concentrate format.

How we label body care and beauty

Every product on our marketplace carries one clear label: Certified organic, Organic (as described by the brand) or Natural & low-tox. We welcome small Australian makers who aren't certified yet, as long as they're upfront about it, and the label shows you which is which. Read more on our How we label page.

Product information is supplied by the brands, and labels and formulas can change, so always read the label on the product you receive.

Sources

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