The latest from Ethique

Holiday gift guide Get ready for a heartwarming holiday season with gifts you can feel good about. Our Ethique gifts not only brings joy to your loved ones, but also helps to make a positive impa...

We are officially certified palm oil free. This is true, but having a certification proves that we’re squeaky-clean (pun intended) in everything we do. Since late last year, We’ve been working with...

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, how green are your branches?  🎄     It’s almost time to put up a Christmas tree and you may be wondering ‘what is the most eco-friendly tree option?’ An artifici...

Happy New Year 🎉  We love creating new products that help you #giveupthebottle for good. And 2021 was a year where we took our conscious and concentrated innovations to a whole new level!  It’s har...

What is a Concentrate? We provide naturally derived and regeneratively sourced active ingredients in the form of powders or blocks, ready for you to make into your favorite liquid shampoo, conditio...

The word “milk” is not just reserved for the stuff that comes from mammals. Plant milks have been around for centuries in one form or other, and almost all cultures refer to them as milk. Calling p...

Let’s face it. Sometimes it's hard not to shop.  If you have 11/10 self-restraint and are a perfect conscious consumer, skip to the next blog 😉   For the rest of you still here... do you ever feel ...

Plastic arrived in our lives in the 1950s, designed to make our lives easier. In just a few decades it has plunged our planet into a crisis, yet 380 million tonnes of it is continuously produced ev...

Your latest outfit is a plastic bag in disguise Plastic-free July is a great time to talk about how to reduce plastic, but at Ethique, we talk about it on the daily. Let’s talk about swapping plast...

With the (justified) vilification of plastic, wood, cardboard and glass have stepped into mainstream use. Influencers are filling their ‘zero-waste’ pantries with matching glass jars; restaurants a...

Each year, as much as 50% of food produced heads to landfill – this rotting food then contributes to methane emissions, a gas that is 84 times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide.  ...

As of November 2018 we had prevented over 1 million plastic bottles from going to landfills, but by 2023 that number had reached 30 million. In my early to mid-twenties, I became obsessed with thi...

Looking to lighten your impact? You’re in the right place! One of the easiest places to start is by reducing single-use plastic in the bathroom. From shampoo and razors to makeup wipes…there’s a lo...

Please note changes have been made to parts of this blog since it first went live on April 22, 2020 to ensure the information is accurate. It’s Earth day! April the 22nd, 2020 is the 50th annivers...

"If you've got a problem and you multiply it by 50-million people, it becomes unsolvable, but if you've got a problem and you divide it by 50-million people, it becomes solvable." ~ Lewis Pugh. End...

This blog was originally published in February of 2022: Today is International Day of Women and Girls in Science! But, before we raise our beakers up and give it up for all the inspiring women in S...

Each June, we celebrate World Oceans Week and World Oceans Day, which is an opportunity for us to raise awareness about ocean plastic pollution and praise our favourite ocean heroes! So we're keepi...

The term 'sustainably sourced' means that the ingredients are being harvested and then replaced at the same speed (or an even greater speed) so that we're not taking more than we can repay the envi...

Save the ocean, save the world Oceans cover 71% of this big blue planet1 and are home to important species and ecosystems we rely on for food, livelihoods and so much more. Most importantly? The oc...

[ Photo credit: Goldman Environmental Prize ]   In honour of World Environment Day, I put together a list of incredible people doing incredible things for the environment and I found so many e...

Firstly, let's give it up for all the eco-heroes that fight the good fight. After all, we'd be screwed without them. Because it's Composting Awareness Week (well, it was, but we've decided to celeb...

One of the most underrated forms of climate activism is home composting. Composting is the natural process of recycling organic waste into a nutrient-rich soil fertiliser that returns nutrient good...

If you live in an apartment, space is your biggest consideration. It can feel like a battle, you can’t just take home that massive thrift shop vase that you eyeballed, and something small like a co...

Did you know that all of our cardboard packaging is home-compostable? From the box, tube and even the sticky tamper seals. Our packaging contains no plastic, no laminate, and no chlorines.  Once yo...

Each year we celebrate Earth Month as it’s a great way to spotlight how we all can collectively be part of the solution to our current climate challenges - and it’s a great opportunity for those wh...

While wandering around our website, you might find references to ‘normal’ skin and hair. “This product suits normal-dry skin.” “Aimed for those of you with normal skin types.”   Whilst we have trie...

Listen, we totally get it. When you grow up using liquid shampoo and conditioner, you can’t help but think that these little blocks won’t work or do much for your hair.  There’s nothing that we lov...

After years of product requests from our customers, our range of Ethique lipsticks were introduced in 2022.  Every year, there is an estimated one billion plastic lipstick tubes that end up in lan...

“Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.” – Elizabeth Taylor.  Lipstick has been around since the beginning of time. Once only thought fit for the lower class and l...

Whether you’re up for a bit of self-pampering, or are after a fun DIY gift, look no further than this easy Gingerbread body polish. Using sugar as a natural exfoliator and coconut oil to nourish an...

Blonde ambition? We’ve got you in the purple In the process to perfect this formula we were determined not to compromise on either efficacy or our sustainability guidelines. That meant we couldn’t...

Since 2014 I had been exploring ideas on plastic-free reusable metal tins and glass jars, but none of them were quite perfect until I found the perfect cardboard tubes in 2021. Cardboard tubes wer...

Get the most out of our plastic-free lipstick range! Developing the ultimate vegan lipstick shades  Our plastic-free lipsticks are the result of extensive research and rigorous team testing. One...

Lipstick is one of the most commonly worn cosmetic items around the world, and it has quite a history too. Historians have found evidence that wearing lip colour first dates back to the Sumerians, ...

Does your regular skincare routine include lip care? The skin on our lips is sensitive and doesn’t contain oil glands like the rest of our skin, so it's vulnerable to drying and chapping.   Having ...

One of the reasons our range of lipsticks have such bold colours is our choice of cosmetic colorants, but available choices are more limited than you might think. Cosmetic colourant choices in the...

Learn why you should switch to a solid moisturiser and how to use a lotion bar effectively.

Throwback from team member Kimberley's time in Samoa when she received the best call she’d ever had in her life… Brianne couldn’t make it and she had the opportunity to go to Samoa the following we...

Preservatives, as the name suggests, preserve a product and ensure its safety and quality of use for a duration of time. As it is usually microbes such as bacteria and fungi that cause the rapid de...

There is an abundance of products in the beauty space that feature collagen as the new miracle supplement that promotes younger, smoother, glowing skin. There are two main ways it is promoted for u...

DIY Summer Soother - Strawberry Face Mask  I don’t know about you, but for me, one of the greatest things about summer is the abundance of fruit available. One of my favourite summer activities i...

When summer sets in, it's helpful to remember not to forget about the impact it has on your skin! Rising temperatures and changing humidity can cause your skin to produce more sebum, resulting in s...

Winter can often mean dry, itchy or sensitive skin. During the winter months, we need to adjust our skincare routine to help combat some of the changes in the weather, especially if you live in ext...

Plastic? One lump or tea? Earl Grey, black, green, herbal, fruit, flower: is there anything that feels more wholesome than a cup of tea?  On the surface, they look like winners on the eco scale, b...

We love multi-purpose products, for a multitude (hah) of reasons. They’re easier on your wallet, as you only need to buy one thing, versus three. They’re easier on the planet, as we only need to u...

For those of us with oily hair, the struggle is real. Finding the balance between healthy-looking hair, root volume, and shiny locks can feel so hard when you are dealing with an oily scalp and hai...

This quick and easy candy cane lip scrub recipe is delicious, scrubby, pepperminty-candy-cane-y goodness that leaves your lips smooth, soft, and ready (especially if gifted with our best-selling ul...

Some of the fantastic team at Women in Business L>R: Lefu, Sean, Shane, Toa'ono, Naito,  Peni and Maifaga  How fair prices make a difference to you, small farmers and the world If you were to ...

Fact or myth? Busting common deodorant and antiperspirant questions!  Why did the armpits lose the war against the elbows? They were under-armed 🙋‍♀️  We love a good pun more than anyone else but w...

Moringa seed oil is cold-pressed from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera plant: a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree that’s native to the Indian subcontinent, but widely cultivated across the glob...

If you are at all familiar with the world of skincare, hyaluronic acid (HA) is likely an ingredient you have come across before. But what is it, and what does it do that has made it a skincare stap...

If you're browsing through skincare aisles (or scrolling through online stores in your pyjamas - we're not judging!), niacinamide is an ingredient you will likely come across quite frequently – and...

As formulators of skincare and beauty, one of our most frequently asked questions is “are your products non-comedogenic?” Before we dive into answering this question – and it’s a good one – let’s g...

Did you know that the world produces over 300 million tonnes of plastic every year? Even more shocking is the fact that 50% of this will only ever be used once 🤯  This holiday season, and in suppor...

While most of us are aware that plastic is a problem for our environment, we often only focus on the end results like litter in the ocean and on beaches. A lot of the onus to fix the plastic pr...

But how do we know that? We hear you – if plastic has only been around a few decades, how do we know it will take hundreds (or even thousands) of years to break down? Scientists use things like re...

Here at Ethique, we love experimenting with naturally derived ingredients - some of which are readily found in your kitchen cupboard. Make use of that extra chocolate this Easter and try some of ou...

This isn’t news: pollinators like bees and butterflies (really, really) need our help. Not just because they’re great and we want them to stick around, but also because our survival depends on the...

In some parts of the world, insect populations have plummeted by over 75% during the last twenty years. In some rainforests, which are otherwise relatively untouched, the insect biodiversity loss...

Today we’re banishing common misconceptions about the #1 product range we’re best known for: the shampoo bar! So, without further ado, let’s crack into it and tackle what shampoo bars and how they ...

There’s nothing quite like finding a multi-use product hack! It’s an absolute winner for helping you get more bang for your buck while also helping to cut down on the accumulation of too much stuff...

Skincare routines and the order of application is something many people have strong opinions about. But, at the end of the day, personal preference is the thing that matters most. If you want to ap...

The complete guide to help you make the switch.  Still on the fence about whether a solid conditioner bar is right for you? If you have never used a solid hair product before and are not entirely...

Edible. Chocolate. Body. Mousse. Do we really need to say more?  Keep on reading to help yourself or someone else treat themselves and their skin - with a chocolatey twist.  Ingredients:  25g...

You have probably noticed the words ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ slapped on the packaging of a lot of products these days, and maybe you even buy certain products because of these words. While it is pr...

These words are used interchangeably but do not in fact mean the same thing. Unfortunately, these terms are used on products to mean that a product will do no harm to the environment. But this isn’...

To sweat or not to sweat? 💦  That is the question behind the great armpit war of deodorants versus antiperspirants. They are the same thing, right? Nope!   Let’s get into the difference between the...

Do you really absorb 60% of everything you put on your skin? In short: no. This stat sounds super compelling - especially as a selling point for our business because we work hard to use only safe i...

There is no such thing as chemical free.   And yet, this is a claim we still see today, on brands that are big enough, and well-resourced enough to know better (though admittedly, it is more likely...

Being a sustainable beauty company is about more than having a good composting programme in the office kitchen.  To us, sustainable means caring for people and the planet - and staying in busines...

We all want beautiful hair. That coveted trifecta of smooth healthy locks with luscious shine and bounce. In our dedicated attempts to achieve ultimate hair perfection, we must admit that we put ou...

We get asked all the time if our solid shampoo bars are sulfate-free — and whether they're actually any good.   We decided to get to the bottom of it once and for all and wrote this blog to talk yo...

Looking for haircare for curly hair that's also sustainable?  Look no further and switch to Professor Curl solid shampoo and Curliosity solid conditioner and co-wash. From ‘how to use’, ‘how to st...

Making the switch to a shampoo bar from liquid shampoo can feel intimidating, we totally get it.  There are a LOT of misconceptions out there about shampoo bars. For example, one of the most asked ...

Solid hair care products. You have probably heard of them, maybe even used them or perhaps you have a friend that swears by them.   The internet and social media are brimming with facts and opinion...

When you hear ‘dry skin’ and ‘dehydrated skin’, you might think they’re the same thing... right? Wrong. Skin type is typically genetic, but can be affected by seasons, hormones, and other external ...

You may be wondering what the difference is between our Soap Bars and our Cream Body Cleansers.  Do they both get you clean?  Do they foam?  Or, are they just soap?  So, here is a simple br...

🦸‍♀️ They say "not all heroes wear capes" and this is true of our Flash! Laundry bar and stain remover.   We often ask ourselves... is there anything Flash! can't clean?   From removing stains (ev...

By Em-J Williams, celebrity make-up artist See more of Em-J's work on Instagram  & on www.emj-makeup.com   One of my favourite quotes is, “Give a woman the right lipstick and she can conquer th...

Is your skin struggling right now? Double cleansing could help! Double cleansing is a fantastic option if you wear makeup, sunscreen (that should be everyone!), exercise or simply sweat a lot, have...

8 Top low-impact gift ideas  The holiday season is coming up quickly, which means family time, presents, and unfortunately, a whole lot of waste.   There’s no better way to celebrate the holiday ...

Is your skin oily, dry, dehydrated, balanced or sensitive?  Skin type is typically genetic, but can be affected by seasons, hormones, and other external factors.  Choosing the right cleanser, moist...

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has long been touted as having extensive natural benefits for the haircare, personal care, beauty industries with some organic gardening enthusiasts also swearing absolute...

The idea of switching to a solid shampoo bar can seem a bit daunting, especially when you’re so used to squirting out a dollop of your favourite liquid product each time you hop in the shower. We ...

Free returns sound amazing, right? Get something and if it’s not what you wanted or you don’t need it anymore, just send it back! This “returns culture” mindset makes it oh so easy to click “checko...

There has been an explosion of concentrated tablet, powder, and liquid products around the world recently and I am here for it.   Typically, they are tablets or powders that you pour into a bottle,...

Hopefully, you will have tried one of our delicious Soap bars; made with coconut oil, cocoa, and shea butters and various essential oils and additives to make them smell delicious and look fab. Th...

Shampoo bars are pretty amazing. All the best parts of your favourite liquid shampoo (lots of light lather, delicious scents, the best hair day of your life), with none of the wasteful packaging.  ...

Oh hello there, I suppose you’re here because you’ve heard of our Concentrates and are wondering just how to store them? I thought that might be the case. Unlike your typical liquid shampoo, condit...

Ethique used to sell a pink cleansing bar called In Your Face; it was beloved, as people with blemishes and trickier skin types had real success with it. It was also commonly used as a solution for...

Ever used a bar of soap and struggled to get it to lather? You might have hard water! We often get asked what hard water is, whether it impacts our products, and what Ethique shampoo bars lather th...

You might have noticed our hair, hand and body care concentrates have launched as ‘new and improved’ formulations.   You might also have noticed that the cleaning concentrates are not among them.  ...

The term ‘mica’ refers to a group of shimmery, versatile minerals widely used throughout the cosmetics industry as a pigment or colourant. You will find them in all kinds of body and beauty product...

And why are we so pedantic about keeping it out of our hair and face bars? When you get down to it, soap is a mixture of oils or fats with a strong alkali that is really good at cleaning! The spec...

Here is the ultimate guide to help you make our Concentrates, including our top tips and tricks. Let’s get into it, shall we?   How to make shampoo concentrate Hate plastic bottles but love a liq...

Noticed something different? Our fresh new packaging is here!  ​ We're excited to introduce new packaging designs and bar shapes for the very same solid formulations that you know and love.  ​​We...

Keep it away from water Have you ever gone to work and come home to find that your bar has shrunk? You can point the finger at the water in your shower. Nothing will make your bar disintegrate fas...

Whether you have oily, dry, balanced or dehydrated skin, we’ve got your plastic-free skincare routine covered. Here’s the ultimate guide to finding which Ethique plastic-free solid face moisturiser...

Is your skin oily, dry, dehydrated, sensitive or just a bit dramatic? Here’s the ultimate guide to finding which Ethique plastic-free face cleansing bar is perfect for you.  We know better than an...

What is oobleck? Oobleck is a peculiar substance that exhibits qualities of both a solid and a liquid. Squeeze oobleck between your fist, and it creates a solid ball in your hand. Release your fis...

Does the word ‘phthalate’ fill you with fear? Well, I’m here to help you understand what phthalates are, where you might find them, and if you really need to avoid them. The questions about phthala...

Dry shampoo is the absolute essential for travelling, post-gym or, let’s face it, for those stretches when you just can’t with shampooing.  What even is dry shampoo (and how is that even possibl...

To bar or not to bar? That is the question. And the answer? Yes! Absolutely! But like everything, there are pros and cons. Let’s go over the top misconceptions about shampoo bars and what the ben...

Nice to meet you! We’re Ethique and we believe in beauty without compromise - no more sacrificing quality or efficacy for sustainability.   With over 100 products in our range to help you make sust...

We come across this question a fair bit - why are some shampoo bars (which are often at least double the size) so much cheaper than ours? They are often square or rectangular, advertised as shamp...

Fear sells more products. Fear of not being good enough, fear of not being pretty enough, fear of toxins and chemicals. And yet, most of these marketing messages are full of myths and outright lies...

…and introducing our sulfate-free shampoos Not a day goes by when we are not asked for sulfate-free shampoos. When we ask people why they want them, the answer is invariably either, “My hairdresser...

When you make the switch to shampoo & conditioner bars, you bid farewell to quite a few things, not just plastic bottles! Like the need to aggressively shake an upside-down bottle on the bath...

When it comes to shampoo bars, or trying any new hair product, the question around hair loss and whether shampoo bars cause hair loss, comes up a lot. In fact, it’s one of the most common questions...

Solid hair care, skin and body bars are the ideal travel companions. They are compact, won’t leak all over your luggage and you can take all our bars in your carry-on with you on the plane. B...

We break down the surprising science  We all celebrated when plastic bags were banned, first from supermarkets, then across New Zealand. Good. No more turtles eating plastic bag ‘jellyfish’, shar...

We see you, eyeing us off, unsure how to approach us. Let's break the ice and get to know each other a little better. We're Ethique, best known for our plastic-free, vegan, cruelty-free, palm oil f...

Cruelty-free means just that. A product that was created from top-to-bottom, without harming or killing an animal.  This harm is the barbaric practice of testing ingredients or finished products on...

Use it, drain it, dry it! How to store your Ethique bars, so you can love them longer You’ve given plastics the cold shoulder, and welcomed our cute little bars into your life. We know you’ll be so...

We totally get it, spending big bucks and time on getting your hair colour just right means you want to look after it. So, it’s no surprise to us that this is one of the most common questions that ...

Studies have now shown that people eat, drink and breathe microplastics.   Believe it or not, there is a lot of plastic hidden in plain sight. One item in particular might shock you — chewing gum! ...

It’s fairly common knowledge that most curly hair needs a different approach to washing than straighter hair does, but what exactly does co-washing mean? The hint is in the name – using conditioner...