Finding the right plastic-free shampoo has required quite a bit of trial and error. I have found a number of shampoo & conditioner bars, some of which are very good and some of which are pretty bad, either drying out my hair, leave it looking crazy and frizzy, or bairly washing it so it lays flat on my head in a greasy clump. I am quite satisfied with my favorite shampoo and conditioner bars–HiBar brand (check out my review HERE). I have not seen any plastic-free haircare brands that come in aluminum bottles until I stumbled upon Alpine Provisions shampoo and conditioner at REI, of all places. And while I don’t usually shop for Shampoo at outdoor stores, I am glad that I found this great brand and made the impulse purchase.
Partner in Plastic-Free
I loved this brand from the very first glance because they are focused on offering plastic-free packaging for everyday products–what a great fit for this blog!
The aluminum bottles for shampoo and conditioner were intriguing because not everyone wants a shampoo bar and I have not seen other liquid shampoo options available in plastic-free packaging. Aluminum is a terrific plastic-free package since it is easily recycled. And unlike plastic, it can be recycled over and over again.
The shampoo and conditioner worked great. They left my hair very soft and smooth. In fact, I believe these products worked even better than the salon shampoo and conditioner that I used before switching to shampoo bars.
I chose the rosemary + mint fragrance and it is wonderful. If you have read my blog you know that I am not much of a fragrance person. But this scent, while strong, is very nice, and it could be enough to convert me into a fragrance-lover.
Looking for Easy-Squeezy
One drawback of the aluminum bottle is that you cannot squeeze it. This makes getting the right sized blob of conditioner difficult. Alpine Provisions does sell reusable pumps (which contain plastic) on their online store, but I prefer to use what I already have. My easy solution was to use an empty plastic shampoo bottle that I had saved from my past life. I refill this plastic (squeezable) bottle from the aluminum, bottle. And I get the added benefit of feeling good about re-using the plastic bottle!
While I love that the aluminum bottle is plastic-free, I am less thrilled that the liquid products are so heavy. My focus is on switching away from plastic, but if we look at the overall environmental impact of shampoo, liquid is heavier and larger to transport than shampoo and conditioner bars. As a result, I do believe that bars are the better sustainable choice.
But, while I have been very satisfied with shampoo and conditioner bars (my favorites are HiBar brand), I have heard lots of feedback from people who don’t seem to be willing to give up on liquid options. And for those people, these Alpine Provision Shampoos and Conditioners are a great plastic-free choice!
Things I Love:
- These are plastic free!
- The aluminum bottles are infinitely recyclable.
- They leave my hair soft and smooth.
- The fragrance is fantastic.
Things I Don’t Love:
- Shampoo and conditioner bars are a more sustainable choice.
Product Info:
- Available at REI and online
- Great fragrances:
- Fir + Sage
- Rosemary + Mint
- Vetiver + Sage
- Cedar + Sandlewood
- www.alpineprovisions.com
Alpine Provisions Shampoo & Conditioner Rating
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