9 February 2021

Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for Valentine's Day 2021

Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas for Valentine's Day 2021


AD - contains all pr products sent to me without obligation to post about, and affiliate links marked with ad-aff 

After Christmas, Valentine's Day always sneaks up on me! Anyone else? 

It normally leads me to panic buying, but this year I've been fairly organised, and after the success of last year's eco Valentine's gift guide, I wanted to bring it back for this year too!

So if you're on the lookout for something to buy your loved one, your bestie for Galentine's, or want to show yourself some self-love and treat yourself that isn't the classic red roses and chocolates and doesn't harm the environment, then read on…

Grow, Cook & Eat Vegan by Philip Glendinning £13.49

BOOKS


Books always make such lovely gifts, and you always find really niche ones that your loved one will love! If you want to see the books I'm loving at the moment, then check out my Bookshop.org account here (and support your local independent bookshop). 

If you or your loved one are looking at beginning to become vegan, or eat more vegan meals, then this book is a great kick starter. 

Grow, Cook & Eat Vegan by Philip Glendinning (ad-aff) is a perfect read if you have no idea where to start when it comes to growing your own and eating vegan. It covers growing your own fruit and veg at home, but I think if you have the environment in mind then I would maybe look at other alternatives to the growing suggestions in here (e.g. water butts over hoses, investing in terracotta pots over plastic or reusing old plastic yoghurt pots). 

It also has some basic recipes in here too to get you started on your culinary journey using the produce you've grown!

Grow, Cook & Eat Vegan by Philip Glendinning £13.49 (ad-aff)


SKINCARE


For those who love their skin and hair care, then I find giving a few products from the same range introduces them to products they may not have tried before, especially if they already like one of the products from that range. 

Embryolisse Light Hydra-Cream £18 and Filaderme Emulsion £22.99

Embryolisse is a brand that I always see on set in makeup artist's kits, and is a sensitive skin saviour. Their Light Hydra-Cream (ad-aff) is a wonderful lightweight moisturiser that doesn't irritate the skin and sinks in really well to give great hydration. Or, if you're looking for a more heavy-duty cream, the Filaderme Emulsion (ad-aff) gives deep moisturisation and packed full of great active ingredients like shea butter and aloe vera to help soften and soothe aggravated skin. 

Embryolisse isn't vegan, but it is cruelty-free and they are trying to prioritise using natural ingredients and are making the switch from plastic to aluminium packaging so it's easier to recycle. 

Embryolisse Light Hydra-Cream £18 and Filaderme Emulsion £22.99 

(ad-aff)


Origins Ginzing Into the Glow Brightening Serum £39, Energy-Boosting Gel Moisturiser £26, Dr Andrew Weil Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Treatment and Emulsion both £32

Another great skincare brand that makes the perfect pamper treat is Origins, and again they have some great ranges that don't flare up eczema and any sensitivity. 

The Ginzing range is my favourite from them (I used to use the tinted moisturiser religiously (ad-aff) and the orange smell always lifts my mood. They have just launched the Into the Glow Brightening Serum (ad-aff) which uses Vitamin C and an AHA/BHA mix to help brighten and smooth the skin's complexion. I'm currently doing a four-week trial review of this and I've been really impressed with how much this has reduced any blemishes on my skin. The matching moisturiser (ad-aff) from the range works really well at locking in moisture while keeping that glow you've got from the serum. 

If your skin is particularly sensitive or is having a flare-up then the Dr Andrew Weil Mega-Mushroom range is definitely one to try. In particular, the Relief & Resilience Soothing Treatment (ad-aff) and Emulsion (ad-aff) work well together to reduce redness and helps to strengthen it to reduce flare-ups in the future. 

Origins support reforestation projects and are aiming to have net-zero carbon emissions. They also have a recycling scheme where the empty packaging is recycled into plastic pellets to be used again!

Origins Ginzing Into the Glow Brightening Serum £39, Energy-Boosting Gel Moisturiser £26, Dr Andrew Weil Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Treatment and Emulsion both £32 (ad-aff)


HAIRCARE


Let's not forget about treating the hair, especially if your loved one enjoys doing their hair. Now, I find that my curly hair can get a bit frizzy and dry in the winter, especially a few days after washing it. I also find that the curls I get straight after washing can drop, which is really annoying as I find I have to reach for the curlers just to get them looking bouncy again!

Only Curls Satin Sleep Hair Turban

I've heard such amazing things about using satin products to protect your hair, but one I hadn't considered before was a hair turban! Only Curls have created this amazing satin sleep hair turban that you can wear overnight to protect your curls, keep frizz at bay and lock moisture in and I've been really impressed with how much this has lived up to the claims! I plait my hair, pop this on (I suggest using some clips to keep this on as I find it slips off in the night) and in the morning my hair is still as bouncy and silky smooth as when I first washed it. 

Only Curls products are cruelty-free and vegan (unless marked otherwise), use recyclable bio-plastic (a bi-product from sugarcane) in their packaging, and aim to use as little single-use plastic as possible. 

Only Curls Satin Sleep Hair Turban £16


Aveda Botanical Repair Strengthening Shampoo £26, Conditioner and Leave In Treatment both £28

Whenever I think of sustainable beauty, one of the first brands that comes to mind is Aveda. They have been paving the way for eco-beauty before it became a buzz word, and they create high-quality products that really work. My aunt has been a long-time fan of them and got me hooked on their products!

Their new Botanical Repair range helps to repair and strengthen damaged hair all while being kind to the planet - the range is naturally-derived, cruelty-free and vegan, uses plant technology to treat the hair, and Aveda uses wind power to power their production as well as using sustainable packaging. 
This range has been working really well with the hair turban to keep my hair frizz-free and healthy, especially during these cold months. 

Aveda Botanical Repair Strengthening Shampoo £26, Conditioner and Leave-In Treatment both £28 (ad-aff)


WINTER WARMERS


Even though we aren't that far away from spring, the weather is still particularly chilly (it's snowing as I type this), so why not give the gift of warmth in the form of snuggly hats and socks to keep everyone going until the temperatures start to rise again...

Sockshop Heat Holders Hat £11.99, Bamboo Socks Gift Set £9.99, Jeep Wool Blend Boot Socks £11.99 and Elle Hand-Knitted Slipper Socks £14.99

Sockshop is your one-stop-shop for winter warmers, from the amazing selection of socks and underwear to accessories like hats, scarves and gloves. 

I'm particularly a fan of their Heat Holders range (their socks are some of the best thermal socks I've tried) but I had no idea that they also did accessories! This hat has been keeping my head toasty warm whilst I was on set last month and comes in a huge range of colours. 

Investing in winter warmers is sustainable in the fact you are buying them to last, but if you want to go one step further then their bamboo socks are a great choice. Bamboo is kind to the planet in the fact that it is naturally anti-bacterial, meaning that farmers don't have to use pesticides on them, it doesn't take a lot of space or as much water to grow as cotton, and produces 35% more oxygen than trees!

Some other picks from the site that I love were these Jeep Wool Blend boot socks for those winter walks and Elle Hand-Knitted Slipper Socks for curling up in at home. 

Sockshop Heat Holders Hat £11.99, Bamboo Socks Gift Set £9.99, Jeep Wool Blend Boot Socks £11.99 and Elle Hand-Knitted Slipper Socks £14.99


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you celebrating Valentine's or Galentine's this year? If so, do you have any eco-friendly gifts that you've bought for loved ones?

WHAT TO WATCH


 

1 comment

  1. Most traditional Wind Chimes are tuned to musical scales, which sound great. But Woodstock took a chance by choosing well-known tunes, and putting the notes into a wind chime. see it here

    ReplyDelete