My Monthly Favorite Eco-conscious Products - February 2022
It’s that time of the month, again! Find out my favorite eco-conscious products in February 2022.
Despite being the shortest month of the year, I spent more time outdoors and tried some new products - as you can see by the list below.
Without further ado, these were my favorite eco-conscious products of the month.
A.P.C. Small Grace Bag
I’ve been eyeing this handbag (and visiting A.PC.’s website every week) for about a year now. A.P.C. is a French brand known for its ready-to-wear clothes and timeless leather goods. It’s not a cheap brand, so I needed to give it a lot of thought (and spend a lot of hours in research) before I made up my mind.
Even though I am happy with my Labienhecha bag, I wanted something that looked more structured, elegant, and fully closed. So I didn’t have to worry about my tech items if I got caught up in the rain.
That’s precisely the case with A.P.C.’s Small Grace Handbag. Besides instantly revamping any look and fully closing, it has enough room to fit my iPad mini (WIN!).
But as it’s made out of soft leather, it tends to scratch more quickly than I’d like to - no matter how careful I am. While I’ve always been picky (and cautious) with my belongings, I’ve been accepting (and embracing) its wear and tear ever since I adopted Sebastian (my beloved cat).
Instead of suffering over every scratch or stain, I prefer to accept these as part of the happy moments (and incidents) that I’ve shared with this handbag. Just the way I take my body’s scars, wrinkles, and stretch marks.
Another thing that this handbag made me realize was how much stuff I was carrying around and how bulky these were. So, I’ve been downsizing the number of items and replacing some with the sleekest ones.
Sephora Volcanic Sand Face Scrub
Despite buying 90% of my makeup and skincare products at Sephora, I recognize that I feel some prejudice regarding their branded products. It doesn’t make any sense, I know. But, for some reason, my subconscious thinks that these won’t be that good.
In the final months of 2021, I received this Sephora Volcanic Sand Face Scrub as part of a promo while shopping at their website. Given its 90% natural ingredient formula, I decided to try it.
The result? I ended up being pleasantly surprised about how easy it is to use and how comfortable my skin feels afterward. The scrubbing beads aren’t that aggressive, even for my sensitive skin. I usually leave it in the shower and use it twice a week.
The 50 ml tube retails for 9,99€, and it will last you for months (as you need to use a small amount). Feel free to share it with the rest of your household.
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream
OK, we’re in a grey zone here. There’s no consensus about Kiehl’s being a cruelty-free brand, but most of their products have a large percentage of natural ingredients, and their packages are made with post-consumer plastic (some more than others).
I happen to have a soft spot for this brand, as it was the very first whose products had a positive impact on my skin - and that I could use for more than just a couple of weeks. I’ve been through many skin issues during my 10’s and 20’s, and Kiehl’s products were game-changing.
However, I hadn’t tried their Ultra Facial Cream until last month. I’ve always thought that it would be too much for my combination skin, so the Oil-Free version was usually my go-to.
Due to the lower winter temperatures, my skin was craving some extra hydration. As I had a small jar of Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream lying around, I decided to give it a try.
Surprise! This face moisturizer ended up giving my skin exactly what it needed. A hydration boost that went on for hours without making my skin feel oily at any moment.
Another thing that I love about this brand is that you can leave your empty packages at their stores to be recycled, so Kiehl’s can repurpose the materials to create new packages.
Rituals Biodegradable Makeup Remover Wipes
No matter how much I love to use Garnier’s reusable cotton rounds and Flor de Mayo’s balm to remove my makeup, somedays I am too tired and want something more straightforward.
While Christmas shopping at Rituals, I’ve spotted their biodegradable makeup remover wipes by the payment desk, and I decided to give these a go.
What a pleasant surprise! Ritual’s Miracle Wipes (yup, that’s their name) has a gentle scent and happens to be effective when it comes to removing makeup, even waterproof and long-lasting formulas.
The wipes are very light, and their tissue is quite soft, which feels gentle on my skin. I’ve tried other biodegradable makeup wipes remover wipes in the past (from Simple), and I have to say that the experience hasn’t been this pleasant.
A pack of 25 wipes retails for 5,25 euros. They also have a travel-sized package with only ten wipes that retail for 2,90€. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive than standard makeup remover wipes. However, the formula is gentle, and the wipes are biodegradable.
HAAN Hand Sanitizer Sunset Fleur
Out of all the hand sanitizers I have tried so far (and it’s been quite a few), this one from HAAN is my absolute favorite. The formula is super gentle, made with natural ingredients, and has a light scent. Non-sticky at all.
Well, as you can see, the exact opposite of most hand sanitisers in the market. Plus, its dispenser is compact and sleek.
They have several scents available, but I always pick the Sunset Fleur one for some reason.
Besides the formula and the compact dispenser, I love that HAAN sells refills. This way, I don’t have to purchase a new dispenser every time I run out of hand sanitizer. Also, as the formula comes out as a spray, reducing product waste is more effortless.
