What is it about moisturizer that makes it so important to package it in plastic? I have been looking and looking for plastic-free moisturizer for a long time now and there are almost no options out there. I tried a product in bar form recently that was pretty hard to use (see my review here: https://theplasticswitch.com/can-a-moisturizer-bar-work-as-well-as-lotion/ ). And other than this bar, I had seen no viable alternatives.
The moisturizer I love (except that it is packaged in plastic) is CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. I love this wide-mouthed tub that makes it easy to use the product and to get out every last bit when you are running low. The cream is thick and luscious, and it is easy to spread on your skin. Best of all–it works great, preventing my skin from being dry and scaly in the winter and helping my skin heal from too much sun in the summer. But ugh–the plastic!
So, my ideal plastic-free substitute would be a nice, thick cream in an aluminum tub that I could recycle. But, of course, I have not seen that anywhere.
What I did recently find at Whole Foods, is this Hand in Hand Body Lotion in an aluminum bottle. The bottle itself is infinitely recyclable, like all aluminum. Unfortunately, there is a plastic pump on it that that makes it a bad plastic switch.
I would feel a little bit better about the plastic pump if Hand in Hand sold bottles without the pump so you could re-use the one you already have. I would even pay the same price for an aluminum can with a screw-on top that would allow me to re-use that plastic pump. Or, even better, if they would just thicken up the product a little, and put it into a wide-mouth aluminum tub with a screw-on top.
The saving grace of this product is that I do like the lotion. I got the Sweetgrass fragrance, which is very pleasant. It is a stronger fragrance that I would typically choose, but once I rub the lotion in, I don’t really notice it. And the scent is nice enough that I can deal with the intensity until it fades.
While it isn’t currently deep winter, when my skin is driest, this lotion goes on easily and works well to keep my skin soft in the spring and early summer. I like the thickness of the CeraVe cream better, but this seems to work just fine.
And best of all, it is a decent value. I paid about the same for this product on a per ounce basis, as I pay for the CeraVe.
Things I Love:
- Aluminum bottle
- Pleasant scent
- Easy to apply
Things I Don’t Love:
- Plastic pump and no refill option
Product Info:
- https://www.handinhandsoap.com
- 10oz. Bottle $9.99 (though I got it on sale for $8.49)
- I have seen this at Whole Foods and at Wegman’s. Also available at Amazon and on the company website.
I have mixed feelings on this switch. On the one hand, I am so excited that I found a solution to body lotion in big plastic tubs and bottles. On the other hand, I am frustrated that Hand in Hand is so darn close to being plastic free, but they didn’t quite get there. Wouldn’t it be great if they could take it the next step and make the product plastic free?! Or at least make a refill option?
Hand in Hand Body Lotion Rating
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