Five Favorite Stocking Stuffers
Nowadays, it’s not very difficult to go green. As a millennial myself, all I have to do is scroll a few times through Facebook or twitter to catch an article or comment about easy ways to be eco-friendly. I’m hard pressed to find a lone trashcan in my apartment, or around campus, that’s not flanked by two plastic and paper recycling bins. It’s true, being aware of the environment seems almost effortless; it has become another simple part of our day.
I am a student, a member of generation Y, a budding adult trying to find my way through a world that grows faster every minute. Keeping up with schoolwork, job responsibilities, and a social life (real and virtual) can sometimes prove difficult, and rarely leaves me time to take care of myself.
Fortunately, though, I’ve found a whole selection of great-quality, wonderfully fragrant beauty products that are not only eco-friendly, but also make it easy for me to slow down and feel pampered. With the holidays just around the corner, these little treasures might be the perfect stocking stuffers to let your busy loved ones know they deserve to be spoiled.
1- Babo Botanicals
Babo Botanicals 3-in-1 cleansing wipes have such a magical scent that you’ll be searching for excuses to use them. Their French Lavender and Meadowsweet fragrance will linger subtly on your skin after you wipe off a days makeup or clean your hands after a long commute. While they cleanse your skin, they also gently moisturize, cooling and soothing irritation with a soft, stretchy cloth. Stick them in your daily tote for a quick, easy way to feel fresh.
2- KAI fragrance
Their products boast the most heavenly aroma. Their hand lotion, body butter, perfume, shampoo, and more, will have you walking around emanating the divine smell of Hawaiian tuberose throughout your day. Kai has made showering feel like spa treatment, and applying my travel-sized hand lotion feel like a trip to the tropical Big Island. Whether I am heading to class or dressing up for a night on the town, just two sprays of Kai’s perfume is enough for friends and strangers alike to notice its delicate, lovely fragrance. It took just two days for Kai to become my new signature smell.
3- Tata Harper’s Resurfacing Mask
This mask offers a mild formula for restoring color, freshness and vibrancy to the face. After a long day, little sleep, or too much exposure to New York pollution, my skin is often left feeling oily and dirty. As I settle into my evening routine, applying some of Tata’s mask always leaves my skin feeling cleaner and distinctly refreshed. Her treatment makes me look forward to looking in the mirror the next morning to behold a renewed, natural glow.
4- EVOLVh shampoo and conditioner
The best thing that’s ever happened to my hair. Free of sulfates and parabens, their products turn frizzy hair smooth, dry hair silky and hydrated. After showering with EVOLVh, my locks immediately have more volume and movement. With 95% natural and organic ingredients, I can feel good knowing that its magical benefits don’t come at the expense of my body. If you decide to try it, prepare yourself for the compliments.
5- Lük Beautifood
Lük lets you eat their lipstick. Well, you could if you wanted to. I say this only because it’s easy to forget that, yes, we do consume whatever we put on our lips and, no, those chemicals are not usually good for us. Lük created a product that is not only edible, but also nourishes and protects the sensitive skin on the lips. My favorite gloss of theirs is made with tomatoes, pomegranate and raspberries, whose red pigment properties neutralize skin-aging free radicals in the air and provide UV protection. They also combine for a natural pink color that adds a simple elegance to any daytime outfit.
After just a few weeks of using these products, I have fallen in love with their immediate effect on my everyday routine. A touch of lip-gloss and a spray of perfume can go a long way when your day is too packed to feel pampered. No matter what you choose to gift this holiday season, know you cannot go wrong with gems from these five wonderful companies.
Lani Allen is a graduate of Columbia University’s Non-fiction Creative Writing program. After serving as Vice President of her class for two years, she contributed written pieces and illustrations to many on-campus publications. As a writer with a passion for beauty, Lani enjoys capturing the stories of innovative thinkers and risk-takers shaping the industry as we know it.
