Ethique Beauty Bar Review: From The Whole Family
It wasn’t until recently that I realised my ‘eco-lifestyle tendencies’ are not new, revolutionary, or surprising… they are the result of parenting by two people (my parents) who instilled sustainable values in me and my siblings from the get-go.
I grew up hunting through second-hand shops not because it was our only option but because it made sense. I thought a compost bin was as common as a waste bin, and I was way more excited by the bags of hand-me-downs we received from our neighbours than a trip to the mall.
I know every person claims this, but my family are actually the best.
Also, who else would be able to gather their family of 5 (plus partners) to stand in front of a tripod in our local park holding beauty bars without any questions or fuss??? (Although I did bribe them- they took the beauty bars home)
The reason I gathered my family for a group photoshoot with Ethique Beauty Bars, was because we all use Ethique. We appreciate their plastic free, vegan, cruelty and palm oil free, and sustainable goodness… so instead of continuing to talk about how much I personally love them, I thought I’d bring in fresh perspective too.
That’s why I’m here: to share with you my family’s favourite Ethique Beauty Bars plus their top tips for use and storage.
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Introducing these sweet family faces & their Ethique wisdom…
Top row (left to right)
Georgia (my younger sister)
Georgia is the second highest Ethique user; second only to me. Georgia keeps a stash of products so she never runs out- I do this too. Being prepared is one of the best ways to save waste (so you don’t have to dash out to the store in desperate need!). Her favourite product is the Botanica Lavender & Vanilla Solid Deodorant.
Georgia’s top Ethique Beauty Bar tips:
Keep the paper that the deodorant comes in for easy application
Store moisturisers in the fridge no matter the season
She stores her deodorant in a Trade Aid soap holder, and keeps the paper on it for easier handling. Her Pink In-Shower Container stores her Damage Control/Mintasty Shampoo and Guardian Conditioner in the shower, and her Sweet Orange and Vanilla Butter Block stays in the sturdy package that it arrived in.
Bryn (my sister’s partner)
Bryn’s top tip… Have an organised girlfriend that orders stuff for you.
Mum (Nicky)
I’ll be honest- I’m still teaching mum how to use Ethique correctly. The Coconut and Lime Butter Bock has been working well as her moisturiser, but she’s not yet had success with shampoo and conditioner. I need to spend a session demonstrating how to use the bars once this New Zealand wide lockdown is over, but here are some tips I’ve been teaching her from afar…
Store your shampoo and conditioner outside of the shower, away from water and dampness, in a container that has drainage.
If you’re finding the shampoo bar too damp (and therefore using it up too fast), apply it to your hands and then rub it in your hair, as opposed to swiping straight onto your locks.
OR apply the slightly damp bar straight onto dry hair, then step into the shower. This means that you don't have to get the bar wetter than it needs to be- and because it's soft from being damp, one swipe is typically enough.
Use the conditioner only on the ends of your hair- how all conditioners are meant to be used.
Tim (my husband)
Tim is a big fan of most Ethique products, but particularly the Heali Kiwi Shampoo for touchy scalps. A few years ago we both trialled Ethique deodorants but they didn’t work well for us- now, the new formula has become our household favourite. Tim’s go-to is the Rustic Lime and Eucalyptus Solid Deodorant as unlike my sister, he reacted badly to the Botanica Solid Deodorant (this is when the Ethique sampler packs come in handy, as you’ll notice from our reviews that not all products work the same for everyone).
Tim is the first to tell me an eco product isn’t working in our home, so I’m stoked these work for him! His top tips for use are:
When applying the deodorant, swipe it on one pit, then the other, then go back to each armpit and rub it in as your body temperature would have melted it further and be much easier to rub the last bits in.
To ensure your shampoo bar doesn’t become an awkward shape, be mindful of which sides of the bar you are using. Keep switching it up so that it stays a square shape for as long as possible (rather than turning into a thin biscuit shape that is easier to break).
Second row (left to right)
Me (Kate)
I’ve written a complete blog post of my favourites! Read this here.
Dad (Matt)
Dad’s favourite Ethique product is The Perfector. This is a face moisturiser that I personally also use on my legs.
Dad uses Ethique shampoo on the little hair that he has left (hah! Sorry mate), and stores it in a Green In-Shower Container like Georgia does. He used to store it in this same space in the shower (see image below), but with a big upside down yoghurt tub on top of it- keeping it dry from water splashes.
Dad’s Ethique In-Shower Container
Top tips straight from Dad: “I reckon the shampoo storing boxes are awesome. For the moisturiser, when it is hot it is smart to store the ones you are not using (there are 3 in a pack) in the fridge.”
Phillipa (my brother’s partner)
Phillipa has the longest hair out of anyone I know! It’s beaut. Her favourite product is The Guardian Conditioner, and I personally agree. She stores it on a bamboo soap tray in the bathroom.
Isaac (my older brother)
Isaac isn’t the deodorant type of guy… but he carries the Sans Unscented Solid Deodorant mini in his bag, just in case. He keeps it in the cardboard box which is fine for storage. I’m hoping one day he’ll enjoy it so much that deodorant becomes a common thing for him… ;)
The Pups: Mr Bingley and Chai
Our family Labradoodles (Mr Bingley lives with my parents, Chai is our pup) had a LOT to say about their Ethique Beauty Bar routine, but I’ll keep it short.
“The Bow Wow Bar Solid Shampoo for Dogs is a winner. Simply instruct your owner to swipe it across your body (a little body massage is lovely here too, woof), lather it up, and rinse.”
My family are all pretty excellent when it comes to reducing their waste, but we’ve always had values around looking after our health too.
Here’s a quick run down on the main ingredients of each of our favourite products - you can read ALL about Ethique’s ingredients here too.
Ethique Ingredients
The Perfector: The unique ingredient in this moisturiser bar is kokum butter; renowned for its essential fatty acid contents and barrier protection. Ethique have formulated a blend of ingredients to help blur out any skin imperfections, including Jojoba esters derived from Jojoba oil.
Coconut & Lime Butter Block: All Ethique butter blocks are made with organic cocoa butter from a farming cooperative in the Dominican Republic, organic coconut oil from a cooperative in Samoa, and delicious essential oils. Synthetic fragrances are never used.
Botanica Solid Deodorant: Bamboo is used for absorbency, as it can absorb up to 200x its weight in water or sweat. Zinc Oxide is added as an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, and the Jojoba & sweet almond aid in the lovely soft application.
The Guardian Conditioner: As this solid conditioner bar was created to help with dry, damaged or frizzy hair, Ethique use cocoa butter, coconut oil, vitamin B5 and zesty lime oil to achieve hair health.
Sans Unscented Deodorant: The ingredients are just like the Botanica Solid Deodorant, but without any essential oil scents. It’s completely scent free.
Gingersnap Solid Face Scrub: I was surprised to find that the exfoliating ingredient in this product is brown and white sugar! Way better than micro-beads (little pieces of plastic that are sometimes used in beauty products to achieve exfoliation). That’s probably why I’ve been tempted to eat it too.
Heali Kiwi Shampoo: Kiwi fruit oil, Pongamia glabra (karanja) oil and Melia azadirachta (neem) seed oil may be the reasons why this shampoo is Tim’s favourite. It smells like kiwi, but not in an overpowering way.
As a rule, I only work with brands I love, use, and can whole heartedly back. I send the brand a large list of questions to answer first, and trial the product properly before saying yes to anything. This is a sponsored blog (I can't pay my electricity bill with free products), but 100% my own words, photos, and opinion.