Sustainable choice Archives

There’s surprisingly many sustainable swimwear brands. For this post I chose the most interesting eco swimwear brands from Europe (though they ship worldwide).

I try to shop second hand most of the time, but when it comes to swimwear, I want to buy new. Luckily there is the option of shopping ecological and ethical brands. My new bikinis I bought from Halla Halla, which is a sustainable swimwear brand from Finland. The bikinis feel amazingly soft (even though they are made from a recycled fabric made from ocean waste!) and they feel more comfortable than my old ones.

So even if you are shopping sustainable – you don’t have to give up on the quality or experience.

Sustainable swimwear brands from Europe

I listed the best sustainable European swimwear brands. (Mostly because I live in Finland and ordering elsewhere doesn’t make sense. But as I mentioned, they ship worldwide.)

The brands that I chose for this list are sustainable in a way that they:

use recycled fabrics (most common are Econyl & Repreve – made from plastic waste collected from the oceans)
are ethically made, meaning fair working conditions for workers
use eco-friendly packaging, either biodegradable or recycled materials

Information sources: the brands’ sites & Good On You app

Let’s get to the brands – of course I have to start with the Finnish companies I love.

HallaxHalla + mini review

Colorful pieces with a lot of options. There’s different kinds of tops, bottoms and one pieces. Most of the pieces are reversible so you get 2 in 1!

The swimwear I bought (what you see in the photos) is made with Econyl, a fabric that is made from the plastics gathered from the oceans. Now that I’ve been wearing these and know how absolutely fantastic the fabric feels, I chose other brands that use Econyl on this list as well.

You can choose your booty coverage in the bottoms. My other bottom is in full-coverage and the other cheeky. I was nervous that the cheeky bottom would be too revealing, but it actually looks and feels awesome. The tops are so comfortable, I’ve been wearing them as bras.

When it comes to Halla Halla sizing, these run quite small/tight. I’m usually a size S. I’m fine with size S in tops (the other I got in S and other in M), but I chose M in bottoms.

I’ve been eyeing this brand for a few years and I really like how they go on about their business. They have a unique style that separates them from other brands. I love that they use different sized models. Halla Halla has also done some really interesting blogger collaborations (and I dream of working with them as well).

Finnish company, products made in Bali.

Shop HallaxHalla
@hallaxhalla

Lilja The Label

Cute pieces that are a bit more casual when it comes to colors. Earthy vibes. Their swimwear is made with recycled fabrics such as Econyl and RPET.

Finnish company. Products made in Bali.

Shop Lilja The Label
@liljathelabel

ASUYAMA

Luxurious, quite minimalistic and sexy. I find most of the pieces small, meaning little coverage. Then again there are also the swimsuits and some pieces with a bit more coverage.

Finnish company. Made in Bali.

Shop Asuyama
@asuyama

all Sisters

One word to describe this brand: stylish. At first glance their swimwear looks simple, but they do have some details like a fun cut or a nice color. If you’re looking for something basic, yet very stylish, check them out. They use recycled fabrics.

Rated on the Good On You app: Good

Made in Spain.

Shop allSisters
@allsisters

Julienne

Earthy tones and pretty prints. Makes me think of a jungle! Fabrics made with Econyl.

Swiss brand, made in Portugal.

Shop Julienne
@julienneswim

Bower

Colorful and stylish. Some pieces have a vintage style to them. All pieces are made from Econyl.

Shipped from Netherlands, made in Italy & Portugal.

@bowerswimwear
Shop Bower Swimwear

Reset Priority

From classic pieces to different colors and designs. Big selection. Reset Priority uses responsible, recycled and durable fabrics such as Econyl and X-tra Life Lycra.

Manufactured in Italy and Spain.

Shop Reset Priority
@resetpriority

Save The Wave

Classic and stylish pieces. Different colors available, but no prints. Made from Econyl.

Netherland based, made in Bali.

Shop Save The Wave
@savethewave_store

Ohoy Swimwear

Scandinavian brand. Earthy tones and simple styles. I really like their bikini top, that is a longer style. They have quite a small collection, but there’s also some pretty ones in sale.

Made in Portugal and Sri Lanka. Shipped from a European warehouse.

Shop Ohoy Swim

@ohoyswim

Hopefully this post can help you choose sustainable brand when shopping for swimwear! Let me know if I missed a brand, or if you would like to see more posts like this in the future.

Who knew luxury makeup could be organic and sustainable?

I mean, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but I’m still very excited about the Kjaer Weis products I received. And here’s the most important thing: the packaging is refillable! That’s also why it’s extra beautiful. It’s something you are keeping, not tossing away, like you usually do with used makeup products. You just simply buy a refill and keep using that beautiful packaging.

Genius. And quite simple, really. That is why I wanted to create this simple makeup look with the products. Besides the Kjaer Weis products, I also used a mineral makeup base and a black pencil (that’s been my favorite for years!) from Alima Pure.

I wrote a bit more about the product at the end of this post, but for now, let’s get to the step by step photos of this simple makeup.

Products are pr-samples. Links are adlinks.

Some beautiful Alima Pure products. Garnet blush, mineral foundation and the best black pencil I know.

How to apply mineral makeup?

I love mineral makeup for a couple of reasons. It looks natural and beautiful, because it reflects light. It also kind of blends on the skin making it look even more perfect after an hour or two of application. And – it’s naturally antibacterial! As someone who has battled acne and bad skin, a makeup product that is acne-safe is always a plus.

Mineral makeup is also very quick and easy to apply.

Take some mineral powder on the cap and swirl your brush in it. Don’t try and take a huge amount of product. (The amount shown on the photo is actually quite maximum.) The key is working in light layers.
Once you have some product on the brush, tap the brush against the table to get the minerals to ‘sink’ in the brush. That way the brush releases the powder evenly while you apply it on your skin.

A kabuki brush is best for applying mineral makeup. I used a kabuki from Jane Iredale, but Ecotools also has some great options.

Easy mineral makeup tutorial

Can’t go wrong with a natural-looking glowy base and a red lip.

Alima Pure mineral foundation & Kjaer Weis cream blush – Step by step

I applied the mineral makeup all over my face in light layers with my big kabuki brush. After that I took a smaller Ecotools brush and concealed some areas that needed more coverage, like the sides of my nose, a few acne scars and any pimples.
I applied the cream blush on my cheeks and on my lids. Thanks to the cream consistency, no highlight is needed – the cream also brings a natural glow to the skin. Blush colors work beautifully as eyeshadows and a coral shade like this really brightens up the eyes.

Black liner & a coat of mascara

What I love to do, is tightline my eyes. It’s a great trick for eyes, that have only a little visible lid space. This way the liner doesn’t take up that lid space, but it still enhances the lashes and makes them look more voluminous.

My favorite black pencil is Alima Pure’s Ink Pencil, because the color is really black, it stays well on my eyes and it doesn’t irritate them. The Kjaer Weis Mascara is from Kjaer Weis. Natural mascaras are tricky, but this one is one of the best I’ve tried!

Kjaer Weis Amour Rouge Lipstick

How to apply red lipstick

Or any lipstick, really. I always apply my lipsticks like this – it saves time.

Apply your lipstick on the bottom lip. At this point you don’t have to be too concerned about the edges.
Press your lips together, so that the color sticks to the upper lip as well.
Now you have the lipstick somewhat in place. Then you can go over the edges and perfect the red lip. If the lipstick feels too clumsy, you can take a lip brush and use that to clean the edges. I just used the pointy side of the lipstick, since it was still new and quite handy to use.

And that’s it for the simple makeup. What do you think? I love a look like this.

Kjaer Weis review – Refillable luxury organic makeup

I’ts been a while since I’ve found a new interesting makeup line, so I’m pretty happy about the Kjaer Weis products I’ve used lately. Here are quick reviews on the products.

Kjaer Weis Mascara
As I already mentioned, natural mascaras are a tricky product to produce. But this mascara is one of the best I’ve tried. I think a lot of it has to do with the mascara wand. The consistency is quite thin, but thick at the same time. What I mean is that you don’t get clumpy lashes in one layer. I usually apply two layers – like in these photos – but it still looks natural. I also like the packaging – it’s petite and pretty.
The mascara costs around 34€ and refill 25€.

Kjaer Weis Mascara

Kjaer Weis Above and Beyond Blush
The packaging in this is really interesting, because it has this rotating cap and a mirror on the other side of it. It’s very handy to travel with, since you have a mirror and your makeup with you. Besides using this as a blush and an eyeshadow, I’ve also used it on my lips, especially on the go. The formula is very creamy and nourishing, but it doesn’t feel sticky on the skin. It’s quite pigmented, but still easy to blend. I love this coral shade that is very trendy for this spring.
The blush costs 49€ and refill 29€.

Shop Kjaer Weis Above and Beyond Blush

Kjaer Weis Amour Rouge Lipstick

The lipstick is beautiful. It’s said to have a velvet finish, which describes it well. It’s definitely more on the matte-side, which makes it very pigmented and long lasting. I don’t usually go for matte lipsticks, but this shade was so unique I had to have it. I also don’t mind the matte consistency, probably because of the moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, almond oil and jojoba oil.
The lipstick costs 52€ and refill 34€.

Shop Kjaer Weis Amour Rouge Lipstick

Alima Pure mineral makeup

Quick reviews on the Alima Pure products I used.

Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation Beige 2
Compared to some other mineral makeup foundations I’ve tried, I would say this is quite glowy. It’s said to have a smooth matte finish with subtle glow, but on my skin it’s not matte (and the glow is real). The consistency is great and the foundation blends easily on my complexion. I think I need to let my sister try this, because she has dry skin and I have a feeling this would work amazingly for drier skintypes.
Alima Pure Foundation costs 34,90€.

Shop Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation

Alima Pure Natural Definition Eye Pencil Ink
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel like talking about a black pencil is somewhat boring. Then again it’s one of the makeup staples and we all appreciate a good black pencil. Right? Well, I’ve used this black pencil for years now and I think it’s the best. It’s black, it lasts well, it suits my sensitive eyes and it can be blended to get a soft line. It’s not too soft and it’s not too hard either. It’s the perfect black pencil, really.
The pencil costs 22,50€.

Shop Alima Pure Eye Pencil in Ink

Have you tried Kjaer Weis or Alima Pure products?

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Tag: Sustainable choice

Sustainable swimwear brands from Europe & Halla Halla review