Reach for ecofriendly products this Earth Day

Each year, it seems more and more beauty brands remain committed to being more sustainable.

“Sustainability” typically means crafting environmentally friendly products, which can mean using renewable, raw materials; plastic-free packaging; or biodegradable solutions. Also, you may see recyclable and refillable packaging.

I know your eyes might have immediately glazed over when you read that, but we only have one home, and we should do whatever we can to help it. And there are plenty of simple ways we can do it.

Shopping small inherently helps the environment, and that’s why I love local shops that carry skincare products — especially when the store itself carries an eco-friendly mission.

Tusk, a womanowned shop at 544 Spruce St. in downtown Scranton, houses an apothecary as well as a private tattoo and piercing studio. It also carries an assortment of independent and earth-conscious brands, including Scranton-based Alchemy Home Co., which offers handcrafted, small-batch skin and body products and fragrances. Created from botanical materials and oils, each Alchemy Home Co. product is made with loving intentions and fresh, natural ingredients, and they never contain sulfates, parabens, mineral oils or other fillers, petroleum, or artificial fragrances and dyes.

I’ve tried several products from Alchemy and loved them all, including the Rosy Glow Cleansing Grains and Mask (which you can use like a cleanser or exfoliating mask when you add water) as well as the Magic Pumpkin Face Mask & Peel. Recently, I’m into the AHA Blood Orange Walnut Mint Bum Scrub, which is exactly what it sounds like: a scrub for your bum (or your legs, arms and whatever body parts need some exfoliation after a long, cold winter).

Also, don’t sleep on their gorgeous fragrances that come in wildly unique scent pairings you won’t find anywhere else. I gifted my BFF Gina Perfumery 77’s Relic, a mix of vetiver, oak moss and oud. This spicy, woodsy scent was perfect for her winter wedding.

I’ve mentioned it in my column before, but the Releafery, 960 Prescott Ave., Scranton, is a beauty and wellness shop that sells all handmade, sustainable products, including plant-based skincare, refillable jars, and recycled and biodegradable packaging. Everything down to the wrappings was repurposed, can be recycled or will naturally decompose. While I love several brands and products from the Releafery, I’m really digging the Earth Harbor products.

Earth Harbor is a line of skin, hair and body care products that are plant-sourced, carbon-neutral and plastic-negative. The Releafery carries an array of its products, including a few I keep reaching for in my own arsenal: Mermaid Milk Nutrient Glow Moisturizer, which leaves skin bouncy and glowy; Luna Rain Phyto-resurfacing Night Serum, made with a 15% alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acid blend, collagen and vitamin C-rich oils that work to banish dullness and dark spots; and Celestine Hydra Plumping Peptide Serum, which has hyaluronic acid and peptides for hydrated, firm skin.

If you stop into someplace like Ulta, I recently started using some impressive Loli Beauty products. An independent brand (aka not owned by a larger conglomerate like L’oreal), Loli Beauty makes zero-waste, waterless, botanical-based skin care and works with organic farmers to upcycle ingredients that would otherwise go to waste. For my natural and clean beauty lovers, Loli Beauty’s products are made with food-grade ingredients, not cosmeticgrade, which means if you really wanted to, you could eat its products. I wouldn’t eat them, but I think it’s a testament to their commitment to being as natural as possible.

I first fell in love with the Plum Elixir, a serum-oil hybrid made

with French ente plum kernels and resveratrol-rich pomegranate seed oil. It’s a glowinducing, multitasking product that instantly hydrates parched, dry skin; chapped lips; and even damaged hair.

My newest favorite is the Arnica Elderberry Jelly. Made with curcumin — which carries anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant powers — it helps to combat bacteria known to cause blemishes and acne. I’ve been using the jelly around my mouth and along my jawline to clear up breakouts, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised that they’ve all

but disappeared by the morning.

While Loli Beauty is accessible and available at Ulta, on Amazon.com and from its own website, if we’re thinking sustainable and eco-friendly, ordering online is not the best move, as it’s been proven to be pretty harmful to the environment thanks to all the air pollution it causes. Little steps matter, though, and even if you buy your products online, Loli Beauty uses compostable or recyclable shipping materials and donates a portion of proceeds to charities that support people and the planet.