Life nowadays can be pretty stressful, so it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself and make wellbeing a priority. For some, wellness and self-care means movement, whether group exercise classes or working out to Youtube videos at home. For others, it’s using healthy, natural products to help your body thrive.
No matter how the wellness enthusiast in your life prioritizes their self-care, our top picks for responsible, sustainable wellness gifts to give this holiday season will help both the earth and everyone on your gift list feel their best.
North Stars: Wildlife Ecosystems, Waste Management, Production & Consumption
Whether they’re a regular gym rat or a Pilates princess, giving the gift of a foam roller to the fitness buff in your life is a great way to help bring relief to sore or stiff body parts. Made with wave-like ridges, this full-size foam roller delivers a gentle massage anywhere it’s needed. But it’s also good for the planet. While the core is made from recycled materials, the spongy outer layer was crafted with Bloom Algae Foam. Even though algae has innumerable benefits for underwater ecosystems like acting as a carbon sink, too much is actually a bad thing, consuming too much oxygen and blocking out light. With climate change triggering global algae forests to run rampant, Bloom harvests overgrown ocean algae to help keep ecosystems in balance. They turn the excess into algae foam and other production-ready materials.
North Stars: Production & Consumption, Waste Management, Gender Equality
One would not think that a lotion made from lobsters — whose tough exoskeleton doesn’t exactly scream soft skin — would deliver smooth, silky results. But it does. Made from marine glycoproteins, which lobsters use to regrow limbs, this boundary-pushing hydration cream from Maine-based, woman-cofounded skincare company Marin makes use of this innovative ingredient to repair the skin barrier. The result is an ultra-hydrating product perfect for those suffering from dry skin or conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis, and it also allows these glycoproteins — which are a natural byproduct of lobster processing and are usually discarded — to be upcycled and put to use. Their lip treatments, which come in cozy flavors like blueberry french toast and s’mores, also make for great stocking stuffers.
North Stars: Production & Consumption, Energy Efficiency, Wildlife Ecosystems
Count down the days to Christmas with this advent calendar from natural skincare pioneer Dr. Hauschka. Made with natural, responsibly sourced ingredients, many from the company’s own herb garden and farm, the calendar contains 24 mini or full-size versions of Dr. Hauschka favorites across the entire skincare spectrum from face masks to eye creams to lip balms, plus some extra goodies for good, sustainability-minded adults. The products also come in reusable canvas bags you can repurpose or use as wrapping material for other gifts.
Project Reef Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, $26
North Stars: Wildlife Ecosystems, Waste Management, Climate Actions
When out on ocean adventures, you want a sunscreen that’ll both protect your skin and not leach harmful chemicals into the water that kill off coral reefs. Vetted by trusted organizations like the Coral Reef Alliance, Project Reef ticks all the right boxes with its natural, cruelty-free, and vegan mineral sunscreens. Instead of a lengthy list of unrecognizable chemicals, there are just three ingredients: reef-safe non-nano zino, coconut oil, and natural fruit extracts. Project Reef also participates in beach cleanups and partners with other organizations on environmental projects like restoring and protecting coastal landscapes and ecosystems.
North Stars: Waste Management, Water Management, Wildlife Ecosystems
When most people think about single-use plastics, their mind immediately goes to plastic bottles. But haircare products like shampoo and conditioner are another great example — used once and when empty, discarded. These shampoo and conditioner bars are a fantastic, plastic-free alternative, coming in recyclable packaging and made with natural ingredients like rice protein and B5 vitamins. The bars contain the equivalent of 4 ½ bottles of standard liquid product and reduce water waste thanks to their concentrated form. From moisturizing to repairing damaged hair, different kits target different haircare needs as well.
North Stars: Waste Management, Gender Equality, Production & Consumption
Axiology founder Ericka Rodriguez initially started this eco-friendly beauty brand to provide vegan and cruelty-free makeup options that weren’t tested on animals. But after learning that the beauty and cosmetics industry generates billions of tons of plastic waste each year, she also made the jump to plastic-free, 100% recyclable packaging. All Axiology makeup boxes are made with trash collected and upcycled into packaging by a women’s collective in Bali, which benefits the island ecosystem by reducing waste and provides economic opportunities and stable work for women. This bundle comes with a mix of products for all sorts of makeup needs including lip balms, highlighters, eyeshadow, contour sticks, and more, all in a cute reusable bag.
North Stars: Carbon Footprint, Wildlife Ecosystems, Production & Consumption
Turn any bathtub into an aromatherapy spa haven with these tea-based bath soaks from woman-founded Inoki Bathhouse, which come in soothing scents like Ancient Forest and are made in small batches to reduce waste with all-natural, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients. Each blend comes in a steeping bag to soak and infuse your bathwater, which is delivered to your door in packaging that is nearly all either recyclable or compostable. For every order, Inoki contributes to both reforestation and tree-planting projects, as well as carbon removal and single-use plastics reduction.