10 Natural & Plastic Free Medicine Cabinet Swap Essentials

10 Natural & Plastic Free Medicine Cabinet Swap Essentials

When it comes to our health and the protection of our family, we want nothing but the best right? So when it comes to our medicine cabinets, what we use to heal & treat our loved ones should be exactly it!

Not to mention these swaps save time by you rarely having to wait in line at the chemist or using the health isles at the supermarket again! Where do we sign?! 

We want to show you how to build a natural and plastic-free medicine cabinet that can keep your family, yourself and the planet strong and free from toxins and waste easily! 

10 Natural & Plastic Free Alternative Medicine Cabinet Essentials

1. Sun Care

Sun care is one we keep in our medicine cabinet and our on-the-go kit! 

Sunscreen and other after-sun care are there to protect our skin, yet they can be filled with nasty toxic chemicals that we should be avoiding… How does that work?

Thankfully there is a natural & plastic-free option that is not only free from toxins but is safe for our reefs too! Thanks to legends like Sunbutter & Wondery Skin Food, we can feel secure knowing these natural sunscreens contain only safe and effective certified ingredients and aren't seeping chemicals into our skin! Did we mention most of the ranges offer atinted version too!? Hello, plastic-free makeup! 

2.  Bandaids & bandages 

There are a few reasons why mainstream bandages can irritate sensitive skin and stay on the planet for waaaay too long…and they're called chemicals, plastic and toxins. 

Although these chemicals are hard to see, the adhesive in bandages is whereyou'll often react to acrylate and methacrylate. These arechemicals commonly used in tape adhesives to make them sticky. The two types of reactions to an adhesive allergy are irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis

With that said…Let us introduce you to Patch! A plastic-free, organic,fully biodegradable miracle! With absolutely zero waste or harm to our bodies or the environment, these bandages are suitable for the whole family and a wide range of injuries!Each adhesive strip is made fromsoft breathable organic bamboo fabric and gauze that acts as an oxygen agentenhancing the skin's natural healing process.

3. Bites, scratches & itch relief

A zero-waste and toxin-free solution that relieves swelling and itching on the go? Coming right up!

This award-winning SOS Balm is a multipurpose nourishing repair balm that can be used everywhere and every day! It is great for dermatitis, eczema, rosacea, any (baby) rashes, bites, stings or simply as a baby bottom balm. It has a gentle lavender scent! Thank you, nature!

4. Recovery Balms 

Muscle and joint pain relief can be essential in the medicine cabinet for sports or adventure lovers!

The White Pigeon Said Rest and Recover Muscle Balm combines the anti-inflammatory and healing properties of Comfrey, Cayenne Pepper and Turmeric for a cooling effect to relieve sore or stiff muscles and joints. You can use it pre-workout to warm up your muscles and post-workout to speed your recovery! 

5. Vitamins 

Ahh, the vitamin bottles and blister packs… We explain a little more about recycling thesehere, as sometimes they can be unavoidable for prescribed medication! We hear you!

However, if you purchase off-the-shelf vitamins in plastic bottles or containers, you may want to check out the planet-friendly options from Nutra Organics!

Nutra Organics have been paving the way for organic superfoods in our diets since 1998!

Here you'll find our favourite beauty and health supplements in plastic-free packaging to support your quest for zero-waste and optimal wellness! Yeehaw!

6. Hand sanitiser

We can't be the only ones who have used a mainstream hand sanitiser and thought it was straight tequila?? Hand sanitiser has been a hugely increased medicine cabinet and on-the-go essential, so finding an effective germ killer without the chemicals had to be on our list!

Using a combination of essential oils, this sanitiser by Bondi Wash is filled with purifying, uplifting and cleansing anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that create a very powerful and effective liquid sanitiser. You can also use it to clean and sanitise surfaces in your home. Double whammy! 

Or how about this sustainable hand sanitiser from  Willielane? It's packaged in a reusable glass spray bottle, meaning no waste ends in a landfill. Reuse it for your DIY cleaning recipes, air fresheners or plant sprays. Once the spray bottle is empty, purchase the refill option packed in a glass jar. Quadruple whammy!

7. Cold Sore Remedy

If you're a sufferer of cold sores, we hear you! 

Mangrove Magic's Cold Sore Remedy Oilis a natural treatment with potent antiviral ingredients to tackle cold sores naturally. This Cold Sore Remedy uses a toxin-free blend of Lemon Balm to reduce the healing time and symptoms. At the same time, Tea Tree contains antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties to help protect them from further irritation. Geranium Essential Oil and Bergamot are legendary antiseptic heroes while providing pain relief. 

8. Chest Rub 

While Mainstream chest rubs have antiseptic and preservative properties, they are often filled with unnecessary chemicals and toxins that aren't meant for our skin! Chest and vapour rubs are also commonly petroleum jelly-based. Have you ever googled petroleum jelly ingredients and tried to pronounce them…?  

 The White Pigeon Said Breathe Easy Balm congestion-clearing blend of Fir Needle Essential Oil, Sweet Orange and Eucalyptus extract is a must-have in every family's cold & flu fighting kit! It is also available in both a kid's and an adult's strength!

The legends Over at The White Pigeon built the whole kit for us! Check out their Medicine Cabinet Pack! 

9.  Essential Oils 

Essential oils smell great, reduce stress, treat fungal infections, and help you sleep. They are concentrated extractions from plants. A process called distillation turns the "essence" of a plant into a liquefied form for many medicinal and recreational uses! 

Our fantastic range from Mt. Retour, right from the heart of the Blue Mountains, comes to an essential oils line with incredible values. Made with organic herbs from their farm here in Australia, Mt Retour was created with a vision to provide truly pure, certified organic, and affordable oils to every household in Australia. 

For example, their Breathe Better Roll-on is a healing blend of Camellia Oil, Peppermint, and Eucalyptus extract to clear nasal passages and promote easy breathing! 

You can see their entire scent and healing range here!

10.  Magnesium

Magnesium is super essential for our bodies and is something that stays in our medicine cabinet! It plays a massive role for muscles and nerves to work correctly, keep blood sugar and blood pressure at the right level, and make protein, bone, and DNA… 

Um, okay, Magnesium, we get it; you're great! It's so great we wrote a blog about it here! 

We love  Raw Medicines Re-Energise Magnesium + Herbs and Superfoods! This superpower not only contains a high dose of Magnesium citrate but also has vitamin C, Glutamine, Schizandra & Rehmannia, and a blend of superfoods. Mix it with water or add it to your meals, it's yummy too! 

Recycling Medicinal Items:

Did you know you can recycle with us? Yep! We take back other brands' packaging that can't be recycled in your kerbside recycle bin. Plus when you send us your waste, you'll earn a $10 GFZ store voucher. Can we get a *woot woot*?! Head here to see what we can take! 

Whilst our program is constantly evolving there are some items we can’t yet take BUT fear not! We have the solutions for you!

A quick reminder to NEVER flush any of your medicines! Pills and medicines can pollute our water and unintentionally expose us to the chemicals in these medications. Recent studies have found that medicines flushed down the drain can contaminate our lakes and streams, which can hurt fish and other aquatic wildlife, and end up in our drinking water. Eeek! No thanks! 

1. Blister Packs 

Unfortunately we are unable to accept blister packs anymore. However, we have found some legends that can! Check out the Free Chemist's Own Blister Pack Recycling Programhere.

We were a collection point under the Terracycle blister pack program, but unfortunately they now only accept pharmacies as collection points. But we aren’t giving up! 

2. Vitamin Bottles

While most vitamin bottles meet the curb-side recycle bin requirements we always think it's best to have another option to be sure your items have the best chance of being recycled! 

3. Some other useful programs!

Checking in with your local chemist and asking what programs they have in place can be super beneficial! Perhaps you could inspire them! Have you also seen Priceline's new program with TerraCycle? They are collecting beauty and bathroom products too!

Well, GFZ's, we've kept you long enough, but I truly hope this guide has been helpful to you, and if you loved this, we think you'll enjoy our blog on 10 Natural Sunburn Remedies for Surviving the Aussie Sun. You can find it over on our Sustainable Living Blog! 

Have another natural or plastic-free medicine hack or product!? We would love to hear from you at askusanything@goforzero.com.au

GFZ Team xx