Organic coconut oil in a huge glass jar has replaced a number of plastic-packaged potions and lotions in our house.
**Winter Update** In colder weather, coconut oil solidifies into a fairly unusable state. The simple solution is to add 2 - 4 tablespoons of olive oil OR rapeseed oil OR avocado oil (Waitrose do this lovely organic avocado oil by Olivado and Holland an Barrett do this lovely one) to a 300ml to 500ml size jar of coconut oil. Microwave the jar (without the metal lid!) on medium for a minute / leave it on a radiator - to liquidise the coconut oil. Then stir well to combine the two oils. I always stir in the liquid oil 1 tbsp at a time and then allow the mixture to cool into its natural winter state, before deciding whether to add more. DON'T immediately wash the spoon you used to stir the coconut oil mixture - coconut oil solidifies in water pipes when it cools down, so always wipe the excess coconut oil off the any utensils before washing.
We now use organic coconut oil as...
* foot balm (it is naturally antibacterial)
* body lotion
* hand cream *UPDATE* for a more intense plastic-free cream try lanolin (oil from sheep fleece).
* leave-in hair conditioner (only a teeny-tiny smidgen is needed)
* nappy cream (decanted into a reusable plastic container for safety)
* lip balm *UPDATE* for a more intense plastic-free cream try lanolin (oil from sheep fleece).
* face moisturiser *UPDATE* but only use coconut oil on faces not prone to blocked pores / acne as coconut oil is very 'comedogenic' (pore blocking). As an alternative (which is still plastic free) I like the Face Theory 'Amil-C Whip' facial moisturiser, which actively unblocks pores and provides spf 30 sun protection, all whilst not upsetting my sensitive skin! For a facial night cream I use a very small drop of organic avocado oil (in a glass bottle) - this one or this one, as avocado oil is far lower down the comedogenic 'pore clogging' scale (especially when used sparingly) and is very nutritious.
Coconut oil is saving us money and saving us cupboard space (because of its 6-in-1 capabilities), as well as reducing the amount of plastic added to landfill. Oh and everyone smells like a Bounty bar, which is great if you love Bounty bars as much as I do.
If your face needs something plastic-free with extra moisturising capabilities, then I suggest Lavera All Round Cream, which comes in a large-ish metal tin and has a similar consistency to thick Nivea cream. It does have a citrus-type scent (it is a bit like putting a delightful blob of lemon cheesecake onto your skin!) but this doesn't put me off - usually I can't abide scented products. Unfortunately it does contain palm oil, but it is the best (effective, plastic-free, large quantity, reasonably priced, delivered plastic-free by Ethical Superstore) option I've found for a really effective moisturiser.
In the winter or when I'm tired (i.e. when my skin needs extra moisturising) I usually put on an initial layer of my usual moisturiser and add a layer of Lavera cream to anywhere needing it (under eyes, cheeks etc).
So you will either smell like a bounty bar or lemon cheesecake (or both!)