I’m sure we’re all aware of the importance of making environmentally-friendly choices and personally, I always try to opt for recycled or recyclable products whenever I’m shopping. I recently read some research by Viessmann that identified 19 locations in the UK that are taking positive steps towards protecting the environment.
I too want to become one of the ‘greenest citizens’ that this research has identified, which is why I’ve chosen products for my gift guide that are as sustainable as possible. While it’s not an exhaustive list, hopefully it’ll give you a few ideas to get you started this Christmas.
Earth-friendly gift boxes
One of my favourite things to receive at Christmas is a gift box of my top beauty products. This is partially because it keeps me stocked up all year but also because it’s often a thrifty way to buy the products I use. For example, the My Vitamin C Essentials gift set from cruelty-free brand Caudalie contains the Vinergetic C+ serum, which itself if £38, and the gift set contains two other products from the range – a cleanser and eye cream – but still with the same £38 price tag! Plus, the gift box packaging is zero plastic and fully recyclable, and even the pumps and caps of the products can be recycled through TerraCycle.
Natural skincare
As I’ve written about many times before, I prefer to only use natural skincare products and, sometimes, this comes with a slightly more inflated price tag than the high-street equivalents – although I’m always happy to pay more because the products seem to last longer and work really well on my sensitive skin. Plus, this means that I’ve always got something lovely and indulgent on my Christmas list that I REALLY want, for example, the Soothing Facial Oil by Wheesht.
I’ve used it all year and have just run out of my bottle, so it went straight on the list! It contains natural ingredients, including clary sage and lavender, so it smells gorgeous and I love to use it before bedtime. It helps to sooth skin inflammation and to ease dryness – all in a recyclable glass bottle, with refill bottles available so that you can reuse the dropper.
Experience gifts
Rather than buying a physical gift, that will eventually have to be recycled, why not treat your friend or family member to a pampering experience instead. Red Letter Days have a huge range of Christmas vouchers to suit all budgets, which allow you to choose from a variety of experiences including lovely spa days or treatments. Of course, the paper voucher is recyclable plus, you have even have the option to choose an evoucher that’s delivered via email, making it zero waste AND something that you can buy at the last minute!
Haircare kits
If a family member has a favourite brand of haircare, why not put together a kit of their favourite products yourself? That way, you’ll know that they’ll love and use every item, so there won’t be a product in the gift box that they won’t get round to using – therefore there’ll be no waste. I’ve gathered together a haircare kit from The Hair Boss, who are a vegan and cruelty-free brand certified by Cruelty Free International. They use lovely natural ingredients in their repair serums too, including avocado, chia seed, macadamia and soybean oils.
Sustainable stocking fillers
If you’re looking for some eco-friendly stocking fillers for the adults in your family, a couple of Humble Brush bamboo toothbrushes could be ideal. They’re dentist-approved, vegan, cruelty-free and BPA free. The handle is made from 100% biodegradable, sustainably-grown bamboo. The packaging is eco-friendly too, with a recycled cardboard outer box and a compostable inner paper wrapper, making it a sustainable stocking filler.
I hope this blog post has given you some ideas for sustainable beauty gifts that you can buy for your friends and family this Christmas. Let me know if you find any more natural, eco-friendly brands in the comments below – I’d love to discover more! 🙂
Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂
