Ethique Review: Why I‘m Obsessed With This Plastic-Free Beauty Brand (and You Will Be Too)
Hey there, lovely! If you‘re like me, you‘re always on the hunt for beauty brands that are effective, affordable, and align with your values. So when I discovered Ethique, a New Zealand-based company making plastic-free, vegan, and sustainable hair and body bars, I knew I had to give them a try. And let me tell you, this brand has completely revolutionized my self-care routine!
In this super in-depth Ethique review, I‘m giving you the full scoop on what makes this eco-friendly brand so special. We‘ll dive into their inspiring origin story, incredible product range, sustainability initiatives, and so much more. By the end, you‘ll understand why Ethique has earned a permanent place in my bathroom (and heart). Let‘s get into it!
The Ethique Story: From College Project to Global Brand
You can‘t fully appreciate Ethique without knowing the story of its rockstar founder, Brianne West. As a biology student at the University of Canterbury, Brianne became increasingly aware of the beauty industry‘s plastic waste problem. Did you know that the cosmetics industry produces over 120 billion units of packaging every year, most of which ends up in landfills and oceans? Crazy, right?
Brianne knew there had to be a better way. So she started experimenting with solid beauty bars as an alternative to bottled products, which are 80% water on average. After tons of trial and error, she perfected her first solid shampoo and conditioner bars made with biodegradable, sustainably-sourced ingredients.
Armed with her innovative formulas, Brianne entered a university business competition and won a grant to kickstart her brand. In 2012, at just 19 years old, she officially launched Ethique (which means "ethical" in French). Her goal? To save the world from plastic waste, one beauty bar at a time.
Fast forward to today, and Ethique is a certified B Corporation with a global following of eco-conscious beauty lovers. They‘ve racked up over 130,000 Instagram followers, donated over $1 million to environmental charities, and most impressively, prevented over 13 million plastic bottles from ending up in landfills. How‘s that for impact?
Ethique‘s Sustainable Practices & Certifications
Eliminating plastic is just the beginning of Ethique‘s earth-friendly ethos. Here are some key facts that illustrate the brand‘s incredible commitment to sustainability:
| Ethique Sustainability Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Plastic Bottles Saved from Landfills | 13 million+ |
| Ingredients Sustainably-Sourced | 100% |
| Products Certified Vegan & Cruelty-Free | 100% |
| Palm Oil Usage | 0% |
| Annual Sales Donated to Charity | 2% (over $1M to date) |
| Carbon Emissions Offset | 120% |
As you can see, Ethique goes above and beyond to minimize its environmental footprint at every stage of production. The brand is fully vegan, cruelty-free, and palm oil-free, and they source all their ingredients through direct trade relationships with farmers and growers. This means Ethique can ensure fair wages and working conditions while supporting regenerative agriculture.
One of Ethique‘s most impressive accomplishments is its carbon-negative status. The company actually offsets 120% of its carbon emissions through tree planting initiatives, making it one of the few climate positive beauty brands out there.
Ethique is also a certified B Corporation, which means they‘ve undergone rigorous third-party assessments to meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. In the B Corp impact assessment, Ethique earned an outstanding score of 117.5 (the median score for ordinary businesses is 50.9).
By operating with such strong ethics, Ethique is raising the bar for the entire beauty industry. But the best part? They‘re making it easy and affordable for consumers like you and me to get behind their mission and make every shower a world-changing one.
Ethique‘s Bestselling Beauty Bars (and Why I‘m Obsessed With Them)
Okay, now for the really fun part: the products! Ethique has something for everyone with their massive range of hair, face, and body bars. As a curly girl, I was initially skeptical that a solid shampoo could keep my dry, frizzy 3A spirals happy, but Ethique‘s #Professor Curl Shampoo Bar has become my holy grail cleanser. It‘s packed with nourishing ingredients like cocoa butter and coconut oil to hydrate my thirsty curls, but it still lathers like a dream and rinses clean without any heavy residue.
For my sensitive, eczema-prone skin, the #Bliss Bar face cleanser has been a total game-changer. It‘s ultra-gentle and leaves my skin soft and calm, never tight or irritated. And don‘t even get me started on the #Wonderbar conditioner – it detangles my knots like magic and makes my hair feel silky smooth, no matter how much heat styling I subject it to.
Another standout is the #Ethique Deodorant Solid Botanica. I‘ll admit I was wary of natural deodorants, but this one truly works! The heavenly lavender-vanilla scent keeps me feeling fresh all day, and the formula is totally free of aluminum, baking soda, and other potential irritants. Plus, can we talk about how chic and travel-friendly the geometric bar shape is? No more bulky deodorant sticks taking up precious suitcase space!
Here‘s the thing: Ethique‘s bars aren‘t just eco-friendly alternatives to bottled products – they actually outperform them. Each bar is super concentrated, so a little goes a long way. A single Ethique shampoo bar can replace 3 bottles of liquid shampoo, while their conditioner bars last up to 5 bottles! When you do the math, Ethique is an incredible value. For example:
| Ethique Shampoo Bar | 3 Bottles of Liquid Shampoo |
|---|---|
| 60g / 2.11 oz | 350 mL / 11.83 fl oz each |
| Lasts 80+ washes | Lasts 30-40 washes each |
| $15.50 | $10 – $20 each ($30 – $60 total) |
As you can see, a single Ethique bar costs less than a 3-pack of liquid shampoo but lasts 2-3 times longer. That‘s a serious bang for your buck, not to mention all the plastic waste you‘ll prevent. Once you switch to Ethique, you‘ll never look back – trust me!
The Final Verdict: Is Ethique Worth the Hype?
By now, I‘m sure you can tell I‘m a huge Ethique stan. But seriously, what‘s not to love? This brand ticks all the boxes: high-performing products, eco-friendly packaging, sustainable and ethical sourcing, incredible value, and a genuine mission to make the world a better place.
I love supporting brands that align with my values, and Ethique goes above and beyond to put people and the planet first. As founder Brianne West says, "We‘re not just a beauty company, we‘re a purpose-led, mission-driven company that sells beauty products to achieve our goal of saving the world from plastic waste." Now that‘s a cause I can get behind!
Sure, switching to solid products may take a bit of getting used to. But once you find your perfect Ethique match (I highly recommend their trial-size minis), I promise you‘ll be hooked. And don‘t forget, Ethique offers a 100% Money Back Guarantee on all their products, so you can feel confident taking the plunge.
At the end of the day, choosing Ethique is a small change that makes a big impact. By supporting this amazing brand, you‘re not just investing in your own self-care, you‘re helping to push the beauty industry in a more sustainable direction.
So go ahead, treat yourself to a few Ethique bars and get ready to glow from the inside out. Your hair, skin, and the planet will thank you!
Where to Shop Ethique
If you‘re ready to join the Ethique family, head over to their Official Website to browse their full selection and snag some sample sizes. You can also find Ethique at select retail partners around the world, including:
- United States: Amazon, Anthropologie, Whole Foods, Credo Beauty
- Canada: Well.ca, Indigo
- United Kingdom: Holland & Barrett, Amazon, Booths
- Australia: Priceline, Nourished Life
- New Zealand: Farmers, Life Pharmacy
Happy shopping, beauties! If you have any questions about my Ethique experience or want to share your own faves, drop a comment below. Let‘s keep this important conversation going and work towards a more sustainable, plastic-free future together!
