Celebrate Earth Month With These Amazing Eco-Friendly Finds — As Seen On CBS Austin!
Earth Month is the perfect opportunity to learn more about how to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. With that in mind, I visited my friends at CBS Austin’s “We Are Austin” today and chatted about a carefully curated selection of products that are better for you and the planet. Check out the segment here and read on for the scoop on everything seen on the show!
Lumene Nordic-C Glow Boost Essence
Now that it’s springtime, we’re all yearning for dewy, radiant-looking skin. To get glowing in no time, check out the Lumene Nordic-C [Valo] Glow Boost Essence ($35.99 on Amazon, CVS.com, and Lumene.com). The best-selling product from Finnish beauty brand Lumene now features an even more powerful, recharged, ultra-concentrated formula that delivers faster, more visible brightening results and more intense hydration. The clinically tested, 100% vegan formula incorporates 96% naturally-derived ingredients, including: Arctic cloudberry, a Scandinavian fruit that’s chockfull of vitamin C, boasting four times the amount found in oranges, and vitamin E; ascorbyl glucoside, a form of vitamin C; three types of hyaluronic acid (including sodium hyaluronate and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid); and polyglutamic acid, a high-molecular weight amino acid that acts as a powerful humectant.
A leader in sustainability, Lumene utilizes wild-crafted Arctic botanicals like cloudberry and lingonberry in its formulas, and nearly 50% of the Nordic ingredients it uses are sourced from side streams of the food and forest industries, upcyling these materials and hence minimizing waste.
From product development to ingredient sourcing, water usage, and packaging, Lumene has pioneered a circular economy within the beauty realm for over 20 years, thereby utilizing earth-friendly practices that reduce the pressure on limited resources, minimize waste, and limit carbon emissions.
Ren Clean Skincare Everhydrate Range
Skin hydration is the key to enjoying a healthy, youthful glow and to maintaining a bouncy and plump complexion — and that’s why it’s the central goal behind the new REN Clean Skincare Everhydrate Range.
REN Clean Skincare uses high-performance, clinically proven, bioactive ingredients derived from nature, carefully selecting ingredients that are highly effective but which also respect the skin barrier and won’t result in irritation. In fact, all REN products are formulated with sensitive and stressed skin in mind. Since its inception in the year 2000, REN has been abiding by a “clean to skin, clean to planet” ethos, devoting itself to protect the world’s resources and committing to zero waste practices.In fact, the brand has repurposed 45 tons of PCR plastic waste from landfills and 1.5 tons of plastic removed from oceans, giving it new life through its packs.
The products in the new Everhydrate Range reflect this commitment to the planet thanks to formulas that feature sustainably sourced algae and boast recycled and recyclable packaging. Through the use of Osmohydration technology, these products draw water deep into the skin and seal in moisture for up to 72 hours. Moreover, water is evenly diffused between cells to achieve an ideal moisture balance.
Boasting a refreshing water-jelly texture, the Everhydrate Marine Moisture-Restore Serum ($50 on RenSkincare.com) features osmolyte-rich wild rosella to target the root caused of dehydration and hydrate skin for up to 72 hours, as well as freshwater algae and hyaluronic acid to replenish and energize skin, and green caviar algae to smooth skin. Not only does the skin immediately soothe and revitalize parched skin, but it increases deep skin hydration for up to 72 hours.
For ideal results, you can follow with the Everhydrate Marine Moisture-Replenish Cream ($44 on RenSkincare.com), a lightweight but powerful AM and PM moisturizer featuring ingredients such as baobab seed oil, watermelon seed oil, hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid — and, of course, marine-derived ingredients like spirodela polyrhiza extract, a perennial aquatic plant with anti-inflammatory and barrier-boosting powers, and plankton extract, which has moisture-binding properties.
Physicians Formula Earth Day Packaging Series Butter Bronzer
According to Zero Waste Week data, packaging accounts for up to 70% of the beauty industry’s waste. An estimated 120 billion units of beauty packaging are produced every year, much of which winds up in landfills. By using more recycled and recyclable materials for their packaging, then, brands can take action to better our planet’s health.
Physicians Formula recently launched a Limited Edition Earth Day Packaging Series of its best-selling Murumuru Butter Bronzer ($16.99 at Walgreens, CVS, and more). Every purchase supports EarthDay.org as part of Physicians Formula’s Beaumanitarian movement to promote environmental health.
The limited-edition packaging series features the same soft, buildable, blendable bronzer we know and love, but it’s housed in a sustainably sourced and recyclable carton made from hemp paper, which is itself comprised of 25% hemp and 75% postconsumer pulp. Each bronzer also comes with a plantable wildflower seed paper.
Infused with the brand’s proprietary blend of Amazonian tucuma, cupuaçu and murumuru butters, the skin-loving bronzer comes in four shades: Light Bronzer, Bronzer, Sunkissed Bronzer and Deep Bronzer.
LANO Lanolips Glossybalms
From frosted eyeshadow to micro braids and claw clips, the beauty trends that dominated the late ’90s and early 2002 are staging a huge comeback. And nothing was quite as instrumental to a Y2K beauty look as ultra-shiny lip gloss!
If you’re looking for the perfect eco-friendly product to give your pout a mirror-like shine, pick up the new LANO Lanolips Glossybalms ($13.50 at ULTA and ULTA.com), which come in recyclable tubes created using 80% sugarcane bioplastic, a renewable raw material. The choice of packaging speaks to LANO’s ongoing commitment towards improved sustainability — in fact, the brand hopes to transition all its tubes to more eco-friendly materials by 2025.
As with all Lano products, the Glossybalms feature all-natural, ultra-medical grade lanolin, which is humanely extracted from sheep’s wool and acts as a powerful humectant, holding up to 400% of its weight in moisture. Not only are these glosses super hydrating, but they feature a sheer, three-dimensional tint and gold-flecked shimmer for a major wow factor.
The Lanolips Glossybalms are available in 2 flavors: Candy, a fruity coral pink, and Berry, a punchy berry-jam glaze.
Common Heir 10% Vitamin C Serum and 2% Ceramide Barrier Boost Serum
At the heart of female-founded beauty brand Common Heir is the desire to preserve age-old beauty traditions — and, in turn, to preserve the beauty within the natural world. The brand’s guiding philosophy is that we inherit our skin as we do the earth: ours to honor and cultivate. Sustainability, then, is a vital and inextricable component of the brand’s DNA.
Created with great respect and reverence for nature, Common Heir’s skincare formulations feature clean and science-backed ingredients, plus they’re cruelty-free, plastic-free, silicone-free, and biodegradable.
For brighter and smoother skin, there’s the Common Heir 10% Vitamin C Serum ($88 on CommonHeir.com). The encapsulated serum features THD ascorbate, a highly stable and oil-soluble form of vitamin C that better penetrates skin for greater efficacy. This powerful active ingredient is married with licorice root extract, which is known to brighten the skin and correct hyperpigmentation, as well as marshmallow root extract, which helps to reduce redness and inflammation.
To use, you reach for one of the biodegradable capsules and twist off the tip, squeezing its contents onto the palm of your hand and then massaging onto your face and neck. Each single-dose capsule dissolves in hot water after use, facilitating a completely waste-free exprience.
Not only are the capsules a more eco-friendly packaging option, but they ensure a greater lifespan for the formula. Bottled Vitamin C serums tend to oxidize quickly when exposed to air and light so, by keeping the serum safely ensconced within each single-dose capsule, Common Heir is extending its lifespan, ensuring the formula remains active for up to 18 months.
Another standout offering is the new 2% Ceramide Barrier Boost Serum ($88 on CommonHeir.com), which harnesses the power of moisture-retaining desert botanicals. The serum was Inspired by desert flora that bloom and thrive in the harshest conditions, plants that the two founders associate with their native states of California and Texas. it incorporates botanicals like desert sand verbena, which is found in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts and has both impressive moisture-retention powers and anti-inflammatory properties. Other desert plants include: dune primrose, which helps to moisturize and soothe skin while protecting it against free radicals; prickly pear extract, which is rich in vitamin K and helps to tackle hyperpigmentation; and agave, which improves elasticity, plumping skin and reducing fine lines. In addition to these desert botanicals, the formula features green caviar, a vitamin-pcked seaweed that improves skin’s firmness and elasticity, and a ceramide complex that helps to restore and strengthen the skin barrier, preventing moisture loss.
Arbonne DermResults Glow Eye Cream
The eyes are the window to the soul, so you want to make sure they’re resplendent! To brighten and awaken tired-looking eyes, pick up the new Arbonne DermResults Glow Eye Cream ($70 on Arbonne.com). The lightweight and fast-absorbing eye cream features a vegan and cruelty-free formula powered by vitamin C, niacinamide, vitamin E, and jojoba seed oil. Dark under eye circles, fine lines, and puffiness are all reduced, leaving eyes looking smooth and well-rested.
As part of Arbonne’s commitment to sustainability, the brand has converted to glass bottles and jars for several products within the DermResults line — among them the Glow Eye Cream. By doing so, Arbonne is eliminating over 10,400 pounds of single-use plastic from its portfolio.
Even more impressive, through its dedication to using renewable materials, Arbonne eliminated over 85,000 pounds of plastic in 2022 alone.
Rebundle braidbetter Collection
Ciara Imani May launched Rebundle with the goal of providing BIPOC women with a better alternative to traditional plastic synthetic braiding hair, one that would result in less itchy and irritated scalps and which would also result in less plastic waste. In her quest, she has revolutionized the world of hair extensions thanks to Rebundle’s patent-pending, forward-thinking ReGen Hair Fiber technology, providing an alternative that’s scalp-friendly and eco-friendly.
Made with banana fibers, Rebundle’s braidbetter products feature repurposed biopolymers, making them 97% bio-based. In fact, each Rebundle product bears the USDA’s Certified Biobased Product label. Not only is it made with regenerative materials, but this braiding hair is completely biodegradable.
Not only is Rebundle offering consumers a sustainable alternative, but it’s helping them properly dispose of any existing synthetic hair. Through a partnership with 5 Media, Rebundle is waging a fight against single-use plastic waste, encouraging consumers to send back their synthetic braiding hair for proper recycling. To date, they’ve recycled over 355 pounds of plastic synthetic hair, transforming it into everything from outdoor furniture to decking.
The braidbetter extensions are available in various colorways including: Chocolate, a dark cocoa hue balanced with a lighter shade of brown; and Ocean, which has gorgeous cool-toned undertones reminiscent of the deep blue sea.
The 18” and 22” hair bundles are $45 each while the 30” bundles are $50 each on Rebundle.co.
And here’s a special offer: you can enjoy 20% off your first order when you sue the code ECOFINDS on Rebundle.co
Richard’s Rainwater
For a better way to quench your thirst, reach for the only truly renewable, sustainable bottled water, Austin’s very own Richard’s Rainwater.
Rainwater is the cleanest form of water in the planet. In fact, Richard’s Rainwater is 100 times cleaner than the strictest bottled water standards — even before the company purifies it. Every drop of water is collected before it hits the ground and becomes contaminated with pollutants, so minimal processing is required. Most bottled water, on the other hand, is simply filtered tap water so it requires a multitude of chemicals such as ammonia, chlorine and fluoride in order to be fit for human consumption. Even spring water contains pollutants and minerals that need to be thoroughly filtered, plus it’s a depleting resource unlike rain, which is truly renewable.
Not only Richard’s Rainwater a more sustainable bottled water option, but it’s unparalleled when it comes to its pure, clean taste.
The sparkling water is perfect for spring cocktails and mocktails, and it’s the water of choice at many restaurants and bars here in Austin.
You can find both the still and sparkling versions at Whole Foods, Sprouts and H-E-B stores.
Visit RichardsRaiwnater.com for details!
