Favorite Sustainable Essentials (part i)
First of all, thank you for being here! It brings me joy to see that more people are starting to mindfully choose the products they purchase. Opting for products that support sustainable initiatives can have a significant impact; it only takes a few of us to spark change and inspire those around us. By choosing to buy eco-friendly products, you're not only helping the planet, but you're also benefiting yourself and your community by reducing your environmental impact. If others follow your lead, small changes in their choices can create a meaningful difference.
This is Part 1 of my "Favorite Sustainable Essentials" blog series. I’ve decided to share some of the products I personally support and use because of their sustainable efforts for the planet. Recently, I made an IG Reel (see video here) featuring some of the products I packed in my luggage, and a few people asked me via DMs to share what I use and recommend. Below, you’ll find a curated list of the products I use and the reasons why I recommend them.
SKIN / BODY CARE
Korres Red Grape Face Tinted Sunscreen SPF50 Antispot & Anti-aging
FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS
BEAUTY PRODUCTS
Dermtropics. A local Filipino brand that promotes Green Beauty. I use their shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap bar and their body lotion. Recently, they just launched their lip balm with SPF 70. One of the main reasons I support and recommend this product is because of their mission as a brand, they provide real and transformative results for our skin, while doing their part to reduce the waste impact on our planet by their eco-friendly approach, from the ingredients used to the packaging. Their formulas and ingredients are free from harsh chemicals that can be harmful to humans and the environment. Their main ingredient for their products come from the Philippines Coconut Trees also know as cocos nucifera.
An interesting and environmentally friendly technology that their products undergo is the process of wet-milling. Their virgin coconut oil is made from raw coconut cream that has been freshly extracted from matured coconut meat. The cream undergoes a series of high-speed centrifuges to separate the oil without using any heat or chemicals. The result is virgin coconut oil, at its purest, as nature intended.
Know more about their initiatives here.
Korres. A Greek beauty brand, born out of Athens’ oldest homoeopathic pharmacy in 1996. Following its conscience since the 90s, KORRES proudly owns the process from seed to skin and back through six distinctive Labs, reflecting the brand’s Sustainability Circle vision: Soil Lab, Extraction Lab, Molecular Lab, Formulation Lab, Design Lab, Recycle Lab – to know more about their efforts and approach, see here. Personally, as someone with sensitive skin, I react to chemicals quite fast but my experience with their products so far has been great.
On another note, I also found out that they are partnered with the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation to shrink their environmental footprint. The institute dedicates many of its efforts to the conservation of the posidonia oceanica meadows. These seagrasses help keep the Mediterranean Sea healthy. They don’t only produce oxygen but also act as a nursery for smaller species to breed, feed and shelter from predators.
Homoeopathic. An alternative approach to medicine based on the belief that natural substances, prepared in a special way and used most often in very small amounts, restore health.
Halia. Another local Filipino brand that advocates for women’s health and the planet. Their goal is to transform the narrative of periods from the secretive aspect of feminine hygiene, to a normal and celebrated part of self-care, to have quality period products that are kind to our bodies and the planet. Due to my PCOS and my adenomyosis, as much as I’d prefer using menstrual cups for less waste, my conditions bring me pain and discomfort especially during times when I need to be active, and that’s why I use Halia’s biodegradable menstrual pads.
I had to do my research and some of the things you need to know is that their products are industrially compostable according to the European standard EN 13432, they only use bamboo that is EcoCertorganic-certified, absolutely nofertilizers or pesticides are used in the farming process, their bamboo comes from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified sources — the most responsibly managed forests with environmental, social, and economic standards.
Know more about their credibility here.
Cuco. A small local Filipino brand that is known for their vegan nail polishes. They recently launched their lip line, I got to try their melting lip balm and their lip treatment, they focus on clean ingredients with a curated formula and packaging made kinder for their consumers and the planet.
Supporting local small brands benefits our economy in many ways and although Cuco has minimal information throughout their site and social media platforms, I believe that they can still improve as an ethical brand as long as they continue following their belief in being “kinder for you and the planet”.
Check them out on Instagram.
Tieut. Is a Korean brand that I got sponsored by a few years back. I have their menstrual cup for a few years now and I still use it up to this day. I mentioned that I am not comfortable using cups, but this one fits me well. I only use it during my water activities, it’s definitely much safer than using tampons. I am not entirely sure how sustainable their brand is as their whole site is in Korean but what I do know is that opting for menstrual cups can lead to less waste, which is something I support.
I recommend Tieut’s menstrual cups because it lasted me years without breaking or going bad. It’s hard to choose long lasting products but by far, this lasted for me.
These are just a few of the products I am currently using that I support, will make sure I make an updated list once I discover more green choices. You don’t have to throw away your current products to be replaced by this list, I suggest you make use of the products that you have that works for you now and once you finish an item or two, you might want to be more mindful of your next choices, and this is where this blog series becomes useful.
If you’re a small business owner of a planet friendly sustainable brand or an individual who simply wants to share more about sustainable essentials, please feel free to e-mail me your thoughts: hello@chaocampo.com