Ethique Care
Every year we return to the lake house to find the usual things have happened over the winter. The linens are a bit musty (a new article coming about that). The mice have borrowed a few things here and there. Dust and grit have infiltrated and covered all surfaces again.
Nothing a little spring cleaning can’t handle. But there has always been waste of things we forgot. Sunscreen from last season, a toy that was accidentally left out in the sun. And the one that always bothered me upon returning was that I had to remember to bring new shampoo and conditioner.
Each year I have invariably forgotten to move the toiletries back to town to save them from freezing and turning into a separated mush of unusable hair and body product. That was until last year.
On a trip to Orlando, my wife bought some low quality shampoo bars for us to use on vacation. They were serviceable for the time, but it did show me a solution for forgetting to bring the right things back to town. So I did a bit more research and found the Ethique line of products.
I will admit that their first generation product line left a bit of disappointment. The bars never seemed to generate a lot of suds and they were very stiff. It took forever to get any decent amount of product worked into the hair. BUT! They seemed to have stepped up their game.
The new products are softer and create more suds than I usually need for the shampoo. The conditioner also gives up its product much easier than my first order from Ethique.
I have seen some reviews that their shampoos had a tough time, but I can personally assure you that that is no longer the case.
Now let’s dive into why I believe they are the perfect fit for your lake house.
1. They are freeze proof!
Shampoo and conditioner bars are solid counterparts of the stuff you normally buy in the bottle. They have most of the same ingredients so there’s not much of a difference in cleanliness. I certainly haven’t noticed any change.
The way they become bars instead of the bottle is by removing the water and other purely liquid ingredients. This means that there’s nothing to separate from when the bar gets below freezing. You can leave them out all winter and come back to the same toiletries you left behind.
Ethique uses a slightly different method of making their bars. From their site: Spoiler alert – process matters too! Most companies choose to “extrude” bars, meaning they’re squeezed out of a machine like in a sausage maker – this harsh process limits the types of ingredients you can use and diminishes the benefits of others. Ethique on the other hand, is “melt cast” - imagine mixing ingredients in a pot and then pouring them into a mold –that's us! This means we can use the most nourishing, effective ingredients and you reap the benefits.
4. “No waste” packaging.
Everything brought in to our lake house has to be taken out or burned. Obviously burning isn’t an option for plastics so I appreciate Ethique’s use of less and biodegradable packaging. The environmental impacts fit in nicely with the lake life ethos as well.
5. Palm oil and cruelty free.
Whatever your stance on manufacturing practices, the removal of palm oil from my life is a nice bonus. I don’t think that it has an impact on the quality of the product. And if it better for the planet, that’s certainly a nice bonus.
Similarly, the lack of animal testing is nice but with all of the sophisticated testing methods of the pharmaceutical industry, this feel more like marketing than a real win.
6. Mice like them…
Not a feature but I have found that if you leave them out, the mice will lick them for their salt content. Or maybe they just taste good. I haven’t tasted them, nor am I a mouse expert. Just be warned that they at least need to be placed somewhere where mice will have some trouble finding them.
Having spent the better part of 3 years with the Ethique line, I’ve switched all my products to their brand. I personally use the Heali Kiwi shampoo, the Wonderbar conditioner, the Perfector moisturizer, and the Rustic deodorant.
The Heali Kiwi does a good job of lathering and getting the oils out of the hair. The bar lasts a long time and holds up very well when left alone in the shower for weeks between uses.
The Wonderbar is an excellent conditioner and they have really done a good job fixing the issues with getting the product deep in to the follicles.
I really like the moisturizer. Even with some minor plaque psoriasis, it doesn’t cause any issues on my face and does keep things from feeling dry through out the day. Sometimes it feels a bit greasy, but that could just be me.
The Rustic deodorant is especially nice. It applies well in fewer swipes with a fragrance that is noticeable but not overpowering. I packs well and has earned a permanent stay in my travel kit as well.
I highly recommend the Ethique products for both your seasonal house and as your daily driver. The Ethique line stands up to the elements, isn’t harsh on your body, and will save you the headache of remembering to frost proof your toiletries every season.
