I often share my passion for local agriculture here on the blog, so I figured it was high time I shower some love on the Texan-made products that I use! I’ve transitioned pretty much all of my body care products over the past couple of years to vegan/gluten free/soy free options that work well with my skin and are free from the nasties like sulfates, parabens, artificial colors, and artificial fragrances. Your skin absorbs a large amount of what you use on it so it makes sense to treat body care products like food for the skin.
Several of the products I use on a regular basis are made locally either here in Houston or in Austin. And, before I go any further, no, this isn’t a sponsored post. I felt drawn to share the quality products that I use and love. They all pass my intense scrutiny when it comes to ingredients, non-animal testing, and supporting my local community/economy. Huzzah! Let’s get to it.
A Wild Soap Bar — I found these last summer at the flagship Whole Foods store in Austin. On a whim I bought the horsemint soap to try and am so glad I did! All of their soaps are “biodegradable, cruelty free, minimally packaged…and they do not contain synthetic fragrance oils or other harmful chemicals”. Many of the soaps are vegan and the company strives to support fair trade, organic, and sustainable businesses. I’ve been using these soaps exclusively since last summer and I absolutely love them. The scents are great but most importantly, they don’t dry my skin out like a lot of bar soaps I’ve used in the past have. My favorites are the horsemint and the dessert sage soaps.
Sam Wish — I stumbled upon Sam Wish products at a lovely store in Houston dedicated to handmade goods named Space Montrose. Sam Wish sort of reminds me of something your bohemian aunt or best friend would lovingly whip up for you in her kitchen full of herbs and oils. The products are organic and made by hand in small batches. Plus, anything I’ve ever used smells amazing. Lately, I’ve been keeping a little container of one of the essential oil blends in my bag for a refreshing pick-me-up or a deodorant stand-in when I’m out and about. I’m using up the last of the chrysalis scent at the moment but self love is my absolute favorite. Head here to check out the amazing product lineup.
The Seaweed Bath Co. — I’ve seen this brand around for a while at Whole Foods and only recently decided to give it a try. I’ve spent probably the last 2 or 3 years in search of an everyday lotion that’s not super greasy, has a pleasant smell, and lives up to my standards. I thought I had finally found a winner in Dr. Bronner’s until it started giving me a rash all over one of my arms. Enter The Seaweed Bath Co.’s lavender body cream. After scrutinizing the label for what felt like an hour, I finally decided to give it a try because I noticed the company is based in Austin and I like to support as many local/Texan businesses as possible. It’s been a couple of months now and I’m really digging this product. A major benefit of all of the products from this company is that they are made with sustainably harvested organic Maine seaweed that has been proven to naturally “detoxify, replenish, and protect your hair and skin”. I can’t wait to start trying the other products, but for now, I’m over the moon for the lavender body cream.
Lavande Farm — One of the very first things I bought on my initial visit to the Urban Harvest Farmers Market in Houston was from Lavande. All of the products center around one single herb: lavender. Originally, all of the lavender for the products was grown on a farm in Austin County, Texas. Now that the operation has grown, the farm has moved to California but the products are still made here in Texas. Over the past couple of years my mom and I have tried a good number of the products including the linen spray, bug spray, lip balm, sugar scrub, candles, tea, body wash, body lotion, and the essential oil. We’ve yet to be disappointed and as you can imagine, everything smells wonderful. Plus, everything is handmade and the products themselves as well as the business practices are sustainable. My favorite products at the moment are the linen spray and the straight up lavender essential oil. The oil is actually safe enough to put directly onto skin without dilution so I often use it as a sort of “perfume” or deodorant refresher.
I’ll be sharing more of the products I use on an everyday basis but I wanted to go ahead and start with the local ones that I really enjoy. What are your favorite local or handmade products that you rely on and love? And, do you have any recommendations for products I should try? Feel free to leave a comment below 🙂
Hey guys! I was wondering if you guys did shout outs. Let me know and also whenever your in Houston come swing by, we would love to hook you up with any dish you want to try. We can also send you a gift card if you’d like. Thank you!???