the unwash review
Written by Contributing Editor Liz Grogan
For plastic-free haircare that works, try Flora Flora Co’s shampoo and conditioner bars, packed with naturally derived ingredients, for a sustainable swap without sacrificing performance and aesthetics. Their salon-quality, biodegradable bars increase shine, provide a powerful lather, and contain an easy-grip shape designed for wet hands.
Founder Sarah Cloes created Flora Flora Co after witnessing first-hand how single-use plastics were killing sea life and crowding the beautiful beaches of Hawaii. She started avoiding products sold in plastic bottles, but desired more from the shampoo bars she tried. Since she launched Flora Flora Co in 2020, all of their hair products have been made in small batches with the highest quality, sustainably sourced ingredients. The gentle coconut-derived cleaning agents provide a gentle eco-friendly wash without stripping your strands or creating build-up. The bars are always free of parabens, plastic, sulfates, silicone, and artificial fragrances, focusing instead on rosemary, chamomile, rose hip, snow mushroom, and willow bark extracts.
“It’s been overwhelming to see how many people care about and appreciate decisions like this and we’ve been so honored to get to grow our community with like-minded people. We’re excited to keep making a difference in the beauty industry!” – Sarah Cloes, Founder Flora Flora Co.
After her first year in business, Sarah was approached by a large national retailer to sell her brand in hundreds of stores, but after disagreeing on sustainable shipping and packaging practices, she turned down the chain. She took her frustrations to Tik Tok, where she was applauded for sticking to her brand’s ethos and avoiding greenwashing. She thought the decision would be a significant setback, but instead, it transformed her business. Flora Flora sold out three times, gained thousands of new customers, and increased its social media following by 45,000 followers.
While traditional liquid shampoo is up to 80% water, Flora Flora’s shampoo and conditioner bars contain concentrated ingredients that can replace up to 3 plastic bottles of liquid shampoo or conditioner. Their packaging is sustainably made in San Diego using 25% hemp and 75% recycled material. Flora Flora also aims to give back and be accessible. Every 1 out of 10 bars sold is donated to domestic violence shelters.
Whether you need a volumizing, clarifying, or scalp-soothing routine, take their online quiz or order their sustainable sample set to experience their best sellers before committing. With scent blends like Late Summer, Citrus Grove, and Herb Garden, it’s easy to ditch the bottle and start receiving tailored, sustainable hair care today.
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Natureofthings
Natureofthings is a holistic body care brand inspired by and rooted in nature, including its commitment to sustainability. The brand is committed to creating products meant to make life more pleasurable and enjoyable. Their minimal branding makes for easy packaging repurposing as the founders ensured to think about their products’ entire lifecycle at the inception of the brand.
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The Dirt Company
The Dirt Company is on a mission to clean up the planet while cleaning your clothes. This small Australian team began working in 2013 to create a zero-waste laundry system using recycled and refillable products. With their Refill, Return System, customers replace bulky plastic jugs with sleek, durable glass dispenser bottles. The bottles come pre-filled with their top-rated, highly concentrated, plant-based laundry detergent.
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Rif Care
Their 100% plant-based and biodegradable menstrual pads are carbon neutral by design. The brand uses leftover fibers from hemp oil production to create its premium product line. Regenerative hemp farming uses less water than cotton, grows without pesticides, and reverses the effects of climate change by capturing, securing, and storing CO2 in the ground to improve air and soil quality.
