This post is part of a paid collaboration with Plaine Products and I received items for review.
I introduced Plaine Products on Monday in my Zero-Waste Your Morning routine post, but I didn’t share a proper review. Today’s the day!
To recap, the sister team behind Plaine Products invented the zero waste, subscription shower care company after waking up to the fact that the plastic packaging wrapped around most single-use products doesn’t just go away after we discard or recycle it. To the contrary, it piles up on beaches, roadways, and landfills and gets lodged in the stomachs and around the mouths of millions of aquatic and land animals each year, killing or permanently maiming them.
Their solution was to create something that adhered to the ideals of the circular economy, which prioritizes high quality, reusable materials; regular maintenance and mending; and an overall reduction in resources and energy usage throughout the production process. Plaine Products come in stainless steel containers with reusable pumps. When you’re getting close to using up a product, you simply head to the website and order a new one along with a return label to send back the old bottle. They’ll then clean and refill that bottle and send it off to the next customer.
Needless to say, the concept is amazing. I’ve been wanting something like this to come along for years, and I only wish I could find something similar for facial care products.
But concepts don’t mean anything if the product can’t speak for itself. Fortunately, Plaine Products are the bomb. I really mean it. I had been searching high and low for zero-waste shampoo and conditioner that didn’t leave a lot of residue in my fine hair, and I’d about given up. But the organically derived, palm oil free (and no palm oil derivatives!), essential-oil scented, gentle line they’ve created has made my mornings so much easier.
I’ve been testing out Plaine Products’ full line – shampoo, conditioner, and body wash – for about a month to ensure my review could be as thorough as possible. Here’s my verdict:
Shampoo
Aloe, Coconut Oil, green tea and other pure ingredients combine to make a sensitive-skin friendly, lightweight but moisturizing shampoo. I am dandruff prone because my scalp, like the rest of my skin, is very sensitive, so I was worried this shampoo wouldn’t be able to tackle that, but I’ve had less dandruff and less itchy skin since I started using Plaine Products. With my amount of hair, I just need one pump to get a thorough clean. This is hands down the best shampoo I’ve used in years. It’s not drying like other organic shampoos and, unlike shampoo bars, it leaves no residue.
Grade: A+
Conditioner
Shea and mango butters, jojoba oil, and other fruit extracts make this a medium-weight, replenishing conditioner. Like the shampoo, I only need one pump to throughly saturate my hair. I’m less fussy about conditioners overall, because my fine, straight hair doesn’t require a lot of extra moisture, but I like the weight of this one. I actually LOVE this for shaving my legs and underarms because it’s moisturizing and easy to spread.
Grade: For hair, A | For shaving, A+
Body Wash
Chamomile, sage, jojoba, and bamboo silk make this a nourishing body wash. Admittedly, I’m more of a bar soap person, so body wash in general doesn’t excite me. I like this product to combat dry skin, but it feels a bit too heavy for hot, humid days. I’m looking forward to using it more frequently during the winter.
Grade: B (but hey, that’s just me)
I would highly recommend that you try Plaine Products if you’ve experienced similar issues with shampoo bars and other organic, zero waste skin care products in the past. I can’t imagine that you’d be disappointed.
Shop Plaine Products here.
Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.