Story by Grace Bolthouse
Photos by Tristan Urry

Great skin and hair care routines stand behind the faces of those ready to take on each day. These products will rejuvenate you while going easy on your college budget. The added bonus? You can feel good about lowering your carbon footprint & impact on the environment.

St. Ives: $3.79 @ Meijer

Cleanser
Some of the most important factors in a cleanser are sensitivity to skin, ingredients, reasons for use and more. St. Ives values quality, being natural and has a many products in the middle range of their competitors. They do not use parabens and phthalates. Natural exfoliants, extracts, moisturizers and vitamins are sourced completely from environmentally sustainable vendors. Even down to their packaging, they are always looking for improvements.

Burt’s Bees: Toner $9, Moisturizer $14 @ Meijer 

Toner & Moisturizer
Who knew you could buy a quality product and find the company behind it is carbon neutral, returns all water used in production, and not a single piece of garbage in the company goes to the dump. Burt’s Bees has a variety of products (check out the makeup line!).  This specific line, however, is designated for acne fighters. There is toner, moisturizer, scrub, and more!

Yes To: Mask $3 each @ Meijer

Masks & Clay
There are so many brands that are currently at the drugstore and offer natural alternatives to skincare, as it is becoming more and more demanded by consumers. Nothing beats a spa night, and one brand that emphasizes natural products is the Yes To brand. This brand uses all sorts of great ingredients you would never guess: tomatoes, carrots, cucumber and more! They say no to only a few things (but, it’s a good thing!). No animal testing (look for the “Leaping Bunny Certification”). No parabens. No chemical sunscreens. A whopping 95% of ingredients are natural. Refreshing and affordable, check out Yes To at any one-stop-shop. (Did I mention they are a women empowering machine?)

Along with the Yes To brand encompassing a natural approach, there are other brands to try that specialize in skincare like Pacifica, Acure, and Shea Moisture. These all offer environmentally friendly packaging, natural ingredients, and a college friendly budget.

Nature’s Origin Aromatherapy: $7 per bottle @ Meijer

Essential Oils
Interested in jumping on the aromatherapy bandwagon, but not sure where to start? Start at the very beginning with nature (Nature’s Origin, that is). This brand is 100% pure. At about $6 each, the scents are worth it. Who doesn’t need some eucalyptus for the stress of coming back from spring break?

Another up-and-coming all natural brand for essential oils is Everyone. They offer many different scents for every mood.

Love Beauty & Planet: $9 per bottle @ Meijer

Hair Care
Love and Beauty is a new brand hitting the shelves at all drugstores. This company can’t help but be goal driven! Fair wage jobs and ethical sourcing is their philosophy. Their fast rinse conditioners save your water intake by up to 20%! They have five great scents. Being cost-friendly and eco-friendly has never been so easy.

From start to finish, you can fill your grab bag with products that not only do the trick, but smell good, feel good, and lower your impact on mother Earth.