Simple swaps for a warm relaxing bath

Bio-D fragrance-free bubble bath is made with biodegradable ingredients, and sold in easy-to-recycle packaging. It’s ideal for people with allergies, pregnant/nursing women or children.

Just pour into a bath for soft and gentle bubbles. 99% naturally derived, it’s kind to the planet and vegan-friendly. Allergy UK Approved.

Child experts suggest avoiding bubble baths for children under 3, to protect sensitive skin and urinary tracts. Plain water is fine for baby baths. NHS has a 2-minute midwife video on safe baby baths (never leave alone for a second – avoid bath seats, these can quickly detach).

5 litre refill drum

You can also buy a 5 litre refill which works out more affordable. When your bottle empties, just order this and decant into the standard bottle. One refill drum will fill your standard bottle 5 times.

Choose from:

• Indulgent coconut
• Calming lavender
• Refreshing tea tree and mint
• Uplifting pink grapefruit and aloe

Miniml natural body washes are made with biodegradable ingredients (including Yorkshire water) and scented with real essential oils. They also double up as bubble baths!

Purchase your favourite scent. Then you can buy big refill tubs to decant to save money. You can find many shops nationwide where you can refill. Or use the QR code to send back empty drums for washing and refilling.

Reasons to choose talc-free body powders

Talc is an inorganic mined substance that may contain asbestos (there are upcoming bans due to lawsuits from women who got ovarian cancer). And babies are also at risk from a pulmonary condition from inhaling talc.

Ovarian cancer symptoms include pelvic pain, bloating, feeling full after meals and changes in urination).

Talcum powder is also frequently found in cosmetics (eyeshadows etc). Natural cosmetics may contain zinc oxide, so wash off of your skin, before letting pets kiss you!

Talc is only used to absorb moisture, so there are better ways to do this:

• Good towels (above) is one of the best ways to absorb moisture.
• Wear loose breathable clothing (cotton, hemp, linen) let sweat evaporate.
• Oatmeal baths: Good for chafed skin, add blended oats to a warm bath, and soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Losing weight can help bring lasting relief.
• Corinne Taylor Body Powder is made with Bentonite clay, jojoba seed oil, chamomile flower extract and essential oils (avoid for pregnancy/nursing)

Never use talc on babies

Talc should also be avoided for babies (just use soft towels to absorb moisture).

Child experts suggest avoiding bubble baths for children under 3, to protect sensitive skin and urinary tracts. Plain water is fine for baby baths. NHS has a 2-minute midwife video on safe baby baths (never leave alone for a second – avoid bath seats, these can quickly detach).

Epsom Salts (for a natural affordable bath soak)

These Epsom salts (named after a Surrey town) are sold in a plastic-free bag that is easy to reseal. Ideal for a restorative bath soak, or use as a foot soak. Either way, they soothe tired aching muscles, for recovery and relaxation.

Avoid Epsom salt baths for open wounds/burns, diabetes, kidney disease, low-magnesium diets, skin infections or heart disease (hot baths can lower blood pressure and increase heart rate). 

Never ingest Epsom salts or use for cooking. Salt is toxic to pets, so keep them away too (close the bathroom door if using, to avoid them licking warm water if it splashes). 

How to use Epsom salts

• For a full bath, add a few handfuls into the bath water, and soak for at least 20 minutes.
• For a foot soak, add 2 handfuls to a basin of lukewarm water, and soak feet for at least 10 minutes.
• To soften and exfoliate skin, mix one tablespoon of olive oil with a handful of Epsom salts, and rub over wet skin, then rinse.
• To cleanse facial pores, mix 1/2 teaspoon to a cleansing cream, then massage onto face, rinse with cool water and drink. Or mix 250ml of warm water with a few teaspoons of Epsom salts, soak the mix onto a warm cloth and cover your face, avoiding the eyes. Wash your face with warm watwer to remove traces of Epsom salt from your skin.

Dip & Doze organic cotton towel bales

Dip & Doze organic cotton towels are nicer than scratchy polyester (which should be laundered in microfiber filters, to avoid ocean pollution).

In natural colours to blend with any bathroom design, organic cotton is good for the planet too (and lasts longer, as fabric have not been treated with chemicals). Hang up after use, wash hand towels every couple of uses, and avoid fabric conditioner, as this reduces absorbency.

Old towels used to transport creatures to wildlife rescue shelters should not have tassels (they can tangle in paws and claws).

Panda luxury bamboo towels and rugs

Panda bamboo towels are made from a blend of cotton and the world’s fastest-growing grass. Unlike conventional towels, these are super-absorbent and naturally anti-bacterial, to wrap up warm after a relaxing bath or shower.

Sold in a beautiful array of natural shades and sizes, the towels carry a 1-year guarantee and get softer with each wash. Plus the matching towels for children have cute panda ears!

Made with a unique zero twist process

These towels are blended using zero twist, a unique process where each individual loop is left open (rather than twisted many times). This means the towels are not just ultra-absorbent but quick to dry. They remain fresh between uses, so less of that ‘damp towel’ smell.

The hand towels are ideal for wrapping around wet hair, to let it dry naturally. So you don’t have to use the hairdryer so much.

All these towels have handy hanging straps to keep them clean and dry between uses. Choose from:

• Pure white
• Ink
• Urban grey

What is bamboo?

Bamboo is a fast-growing grass from China, that is not the same as fresh shoots eaten by pandas. It grows so fast that new shoots start growing soon after harvesting, so it’s pretty sustainable.

Bamboo fabric naturally wicks away moisture, to draw from the skin so you dry quickly. So you can imagine why it’s such a good fabric for making towels.

The bamboo is organic and ethically sourced, and the towels are delivered in sustainable packaging.

Thick and fluffy, the bamboo is blended with long staple cotton for a strong and soft towel, which makes them very durable for years to come.

Matching bamboo bath rugs

Again, these bath rugs in lovely colours are weaved to retain water four times its weight, to dry your feet off super-fast. These rugs stay fluffy and dry quickly, and keep their original shape.

And like the towels, the bamboo rugs are naturally anti-bacterial and odour-resistant, to keep fresh between bath times.

Natural Stone Bath Mats (lifetime guarantees)

Natural Step Bath Mats absorb five times more weight in water, yet feel dye to the touch, as water quickly evaporates. So although more expensive, they never go mouldy or soggy like fabric mats (nor collect airborne bacteria from men who don’t put the loo seat down, after flushing!) And sold with lifetime guarantees.

These mats dry in seconds, gripping the flor to avoid slippery surfaces. To clean, wash with mild soap and water weekly, then rinse and air-dry. You can brush off dust or hair with a soft broom.

Reborn (recycled plastic bathroom accessories

Reborn (Wiltshire) makes quality bathroom accessories from reclaimed plastic waste, in neutral tones of stone, grey or black colours.

We don’t recommend the toilet brush, as recycled plastic bits could break off and could leach into the sea. Use plastic-free cleaning tools instead.

The range includes:

• A soap dish to help palm-oil-free vegan soaps drain quickly. It’s easy to clean, thanks to the smooth surface. Plus a liquid soap dispenser.
• A bathroom caddy (raised surfaces allow air-flow and prevent mould).
• Holders for dental items (never use xylitol brands near pets).

Where to recycle plastic bathroom items

To get virgin plastic bathroom waste items out of your town forever, have your community order a TerraCycle Bathroom Waste Box (everyone can pool a few pounds to pay). Then when full, it’s sent off using the prepaid label, and everything is made into piping or garden benches. Also in a US version.