Your Sustainable Lotion Solution
Hey there! This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please see my legal page for more details.
Looking for a sustainable lotion solution? Look no further! The following lotion options are made by socially conscious companies with natural ingredients and sustainable packaging.
The sustainable lotion solutions that you find below are made by companies that are committed to reducing their overall environmental impact in a significant way by reducing plastic, reducing carbon emissions, and by giving back to their communities through donations or through stated social missions that better the world and the planet.
These companies also use natural ingredients and avoid overharvesting materials that lead to deforestation. All are cruelty-free.
Not so fun fact: The global cosmetic industry produces more than 120 billion units of packaging every year. Then that packaging is wrapped in plastic. So that lotion bottle with its plastic pump and plastic seal will stick around for 1,000 years. Not cool.
Let’s dive in!
Go solid for a sustainable lotion solution
Sustainable lotion bars that protect the bees
- Moon Valley Organics is a certified B-Corp (meaning profit is balanced with purpose) that is committed to protecting pollinators and moving toward a pesticide-free future. They have a four-acre pollinator sanctuary, and they commit 10 percent of profits to the protection of pollinators.
- All Moon Valley products are grown on the farm with organic, sustainably farmed herbs or sourced from local organic farms. All packaging is BPA-free, 100 percent recyclable, and made from post-consumer recycled materials.
The Lavender Moon Melt Lotion Bar from Moon Valley Organics is available for $11.99 on Amazon.
RELATED POST
Sustainable lotion bars that are palm-oil free
- I love the Ethique shampoo and conditioner bars, so it’s no surprise that their lotion bars are solid, too (see what I did there). Seriously, though, this company is sustainable badassery through and through. Cruelty-free, palm oil-free, and plastic-free, Ethique is also working toward being carbon positive and they foster direct trade partnerships (meaning fair trade but without the intermediary).
- The list actually goes on and on when it comes to the efforts this B-Corp business makes to foster goodwill and environmental stewardship. Impressive for a company that started out of the kitchen of a college student!
- In terms of being free of palm oil and its derivatives, this one surprised me since palm oil is an efficient oil to produce. But that very efficiency contributes to the ongoing mass deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia that puts the planet and wild animals at risk.
- Ethique acknowledges the complexity of the issue but will remain palm-oil free until it is safe to separate sustainable palm oil production from damaging palm oil production. Bravo.
Ethique sustainable lotion bars sell for $15.50 on Amazon.
Lotion bars for the outdoor lover
- ClimbOn lotion bars are made for those who venture into the outdoors and extreme environments.
- All-natural lotion great for dry or chapped skin.
- Perfect for hikers and climbers.
- I love that it comes in its very own plastic-free tin!
RELATED POST
Solid sustainable lotion bars for your hands
- Etee is a one-stop-shop for plastic-free products, which makes my heart sing.
- All products sold from Etee are made with 100 percent biodegradable and natural materials.
- Everything is packed and shipped plastic-free.
The plastic-free Etee lotion bar for your hands sells for $9.
Handmade lotion bars made with herbal wisdom
- Blendily is a woman-owned, zero waste company in my hometown of Portland, Ore.
- Every product is handmade in the store by founder Ivy Chuang whose study of botanicals leaves her in awe of the herbal wisdom, and the ancient rites and rituals that modern society is only just rediscovering.
You can order Blendily lotion bars like the Lavender Lane Lotion Bar (pictured below) or the Sahara Nights Lotion Bar from their online shop. Prices range from $5-$19.
“I’ve awakened to the power of botanicals and understand that much of the despair that many people feel is because of a disconnect with the land and climate in their surroundings.” – Ivy Chuang, founder of Blendily
Make your own lotion bars!
I am not crafty or DIY savvy. But making my own sustainable lotion bars was wildly easy. It took all of 30 minutes and the lotion bars lasted forever. I even threw in some ground coffee to make a refreshing exfoliating lotion bar for use in the shower.
Check out my lotion-making video here:
The latest on Youtube:
Here’s the seriously easy sustainable lotion bar recipe:
This super easy DIY lotion bar recipe takes about half of an hour, and you’ll have lotion bars that will last you months. Not to mention gifts for all of your friends and family!
Materials
Optional materials
- 20 drops of your favorite essential oils
- 1 tsp vitamin E oil
- Vanilla Mint Broad Spectrum CBD Drops | Social CBD
- Twine and rosemary for decorating
Instructions
- Mix coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax pastilles in a large mason jar
- Place in a small saucepan filled halfway with water. Heat over medium heat. Stir consistently until ingredients are completely melted.
- Remove from heat and let cool for three minutes
- Add vitamin E oil and essential oils. Stir.
- If making exfoliant bars, add 1/4 cup of ground coffee.
- Pour mixture into a cupcake pan and let sit until solidified. About 15 minutes.
- That’s it! Bars will fall right out of the pan when turned over and lightly tapped with a knife. Wrap with twine and a sprig of your choice for added DYI brilliance.
Notes
To clean the mason jar, use boiling water to reheat the remnants. Let cool until you can use soap and water to rinse.
Bonus tips: Find a local store that sells in bulk. Think bulk food bins but bulk botanicals. For instance, in my hometown of Portland, Blendily sells beeswax in bulk. Or check-in with the folks at Bulk Apothecary who sell ethically made products like beeswax in bulk.
Or find a sustainable store near you rather than ordering online. For instance, the beeswax pastilles that I list in my recipe card are made by family-owned Sky Organics, a small company committed to the big goal of making natural, organic cruelty-free products accessible to everyone. Search for a local Sky Organics store here.
P.S. I added Vanilla Mint Broad Spectrum CBD Drops made by Social CBD. These drops provide 100 percent of the benefits of hemp with 0 percent THC, providing CBD and cannabinoids to help control mood and stress response…but providing zero high.
Lotion in sustainable packaging
Lotion in a paper bottle
- The vegan lotion by Seed Phytonutrients is made with seed extracts and packaged in a paper bottle – say what?!
- Yep, the paper bottle designed by Ecologic Brands is treated with a mineral complex extracted from clay, made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper, and lined with post-consumer recycled plastic. If it gets wet, it will dry within 30 minutes!
- Seed Phytonutrients extracts oil from seeds rather than using chemical solvents. The company is also Leaping Bunny certified, which is one of the toughest cruelty-free certifications to obtain and keep, and they are working toward carbon neutrality.
Lotion sells for $18 from Seed Phytonutrients.
Refillable lotion in an aluminum bottle
- Plaine Products offers vegan, cruelty-free refillable products in aluminum bottles. This woman-owned, B-Corp, 1% company is doing its very best to reduce the plastic bottles from our lotions and shampoos.
- It’s super simple, too! Order your lotion with a pump, when your lotion is low, order a refill (or subscribe for automatic shipping), then place the pump in your new bottle, and send back your empty bottle in your reusable box.
Order directly at Plaine Products for $30 for a bottle of lotion. Or from EarthHero here!
Repairing lotion for super sensitive skin
- The story of Odylique begins with a sensitive skin conundrum some 30 years ago. Founder Margaret Weeds suffered from dry, patchy skin until she created her own formulas using organic herbs, plant oils, and natural ingredients with healing properties for super-sensitive skin.
- The company has evolved and grown, but the commitment to natural ingredients remains the same. All Odylique products are cruelty-free and made with Soil Association organic standards, which are some of the strictest in the world.
- My favorite thing about Odylique is its commitment to sustainable packaging. They acknowledge that it’s not as simple as being just “plastic-free,” but that there needs to be a cost-benefit analysis for every product.
- Using recycled milk bottles for plastic bottles, for instance, is more efficient for Odylique because the milk bottles come from a few miles down the road from their botanical garden in Suffolk, while heavier glass bottles would need to be shipped.
The Odylique repairing lotion that people swear by sells for $27.30 on Amazon.
Sustainable lotion that exfoliates
This exfoliating lotion bar is started my sustainable lotion journey!
- The lotion bar that started my sustainable lotion journey is the Scrubee made by Lush.
- Part lotion, part exfoliant, this bar brings me joy every time I use it in the shower. I mean it.
- That may sound ridiculous, but I give this little gift of joy to everyone I know for birthdays, stocking stuffers, you name it!
- It’s easy to love Lush, too, since this cruelty-free company is committed to naked packaging.
- When you walk into a Lush store, your Scrubee will be placed into a recyclable, paper bag. No superfluous packaging here!
At $10 a pop, the price is good. But they are used up fast…which is why I started making my own exfoliating lotion!
Note: See exfoliating sustainable lotion recipe in my video above!
RELATED POST
Lotion bars make a great gift. See that tip and more in this Green Gift Idea post!
Sustainable lotion for your face
A sustainable lotion with sunscreen and a recycling program
- The lotion bar that started my sustainable lotion journey is the ScrThe face lotion that I use most days is Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer with SPF 30.
- Despite the added benefit of sun protection, it doesn’t feel greasy.
- Kiehl’s uses sustainably sourced ingredients and their packaging is made with energy efficiency in mind.
- And when you are done with your lotion? Rinse out the bottle and bring it right back to your local Kiehl’s store for recycling and reusing! You even get points toward store credit for each bottle.
- It’s so easy to pick up this lotion when you travel because it’s at about every airport. Keep an eye out!
Ultra Facial Moisturizer 4.2-oz bottle sells for $26 from Kiehl’s.
RELATED POST
A face lotion made on the farm is an organic sustainable lotion solution
- All Lily Farm Fresh Skincare products are made on an organic farm in Colorado, and 70 percent of ingredients are sourced from that same farm.
- The lightweight Balancing Daily Face Moisturizer conditions skin with primrose oil and the essential oil of ylang ylang is a bonus because it’s a mood booster!
The Lily Farm two-oz bottle comes in a recyclable glass container and sells for $37.49 on EarthHero.
Sustainable serums and oils
A solid serum bar
- Dew Mighty is committed to skincare and planet care in equal measure.
- Their Jelly Serum Bar seeks to even skin tone with natural ingredients.
- It’s shipped in an FSC-certified veggie-coated paper printed with soy-based ink (so cool!)
- All shipping materials are recyclable or compostable and every shipment is carbon offset.
The sustainable serum bar sells for $45 from Dew Mighty.
Nourishing body oil in a jar makes for a beautiful sustainable lotion solution
- With warming elements and nourishing ingredients for the skin like Apricot kernel oil that protects from the sun and supplies vitamin B-17 for cell proliferation, this body oil from Fat and the Moon is a superfood for the skin!
- Fat and the Moon is a woman-owned company with the belief that we can heal through self-love and self-care.
- All plants used in their products are ethically harvested and organically cultivated.
- All business relationships are formed with as much intention that goes into their non-toxic formulas made with love for the skin.
Packaged in a recyclable glass container with a plastic pump that can be reused by ordering refills directly from Fat and the Moon. Sells for $32 at Fat and the Moon and from EarthHero.
A natural nightly serum
- A nightly dollop of this serum will brighten skin because it uses Niacinamide and Vitamin C, two anti-aging superstars.
- These two ingredients aren’t usually used together because of their different pH levels. But the magicians at 100% Pure used the highest quality, most stable form of Vitamin C, which has the same pH balance as Niacinamide to allow these vitamins to harmonize.
- These guys are dedicated to the purest ingredients in the healthiest combinations.
The Multi-Vitamin PM Serum sells for $60 on Amazon.
A nightly concentrate with a recycling program
- You’ve probably seen the Kiehl’s storefronts in just about every airport that you’ve walked through, but did you know you can recycle your used containers in those storefronts?
- I use Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate Face Oil every night. My skin feels nourished every time I put it on. It takes just the tiniest amount, so the little glass bottle lasts forever.
- And when you’re done? Just take it to your local Kiehl’s store so that it can be reused – and earn points toward your next purchase!
Kiehl’s face oil sells for $39.99 on Amazon for a one-oz bottle, or shop for various sizes directly from Kiehl’s.
About the Author
Hi! I’m Jen!
I’m a freelance writer and travel blogger who quit my nine-to-five after my fiancé, Jeff, died of cancer at the age of 40. When he died, I realized that life is just too short to delay our dreams. Since my dream was to travel and write, I now travel and write full-time. Today I wear hiking boots instead of heels and collect experiences instead of things.
You might also like
These are pretty good lotion products. Many people are always confused about choosing the right sustainable lotions for their daily use. In this article, everything is clearly mentioned about each product and its use. Thank you for sharing this information!!