The Company Taking on Single-Use Plastics With Re-Fillable Personal Care Products
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There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.
The Product On Trial
By Humankind, specifically the deodorant
The Tester
Erica Murphy, a woman on the hunt for a natural deodorant that doesn't harm the planet
The Brief
We all know that plastic is hurting the environment. I've always thought that I did a good job when it came to doing my part for the environment — I drink from a reusable water bottle, I rinse my glass and plastics before recycling them, and I bring my own reusable shopping bags to the grocery store.
But when I started thinking about the personal care industry and how much waste I'm adding to the whole plastic issue with beauty products, shampoos, contact solution, etc., I started to get a little defeated about the impact my other efforts were actually making.
Somewhere in the middle of this whole existential plastic crisis, I came across By Humankind on Instagram. According to their website, 28,000 tons of single-use plastics are disposed into the ocean every day EVERY. DAY. The company's mission is to reduce your contribution to the plastic problem by 90% through their line of personal care products.
It was the deodorant that initially caught my eye. I've been looking for a good natural deodorant for years, and I was immediately attracted to the idea that this one was refillable. The formula is made with only natural ingredients derived from plants and minerals, and the brand claims that it's 40% better at killing odor-causing bacteria than leading natural deodorants. I can attest — that claim is true.
If you've ever tried a natural deodorant, they typically don't last all day, and forget about exercising while wearing one. By Humandkind's deodorant masked odor like no deodorant (both natural and non-natural) I've ever tried. I was truly amazed.
The first three ingredients listed are stearyl alcohol, aqualane, and arrowroot powder. I didn't know what any of those were initially, so I turned to Google to help me find some answers.
Stearyl alcohol (or cetearyl alcohol) is a chemical commonly used in personal care products (but rarely deodorants) that keeps oils and liquids from separating, and also helps with thickening up a product, according to Healthline. Squalane acts as a natural moisturizer for your skin and also contains antioxidant properties. Surprisingly, arrowroot powder is most commonly used in food, but can can aid in soaking up oils when used on the skin.
On the surface, these ingredients might not seem that interesting, but if you pull out your daily deodorant right now and take a look at the label, I bet you won't see any of these ingredients in the top spots. What strikes me the most about them is that they are all about skin, because your underarms are skin that should be thought about and cared for.
I mentioned that the deodorant does a great job at masking odor, but it also just feels good when you put it on, and I credit the ingredients mentioned earlier for that. It's smooth and non-irritating, despite the fact that the formula also contains baking soda. The only downside is that the product goes on white and stays white, so that’s something to be mindful of — especially if you're wearing anything black and/or sleeveless.
Along with the deodorant, the company also offers shampoo, conditioner, body wash, mouthwash, hand soap, and cotton swabs. By using their line of products, you'll save 5 pounds of single-use plastics from hitting landfills — and ultimately, the ocean. Do your part now to help save the environment.
The Closing Argument
By Humankind's deodorant masks odor better than anything I've used prior and just feels good when I use it — not to mention it helps me do my part in helping the environment. That's what I call a win-win-win!
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