Plastic has a design flaw: it’s made to last forever, but usually used for only a short time. Every minute, two garbage trucks of plastic—33 billion pounds of plastic every year—are dumped into our oceans, according to Oceana. No recycling program will ever keep up with those numbers.
Paying closer attention to the beauty and wellness products we buy and the values of the companies that make them might not save the world, but it’s a good place to start. For Mother’s Day, your mom will appreciate you thinking of both her and Mother Earth.
Sustainabar Spa Bundle
When nature-loving sisters Tessa and Davia Rose-Scheeres were 13 and 11, they wanted to do something to reduce damaging plastic waste. So, with the help of their mom, author Julia Scheeres, they developed Sustainabar. The Salt of the Earth Spa Bar Bundles make a perfect gift and come with a cute card.
Axiology Beauty Super Fan Pack
Ericka Rodriguez created Axiology in her kitchen and launched it on Etsy. Soon, her vegan, cruelty-free, and plastic-free “blamies” were sold at Credo and beyond. They can be used on your cheeks, lips, and eyes, and only contain 10 ingredients.
The brand’s Full Face Sets include three multi-sticks in shades from light to deep skin tones, and make a great gift. Or the Super Fan Pack is a great way for your mom to test out all of Axiology’s gorgeous shades, from dark cherry to shimmery champagne.
Elate Gift Card
Choosing makeup for your mom is a tall order, so give her the means to build her own personalized and refillable kit for eyes, lips, and face. Elate’s palettes is made of sustainable bamboo, and when any individual product runs out, she can simply replace it with a new one.
Elate says 95% of its packaging is reusable, recyclable or plantable, “and we’re working on the other 5%,” they say. When she does need to throw out any products, she send back the empties to Elate for free and the company will recycle them.
Ace & Jig Picnic Throw
Whether she uses it for a picnic, at the beach, as a tablecloth, or on her bed, your mom will love cozying up to a throw from this Fair Trade Certified brand. The Ace & Jig Picnic Throw (normally $235, marked down to $113 during the friends and family sale, use code FRIENDS4EVER, today is the last day) comes in three beautiful textiles, which are all designed in-house. The brand has a cult following, and it’s not hard to see why. Their Alto Scarf ($102) is also a great option.
Proteger Dermal Serum
Proteger’s multi-tasking Dermal Serum ($115) is meant to be used on the entire body, including your face. Even better, it’s unisex, so mom can share it (but we won’t blame her if she doesn’t). It contains 20% stabilized vitamin C to brighten and smooth, hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate, organic coffee seed extract to awaken and calm, plus organic aloe leaf juice to soothe and heal.
Vintner’s Daughter Signature Set
The Active Treatment Essence and Active Botanical Serum is a set ($380, down from $420 when purchased separately) of products that work better together, and the perfect way to get mom acquainted with this luxurious and sustainable skincare brand. Vintner’s Daughter is focused on using the highest quality ingredients possible to create effective products.
Like her previous family wine business, founder April Gargiulo says, “There are no shortcuts. Our formulation process takes a long time. We very lovingly call it the speed of quality.”
Pangaia 365 Midweight Sweats Set
Pangaia integrates fabric and product development under one roof, all with the goal of creating the most sustainable products possible. Its sweats set is made using 100% cotton with no spandex or other stretch material, meaning no plastic-adjacent materials.
The hoodie and sweatpants are made in a huge variety of colors from the palest pink to Ultraviolet to black, so you’re sure to find a hue your mom will love to wear while running errands or curling up on the couch. Pangaia packaging is also part bio-based and can be composted.
Coyuchi Cloud Loom Organic Robe
This thick, plush, and lofty robe will bring your mom spa vibes every time she gets out of the shower. Complete with an adjustable tie and pockets, it’s loomed from 100% organic cotton. Coyuchi has been a leader in sustainable design in luxury home textiles made without pesticides or toxic chemicals for more than 30 years.