In these trying times (god, make it stop), it’s important to take care of ourselves. No, I don’t think anyone should be turning off the news completely, but it’s okay to take a phone break in the evening, do some skincare, curl up with a book, and drink some loose-leaf tea. In fact, rest and resistance are a form of activism when paired with other actions. Learn more about being an eco activist here.

So, here are some ways I indulge in self-care to unwind, but how I do so without sacrificing the planet. Let’s chat zero waste self-care!

Skincare

When it’s time to settle in for the night, I love to shower and do some skincare to help me feel refreshed for the evening. But, I also use most of this (and more) for my morning skincare, too!

Rebrand

Honestly, this is my sign to get some refills! I bought the travel minis for Black Friday and was immediately obsessed with how eco this product is, but also how well it works! Aubri, founder of Rebrand, is a cosmetic chemist. So these products aren’t just thrown together willy-nilly; they are very intentional and work so well. I was never a skincare girlie until these oils, creams, and serums!

Face roller

I got this roller years ago, brand new, and use it on occasion to feel extra pampered. It’s a fun little addition!

Leaf dermaplaner

I love dermaplaning to get any dead skin off of my face and feel extra exfoliated and smooth. But, traditional dermaplaners are super wasteful since they are plastic and usually single-use. So, I’ve been using a refillable dermaplaner from Leaf Shave. They even have a blade recycling program! Highly recommend this to reduce a lot of bathroom waste.

Floofah

Speaking of exfoliation, I just tried Floofah loofahs recently, and they are perfect! I love their shape for holding it, the cotton loop it has for hanging it up, and how well it exfoliates while also not being too harsh. It makes for a very nice scrub in the shower!

Babo Botanicals

In the morning, I can’t forget my sunscreen! I’ve been using Babo Botanicals for at least a year now, every single day on my face to help protect my skin. I love their face stick for easy, grease-free application in the morning, but their paste is great for all-over body coverage. And, they make other bathroom products like shampoo, conditioner, and body wash!

Eco Makeup

I’m not much of a makeup girl so lemme shoutout a few of my faves and what makes them great:

Axiology: 100% plastic-free and vegan. Their products are multi-purpose and great for a full-face
Fat and the Moon: fun colors and pigments to style up your basic layers
Zerra & Co: The basics of eye makeup to include eco makeup remover and toner

Oral hygiene

Yes, I count flossing, brushing, and the like as self-care. I had 10 cavities filled in winter 2024, and now I am religious about dental care. So, here’s how I make it slightly more eco:

Reusable floss pick

It’s been a journey for me with this. I used to use one from Quip until they discontinued it. I was devastated. I have arthritis and a small mouth. It’s so hard and painful for me to floss with my hands. So, I turned to Etsy, where I found a 3D printed one…I do not recommend this. But, thankfully, I got a new one recently made out of 100% metal that really stands the test of time. Check it out here if you are also looking for a way to break up with disposable floss picks!

Bamboo toothbrush

When I buy my toothbrushes, they’re always bamboo. But I will never say no to a free toothbrush from the dentist. Sorry, but you can’t beat any handouts they give you after you pay them $100s. I like to have extras too for many reasons: if a friend staying with us forgets theirs, I get sick and want to replace it before the 6-month mark, stocking our eco emergency kit, and more. But this is my go-to bamboo toothbrush.

Eco-ish toothpaste

Toothpaste has also been a challenge, as I don’t want to stray away from fluoride again, just in case. 10 cavities are traumatic! But we’re also on a quest to shop small and avoid brands that are owned by mega corporations. I’m open to ordering some online if they are at a decent price. Price is also a huge factor for us. All that to say, I haven’t found the perfect one yet, but here are some I tested in the past. For now, we usually rotate between Tom’s of Maine and Hello, which are both owned by mega corporations, but it’s all we have locally. Drop your recs below!

Be sure to check out my full eco bathroom tour here!

Hobbies

After all is said and done above, it’s time to get off my phone for the day. As a content creator and also consumer of content, I feel like I’m in front of my phone or computer most of the day. So, I try to make it a habit to do anything else in the evening, from watching a show to playing a game to reading a book.

Secondhand switch

My preferred method of gaming is the Switch. I love Mario and Zelda games, and we got ours secondhand! Even our game cartridges are secondhand, or we opt for digital games. This is fun to play with friends, with just Dan, or by myself.

Secondhand or indie books

I’m also a huge fan of reading and like to switch up between gaming and reading. From the library to finding books in Little Free Libraries to shopping secondhand and checking out our local indie bookstore, our bookshelf is chock-full of eco books. I get a majority of my secondhand books on Thriftbooks!

Secondhand or small biz yarn

Paired with an audiobook, I love to crochet and read at the same time. When looking for yarn, I opt for secondhand, shopping small and choosing natural fibers, or upcycle things into yarn, such as t-shirts. Even hobbies that require you to continually buy stuff, you can still do so in an eco way! Some of my fav yarn brands you can buy online are:

Darn Good Yarn (code EMMA15 gets you 15% off)
Knit Picks

Walking

Truly, just going for walks does wonders for me. It’s the first thing I do when I wake up, it provides me with a halfway point in my work day and gets me off my phone for a bit, and it’s how I end the work day. It’s exercise, catching up with Dan after work, spending quality time with our dog, and checking out our neighborhood. Here are more perks to living in a walkable community.

Gardening

I am a recent balcony gardener, but I don’t take it too seriously. I’ve read zero books or even blog posts on what I should be doing. But I got all my seeds for free, so it’s a fun experiment. It gives me time to touch dirt, nurture a living thing, and time outside.

Swing dancing

My biggest joy recently has been swing dancing. We started in November 2024, and I low-key hated it. You have to dance with strangers, touch strangers, and interpret a dance with no choreography. But, I learned that those are also all of the fun parts of social dancing! It took me a while to warm up to it, but the rest is history. It’s what I look forward to the most in my week. It’s another form of exercise but also a form of being social, meeting new people, seeing old friends, enjoying jazz music, and taking my energy from the day and letting it out of my entire body! It’s so freeing.

Check out more of my eco hobbies here and more ways you can eco-fy YOUR hobbies!

Food & Drink

If you must know anything about me, it’s that I love a little sweet treat. Whether it’s a drink or a meal or a pastry, I will never say no to food and going out with friends and loved ones. Here are some ways I make it eco.

Secondhand espresso machine

Immediately upon moving out of our RV, we knew we needed an espresso machine, and I found one secondhand! Paired with locally roasted coffee that we also get at the refill store, our coffee routine has become quite eco. We’ve also been trying the Almond Cow to further reduce our coffee and milk waste. It’s getting practically zero waste over here!

Take my coffee cup and containers to cafes

But nothing beats a good latte from a cafe. It tastes better when a professional does it with their specialty flavors and add-ins. When I go to a cafe, I bring my reusable cup to save some waste and usually 25-50 cents!

Loose leaf tea in a locally made mug

Though coffee is a fav, tea is much preferred in the evenings and some mornings to prevent my reliance on caffeine. I love getting my tea at my local refill store, but if you don’t have one, here are some online options:

With your loose-leaf tea, be sure to get a plastic-free tea strainer and pair it with your favorite mug. Mugs are great to find secondhand or handmade. We love supporting local potters!

Food with friends

I cherish going out with friends, whether that be grabbing sushi before swing dancing or having a summer solstice cookout. It’s so fun to gather with friends, exchange food, and just be in the presence of those who are about you. It builds community, strengthens relationships, and provides human connection, which is so important now more than ever. Have a laugh with your pals and get off your phone!

Health

Self-care to me is also not sacrificing my health for the planet. For example, Dan and I got the sniffles a few weeks ago, and we had no hesitation buying some medication in plastic and some tea bags because I could not find the herb I wanted in bulk. You do what you gotta do! But here are some ways that I take care of my health in an eco way.

Heating Pads

I’ve got two heating pads in rotation. One is a plug-in that I use for long-term use, like cramps or excessive arthritis pain. I got this secondhand from my dad when he was moving. The other is one that you can microwave for short-term relief that which is made from upcycled cherry pits from a small brand called Cherapy.

Reusable ice packs

But sometimes ice is what I need, so I opt for reusable ice packs. Yes, most ice packs are reusable, but not always! Some of mine I have saved from food orders, and others I have bought new, like my ice helmets for migraines.

Loop

Reusable earplugs for the win! I love that these reduce a lot of waste if you are a regular earplug user, and they’re stylish enough to wear with any outfit. Plus, the case makes it easy to keep track of them on my keychain or in my purse. I use these to reduce migraines in general or keep the intensity of the pain low since I am very sensitive to sound.

Reusable tissues

Whether I need to blow my nose, or clean my glasses, or apply toner, these reusable tissues from Boaty always come in handy and reduce so much waste. I’ve been using them for at least 3 years (maybe even 4 at this point), and there is no turning back. I have added some of my own to the collection, made of old t-shirts, since I use them so frequently. This is a great free DIY or a great chance to support an awesome small biz!

Misc

Here are a few more items I do around town or around the house that help me unwind, relax, have fun, and take care of myself:

Everly candles

I’m not the world’s biggest fan of candles due to waste and smell sensitivity, but when I do burn candles, they’re from Everly. They help me reduce waste via their refill kits that I can add to any old candle jar, and their scents are natural, which don’t give me a migraine. They’re a fun way to relax without all the waste!

Plastic-free incense

But incense is also a fav of mine that I am able to get at my local natural store, totally plastic free. It’s a fun way to add some natural scent to my home and do aromatherapy.

Going to local events, festivals, classes, etc

I loveeee going out! I didn’t use to. It was difficult when my migraines were much worse than they are now. Plus, I’ve never lived in such a tight-knit community that celebrates anything and everything. From Worm Fest to air shows to roller derby to the county fair, my new home has it all, and there is at least one thing to attend every week. This month, for example, our town is hosting a Where’s Waldo contest where he is hidden inside local shops. This gives us a chance to check out new small businesses, and the end of the search is a huge town-wide party! Check your city or county page to see what’s going on near you.

Farmer’s market browsing

A regular local event I love going to is the farmer’s market. I can find locally made food, locally grown produce, locally made art, and support local businesses on my way. I can meet up with friends, hang out in the grass, and just enjoy being outside with my neighbors. It’s my favorite way to spend a sunny day and eat the tastiest, freshest, most plastic-free food!

Lip balm

Other than sweet treats, something else I can’t live without is my lip balm. I need to have perfectly moisturized lips to function (I literally just put some on while writing this lol). I used to create a lot of plastic waste with this habit, but no longer! My current fav is Sustain Yourself, followed closely by Blue Heron Botanicals. But I review more in this video and in part two.

That’s all for now, but I’m sure there is more. Let me know if you wanna see a part two!

Thank you for being an activist. Thank you for taking action and caring about the planet. And, thank you for taking care of yourself! We cannot take care of the planet if we are sick, tired, and burned out. It’s okay to take a break. It’s okay to put the phone down in the evening or for the weekend. Come back when you’re ready.

As always, remember that your small actions truly matter in the long run :)

Emma

Eco-Friendly Self-Care to Avoid Burn Out