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Welcome to Bluedot Living’s BuyBetter Marketplace, a biweekly newsletter that navigates the confusing world of stuff.
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Bluedot Living’s BuyBetter Marketplace newsletter includes affiliate links, including to Amazon. If you purchase a product through one of our links, we may earn a commission. These commissions help us fund the great journalism that you see on Bluedot. Thank you for supporting us! |
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Dear Readers,
Regardless of whether you have a big vacation coming up or plan on staying close to home this summer, chances are you’ll be showing more skin this time of year than any other. Chlorine, salt, and especially sun can damage your skin and hair, which means that you’ll need to take extra care to keep them healthy and happy. This week, I’ve got suggestions. |
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You don't have to work nearly this hard to get great hair like Bradley Cooper in American Hustle.
(Alamy Stock Photo) |
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When shopping for skin and hair products, there’s lots to consider. Things like: |
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Will this make my skin or hair feel good?
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Will this make my skin or hair look good?
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Are the ingredients safe? According to whom? Read past the products for a roundup of common ingredient certifications.
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Does it come in packaging that’s eco-friendly (or at least not egregious)?
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Can I afford to use as much of it as I need?
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Finding products that answer all of these questions in the affirmative is no small feat, even if you’re looking just for yourself. Answering these questions for others presents an even bigger challenge. So, I’ve decided to simply share what Bluedot team members ourselves use and love. Everything here makes one of us feel great in our own skin. Hopefully you’ll find something that does the same for you.
Don’t forget to wear sunscreen, and happy shopping!
– Elizabeth Weinstein, Marketplace Editor |
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Best for Travel
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If you’d love to have a beautifully organized travel kit, try Cadence capsules. Our former ad director told me she was “obsessed with” these “indestructible” magnetic capsules made with recycled plastic. They’re truly leakproof and will keep toners and oils contained. Save 15% with code BLUEDOT through 8/22. Read our review. |
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Best Newcomer
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I love Activist Skincare’s natural formulations, and the fact that every single package can be refilled — an industry first. The Trial & Travel Kit includes all of their items, so that you can choose which items you like best. (Face.) Save 20% with code BLUEDOT20. Read our review. |
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Best Scents
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“Lovely scents, clean ingredients, and aluminum packaging” have made Bluedot’s founder a loyal user of Alpine Provisions shampoo and conditioner for years. The Colorado-based company uses responsibly sourced oils and saps to create woodsy, revitalizing scents. (Body and hair.) Read our review. |
| SHOP ON AMAZON |
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Best Bars
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Before I tried Ethique, I assumed that shampoo and especially conditioner bars could only work for people who didn’t have enough hair to gather into a ponytail. I was delighted to be wrong. Our editorial director also recommends their long-lasting, skin-softening, face cleansers. Try some Minis to find what works for you. (Face, body, and hair.) Read our review. |
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Best Body Oil
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Sustainability has always been at the forefront for Osea Malibu, which uses seaweed in all of its products. Their magical Undaria Algae Body Oil isn’t sticky, and just a little makes my skin look and feel incredible. (Face and body.) Save 10% with code BLUEDOT. Read our review. |
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Best Mineral SPF
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Chemical sunscreens can cause coral bleaching and other negative environmental effects, so it’s always best to use a mineral (or physical) sunscreen if you’re swimming in a natural body of water. Vacation’s SPF feels better and rubs in faster than any brand I’ve tried, and it doesn’t leave me looking ghostly. (Face and body.) Read our review. |
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Best Standby
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Too many of us to list love Dr. Bronner’s. It’s always a good idea to have a bar or bottle of this classic around. The iconic castile soap can clean everything from your hair and body to your floor, your dishes, and your laundry — and yes, we’ve used it for all these jobs. (Body and hair.) Read our review. |
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Some Common Ingredient Certifications to Look For |
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Certifications are a shorthand for consumers that products have been evaluated and verified. The following certifications indicate rigorous, third-party verification. It’s worth noting, however, that the certification process can be time-consuming and costly. Some companies, especially younger ones, lack the resources to obtain these certifications; not having these certifications doesn’t indicate that a company’s products are unsafe. |
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Leaping Bunny Certified: All products are free of animal testing at all stages of product development.
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Made Safe: A seal presented by a team of scientists that all ingredients and their byproducts are non-toxic.
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USDA Certified Organic: Assures customers that ingredients are grown and harvested without pesticides, preservatives, and are non-GMO.
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Rainforest Alliance: Verifies that ingredients are grown and sourced in a way that protects biodiversity, wildlife, and the local ecosystem.
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PETA Beauty Without Bunnies: Companies don’t test on animals anywhere in the world. PETA offers two designations, Global Animal Test-Free as well as Global Animal Test-Free and Vegan.
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EWG Verified: The ingredient list meets the Environmental Working Group’s three standards for consumer health. Brands must pay the EWG for every individual product they submit for verification, making this certification out of reach for many young companies.
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Profile: Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Castile Soap |
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Paid Advertisement
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Have you seen our previous BuyBetter newsletters? |
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If not, visit our site for round-ups of linen clothing, underwear, green tech, items for better sleep, gifts for dads, gifts for moms, gifts for hosts, pantry staples, cookware and appliances, cold-weather clothes, clean beauty, laundry and food storage solutions, back-to-school favorites, picks for pups, baby showers, the beach, and summer clothes, products for picnicking</> and renovating, kitchen favorites, white sneakers we love, and household cleaning products. |
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FOLLOW US |
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Want to get in touch? I’d love to hear from you. Tell me about your favorite sustainable products, topics you’d like to see covered, or anything else that’s on your mind — email marketplace@bluedotliving.com.
I’ll see you again in two weeks.
– Elizabeth |
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Elizabeth Weinstein, Bluedot’s Marketplace Editor, lives in Manhattan with her husband; her papillon, Finley; and her cats, SanDeE* and Modell. When she’s not asking the folks at Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom to try on all of their sustainable sneakers in a size 9½, she can be found at the Union Square Greenmarket or gardening on her rooftop terrace. |
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES |
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES |
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The BuyBetter Marketplace and bluedotliving.com are published by Bluedot, Inc.
Find more simple, smart, sustainable stories at bluedotliving.com, our Martha's Vineyard website, our Brooklyn website, our San Diego website, our Santa Barbara website, our Boston website, our Toronto website, and our Los Angeles website. Subscribe to this newsletter here.
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