Wine, at first glance, can only be of plant origin because we know that it is made from grapes from the vine, a natural plant. If you think this, in many cases, you are wrong. In fact, most wines need an ingredient of animal origin during their production.

When is it not vegan ?

The presence of animal substances in wine:

It is during winemaking, when the wine is clarified at the end of its manufacturing process, that some winegrowers use animal substances. But what for exactly?

Wine clarification is a step that removes deposits, the finest particles suspended in the wine in order to make it clearer and brighter. This step is also called: gluing. This is a step which is not systematic but which, when it is carried out, is done with glue made from animal substances such as egg white, casein (a protein from cow’s milk) or even fish glue which is a glue from the skin or cartilage of fish.

Another use that is not necessarily vegan is when they will use animal glue to stick the labels on the wine bottle with casein or pork-based glue (slaughterhouse waste). The caps made of cork are not always vegan either, some may contain beeswax.

So you can see that after listing the non-vegetable uses during wine making, they are often present.

What is vegan wine?

A vegan wine is a wine that contains no animal traces and uses no animals for the production and harvest of its products. Several alternatives exist in order to make a classic wine a vegan wine. It is possible to replace the glue used by winegrowers based on animal substances, by a vegetable glue or not use glue at all. As an alternative, for example, there is a glue made from pea vegetable powder.

To recognize your vegan wine, you must therefore check its composition on the label. But you can also see the “V-Label” label which allows you to recognize 2 types of wine: vegan wine and vegetarian wine. The difference is that the vegetarian wine will prohibit the use of meat, i.e. pork fat, etc., but will allow the use of other products of animal origin such as honey, egg white etc. Vegan wine, on the contrary, will prohibit these two uses and will opt for more plant-based alternatives, which do not harm animal life.

How to find vegan wine?

Of course, you can ask your wine merchant. As a reminder: wine should be consumed with care and only on special occasions. So don’t buy the next bottle in the supermarket but go to a specialist.

But you can also use digital help tools to find what you need.

The Vegan Wine Directory gives you a large list of vegan alcoholic drinks. Several online stores now offer “vegan” categories like this one here. (for French customers)

Is vegan wine organic and produced under better conditions?

Vegan wine is not necessarily certified organic and vice versa. Particularly because the specifications of these two names are different and allow certain things that the other does not. So if you want a vegan and organic drink, please check both labels.

To conclude: We believe that we do not need animal substances in everything we eat and drink. We are exploiting our planet and our animals enough. Let’s stop this abuse. Especially when it comes to drinks such as wine, which are only consumed for special occasions, so be careful.

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As on 1^st of November it is World Vegan day, we would like to highlight this year’s innovative and different vegan products. World vegan day is a great occasion to show that veganism goes much further than your dishes. What the day is about and to learn more you can check back on our blog article about it. 

Here, we want to present to you brands we love as they are very different to what is usually on the market. 

Vegan cosmetics

You know we love cosmetics as we regularly present amazing brands and products. But now we discovered another brand bringing skin and hair care products which are really innovative. This brand is Louise emoi. The products are made in France of natural ingredients and all vegan. But that is not all: The brand innovates in their products. 

What do you think of if we tell you: Mango butter, avocado broccoli and sesame? Sounds like salad, a bowl or a vegan dish, right? Let me tell you that this is not what Louise emoi made out of it. They bring to you a hair mask which will strengthen your hair and make it shine again. A nourishing mix which is a truly relaxing moment. 

And after your hair care you will also need some vegan cosmetics for your skin. Their oil is perfect for this as it softens your skin while being without any essential oils. This is especially important for allergic or sensitive people. You can be sure that their products are great for everyone. 

Vegan and soft soaps

Further, you can find for your everyday routine great soaps from Louise emoi. They work with a natural and soft process to manufacture the soaps. All natural and great for skin and hands. You can discover the full range here and for sure will find more than one favourite. 

Vegan bee wrap

At least as vegan products are important, zero waste is. So if both could be combined, how amazing would this be? 

This is exactly  what Anotherway brings to you. The company from the south of France is specialised in zero waste products, cleaning tools but also bee wraps. Bee wraps are a great innovation as they replace all plastic films and aluminium foil. The only negative point is that bee wrap is not vegan and not adapted for vegan consumers. 

But this is where Anotherway innovates and brings a new innovative product: The VEGAN wrap. Like a bee wrap these are wraps to put your food inside or to close your bowls, but fully vegan. 

They can be used and re-used, easily cleaned, reduce waste and are made in France. We are clearly in love! 

Further, only on the homepage of Anotherway you will discover countless amazing zero waste products as Do-it-yourself kits, packaging for zero waste shopping or soap blocks for your dishes.

Discover their products HERE, but we warn you: You won’t leave without a purchase.  

No vegan leather but vegan innovations

At Bag Affair we work fully vegan. But not just vegan but also plastic free. We did tell you about this before as terms such as “vegan leather” are quite misleading and most times working with plastics instead. We work with natural materials only and are still vegan. 

Our innovation goes up to developing a new material which we call “CORKonLINEN” made of linen and cork, European, natural and compostable. This is how vegan innovation should look like for us. 

Make your vegan choice

Keep in mind that you, as a consumer, have a vote. Make your choices wisely. Discover these vegan products and try them. Every little step makes a difference so try new things and find out your favourite. 

How about a relaxing day thanks to the products from Louise emoi and some vegan food afterwards. And if there is food left, just wrap it in your Vegan wrap. Enjoy your vegan day! 

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When it comes to the question of how to dress for business, the general codes can still be organized in 3 groups. These are business formal, semi-formal and business casual. But do you know what this really means and how to use these styles to your advantage?

Most of the time, you only find tips for men on how to dress for business, but not for women. Of course, we focus on the feminine business side. 

Business Formal style

Business formal is probably the most known style. This is the typical “suit” style. 

This means wearing either a suit with a jacket and pants, or a skirt. This formal image is still (unfortunately) required in several sectors, such as banking. The keyword is “modesty”, which means not to show too much. The skirt or dress should cover the knees and you should wear a jacket with it. 

The colours are black, white and marine blue. More about the colours in business fashion here. The idea behind this is: It’s only by dressing formally that you can do a professional job. 

Semi-formal style 

A style which is already much easier to find and wear. This can still be a suit or a dress, but with more colours or even some prints. 

How do you like the idea of a suit with white sneakers? This is one of the current semi-formal trends, making the day much more comfortable. 

For men, this style means to go to work without a jacket, and for women maybe with pants other than the straight pants style. 

Business Casual style

You might be surprised but this is our favourite style. This is simply a style which means: wear what you want to. Just make sure and that everything is clean, matching and fashionable. 

There are no further rules. This can be a pair of jeans with a one-coloured shirt and a jacket as well as a colourful dress. 

For men it could be pants with a pullover, or with a polo-shirt. 

All colours are allowed, all styles- just keep it professional, which means pyjamas, jogging pants and short party dresses are not made for business. 

General rules on how to dress for business

We are sure you’ve understood that we are not necessarily the business formal types.  In our opinion, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident in what you wear. If you prefer sneakers with jeans and a shirt, go for it. 

You should nevertheless pay attention and make sure that your clothes and shoes are clean. Imagine if you come to a meeting with a huge stain on your skirt- you will be uncomfortable and so will your co-workers. 

Wear what makes you happy! We even believe that you can wear short pants during summer or open shoes. We are actually positive that you can do great business no matter if you obey the rules or not. But, we have a question : why can women wear skirts but men can’t wear short pants? There is still a long way to go for equality in fashion …. 

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To-Do lists only help if you actually know how to use them or if you develop your own style for them. With this article we want to help you to better organize your work day, to be more efficient, allowing you one more coffee break or maybe leaving early today. Sounds good to you? Here we go on our way to your perfect To-Do list. 

Paper or digital

Good question, and there’s no right answer. Your preference for paper or a digital To-Do list will depend on your work day, habits and personal preferences. We recommend paper versions as we are all working too much on the computer and phone. If you write your list by hand you will automatically remember what you wrote. 

But of course use recycled paper or better: Use the last letter you got in the post that wasn’t important, the envelope in which it came in or other used papers. If you want a proper structure use a ruler or paper with lines. 

The basic rules for your perfect To-Do list

Before finding your personal method you need to respect some rules. 

Write clearly: If you use paper for your To-Do lists, write clearly. There is nothing worse than wasting time trying to remember what you scribbled down during the last phone call and now you do not know what you wanted to express anymore. It’s better to use one or two more words such as“call Tom- Meeting Tuesday” instead of just “call Tom”. 

Highlight priorities: Do not forget to assure that you will always see at first glance what is most important. Much like in your job, your To-Do list needs to have things which are important, other urgent. Urgent things first, important always comes second. 

Goals and tasks

Keep in mind that goals are bigger steps that you want to achieve. But on a to-do list, you should only write down tasks. These are things you can finish in a reasonable time, like : prepare the presentation for Tuesday’s meeting. “Becoming a millionaire before 30” is a goal, but not a task. Keep a different list or a page in your agenda with your goals of the year or 5 years, etc. 

Assign due dates

To assure that you actually finish your lists, you should assign dates or deadlines to every task. This can be “before the end of the week”, or a specific date. No matter what format you prefer, having a realistic but not too long deadline is important. 

More than one list

One To-Do list will quickly create an overload of information. Either make several separate lists between job and private life, or between different work tasks, meetings etc. With several lists or groups you will keep the overview easier. Or write in different colours, this can work for shorter lists. 

Tick off what is done

The best moment of a To-Do list? – Of course the moment when things are done. Tick them off and celebrate things that are done. Have a coffee break, or eat a cookie. 

Of course, if you always open a bottle of champagne your co-workers will love you, but this is not a reasonable way to do it ! 

Be true to yourself

Probably the most important point : do not make lists to make lists!

This means that To-Do lists can be great to keep the overview and to motivate you or not to forget something, but do not make lists just to have lists. If you write every little thing down instead of doing it, you will waste time. In the beginning you will be motivated as you can tick off many things. But in the long-term this is not a technique which brings satisfaction. 

Develop your own way

It is on you to train and see what fits best for you. Create your perfect To-Do list. Use these tips to start to find out what works best for you. Take a paper and pen and start. If you want to have templates- here you go. We prepared some different formats and styles of lists for you. Just download your favourite. And keep in mind: if you print only use recycled paper or print on used paper ! 

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We want to present to you a list to help you select your next business planner.

What defines a business planner?

A planner for business is first and foremost a tool. It is made to help you write down all your meetings, little reminders and more.

At the same time your planner should be practical in all terms, to write in but to carry with you as well.

You can select between dated and non-dated models. We clearly prefer dated ones. It sounds practical at first to start at any moment of the year with your agenda, but either you follow the traditional timing from January to December, or you are a teacher and you start your planning in September. There is nothing in between this. So select either one. A non-dated planner will only cause issues and mixed up dates. Plus: Honestly, are you motivated and do you have time to spare to write down dates ?

Space to write

Most planners are not made for business as they want to impose a day on you. For example, your day starts at 7 in the morning and finishes at 7 in the evening. However, that’s not really the case. How many days do you start much earlier or later, and how often do you still have meetings, dinners or sport afterwards? We are sure that your answer is “pretty often”. What you need is space per day and no predefined times. Like this you can organize every day as you need. There might be days you start early, others late. There might be days with only one appointment, others filled with 3 per hour.

If you want to be successful in business you need flexibility.

Empty pages

And this leads us to the next point. You need empty pages!

All of us already used our business planner during meetings, or a phone call. We quickly take notes and again we lack space. So what do we do? We write on last week’s page or in the space for the weekend? Yes, we are all in the same situation.

What you need are empty pages to make a To-Do list, a quick reminder or some notes for meetings.

Material and where the business planner is made

These three rules are valid for any kind of paper product.

Select well in terms of material. You can either select a model which you can refill or an annual one. But in both cases you should pay attention to the paper used. Only buy FSC certified paper and if possible select “FSC recycled” which means that at least 70% of the paper is made of recycled sources. 30 % are industry leftovers and are not new either. Alternatives are FSC 100 assuring that it is made of only FSC certified and regulated forests, or FSC Mix which means that 30% are recycled sources and 70% from new certified wood.

The ink is important as well. There are still inks which are made of petrol and not natural, others which are made with animal-sourced ingredients, so not vegan. The best is to find products that are transparent about their inks, certify that they are vegan and natural and if they recycle the leftover ink in the printing process, it’s even better.

Further, look where your product is made. When it comes to paper products, the biggest producer in Europe is still Germany, but France is catching up. You find great small manufacturers, so please avoid buying products without origins stated, or even from Asia.

The little extra

Of course you will also select your planner by its look, by the little additional information and more. Feel free to select what you like as you will spend the next 365 days together. We hope that you will find your new tool for business and have a successful year. Buying business planners is a ritual you do over and over again, we hope success is as well!

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We are in September and this is the moment when we all go back to the office and back to school after the summer holidays. This is the time when you will check if your kids have verything they need in their school bags and you will probably also buy one thing or another for your office desk. But when it comes to office tools the question is often the  same : “are my office tools sustainable”?

We would like to help you with some criterias and also show you some amazing products answering exactly this question.

What are sustainable office tools

As explained in our blog before about sustainable fashion, cosmetics and more  it is not always easy to know what is really sustainable. The best thing would be to have items which you can use eternally and whenever you do not use them anymore can compost without any harm. In a perfect world we would make things without harming humans, animals and our planet. But unfortunately the world is not perfect and this means we need to compromise on some things.

But you can still find innovative and new options for your business.

Reuse as much as possible

Let’s talk about your little (yellow) papers, the Post-its. These are definitely a help not to forget anything, to remind you of urgent tasks and they are super practical in usage. The problem is that the usage is so easy, that too many post it papers are used every year. They are definitely a great office tool but for sure are not sustainable. How many are used exactly every year we cannot say, but already the biggest brand producing them sells every 50 billion each year. The problem is that they are made out of new paper without any tractability, using huge amounts of water and resources to produce them.

First versions with recycled paper

Even from the big players there are now some versions of recycled paper. But most are not and none of them have real certificates and are transparent of how they are done. The company prefers to jump on the lie of recycling and says: Great news all our products can be recycled and hand over the problem to the consumer.

Little fun fact: do you know why most of the sticky notes are yellow? – Simply because when the product was created in 1974, the yellow paper was in their factory an overstock product. They took what was there. So the beginning was sustainable …. But not for long.

WhyNote reusable post-its

But the good news is that there is an alternative: WhyNote is a brand from Switzerland and has worked exactly on this problem. With one solution: the endless memo post. They simply imagined a solution which you can use and reuse again and again. You can write with a special pen on them ensuring that your message will not get swiped away. To get it off use some water and then use them again.

WhyNote is a brand from Switzerland making their Post-its with FSC certified paper. They are manufactured in Italy, in a solar-powered factory, and then packaged in Switzerland by the Polyval Foundation, which contributes to the professional integration of people with disabilities.

Their solution is helpful, easy to use and fun existing in several colours and not just yellow. They are perfect for kids and adults from creative designers to your daily office routine.

Buy local

How often do you buy a pen or a pencil which looks great but you have no information of where it comes from and how they are made? Worse, many pens are thrown away every year. Only in the USA the number is estimated to be at 1.6 billion of pens per year go to trash. And most of them are made of plastics which end up in landfill or get burned. Pens are not sustainable when it comes to office tools. The solution is to buy a good pen from one of the established brands where you can simply buy a refill but keep the pen. The investment is worth it.

But how about pencils? Pencils sound like a better solution as they are not made of plastic. But did you know that per year 82.000 trees are cut down to make them? And again: Most times they are made in Asia or other places. You do not know where and how they have been made.

ALL THE WAYS TO SAY as a local brand

As you probably know, we at Bag Affair, are eco-feminist wanting equality as much as we want to protect our planet. And we fell  in love with the brand ALL THE WAYS TO SAY. This French brand was founded in 2015 by Claire Leina together with her husband Jean-Charles Da Rocha. Both living in the South of France; it is truly a family business. Their daughter, Tess ,is for now too young to work with them but let’s see when she will design the first item.

The brand offers office supplies from weekly planners to notepads and notebooks to pencils. All of them are made in France and with amazing graphical designs. You find a wide selection for the plant lovers  to feminist messages. [No surprise that we fell in love ☺ ]

Claire designs in Aquarelle which following is digitalized to get her designs on the products. The variety of designs is incredible and for sure part of their success as today the brand sells internationally.

But their sustainable engagement is certain as well. They donate 1% of all sales to the association “1% for the planet”,  they only work with FSC certified paper or fully recycled paper. The products are not in plastic either but in bioplastic from corn which can degrade fully. Their approach is just very complete!

Our favourite collection is the one with the feminist messages where you find amazing pencils, made in France and with strong messages, check the collection out here!

Choose recycled products

Paper is probably the one big problem when it comes to office supplies. To make your office tools more sustainable you need to pay attention to the type of paper you buy. The best thing to do is to buy only FSC recycled options.

This label assures that the forests are exploited in a sustainable way without overconsumption. Further, it divides into different categories showing how much recycled paper is in the product. The Forest Stewardship Council divides in the following 3 types of FSC:

recycled: containing at least 70% of recycled fibre and only 30% new.

Mix: made of 70% new fibres from FSC forests and 30% recycled.

100 : Made of 100% new fibres but as well 100% certified from FSC forests.

Pay attention to the label with the little tree and already assure that forest management has been done in a sustainable way.

Back to work

But now let’s all return to work! Use your memo notes again and again and write your next appointments in your new agenda with made in France pencils.

We would like to thank the partner brands for sharing their story with us and we will keep you updated about new innovations they bring.

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A dress as symbol for feminism

When you think of big leaders you will associate a suit to their look. When looking at Angela Merkel or most other politicians you will never see a dress. A dress is not an expression for power. A dress is always associated to a feminine look and lightness. But a dress is important for work as it will make your look less business formal. A little bit less strict.

Further we want equality in the world of business. We work towards men and women with same rights and possibilities and same salaries. So why not to wear a dress if you want? Listen to yourself instead of “what others believe”. If you wear a dress with a serious look, if you are confident and you know how to talk, this little feminine touch will be welcome.

The little black dress for business

Coco Chanel did create in 1926 a dress which is until today in fashion. Since this fashion piece has been copies endless times. Though we believe Coco does not mind as she said” If you want to be original, be ready to be copied”. We believe she would be pretty happy with the little black dressing spreading over the world.

The Chanel dress was an entirely black design revolting against the cocktail-dress fashion at that time. Long sleeves, no cleavage and all made of a knitted material out of which before mainly underwear has been made. This piece was a rebel and a whole new trend.

But black is not just black. The material out of which de dress is made influences strongly the look. The Jersey which Coco did choose for her dress is a flexible stretchy material smoothly adapting to the morphology.

This shockingly simple dress is until today a piece which old and young can wear. Possible for work as for an evening occasion this dress is an all-rounder. It fulfils the basic needs to feel beautiful and elegant. 

If you are looking for your black dress, first of all it needs to be black. But pay also attention to material and cut. You need a dress which you could literally wear every day all day long. This dress will be one of your key pieces and needs to be comfortable. It should end around the knee – this length will make it easy to be combined without being too short. Last but not least it is a simple black dress and needs accessories around like blazer, scarf, shoes and bag which can be in different colours.

Etui dress for business

The word etui is French and means sleeve or protective case. The same should be this dress for you and help you in your daily confidence.

Created in 1918 this dress was invented in a period when fabric was limited and clothes have been worn and repaired endless times. This is how the dress was created from old long dresses, jackets and coats with long sleeves. The result are dresses with short sleeves and round or oval neckline. The etui dress is basically a result of upcycling.

As in the beginning this type of dress is made of tailor fabric which is stiff and not very flexible. Choose well your dress to be comfortable as this dress won’t allow much change.

As the sleeves are short you need a matching blazer or short jacket with it. Either made of the same fabric, either of a matching coloured one. These two pieces combined are a look of seducing seriousness. This combination is THE alternative to a two-piece suit.

The length will finish just over the knee. If longer it will make you look old, if shorter unwanted dingy.

The cocktail dress for work

A cocktail dress can as well be the right choice for work. But only if colours and details are well chosen.

Who did create this dress type is not clear: it might be Coco Chanel or as well Christian Dior. Chanel did create the little black dress which was the basis for Dior who changed the top towards more cleavage and without straps. The top is made in a corset shape.

This dress is part of evening wear and is more a festive look than the other dresses. If to use it for business stay away from big prints like flowers. Patterns from different types of textile though can be great.

Keep this dress for your after work party- it is made to dance!

Completing your business dress

Never just chose the dress, you need to have the full look in mind. Dress, blazer or jacket and shoes are the basic pieces to select first.

Tights are super important when wearing a dress for business. Adapt to the dress and season but never go without! Ok you will say but how to find sustainable tights? – You are right this is not easy as tights are traditionally made of nylon which is not sustainable or biodegradable. This is basically another type of plastic. But be assured there are possibilities. The brand Swedish Stockings offer an alternative and we show you how to choose and why sustainable solutions are important here.

The right bag with the right dress

Last but not least you need a business bag with your dress. A bag for work in which all you need fits, while matching your outfits. No worries Bag Affair got you covered. The business bags we offer are matching any business look. Designed timeless and in neutral colours they match every outfit. You can learn more about the choice of business look colours and bag here.

And another quote from Coco Chanel: “Dress like you are going to meet your worst enemy today”.

Walk the head high and always dress the best possible. To impress but mainly to express yourself- only if you feel confident and comfortable you will be able to convince and to make great business deals.

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What are clean cosmetics?

But more general- how can you know if a cosmetics products is sustainable. Clean cosmetics means cosmetics which does not harm your skin, neither the nature. And to know this you need to understand what is in your creams, make-up and more.

Understand the ingredients of cosmetics

Similar to food are the ingredients on the list most times in order from more to less= the first ingredient is in the highest quantity in the product until the last with lowest.

But if you ever tried to read all what is in your new mascara or body cream you need glasses or magnifier. And you probably ask yourself what language this is.

These lists are written in tiny letters and full of words which you probably never heard before.

So here some categories you should watch out for : Microplastics, softeners, aluminum, formaldehydes and mineral oils.

1)   Micro-plastics

Many cosmetic products contain micro plastics. We are sure that if you would have known this before you would not have selected these products.

Micro plastic is uses as binders, brighteners, abrasives or just as fillers. This can be found in creams, shampoos, lotions, scrubs and also toothpaste. Plastic particles that are smaller than 5 mm are considered microplastics. They are in cosmetics which are wax or gel-like.  Another word “microbeads”.

Some brands did already eliminate the micro plastic, other still use it, knowing what they do.

When we use cosmetic with microplastic these go directly in the used water. As until now it is not possible to filter microplastic they will end up in the ocean and drinking water.

Keep in mind that many plastics take between 200 to 600 years to degrade. We can find microplastic in over 1200 types of fish, but already as well in our drinking water or drinks as beer. Microplastics no matter if from clothes, cosmetics or other are always harming our planet.

Each week 5 grams

Researcheers estimate that we take each week around 5 grams of microplastics via food in our body.

There are no detailed studies about the long terms effects but many times this plastics contains softeners and in general toxic ingredients. We do not believe in a non-existing or a positive effect.

Plus microplastic is a magnet for toxic substances which it attracts in the water.

You do not want to buy anymore cosmetics with Microplastics? – Great! Check for these mentions which all mean plastic starting with a P for polymer.

Polyethylen (PE)

Polypropylen (PP)

Polyethylenterephalat (PET)

Nylon – 12

Nylon – 6

Polyurethan (PU or PUR)

Acylates Copolymer (AC)

Polyacrylat (PA)

Polymethymethacrylat (PMMA)

Polystyren (PS)

Polyquaternium (PQ)

A list (in German) is also given out by the German BUND here.

2. Softener (Phthalate)

WHO says this is another thread to human health. Softeners are often used to make plastics softener as they are otherwise too hard to be used.

In baby and children products they are forbidden, but not in cosmetics. (“WHAT” you think, why if we know they are bad for kids they are still allowed? – Keep in mind that lobbies are everywhere)

Typical ones are:

Alcohol.denat

DEHP

DINP

Diethylphtalat

DEP

Dimenthylphtalat

DMP

Other words ending on –phtalat

Often in hair spray or gel, sun crème, deodorant, tooth paste or perfume, but as well cosmetics as nail polish or mascara.

Through sweat of your skin they can get into the body, oil can help as well for the body to absorb them. The first studies see a link between infertility and cancers these softeners as reasons.  

3. Aluminium

Aluminium inhibits sweat as it causes the pores to contract and block sweat ducts. However, this is not healthy in the long term because sweat has a balancing and important function for the body. In addition, aluminium can also be absorbed through the body, and they are also suspected of causing cancer.

It is extracted from ore bauxite – the rainforest is being cut down again for this purpose. During the production, a toxic red mud is created which is often incorrectly or not disposed of and ends up in nature where it destroys entire habitats.

Do without it? – Good idea, but pay careful attention. As alternatives with rock crystal or alum substances are not an alternative and are often even more toxic.

4. Formaldehyde

Formaldehydes are carcinogenic and cause allergies: It is mainly used in nail polish because it has a preservative effect. Unfortunately often not named – look out for:

DMDM Hydantoin

Diazolidinyl Urea

Imidazolidinyl Urea

Bronopol

Quaterium-15

Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate

Methamine

2-Bromo-2-nitropropane-1

3-diol

2,4-Phthalate

5-bromo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane

Triclosan and parabens are used as an alternative to preservation and should also be absolutely avoided, they can influence the estrogen level and, similar to microplastics, damage nature.

5. mineral oil

Mineral oils make cosmetics softer and smoother – for example lip gloss. They have different names as:

Parrafin, Parrafinum, Petrolatum

Vaseline, Ozokerit

Ceresin

They are inexpensive to manufacture and do not cause allergies.

All these are made of raw oil. Substances which are based on petroleum are often labelled with MOSH (mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons) or MOAH (mineral oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons).

The European organization of food safety estimates that these ingredients can cause cancer or as well promote genetic defects.

6. Further elements to avoid

These further elements are not clean and should not be in your cosmetics- better avoid them.

Silikons – they make especially hair smooth but cannot degrade afterwards.

Tensid SLS ( Sodium Lauryl Sufate) – it helps to create foam and make soaps look more efficient. No real affect and further might cause cancer and are toxic for all organisms in the water.

Perfumes can easily create allergies and should be used with precaution.

Vegan cosmetics and animal tests

Vegan cosmetics are of course always best, as you can be sure that no ingredient is inside which is of animal origin. This eliminates all questions of what it might be and how it was generated. Nearly all vegan brands do not do any animal testing neither.

What ? – You thought animal testing for cosmetics is not allowed anymore? You are partly correct.

Animal tests are not allowed for cosmetics in Europe since several years. But tests for medicaments are- any many cosmetics contain as well ingredients which are in medicaments and which have been tested on animals before. So there are still many brands using this little hole to escape from general rules. The list from PETA is certainly not complete but includes already more brands than you would expect. You can find it here.

Clean cosmetics are hard to find

We are sorry about this super long article and list. But we hope it helps you to decide better in the future. And step by step you will find great brands and products and if you stick to them you do not need to read labels aver again.

The application “CLAIRE” might help. This application can decrypt the little words on the ingredients lists. We tried it and it really depends on the brands, typo and writing. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Buy natural cosmetics!

Natural or clean cosmetics are better for you and the nature. They work without all the toxic ingredients and they are as efficient as the big brands you see in TV.

This is the only way to really be sure that you can buy without reading the labels each time.

We presented several brands in the article before, but here again one brand which we really like. Let’s take it as an example to decrypt some labels.

Pachamamai is a French brand offering you cosmetics, but as well solid shampooing and more. All ingredients are carefully selected and organic. The cosmetics are made in France with respect to the planet.

How about a solid body cream instead of a classical lotion full of microplastics and mineral oils? The cream is efficient and soothes your skin, but take a look on the ingredients as well. All is natural and not harmful to planet, animals or humans. Inside is: COCOS NUCIFERA OIL, RHUS VERNICIFLUA PEEL CERA, CANDELILLA CERA, SESAMUM INDICUM SEED OIL, GARCINIA INDICA SEED BUTTER, EMBLICA OFFICINALIS FRUIT , SILYBUM MARIANUM SEED OIL, PARFUM, CITRUS AURANTIUM DULCIS OIL, TOCOPHEROL, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS SEED OIL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, CITRAL. You can see that all oil comes from plants, ass ingredients sound rather like a salad than complicated. And it comes in a little metal box. This makes it easy to travel, but it is refillable as well.

And another tip: These rules are valid for cosmetics but of course do cleaning products for the house need some attention as well. Great news are that Pachamamai offers as well a solid dishwasher soap. With only 5 fully natural ingredients your dishes will be clean, your hands soft and the nature protected. 

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Let’s be honest, we all want to reduce plastics in our life, live more sustainable and with a lower impact. But there are sectors which are quite confusing. Fashion is definitely part of it as you rarely know what is produced where and how. This is the reason why we have the “ethical fashion” category in our blog to give you inspiration.

But a second sector is definitely products in your bathroom. Third on the list are probably cleaning products in the house.

In this article we want to share some tips and brands you can really trust when it comes to your zero-waste beauty routine.

All brands listed are brands are vegan and work sustainably. They are brands we trust in and we hardly recommend you try.

Brands to trust for your zero-waste beauty routine

To help you in the jungle of brands and promises we present to you here 4 brands we use and we recommend.

Akibé

You know we always praise products made close to France. But if you do it right, you can also produce a little further away, still respecting humans, planet and making amazing products. This is what the brand Akibé does. They manufacture in Gabon, and support local communities with their production.

The brand is specialized in solid shampoos. They offer four varieties, all as good as the others. They are soft on the skin and hair, while efficiently washing. Most ingredients are natural (yes, you read correctly, not all is natural) but the brand is hyper transparent and explains all details here.

Solid hair products are becoming more and more important on the market, but please keep in mind that not all are truly sustainable. Akibé is, and we can really recommend their work. Claire the founder of the brand worked for over 15 years for big cosmetic brands. She always had the same problem: missing transparency, more marketing than true effects and no real engagements towards humans and nature.

In terms of packaging the products come in paper packaging, light for the transport, and entirely recyclable.

Endro Cosmetics

Endro is the brand which is closest to us – in terms of distance as they are in Brittany as well. A brand founded in 2019 by Boris and Marion as they made a simple observation:  your deodorant has many ingredients, complicated formulas which are not natural and can even be dangerous for your health. Marion made it simple: She produced her deodorant herself. A huge success as she shared it with family and friends.

Such a success that they made a business out of it: Natural cosmetics with only 4 ingredients, all bio and natural. Plus: their packaging consists of little jars which are reusable.

The brand did grow rapidly thanks to their efficient and natural products. And today their offer grows rapidly offering as well toothpaste that we love, as well as a new product: A scrub. Two versions for the face and for the body, the scrubs are natural, made of 7 ingredients and even 1 which is a reused source. Packaged in the glass jars, efficient, and made in Brittany. We could not ask for more!

La crème libre

One product we all use every day is the facial cream. It is a product we always have, in the past was that this still comes with a jar. Either plastics which helps to be lighter and lower CO2 during transport or glass which can be recycled but is heavier. La crème libre has the solution: one concrete jar which is practical though beautiful and a little refill package which is light, and made of plastics.

The pots are made of concrete and are handcrafted in Champagne-Ardenne. The size of the care refill has been optimized to reduce single-use waste by 90%. A more ecological and economical solution since you only pay for the formula and not the packaging

But it is a bio-plastic which can be recycled and they are working hardly on finding a plastics-free solution.

Their offer includes only vegan, natural and made in France products and give you the choice of different formulas. All creams are made for every kind of skin and can be used by the whole family (including pregnant and breastfeeding women and children over 3 years old).

When you look at the list of ingredients you will probably want to eat a fruit salad: Cucumber, Cassis, Almonds, apples and more are in their products. Products with the power of nature !

What we love about the little jar is that its lid is made of cork, our all-time favorite material.

ZAO MAKEUP

You might remember ZAO from giveaways we did on social media before. This French brand is our favorite for decorative cosmetics. Their natural colors for the eyes are just gorgeous and their mascara with Aloe-Vera sublimes your lashes while protecting them.

But did you know that they also have solid products for your beauty routine? One of the new products we love is the solid make-up removers. They are gentle to your skin while efficiently removing all your make-up. Further, they come in a little metal box, easy to store and truly sustainable. To use them it is very simple : just take your washable cosmetics pads and a little water. Gently rub the make-up remover with a little water in the palm of your hands. Apply the foam to your face and wash off with the help of your pads. A step of your beauty routine which is easy, fast and perfectly zero-waste.

All products from ZAO are 100% natural, vegan, organic and refillable. Yes that is definitely another great argument: You can refill all of their products. Plus: The store retakes your empty packaging to recycle them correctly.

How to select cosmetics and beauty items?

To conclude, here are 3 steps to help you. As explained in blogs before, the word “sustainable” is quite wide, without any true definition. This is also the case when talking about products for your bathroom.

The offer is growing rapidly and Greenwashing is as always a problem. Here are three rules that can help you:

1. Less is more: Read the ingredients and keep in mind that the less is inside the better. Further, as soon as you find complicated words, hard to understand, better not to go for it.
2. Select vegan products: Vegan products are free of any ingredients of animal origin. Better for them and better for you.
3. Look at the packaging: There are certainly great products with little ingredients and vegan put packaged in single use plastic. Keep in mind that the packaging has an impact as well and select glass, recycled paper or no packaging at all.

We hope you did not only discover new brands and products, but you also know better on how to select those items for your bathroom. Last but not least: Check out these brands and their offers which are much wider than what we talked about. We are sure you will fall in love once tried. Trust us!

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National symbol of France: The flag

Blue, white and red are the national colours of France. The colours of the flag are omnipresent from official documents to sport events.

The origin of the French flag goes back to the French Revolution in 1789. The colours of the town of Paris which are blue and red are associated with white, the symbol for monarchy. People from Paris hung up cockades, little round ribbons, in red and blue. The white was added from the margrave of La Fayette. The king Louis XVI did give the cockade in the city hall of Paris the 17 July 1789.

The colour signification is officially the following: Blue for the nation of Paris. The white is the colour for monarchy. And the red represents the colour of blood which symbolizes the bloodshed to liberate the people.

In 1794 it officially becomes the colours of the French flag. Designed by Jacques-Louis David who decides on the order of the colours. He sets the blue first, so that this color is attached to the flagpole that carries the flag.

The flag lives through some small changes over time, is not used from 1814 to 1830, carried the cock during a certain period and went back to the original one afterwards.

The Gallic cock

The Gallic cock or Gallic rooster is as well a symbol of the country. Used many time you might especially know it if you like soccer as this is the symbol of the national team of France.

The rooster appears in the Antiquity on Gallic coins. It becomes a symbol of the Gallics. Further it is a word play, the Latin term “gallus” meaning both rooster and Gallic. Following the symbol was used on flags and decorative items as dishes.

Suggested as an emblem to Napoleon I by a commission of state councilors, it was refused.  The reasoning of Napoleon I: “the rooster has no strength; it cannot be the image of an empire such as France”.

But in 1830 the rooster has a revival and is used on uniforms and buttons. In 1899 the rooster is again a symbol of official coins and installed as symbol of France by the 3^rd republic.

The Marianne takes soon over in terms of visibility but especially in sport events the rooster still plays a very important role.

La Marseillaise

The Marseillaise is the national anthem of France. This song is played at official events, sport or others and has a rather offensive text towards war.

The anthem was composed in 1792, following the King’s declaration of war on Austria. Written by a French officer stationed in Strasbourg, Rouget de Lisle in the night of April 25 to 26. That moment it was called the “War song for the army of the Rhine”.

The Marseille federates participating in the Tuileries insurrection on August 10, 1792 used the song following. With such a success that it was declared a national song on July 14, 1795. After a period of prohibition of the song, the Third Republic (1879) made it a national anthem.

In 1887, an “official version” was adopted by the Ministry of War.

Did you ever ask you what the text is about ? (If you are French you probably know 🙂 ) Here the refrain:

“Aux armes, citoyens, Formez vos bataillons, Marchons, marchons ! Qu’un sang impur Abreuve nos sillons!” which means “To your arms, citizens, form your battalions, march, march! May impure blood water our furrows! ” Not the most peaceful text.

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is not an official symbol of France and not used by the government. But this is probably the most used symbol to represent France internationally. The Eiffel Tower is THE place to take a picture in Paris and the must buy little souvenir.

Installed 1889 for the universal exposition the Eiffel Tower is now the symbol of Paris named after the constructor Gustave Eiffel. But did you know that this should not have been the case? Even before it was finished there have been many voices and protests against it, critics that this is too much steel, too heavy, not aesthetic. Though the Tower was finished and presented during the exposition. And “once the Tower was finished the criticism burnt itself out in the presence of the completed masterpiece, and in the light of the enormous popular success with which it was greeted. It received two million visitors during the World’s Fair of 1889.”

Only a TV antenna

Usually after the exposition as it is most times the case, the buildings made for this limited period are demounted. This was as well the plan for the Eiffel Tower. Gustave Eiffel had a license for 20 years to get back his investment. Following the building went into the hands of the French government. To prove the usage and importance of the tower Eiffel started in 1898 installing telegraph antennas on the tower. The antennas showed to be of high importance for the French military even in 1909- a moment when Eiffel’s license came to an end. The license was renewed and today over 100 TV antennas are installed on the tower.

It reunites 18,038 metallic pieces, over 50 engineers and designers worked on it and it weights around 6300 tons in metal but impressive 60 tons in paint as well. This is truly an impressive construction.

Not only the TV antennas but also the annual revenue of around 90 to 100 Million Euros annually ensure that the monument will stay in Paris for quite a while.

Non official symbols of France

Especially food is often associated to France. The typical wine, cheese and baguette or as well some dishes which are typical French will come into your mind. Yes France has a great culture of food. But these are not official symbols. No matter – enjoy French food anyhow.

If you will now claim missing symbols of France in this article you are probably right. There are too many to list them all. And there are some symbols which are more important to us than others as for example the Marianne. For here we wrote a separate blog article which you can read here.

So whatever it is you associate to France, the most important is that you still like to come for a visit to France. And if you ever decide to travel the Brittany and to Brest, let us know: we are happy to receive you here for an exchange about France and Bag Affair!

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