Tis' The Season To Be Conscious: Gift Edition

Note ~ this post is not sponsored.

Eco Friendly Clothing & Accessories

Here’s a curation of our favourite pieces this winter! All from brands that are sustainable, cruelty free and ethically made.

• Bellantoni ~ our holiday favourites are the Ana Pantsuit, Classic Vneck and our Bow Scrunchies

• Matt & Nat ~ go vegan with their backpacks, purses and shoes

• Patogonia ~ dress warm in their ethical fleece and toques

• Reformation ~ love their party dresses 

Non-Toxic Beauty

When picking a toxic-free beauty product, do check the rating of each product on the Think Dirty app. If you haven’t heard of this app, I highly recommend you do! They rate each beauty product based on their ingredients (0-clean, 10-dirty), and state why each ingredient is ‘dirty’ or ‘clean’ and how it affects our health. Some brands have products that are cleaner than others. If your favourite brand isn’t listed, check their ingredients on their website. Always try to avoid beauty products that have the word “fragrance.” Because it is such a general term, it could mean up to 1000+ different types of fragrances, both chemically based and natural.

• Burts Bees ~ Love their Tinted Lip Balms, Glossy Lipstick & Lip Shine.

• Pink House Organics ~ Glow Sticks, dry shampoo and face fix

• Tarte ~ Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara, Amazonian Clay Blush

• Physicians Formula Organic Wear ~ Organic Wear Mascara

• SeaLuxe ~ Rose Face Mask, Rose Soap, Ritual Rose Bath Salts

• Pacifica ~ eyeliner

Genderless Gifts

• Candles ~ Natural soy-based candles from Mala The Brand, Sealuxe, Little Fox Apothecary

• Plants ~ Find a local nursery or plant shop and get a small succulent in a cute pot or a money tree. We love Verde Plant Design in Vancouver.

• Coffee or Tea ~ Get your loved one some ethically sourced coffee beans from . Not into coffee? Try Blume’s Organic Beetroot & Tumeric lattes or teas from Tease Tea or Woash Wellness teas

• Pottery ~ Handcrafted mugs and pottery from Tav Studio

DIY ~ Do It Yourself

• Soap ~ Check for some unique recipes by natural living ideas!

• Lip Balm ~ Check out this 3-ingredient vegan coconut lip balm by Coconut Mama.

• Baked treats ~ Take a Sunday afternoon and bake some holiday inspired cookies and wrap them in festive wrapping (we’ll be doing a post on eco-friendly wrapping next month!). We suggest some form of kraft paper and add your own design with white felt or paint!

• Candles ~ Make your own candles using beeswax, coconut oil and essential oils. Check out this video by Naturally Brittany

Give Back

• Volunteer at a charity of your choice ~ some examples would be to make sandwiches and feed the homeless, foster a pet, volunteer at a shelter, host your own fundraiser

• Donate old blankets and sheets to an animal shelter (the SPCA or Humane Societies are always looking for these types of donations)

• Sponsor a family ~ there are many families who don't have much, and your donation would mean the world to them.
  Some examples in the lower mainland (Vancouver) include Adopt-A-family, Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau, YMCA. Do a quick google search to find a cause you feel is a right fit for you.

Experience

• Theatre ~ check your local arts theatre for upcoming plays. Get tickets early as they probably sell out quick!

• Go for High Tea ~ check out Groupon for 2 for 1 specials! most high tea places will accomodate vegetarians/ vegans/ allergies, just make sure you call ahead and tell them your preferences. There’s a vegan, gluten-free high tea place in Vancouver called Indigo Cafe.

• Cooking Class ~ Whip up some delicious new recipes with your loved ones! Not only is this a fun experience and memory, but the best part is you get to eat everything after!

I hope this little pre-planning gift guide can help you feel a little bit more organized this year when prepping for the holiday season! 

~Bianca

All photos sourced from Unsplash and Canva