Minimalist & eco-friendly beauty essentials.

Aug 2, 2017 | 12 comments

Post made in collaboration with Monomeer.de (all items mentioned was gifted)

/ I have already expressed several times that I not only consider whether the beauty products I use are good for me and the environment, but it is also important to me that I only have products that I actually use. I have always had a fairly small collection of products, but recently I gave away a small box of products to a couple of friends and family anyway. It’s not because I have a goal to have next to nothing in my beauty drawer – but I want to stick to the things I actually use and that I am happy about using. I recently became acquainted with Monomeer, and the concept is that you completely avoid loading the environment with plastics while getting clean, organic beauty products.There are so many little things we can all easily adapt to, in order to have environmentally healthier beauty routines. One thing you could start with is for example ditching your disposables and switch to reusables instead. Click on the bars below to read my reviews and experience with the products I have tested from Monomeer.

Jeg har allerede udtrykt op til flere gange, at jeg ikke blot overvejer om de skønhedsprodukter jeg bruger er gode for mig og miljøet, men det er også vigtigt for mig, at jeg udelukkende er i besiddelse af produkter jeg rent faktisk bruger. Jeg har nu altid haft en ret beskeden samling produkter, men for nyligt gav jeg alligevel en mindre kasse væk til veninder og familie. Det er ikke fordi jeg har et mål om, næsten ikke at have noget i min beauty skuffe på badeværelset – men jeg vil gerne holde mig til de ting jeg rent faktisk bruger og er glad for. Jeg stiftede for nyligt bekendtskab med Monomeer, og det fede ved konceptet her er, at du fuldstændig undgår at belaste miljøet med plastik samtidig med, at du får rene, økologiske skønhedsprodukter. Der er så mange små ting vi allesammen kan gøre for, at belaste miljøet mindre gennem vores forbrug af skønhedsprodukter – én af dem er fx at skifte dine éngangs produkter ud med genanvendelige produkter. Klik på barerne nedenfor, for at læse min oplevelse med de plastfri produkter jeg har testet fra Monomeer.

Makeup removal

Reusable cotton pads

/ Pros: this type of cotton pad is actually more gentle and soft on the sensitive eye area, I think. And it removes makeup just as well as the conventional disposables. Win!

Cons: it’s getting stained from old makeup pretty quickly, but that’s okay with me. You can just pop it in the washing mashine, and it can be washed up to 95 degrees.

Fordele: Jeg synes faktisk denne type “vatrondel” er meget blødere og dermed også mere blid ved det sarte område omkring øjnene. Den fjerner makeup ligeså godt som de konventionelle. Win!

Ulemper: den bliver hurtig lidt misfarvet, men det kan jeg sagtens se bort fra. Den skal blot smides med i vaskemaskinen indimellem og kan vaskes ved 95 grader. Dette gør jeg dog kun ca. 1 gang om ugen. I løbet af ugen vasker jeg den blot efter brug med lidt vand og håndsæbe, og hænger den til tørre til næste gang jeg skal bruge den.

 

Makeup products

Tinted lipbalm

/ On Monomeer you can find a little selection of different makeup (HERE) – not all you need but just a few, clean and plastic-free products such as lipstick and this tinted lipbalm. It gives a nice, discreet color to your lips! Another brand I would like to try is the Danish brand Miild. It is hypoallergenic and 90% of their products are made in recycled cardboard. However, it is a bit pricey I think, but nevertheless, it must be tested!

Inde på Monomeer kan du finde lidt forskelligt makeup (se udvalget HER) – ikke alt hvad du skal bruge, men få, rene og plastfri produkter som fx læbestift og denne tinted læbepomade. Den giver en fin, diskret farve til læberne! Et andet mærke jeg godt gad at prøve er det danske Miild. Det er allergivenligt og så er 90% af deres produkter lavet i genanvendeligt karton/pap. Det er dog en anelse pebret i prisen synes jeg, men ikke desto mindre skal det afprøves!

Dental care

Toothbrush and dental floss

/ Pros: the toothbrush is 100% natural and is not harmful to our environment the same way as conventional plastik toothbrushes – the same goes for the dental floss that comes in a little glass container with a metal lid.

Cons: putting tree inside your mouth feels kind of odd and requires some getting used to, and the bristles may be a little too hard on my sensitive gums. You can find other alternatives on Monomeer though – like these toothbrushes that are made in bio-plastic, and are maybe a little more like the conventional toothbrush. I have to try those next!

Fordele: tandbørsten er 100% naturlig og belaster ikke miljøet på samme måde som de konventionelle tandbørster i plastik – det samme gælder tandtråden, der kommer i en lille glasbeholder med metallåg.

Ulemper: at putte træ ind i munden kræver lidt tilvænning, og børsterne er måske lige hårde nok til mit sarte tandkød. Man kan dog få andre fine alternativer inde på Monomeer – bl.a. disse som er lavet i bio-plast, og måske minder lidt mere om de traditionelle tandbørster. Det må prøves næste gang!

 

Feminine Products

Reusable menstrual cup & reusable pad

/ These are probably some of the things I received from Monomeer, which I’ve been most excited about (and a bit nervous) to try! Consider how many pads and tampons we throw out each year, which are also full of both pesticides and chemicals. I have not yet fully tested the products (if you understand what I mean) but I do know women who use the cup and are very happy about it. It just takes a little effort and exercise. There are two different sizes: Size B is for you who have not yet given birth and size A is for you who have had children. I will typically use the recyclable pad at the end of my cycle.

Dette er nok nogle af de ting jeg modtog fra Monomeer, som jeg har været mest begejstret (og lidt nervøs) for at prøve! Tænk hvor mange bind og tamponer vi hvert år smider ud, og som desuden er fuld af både pesticider og kemikalier. Jeg har endnu ikke testet produkterne fuldt ud (hvis I forstår hvad jeg mener), men kender kvinder der bruger koppen og er super glade for den. Det kræver bare lige lidt tilvænning og øvelse. Der er to forskellige størrelser: størrelse B er til dig, der endnu ikke har født og størrelse A er til dig som har fået børn. Det genanvendelige stofbind vil jeg typisk bruge sidst i min cyklus.

 

Hair & body wash

Lavender shampoo-bar & olive body-bar

/ Pros: wonderful, natural scent! When I opened my package from Monomeer, I could smell these soaps through the cardboard. And then they are not at all inconvenient – I make sure to keep them in the closet just outside the shower cabinet so they can dry up between each wash and not get completely shabby inside the cabin. They are also good for when you are shaving your legs because they lather more rich than you would think. These soap bars are a great alternative to the traditional soaps that come in plastic containers.

Cons: the shampoo-bar is no good for my hair. It has a great lather, is easy to work with and leaves a wonderful fragrance, but unfortunately it also leaves a gritty film on my shoulder-long hair. Maybe it’s better for people with very dry hair and scalp. Monomeer does have a shampoo-bar for oily hair too though (HERE), so maybe I should try that instead. Fortunately, the shampoo-bar can also be used as a body-wash, which I will do instead instead of wasting it! And there’s no doubt that I LOVE the idea of these plastic free bars, so I will continue searching for one that fits my hair.

Fordele: skøn, naturlig duft! Da jeg åbnede min pakke fra Monomeer kunne jeg dufte disse sæber gennem pappet. Og så er de slet ikke upraktiske – jeg sørger blog for, at opbevare dem i skabet lige udenfor brusekabinen, så de kan nå at tørre mellem hvert bad og ikke står og bliver helt sjaskede inde i kabinen. De er også gode til når man skal barbere ben, fordi de skummer mere end man lige skulle tro. Disse sæbe-barer er et fantastisk alternativ til de traditionelle sæber der kommer i plastdunke.

Ulemper: shampoo’en er ikke god til mit hår. Den skummer og efterlader det dejligt velduftende, men desværre efterlader den også en lidt fedtet hinde på mit skulderlange hår. Måske den passer bedre til dig med meget tørt hår og hovedbund. Man kan dog få en shampoo-bar til fedtet hår også (HER), så måske jeg skulle prøve den i stedet. Shampoo-baren kan heldigvis også bruges til kroppen, hvilket jeg vil gøre fremover i stedet, så den ikke går til spilde! Og der er ingen tvivl om, at jeg er vild med idéen om disse sæbe-barer til både hår og krop, så jeg vil fortsætte min eftersøgning på én, som passer præcist til mit hår.

UPDATE: I can highly recommend the soap bars from Ethique – read my review HERE!

Relaxing bath products

Lavender/Lemon balm bathing salt

/ One thing I really love is a nice hot bath with fragranced oil or soap! You know, like when you’re on a spa stay. It just makes you relax t the fullest! I have already tested this bath salt and it is super delicious. It smells really good and natural of citrus. I am sure you can use it for a nice foot bath as well!

Èn ting jeg virkelig holder af, er et dejligt, varmt karbad med velduftende olie eller sæbe! I ved, ligesom når man er på spa-ophold. Det gør bare, at man kommer helt ned i gear! Jeg har allerede testet denne badesalt, og den er super lækker. Den dufter rigtig skønt og naturligt af citrus. Er sikker på man også kan bruge den til et dejligt fodbad!

 

Sunscreen

Natural & healthy sunscreen SPF 30

/ Pros: the sunscreen comes in a metal jar, and it doesn’t contain perfume, parabens or the like. It seems as though it’s not too greasy on the skin after a while, even though it may seem like it at first. And it’s water resistant!

Cons: the scent will probably throw some people off – it smells very “natural” if you know what I mean. I haven’t been able to test it fully yet (summer in Denmark, you know), but I’m pretty sure it will do it’s job.

Fordele: solcremen kommer i en metaldåse, og indeholder ingen parfume, parabener eller lign. Den virker som om den trænger hurtigt ind i huden, selvom den virker fedtet til at starte med. Og så er den vandfast!

Ulemper: duften er nok ikke alles kop te – den dufter meget “naturligt”, hvis man kan sige det sådan. Jeg har ikke haft mulighed for, at teste beskyttelsen endnu (dansk sommer i Danmark, I ved), men er sikker på, at den nok skal gøre sit job.

 

12 Comments

  1. Betina

    Jeg kunne godt tænke mig at høre mere om de der vatrondeller 🙂 bruger du dem én gang ligesom med en alm. og så til vask med dem, og hvor mange har du i rotation så? Og holder du dem adskilt så du bruger nogle til f.eks. neglelakfjerne og nogle andre til ansigtet?

    Reply
    • signeh24

      Lige nu har jeg én jeg bruger til at fjerne øjenmakeup og én jeg bruger til at fjerne neglelak med, så jeg har to i alt 🙂 Jeg vasker dem med håndsæbe efter brug og hænger dem til tørre til næste gang jeg skal bruge dem. Jeg har brugt den til at fjerne øjenmakeup med en lille uges tid, og smider den med i vaskemaskinen når jeg alligevel skal vaske kogevask i dag 🙂 Egentlig kunne jeg måske godt bruge én mere, sådan at jeg hele tiden har en ekstra ved hånden når den anden er til vask. Den som jeg fjerner neglelak med opbevarer jeg sammen med min neglelakfjerner så jeg kan kende forskel på dem. Men ellers kan man jo købe en anden type eller farve, så man nemt kan adskille dem 🙂

      Reply
      • Betina

        Ah på den måde 🙂 tak for svar.

        Reply
  2. Emma

    Skal man vaske vatrondellerne på 95 g, jeg vasker maks mit sengetøj osv. på 60 g. 🙂

    Reply
    • signeh24

      Nej det behøver man ikke, de kan dog tåle op til 95 grader 🙂 har selv lige vasket mine på 60 i dag, det fungerede fint 🙂

      Reply
  3. Madison Marie

    I really want to try Miild Makeup as well! Trying to decide which product is most appealing to me, as it is indeed a little pricey. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Louise

    Kjaer Weis is another excellent make-up line. My favourites are their lip tint and eyeshadow.

    Reply
    • signeh24

      Thanks for the tip! I didn’t know that brand :-*

      Reply
  5. Emmanuelle

    Hi Signe,

    thank you for all the amazing content you provide !!!
    Quick question for you: do you still use a safety razor on your legs ? If so, do you have recommandations about blades, techniques, to get the closest shave ?

    Thank you so much in advance, cheers from Geneva, Switzerland !

    Reply
    • signeh24

      hi :-* Yes, I still use the safety razor! It’s very sharp and can be quite hard to “control” sometimes. I think it provides a very close shave because the blades are so sharp. It’s more about being careful not to cut yourself! I recommend a good shaving soap (Lush makes many in package-free options). One that is not too slippery so you have more control over the shaver 🙂 xx

      Reply
  6. Mansi B

    Hi Signe,
    Are the cosmetics from Monomeer cruelty free and/or vegan? Its very important for me to use vegan products, free from animal testing along with eco-friendly ones.
    Thanks! I love your blog

    Reply

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