Looking for a cruelty-free & vegan dishwasher detergent alternative to animal-tested Cascade or Finish?

In this cruelty-free dishwashing detergent guide, I’m sharing the best vegan dishwasher detergent pods; whether you prefer a natural, phosphate-free, all-in-1, eco-friendly, or zero-waste dishwasher detergent, there’s something for you on this list!

What To Look For:

Let’s first begin by asking, are dishwasher detergents vegan? Some dishwasher soaps, pods, and tablets contain animal-derived surfactants and enzymes. Unless the manufacturer states it’s plant-based, assume it’s not vegan.

In addition, some dishwasher detergent pods are from brands that still test on animals, like Cascade and Finish, and should be avoided when looking for a cruelty-free and vegan dishwasher soap.

Best Vegan Dishwasher Detergents in 2023

Below is a list of the best-rated and best-selling vegan, cruelty-free dishwasher detergent and their product claims.

All of the dishwasher detergents mentioned in this post are from brands that have been verified as being truly cruelty-free and don’t test on animals.

And all of the cruelty-free dishwasher detergents have been verified as being vegan-friendly and don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients. However, always check the manufacturer’s website for the most up-to-date information, as ingredients and formulations may change.

Puracy – Natural Dishwasher Detergent Packs

Puracy’s Natural Dishwasher Detergent is a grease-cutting, spot-free, automatic dishwasher detergent made from plant and mineral-derived ingredients. Plant-based formula with enzymes safely breaks down the toughest caked-on food & leaves dishes sparkling.

Price: $20 for a pack of 50 ($0.40 per load)

Shop Puracy

Nellie’s – Dishwasher Nuggets

Nellie’s Dish Nuggets combine all the cleaning power of their Dish Powder in the convenience of an adorable little pre-packaged Nugget. This formula is biodegradable, septic-safe, and phosphate-free. Above all, this powder is a plant-based formula and is kind to the environment.

Price: $12.80 for 24 nuggets ($0.53 per load)

Shop Nellie’s

Grove Co. – Total Clean Dishwasher Detergent Packs

Grove Co’s Vegan Dishwasher Detergent Packs are proven to powerfully eliminate grease and stubborn food stains better than leading national brands, now packaged in infinitely recyclable tin-plated steel. Crafted to be sustainably powerful for a healthy home and planet.

Price: $12 for 36 pack ($0.33 per load)

Shop Grove Co.

Molly’s Suds – Natural Dishwasher Detergent Pods

Are you tired of those chemical-filled dishwasher packs with unnatural blue & green colors and artificial scents? Molly’s Suds Natural Vegan Dishwasher Detergent Pods are formulated with plant-based surfactants & naturally-occurring enzymes. These powerful pods leave your dishes sparkling clean WITHOUT all the harsh chemicals.

Price: $19 for 60 pods ($0.32 per load)

Shop Molly’s Suds

Grab Green Automatic Dishwashing Detergent Pods

Grab Green’s dishwasher pods easily cut through grease & grime without harsh chemicals. The clean rinse formula means film-free, spot-free dishes every time.

Price: $12 for 24 pods ($0.50 per load)

Shop Grab Green

Attitude Dishwasher Tablets

ATTITUDE’s Dishwasher Tablets are phosphate-free and worry-free — meaning Attitude only uses plant- and mineral-based ingredients that are as safe for your family as they are for the environment.

Price: $12 for 26 tablets ($0.46 per load)

Shop Attitude

Nature Clean – Automatic Dishwasher Pods

Smell your food, not chlorine! Nature Clean® Dishwasher Pods perform highly without chlorine, phosphates, perfumes, dyes, or animal by-products. This product is vegan, gluten-free, kosher, septic, and grey water safe. Biodegradable and not tested on animals.

Price: $23 for 60 pods ($0.38 per load)

Shop Nature Clean

AspenClean – Dishwasher Pods

Voted as Best Eco-Friendly Dishwasher Pod by Good Housekeeping, AspenClean Dishwasher Pods are safe for your family & pets. They are unscented, naturally formulated to cut through grease, non-toxic, and packaged in a zero-plastic, compostable container. EWG Verified and free from dyes, chlorine, SLS, & phosphates.

Price: $20 for 28 pods ($0.71 per load)

Shop AspenClean

Astonish – All in 1 Dishwasher Tablets

The only thing that works harder than you is your dishwasher and Astonish’s tablets are specially formulated with powerful cleaning action to remove even the toughest stains, including tea, coffee, and dried-on food. With the added benefit of built-in salt and rinse aid, it’s suitable for hard water areas and glassware and will leave your dishes sparkling clean. 

Price: £4.49 for 42 pack (£0.11 per load)

Shop Astonish

Vegan, Zero-Waste Dishwasher Detergent

Looking to reduce your household’s plastic waste? Here are some options for zero-waste dishwasher detergent tablets that are also cruelty-free and vegan. Not only is the packaging plastic-free but unlike plastic dishwasher detergent pods, these eco-friendly dishwasher detergent tablets do not contain a plastic casing.

Cleancult – Dishwasher Tablets Refills

Cleancult’s dissolvable automatic dishwashing tablets are biodegradable and help make your dishes come out fresh, clean, and stain free without the chemical residue many other products leave behind.

Price: $10.50 for 32 tablets ($0.33 per load)

Shop Cleancult

Blueland – Dishwasher Detergent

Not your average dishwasher detergent – Blueland’s tablets have all of the power without any of the plastic. Unlike conventional detergent pods wrapped in plastic, Blueland’s dry-form tablets cut grease and grime and lift food stains for a sparkling clean without dissolving plastic film onto your dishes.

Price: $25 for 60 tablets ($0.42 per load)

Shop Blueland

Myni – Dishwasher Detergent

Make all your dishes shine with concentrated dishwasher detergent tablets. It’s an ecological, zero-waste solution to remove stubborn stains from your dishes.

Price: $11 for 32 tablets ($0.34 per load)

Shop Myni

The post Guide to Vegan Dishwasher Detergent: How to Keep Your Dishes Clean and Your Conscience Clear appeared first on ethical elephant.

Looking for a refreshing vegan hand soap to gently clean and wash hands and that also smell incredible? In this guide, I’m sharing the best vegan hand soaps that you can find at most major retailers, off and online.

Is Hand Soap Vegan?

Some hand soap and hand wash formulas contain rendered animal fat or animal-based glycerin and stearic acid. There are plant-based and synthetic alternatives to animal-derived ingredients. But it’s sometimes difficult to know with certainty whether a product is vegan just by reading the ingredient list.

When looking for a vegan hand soap, choose items that clearly state they’re vegan in the product description or packaging.

Which Hand Soap Is Cruelty-Free?

In addition to avoiding animal-derived ingredients in hand soaps, most drugstore and high-end hand soaps are from brands that still test on animals, like Softsoap, Safeguard, Olay, and Bath & Body Works, and should be avoided when looking for a cruelty-free and vegan hand soap.

Vegan Hand Soap Brands

All the hand soaps mentioned in this post are from brands that have been verified as being truly cruelty-free and don’t test on animals. Note that I’ve included some options from cruelty-free brands that are owned by an animal-tested parent company. If you choose not to purchase from these brands, then avoid the ones marked with an * asterisk.

And all the hand soaps have been verified as being vegan-friendly and don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients. However, always check the manufacturer’s website for the most up-to-date information, as ingredients and formulations may change.

If you’re looking for a vegan hand soap refill option, many of these natural and eco-friendly brands offer a refillable solution to cut down on single-use plastic packaging.

*Method

For a vegan hand soap that you can grab at any major grocery store, drugstore, or even some dollar stores, Method is a great pick. Available in a wide range of scents like grapefruit, green tea + aloe, and lavender, along with a couple of limited-edition holiday scents; frosted fir and hollyberry.

Pick from either Method’s gel formula or foaming hand soaps, which are all vegan and cruelty-free*.

Method also has two hand soap refill options, one in a plastic pouch and the other in a big refill bottle made from 50% recycled plastic. And while you’re at it, grab one of their new sleek aluminum bottles to reuse and refill forever.

*Note: Method is cruelty-free, but Method is owned by SC Johnson, a parent company that is NOT cruelty-free.

*Mrs. Meyer’s

Mrs. Meyer’s makes hardworking, non-drying soap for busy hands in an array of delightful garden-inspired scents like Daisy, Oat Blossom, Pear Tree, Lilac, Fresh Cut Grass, and many more.

Available in a liquid formula or as a foaming soap, Mrs. Meyer’s vegan hand soaps are made with essential oils, aloe vera, olive oil, and other thoughtfully chosen ingredients.

Mrs. Meyer’s also has refills of their liquid hand soaps in 975mL recyclable plastic bottles.

*Note: Mrs. Meyer’s is cruelty-free, but Mrs. Meyer’s is owned by SC Johnson, a parent company that is NOT cruelty-free.

ECOS

ECOS offers a line of hypoallergenic vegan hand soap formulated with plant-powered ingredients that don’t dry out your skin, including Vitamin E harvested from natural plant sources. ECOS is also a Climate Positive company. Their hand soaps are made in the US and are Safer Choice certified with the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Pick from three lovely scents; Lemongrass, Lavender, and Orange Blossom, or go unscented with ECOS Free & Clear hand soap. ECOS also has a refill kit that includes one of their 16oz bottles that snaps together with their 64oz refill bottle to save you space under the sink.

Dr. Bronner’s

Known for its all-one magic soap, Dr. Bronner’s offers a 4-in-1 organic sugar soap that’s great for washing hands, face, body, and hair. If you want just one product that washes everything, this is it!

Formulated with fair trade and organic ingredients, Dr. Bronner’s pump soaps contain organic sugar and organic white grape juice to keep skin nourished, hydrated, and smooth.

Dr. Bronner’s organic vegan soaps come in Peppermint, Lavender, Tea Tree, Lemongrass Lime, or Unscented (perfect for babies!). Bottles are available in a 12oz or 24oz pump, or a 1/2 gallon jug to refill your bottles.

Puracy

Made of 98.6% natural ingredients, Puracy’s eco-friendly and vegan hand soaps are gentle and effective cleansers made from plants, minerals, and water. Choose from Puracy’s natural gel hand soap or sulfate-free foaming hand soap in refreshing scents like Lavender + Vanilla or Cucumber + Mint.

Puracy has refills of both their gel and foaming hand soaps in a 48oz refill pouch.

Everyone

Made with gentle coconut cleansers, organic plant extracts, and other skin-loving ingredients, Everyone’s gentle and nourishing vegan hand soaps leave your hands clean and moisturized. Select from Everyone’s assortment of soap scents made from pure essential oils like Lavender + Coconut, Spearmint + Lemongrass, and Meyer Lemon + Mandarin.

Need to refill your Everyone hand soap? Refill bottles are in 32oz or a gallon. And all of their bottles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled material.

Attitude

Made in Canada, Attitude’s hand soaps are certified vegan, EWG VERIFIED, and ECOLOGO-certified. Formulated with plant and mineral ingredients, Attitude’s hand soaps come in various lovely scents like Orange Leaves, White Tea Leaves, and Lemon Leaves.

Attitude has three hand soap products to choose from; liquid, foaming, and a soap bar.

Eco-refills for Attitude’s liquid hand soaps are available in a 2L or 4L cardboard box with a dispensing tap + recyclable plastic bag. While the foaming hand soap refills are available in a 1L plastic bottle.

Faith In Nature

Faith in Nature’s vegan hand soaps is made with 100% natural origin aroma and essential oils and smell incredible. Packed with aromatherapy benefits, choose from calming Lavender & Geranium, energizing Grapefruit & Orange, rejuvenating Aloe Vera + Tea Tree Oil, and more!

Available as a plastic-free solid soap bar or as a liquid hand wash packaged in a 100% recycled and recyclable bottle. Want to cut down on single-use plastic packaging? Try Faith in Nature’s new aluminum refill-a-bottle and use it with their 5L or 20L eco-refill bottles.

Live Clean

Live Clean hand soaps are enriched with vitamin E, panthenol, and certified organic botanicals to cleanse and moisturize, leaving hands feeling soft and smooth gently.

Choose from Live Clean’s liquid hand soap formulas or their foaming hand wash. Live Clean also has some 1L refills available but only for some of their liquid formulas, and none for the foaming hand soaps.

Ethique

For a zero-waste and plastic-free vegan hand soap option, Ethique’s handwash concentrates are the answer. Just add water to Ethique’s concentrates, stir, and you instantly have 350ml of luxurious handwash, all without the plastic waste!

Made with plant-based surfactants to remove dirt and grime, Ethique’s zero-waste vegan hand wash concentrates are also palm oil-free. Choose from a floral or citrusy scent or an unscented (no added fragrance) option.

Cleancult

Looking for a reduced-packaging and refillable plant-based hand soap? Cleancult’s paper-based packaging and refill system makes it easy for you to have clean and moisturize hands sustainably. Choose from Cleancult’s fresh scents, including Blue Sage, Grapefruit Basil, or Lavender.

The liquid hand soap refills come in a 32oz recyclable carton made from 80% paper, 15% polyethylene, and 5% aluminum, making them 100% recyclable and accepted by most local recycling centers. Use Cleancult’s hand soap refills with one of their sleek, shatter-resistant refillable glass bottles.

*Aesop

For a luxurious hand soap for the guest bathroom, go for Aesop’s Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash. A gentle formulation containing oils of Orange, Rosemary, and Lavender to effectively cleanse the hands without drying them out.

Contains mandarin rind for a fresh, citrusy scent, along with rosemary leaf and cedar atlas for a woody, herbaceous aroma. Bottles are made from a minimum of 97% recycled plastics.

*Note: Aesop is cruelty-free, but Aesop is owned by L’Oreal, a parent company that is NOT cruelty-free.

Babo Botanicals

For organic vegan hand soap, try one of Babo Botanical’s plant-based hand washes that contain organic argan oil, shea butter, olive oil, and aloe vera. Babo’s gentle hand soap formulas are great for the entire family and for those who have sensitive or eczema-prone skin.

Formulated with anti-bacterial Manuka essential oil that was harvested from a family-owned farm in the Southern Region of New Zealand, Babo’s hand washes are vegan, fragrance-free, and free from soy, dairy, and gluten. Babo also has a fragrance-free vegan foam hand soap for babies!

FAQ – Vegan Hand Soap

Is Hand Soap Vegan? Not all hand soaps are vegan, as many contain animal-derived ingredients or by-products. For example, animal-based glycerin is used in soaps as a humectant, while animal-based stearic acid is used in soaps to create a rich, creamy lather or to help harden bar soaps. Sodium Tallowate can also be found in most mainstream hand soap bars, which are derived from beef or sheep fat and are used as an emulsifier and detergent. In addition, some soaps contain goat milk, honey, or beeswax.

Is Everyone Hand Soap Vegan? Yes. In addition to Everyone’s hand soaps, all Everyone’s products are also vegan.

Is Method Hand Soap Vegan? Yes. In fact, every Method product is vegan including their hand soaps.

Is Dial Hand Soap Vegan? Most Dial hand soaps are NOT vegan. Currently, Dial only labels its Clean + Gentle Foaming Hand Wash as vegan. All other Dial hand soaps do not have the vegan label and therefore do not classify as being vegan-friendly. Dial also gained Leaping Bunny cruelty-free certification in June of 2022, making them officially cruelty-free.

Is Meyer’s Hand Soap Vegan? Yes. All Mrs. Meyer’s hand soaps are vegan.

Other Vegan Guides You May Like:

If you enjoyed this guide to the best vegan hand soaps available, then you might enjoy more of our other cruelty-free and vegan product guides.

• Vegan Hand Sanitizer
• Vegan Bar Soap
• Vegan Dish Soap

The post 13 Plant-Based, Vegan Hand Soaps in Refreshing Scents appeared first on ethical elephant.

For the past couple of months, I’ve been trying some zero waste laundry and household products.

And to my disappointment, I was surprised that some of them didn’t work out for me.

Why am I surprised? I feel like there aren’t many honest reviews from bloggers or influencers saying these products don’t work. And I find that ironic because promoting zero waste products that don’t work, is actually just promoting more waste.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some incredible zero-waste and sustainable products that work amazingly. But I feel like we need to share more of the not-so-great items too so that others can be warned before they buy.

So that’s exactly what I set out to do with these mini product reviews.

I’m going to start with some zero waste laundry products I purchased a few months ago including TruEarth’s laundry strips, compostable dryer sheets, and soap nuts for laundry.

TruEarth’s Laundry Eco-Strips

I love the idea of these concentrated laundry detergent strips. They’re compact with minimal packaging, and therefore less transportation pollution compared to large and heavy jugs of laundry detergent.

Do they work? Yah. But do they work well? Meh.

They claim to be low-sudsing, which is true. I used them with cold water in my top-load washer. I find the best way to use the strips is by putting them in the machine first with the water running. And then wait for the strips to dissolve completely before placing my clothes into the washer.

Out the box, they come extremely scented. I left the opened box on my kitchen table and my whole suite smelt like laundry detergent for days.

But after washing, my clothes didn’t have any traces of the fragrance or scent. I mean, unless you’re really sticking your nose into the fibers and looking for the smell, you might be able to slightly smell it.

For someone who sits at their computer desk 8-10 hours a day. I do believe these laundry detergent strips work with washing my barely soiled clothes.

But they didn’t work for my fiance’s work clothes or to get stains off of my reusable makeup remover pads.

So, I guess they kind of worked? But they definitely didn’t work on stains or dirt. And don’t expect any brightening or softening effects when using these laundry detergent strips.

Also, they’re tiny. The paper envelope packaging is deceiving. And they tell you to rip the strips apart and use one half for one load. Or rip it in half again for a small load. But I always wait till I have a full load of laundry so I use both strips every time.

I also don’t understand why they come attached with two strips together and then tell us to detach them and to only use one. Why didn’t they just come detached in the first place? Because it’s technically 16 pieces in each pack but they’re “attached” so they call it 32 “strips”. I also don’t get why they called each half of the strip ‘one’. It’s more like ‘half’ because I had to strip it in half from the ‘whole’ piece.

I got a pack of 32 ‘strips’. But since I technically use 2 strips per large load of laundry, it’s more like 16 strips at the rate of how I’m using them.

I bought mine at well.ca for CA$14.99. So that’s $0.94/load, which is now making me realize that’s so expensive and I need to go back to using one ‘half’ of the strips per load if I want to make this pack last.

I most likely won’t be buying these again as I think I prefer my Nellie’s laundry soda over these laundry detergent eco-strips. But I do love the innovation and how TruEarth is a Canadian company! Nature Clean also has laundry detergent strips for about the same price.

Compostable Dryer Sheets by Mild by Nature

I didn’t realize that Mild by Nature is one of iHerb’s house brands. When I placed my last order on iHerb, I saw these compostable dryer sheets. They were under $4 for a 40-sheet pack so I thought, why not?

But don’t bother with these. They don’t do any of the things they claim to do like “help to soften fabrics, reduce static-cling, smooth wrinkles and freshen clothes.”

They smell great out of the box but they don’t leave any scent to your actual clothes. They come heavily scented and will leave your cupboard smelling perfume-y. But that’s all they’re good for.

They also feel like textured parchment paper.

These were marketed as being “compostable” dryer sheets but nowhere on the packaging or on iHerb’s website mentions if they’re compostable via home or industrial compost? or how long they take to fully break down?

Laundry Soap Nuts

I’ve heard about the magical cleansing powers of soap nuts for a while now and am finally giving some a try as a laundry detergent.

…And I’m not quite sure if they actually do anything. I can’t tell if they do a better job than just washing my clothes with water.

The instructions on the box says to place 6-7 soap nuts in the small cotton bag and tie the drawstring shut. Then remove the bag of soap nuts before putting clothes in dryer. And to lay the soap nuts out to air dry and if using water below 60°C, they can be used again for another load.

I followed those instructions and did not see any visible results. I read online that the soap nuts only work in hot water. But I never wash my clothes with hot water so I wished that was stated on the box or on well.ca’s website before I bought these to try!

I’ll be trying some of the other uses of soap nuts before giving up on these completely.

Unfortunately, none of these zero waste laundry products worked for me or amazed me enough to repurchase.

Not all zero-waste products are going to work for everyone so I think it’s important that we share our own experience. My goal is to help you find products that are useful to you and your lifestyle without having to try as many products as I did!

So I hope you found some of this information helpful on your journey to reducing waste!

The post Review of Some Zero-Waste Laundry Products I Tried appeared first on ethical elephant.

Looking for some options for cruelty-free and vegan hand sanitizers from brands that don’t test on animals?

I’ve been hesitant to post this list since there’s a shortage of hand sanitizers and I encourage everyone to just get whatever brand is available to them or that’s within their means regardless if they’re cruelty-free or vegan. Keeping yourself and those around you safe is most important right now.

But I’m also realizing that hand sanitizers are going to be around for awhile so if you had the option to restock on your supply, I wanted to provide you with a list of cruelty-free and vegan hand sanitizer options.

The CDC recommends we use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to prevent the spread of infections and decrease the risk of getting sick. All of the vegan hand sanitizers listed below contain at least 60% alcohol.

Also please remember to be considerate and resist buying in bulk quantities. There’s enough to go around if we all just buy what we need.

What’s not vegan with conventional hand sanitizers? Some hand sanitizers are manufactured from companies that are not cruelty-free. This means the company engages in animal testing either by testing their ingredients, formulations, or finished products on animals themselves or they’ll ask others to test on their behalf.

In addition, some hand sanitizers may contain moisturizing agents, like glycerin, or fragrances derived from animal sources.

All of the brands listed in this guide do not test on animals and none of these hand sanitizers contain any animal-derived ingredients or by-products.

Vegan Hand Sanitizers

Whether you want a travel-size vegan hand sanitizer to tote around with you while on the go or you’re a vegan business wanting to offer vegan hand sanitizer at your establishment, there’s something for you in this guide!

NCLA Hands Clean Moisturizing Vegan Hand Sanitizer

Price: $8 for 1oz

Formulated with hydrating aloe vera and vitamin E, your hands will get a boost of hydration while sanitizing. The 65% ethyl alcohol formula eliminates 99.9% of germs. Its lightweight formula absorbs quickly, and leaves hands clean and smelling great. Available in a range of scents including Pumpkin Spice, Peppermint Mocha, Cranberry Pie, and Watermelon.

Milani Rose Hand Sanitizer

Price: $7 for 2oz

A rose-scented gel vegan hand sanitizer, it contains 68% (Ethanol) Alcohol and the moisturizing glycerin ensures that it doesn’t overly dry your hands. The spray bottle makes it easy to sanitize on the go.

DefineMe Hand Sanitizer

Price: $15 for 2oz

DefineMe uses organic sugarcane alcohol (75% ethyl alcohol), aloe vera, coconut oil, and clean, vegan fragrances in their scented hand sanitizers. In addition, $1 per bottle will go to non-profits that support feeding children and families impacted by COVID-19. 

If you like discounts, use code: ETHICALELEPHANT to receive 10% off your order.

Hempz Triple Moisture Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer

Price: $20 for 17oz

This is a best-selling hand sanitizer with 63% ethanol alcohol and it just so happens to be vegan! Concentrated with a triple moisture serum that helps to nourish and hydrate your skin while killing most germs on contact, leaving hands soft and clean. Available in 4 sizes.

Dr. Bronner’s Organic Hand Sanitizer

Price: $5.50 for 2oz

Dr. Bronner’s Organic Hand Sanitizer kills germs with a simple formula: organic ethyl alcohol (62%), water, organic lavender oil, and organic glycerin – that’s it! None of the nasty chemicals you find in conventional sanitizers, but just as effective.

EO Organic Hand Sanitizer Spray

Price: 6-pack for $29

Keep hands clean and refreshed with this organic and vegan hand sanitizer spray. Thanks to the 62% alcohol content derived from non-GMO sugar cane, it’s 99.9% effective against most common germs. Soothing lavender helps create a sense of calm. EO Products also has a hand sanitizer gel formula, as well as, wipes.

Hands Free Clean Vegan Hand Sanitizer Gel

Price: $13 for 12oz

AG is a cruelty-free and Canadian brand, their clean hand sanitizing gel is formulated with ethyl alcohol 73% v/v for maximum germ-killing ability yet leaves hands feeling moisturized and protected. Rich in vitamin E, glycerine and aloe vera, Hands Free is both soothing and highly effective. Kills 99.9% of Germs. AG Hair also has a spray and a travel-size option.

Zero-Waste Hand Sanitizer by Humankind

Price: $14 for 3-pack

A moisturizing hand sanitizer that comes in 3 pocket-size aluminum bottles — designed to reduce single-use plastic waste while on the go. 65% alcohol. Refillable options available.

Vegan Hand Sanitizer Spray by 100% Pure

Price: $5 for 1.7oz

A plant-based sanitizer that helps reduce disease-causing bacteria. 100% Pure’s quick-drying hand sanitizer spray formula is made with 62% Ethyl Alcohol and hydrating aloe vera gel and antibacterial tea tree oil, to leave skin feeling soft and moisturized without a sticky residue. 100% Pure also has a hand sanitizer gel in a travel-size and a 16oz bottle available.

Refillable Peppermint Hand Sanitizer

Price: $5 for 2.5oz

Made with a biodegradable, vegan, and non-GMO formula, this hand sanitizer is free of toxins, triclosan and palm oil. It’s packaged plastic-free in a refillable and reusable aluminum bottle, and is blended with essential oils – not synthetic fragrance. Refillable options available.

If you like discounts, use code: ETHICALELEPHANT to receive 10% off at EarthHero

Fragrance-Free Natural Foaming Hand Sanitizer

Price: $13.50 for 3-pack

This is an Alcohol-free and fragrance-free natural foaming hand sanitizer. Benzalkonium chloride is the antimicrobial ingredient used in place of alcohol in other hand sanitizers. The eco-friendly germ-killing alternative is non-flammable and less drying to skin, and doesn’t stain clothing or other fabrics. Prefer an alcohol-based hand sanitizer? Puracy has one too that’s also available in a gallon bottle, great for businesses!

The post List of Cruelty-Free & Vegan Hand Sanitizer in 2021 appeared first on ethical elephant.

Whether you’re looking for a vegan scented candle to bring some warmth and aroma to your home or you’re looking for one to gift the self-care queen in your life, or you’re simply looking for a sweet home decor candle. In this guide, I’m sharing some of the best vegan candles that you can get your hands on!

But first, let’s ask are candles even vegan?

Are Candles Vegan?

Most candles are not vegan and contain animal-based ingredients like stearic acid or beeswax.

According to vegan.com, stearic acid is commonly used in candles to harden the wax and provide opacity.

However, stearic acid can also be derived from non-animal sources (like coconuts). And unless it’s clearly labeled in the description or ingredient list as coconut-derived stearic acid, it’s best to assume all other candle manufacturers are using animal-based sources.

How to Know if Candles are Vegan?

The only way to know if candles are vegan is by contacting the company directly and asking them or if the product or manufacturer clearly states that its vegan on their packaging.

Alternatively, you can make your own candles at home. That way, you know exactly what goes into them and they’re fun to customize to your liking!

But if you’re thinking, ain’t nobody got time for that! Then here are some vegan candle options that I have confirmed as being both cruelty-free and vegan.

Brands of Vegan Candles

Mrs. Meyer’s* Soy Candles

Price: $10/ea

Swap your animal-tested Glade candles with Mrs. Meyer’s Soy Candles! Made from soy wax, vegetable wax, and other thoughtfully chosen ingredients. Available in a range of garden-inspired scents.

Buy on Amazon

*Note: Mrs. Meyer’s is cruelty-free but is owned by SC Johnson, a parent company that does test on animals and is not cruelty-free.

DefineMe Fragrances Vegan Candles

Price: $12/ea

Do good while smelling good with DefineMe Fragrance’s hand-poured, soy wax candles where for every candle purchased, $1 goes to a non-profit that provides educational scholarships to girls in low-income countries. Their candles come in a reusable glass jar along with a beautifully printed phrase.

Buy at DefineMe Fragrances (Get 10% off with coupon code: ETHICALELEPHANT)

By Rosie Jane Coconut Wax Vegan Candles

Price: $40

Hand-poured in Los Angeles, By Rosie Jane’s candles are made with responsibly-sourced coconut wax and packaged in 100% recyclable materials. By Rosie Jane fragrances are designed to be simple and effortless. They are phthalate-free, paraben-free, and vegan. Available in three scents to choose from.

Buy at Sephora

PHLUR Collection of Vegan Candles

Price: $68

PHLUR’s cruelty-free candles display like an art piece! Hand-poured with a custom plant-based soy-apricot-coconut wax, and housed in beautiful ceramic or glass vessels designed for reuse after you’ve burned the entire candle. Available in three exquisite scents.

Buy at Sephora

Pinrose Vegan Candles

Price: $49

Pinrose’s 100% cotton-wicked candles are made in the USA from apricot and coconut wax without paraffins. Available in a range of delightful scents including my fave, Secret Genius which smells like vanilla, caramel, and sandalwood.

Buy at Ulta or Amazon.

Overose – Luxury Scented Candles

Price: $58

Overose’s cruelty-free, vegan, and phthalate-free candles come in their signature monochromatic pink or purple modern design. Available in a great selection of dreamy fragrances and responsibly formulated with organic & natural oils.

Buy at Sephora

Floral Street Vegan Scented Candles

Price: £28

About Floral Street’s Scented Candles: “Powered by flowers and inspired by London. Our mother Floralista, Michelle Feeney, launched our blooming brilliant floral scents with a twist in 2017. Not without the help of Jerome Epinette, of course, one of the world’s leading perfumers. And not without a conscious. That’s why we are vegan, cruelty free and use sustainably sourced ingredients. Our packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable – and all sustainably sourced.”

Buy at Selfridges

Maison Louis Marie Candles

Price: $34

Looking for a luxury candle at an affordable price? Then you’ll definitely love Maison Louis Marie’s vegan and clean candles! Made without phthalates, parabens, and sulfates, offering a range of scented candles with illustrious scents imbued with unique floral fragrances.

Buy at Sephora

PIRETTE Soy Vegan Candles

Price: $48

I love the soft crackling sound and aroma of PIRETTE’s wooden wick candles! All of their candles are hand-poured with premium soy wax and comes in recyclable packaging. Made without parabens, paraffins, phthalates,, sulfates, or phosphates.

Buy on Amazon

Skull Candles

I saw these awesome skull candles on Etsy and they also happen to be vegan! I couldn’t resist but to share these with you all. They are available in a variety of scents & colours and made with 100% soy wax with natural dyes, are hand-poured and claims to burn for 15-20 hours.

Buy on Etsy

The post 10 Cruelty-Free & Vegan Candle Brands That Just Makes Scents appeared first on ethical elephant.

In an effort to switch to low or zero-waste products in my home, I saw these plant-based scour pads from Full Circle Home on iHerb. They were advertised as “WALNUT SHELL SCOUR PADS. — Scrubbing pad made from walnut shells for natural scouring power.”

Sounds and looks eco-friendly and green, right? — Oh boy, I was wrong.

I foolishly thought Full Circle’s Walnut Shell Sponges were compostable and biodegradable merely because they looked like it and because of the packaging. Looking back now, I should have known better than to judge a book by its cover.

It turns out, the pad is made from walnut shells and recycled plastic.

Nowhere on the product packaging or on iHerb’s website product description states that this product contains recycled plastic.

I reached out to Full Circle Home and asked if their Walnut Shell Scour Pads were biodegradable or compostable, they said:

“Great question! The Walnut scour is made with recycled fibers with ground walnut shells. The walnut shell flour makes up less than 10% of the composition of the entire abrasive. The remaining percentage is recycled PET (which usually comes from water bottles, juice bottles, etc.). These materials are not compostable or biodegradable.“

uh… WHAT?! Less than 10%!??!

They should call this RECYCLED PLASTIC SCOUR PAD instead.

On the surface, these “walnut shell” + recycled plastic scour pads are in theory, a greener option compared to other synthetic/virgin plastic scouring pads on the market since they are made from recycled plastic after all.

So if you’re looking for a slightly better eco-friendly alternative to your Scotch-Brite, then you might like this. They work almost as good as other scouring pads and do the job of gently removing dirt while not scratching my pans.

But if you’re like me, and a bunch of other people on Amazon who also bought Full Circle’s ‘Walnut Shell’ Scouring Pads looking for a compostable or biodegradable alternative, this is not the answer.

I’m not upset that Full Circle Home has made an effective alternative while using recycled plastic. Good for them. Keep it up.

I’m disappointed that there was no mention of recycled plastic on their product packaging, as well as, on iHerb’s product description. Only on their website, on a separate tab, is where Full Circle states recycled plastic is in this product.

I asked on Instagram for recommendations for eco-friendly and plastic-free dish sponges and scouring pads and got a couple of suggestions to try coconut husks and loofahs. What other low or zero waste sponges do you recommend?

The post Review: Full Circle Walnut Shell Scour Pads appeared first on ethical elephant.

I collaborated with Etsy to give you some helpful tips on decorating and hosting the holidays as ethically and sustainably as possible!

Etsy is an online marketplace where you can find an endless selection of unique handmade and vintage items to fill your cozy and festive home during the holidays. I especially love shopping on Etsy because I get to support talented and creative independent artists from around the world.

It’s also a great place to find truly unique and original items that were made consciously and ethically. So if one of your goals is to go green for the holidays, here are some of my tips on how to sustainably and ethically decorate and host for Thanksgiving and the Holidays, as well as, some of my favorite Etsy eco-finds!

Sustainably Decorating For An Eco-Holiday

The first order of business is stating the obvious when living sustainably, use what you already have! As tempting as it is to buy new holiday decor every year, you may find items or decor you forgot you had and intended to use this year, I’m definitely guilty of this. Do a quick inventory of what you currently have and its condition. Take the time to repair any items to give them another life before buying anything new.

Next, if you need to buy new decor, look for items that can be used more than a handful of times or find multi-purpose items that can be used after the holiday season too.

Now, look for home decor and entertaining items made from conscious or natural materials like reclaimed wood, recycled paper, and natural fibers like linen, flax, organic cotton, or hemp. And always keep in mind how many uses you can get out of an item to reduce consumer waste.

Luxury of Linen

Linen is a beautiful natural material that is also organic, biodegradable, and recyclable. Linen is derived from the flax plant and requires less water and pesticides than cotton and many other natural fibers. I love the rustic look of linen when used around the home and it’s super easy to incorporate into your holiday decor.

I am feeling these shabby chic Christmas linen stockings featuring a cheesecloth trim. I absolutely love the different textures of these gorgeous farmhouse-inspired stockings!

This handmade linen & eco hemp advent calendar is such a neat idea! You can move the little adorable bear from day to day or insert a treat of your choice in each pocket! Best of all, you can reuse this year after year.

Replacing paper napkins with cloth napkins is probably the easiest thing you can do to living a zero or less waste lifestyle. I especially fell in love with these soft pastel pink linen napkins! They’re so elegant and chic, and you can use them throughout the entire year.

Without Waste

Reduce plastic and waste in your home this holiday season with reusable kitchenware and decor that can be used all year round. Look for high-quality and durable items that were made to last more than a couple uses. I especially like to look for items made of metal or steel instead of cheap or single-use plastics.

I really like this handmade brass serving spoon and fork set. This elegant set will complement any side or serving dish all year round.

Want to spruce up your wreath this Holiday season? Check out this creative modern Himmeli wreath made from real brass tubes! It’s so modern and stylish that you’ll want to keep it up after the holidays!

Step up your hors d’oeuvres and cocktail game with these sleek and sophisticated reusable picks! You can also get the adorable glass penguin holder because why wouldn’t you!? It’s so cute!

Simply Natural

The holidays are all about bringing the greenery inside a cozy home with wood-burning fireplaces, lush evergreen Christmas trees, and the great smell of the outdoors! That’s why I love decorating my home with different wood elements and textures.

I simply love this sustainable wood coaster set made from hand-picked driftwood logs that are carried off of the beach, reducing danger to passing marine traffic.

Want an alternative to the traditional Christmas tree? Check this unique eco-friendly 5 or 6 ft. beaded wood Christmas tree that can be recycled year after year, promising to be the last tree you’ll ever have to buy!

And looking for something structurally original? This Origami wood vase instantly caught my eye, it’s made from a vegetable, biodegradable, and eco-responsible material (a mixture of recycled wood and bioplastic made from corn). Perfect for displaying dry flowers all year long!

Conscious + Vintage

If you’re looking for some new table or kitchenware for the holidays, be mindful of the materials and opt for items made from natural and plant fibers.

I am living for this rustic hand-dyed cotton cheesecloth table runner in a gorgeous muted soft pink color. It will add a touch of elegant boho texture to any festivities including Thanksgiving dinner or the Holidays!

Speaking of texture tableware, I’m also obsessed with these handmade table mats made from an eco-friendly and natural material, flax! They bring a rustic and earthy feel to the table. Available in different sizes and can be used as a multi-purpose and durable rug.

When in doubt, go vintage! Check out your local thrift store or shop online. Etsy is a treasure trove of unique vintage finds from all around the world. I especially love looking for vintage glassware on Etsy, including this vintage set of pink depression style sherry wine glasses.

I hope I was able to give you some eco-tips and ideas on how to sustainably decorate and host during the holidays! I’d love to hear from you, comment below and let me know which of these handmade items caught your eye? or if you also had some helpful tips on decorating sustainably?

Disclaimer: This post was part of a sponsored opportunity. I received free products and/or payment in return for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are always 100% my own.

The post How to Ethically & Sustainably Decorate and Host The Holidays appeared first on ethical elephant.

Cleaning wipes make it easy to give any type of surface a quick clean without having to use a spray bottle or other cleaning agent. These all-purpose wipes come pre-saturated in cleaning solution, so you can clean up any spill or mess without getting your hands dirty. They’re also super portable and some come in smaller packaging so you can take them anywhere with you.

Unfortunately, most of the cleaning wipes on the market are from brands that do test on animals like Lysol, Clorox, Green Works, and Vim.

Thankfully there are now a handful of cruelty-free cleaning wipes available so that you can clean peacefully knowing no animals were harmed in order for you to have a spotless and clean home!

(!) Just an ethical note, these cleaning wipes are disposable and generally used once and then discarded. With that being said, they’re not the most eco-friendly cleaning option, so I would recommend opting for reusable cleaning cloths and/or using them sparingly to cut down on waste.

List of Cruelty-Free Cleaning Wipes

Below is a list of cruelty-free cleaning wipes from brands that don’t test on animals:

J.R. Watkins All Purpose Wipes ($4.66) – comes in two scents (Lemon and Aloe & Green Tea). Biodegradable, Non-toxic.

Clean Well Botanical Disinfecting Wipes ($5.58) – lemon scented disinfecting wipes claims to kill 99.9% of household germs botanically. Non-toxic, alcohol-free.

Caboo Bamboo Cleaning Wipes ($8.99) – made from tree-free bamboo, compostable in as little as 4 weeks. Hypoallergenic and free of Alcohol, Parabens, Sulphates, and Chlorine Bleach.

Sun & Earth Natural All-Purpose Multi Surface Wipes ($14.95) – Light citrus scented, these biodegradable and compostable cleaning wipes are 100% plant-based and vegan. Non-toxic, hypoallergenic, perfume-free, phosphate-free.

But wait, if you’re OK with Parent Company Testing…

If you are comfortable with supporting and buying from cruelty-free brands that are owned by a parent company that isn’t cruelty-free.. then here is one more option for you:

Seventh Generation Disinfection Wipes – owned by Unilever ($4.99) – kill 99.99 percent of household germs botanically. Disinfecting Wipes deodorize and effectively control odors.

The post List of Cruelty-Free Cleaning Wipes appeared first on ethical elephant.

Whatever your reasons for avoiding animal-based ingredients in your diet, cosmetics, or lifestyle, there are a handful of helpful smartphone vegan apps that make it easy for you to go and stay animal-free and vegan!

Shopping? There are vegan apps that let you scan a product to know if it was tested on animals or contains animal ingredients.

Eating Out? Use one of these vegan apps to learn what’s veg-friendly on the menu of popular restaurant chains.

Traveling? There’s no better time to be vegan than the present because now there’s vegan apps that’ll help you find vegan food at the airport terminal and discover veg-friendly restaurants nearby!

Vegan Apps

I’ve listed below the top vegan apps, both free and paid, and some are available to download on both Apple and Android smartphone devices.

Cruelty-Free
FREE | Find Products Not Tested on Animals
The Cruelty-Free app is brought to you by the kind folks at Leaping Bunny! Use this app as a shopping guide to help you discover and find over 700 U.S and Canadian cosmetic, personal care, and household products brands that do not test ingredients, formulations, or finished products on animals.
Download: App Store | Google Play

Is It Vegan?
FREE | Find Out if Food Contains Animal Ingredients
Scan a product’s barcode and immediately know if it’s suitable for a vegan or vegetarian diet. This vegan app will provide you with a detail summary of which ingredients are vegan, vegetarian, non-vegetarian, etc. This vegan app has “information on hundreds of thousands of food and beverage products and verifies each of them using a master list containing thousands of pre-classified ingredients.”
Download: App Store | Google Play

HappyCow
$3.99 | Find Local Veg-friendly Restaurants
The most popular vegetarian and vegan online restaurant guide, HappyCow, is available in an app! “Search HappyCow listings to find a local restaurant or cafe anywhere in the world, or search for reviews about a local vegan or vegetarian health food store.”
Download: App Store | Google Play

gonutss – Vegan Translator
FREE | Find Vegan Alternatives to Non-Vegan Food Items
Want to know some vegan alternatives for eggs used in baking? This vegan app lets you search for non-vegan food and then find vegan substitutes for you instead!
Download: App Store | Google Play

AirVegan
$1.99 | Find Vegan Options in Airport Terminals
If you travel a lot and find yourself struggling to find a restaurant inside an airport terminal that serves vegan food options, then this vegan app will help you out immensely! AirVegan lets you know which terminals in the airport have plant based options! I hear they have constantly been improving user flow with this app to make it a joy to use while keeping it fantastically vegan.
Download: App Store | Google Play

Cruelty Cutter
FREE | Find Products Not Tested on Animals
Scan a product’s barcode to instantly know if it’s cruelty-free or not! Don’t have a product in front of you? Browse through this cruelty-free app’s brand directory to learn if a company test or does not test on animals. “Cruelty Cutter app has every company in the Leaping Bunny and PETA lists and thousands more.”
Download: App Store | Google Play

VeganXpress
$1.99 | Find Vegan Options on the Menu of Popular Restaurants
If you’re out and about and find yourself unsure what is vegan on the menu of popular chain restaurants and fast food places, then this vegan app will solve all your woes (only if you’re in the US). Whether you’re at Chipotle, White Castle, Applebee’s, or any other popular restaurant in the US, VeganXpress app will tell you what’s safe on the menu for vegans to indulge in!
Download: App Store

Vegaholic
$1.99 | Find Out if your Alcohol is Vegan
Using the data from popular online vegan alcohol guide, Barnivore, you can now access their searchable listings while on-the-go with the Vegaholic app! “Fast, offline, comprehensive list of vegan beers, wines, and liquor. The fastest way to quickly look up which alcohols are vegan friendly and which aren’t.”
Download: App Store

Bunny Free
FREE | Find Products Not Tested on Animals
Check to see if a company is cruelty-free using the Bunny Free app! Similar to the other cruelty-free apps where you can scan and search to see if a brand test on animals or not but this database only includes brands that are certified by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Download: App Store | Google Play

Cruelty-Free Giving
FREE | Find Charities that Don’t Experiment on Animals
Use this cruelty-free app to check to see whether a UK research medical charity is experimenting on animals before you donate or support them! “The app provides a searchable database of medical charities and their policies on animal research, and includes nearly 290 organizations.” Part of Animal Aid’s Victims of Charity campaign with a mission to end the funding of animal experiments by medical research charities.
Download: App Store | Google Play

Animal-Free
FREE | Find Out if Ingredients in Food & Cosmetics are Animal or Plant-derived
Want to know whether a specific ingredient in processed food and cosmetics was animal or plant-derived? Use this nifty vegan app that will let you search and browse through a list of ingredients and then tell you if it’s an animal or plant-based ingredient!
Download: App Store | Google Play

Which of these vegan apps have you tried and liked?

The post 11 Cruelty-free & Vegan Apps to Help You Shop and Eat Out appeared first on ethical elephant.