Sustainable self-care with SM Green Finds

Truly, love is the greatest gift of all! It’s the most precious gift you can give or receive that keeps on giving. Self-love is probably the greatest love of all. And the best way to self-love is self-care because as you take care of yourself by nurturing your mind, body, and soul, you’re able to take care of others, especially your loved ones. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup!

So, keep that cup full and make time and space to do what delights your body and nourishes your soul. Go ahead and pamper yourself, reward yourself because you most certainly deserve it.

When it comes to self-care, make it sustainable self-care with the help of SM Green Finds.

SM clean beauty and the most eco-friendly self-care products

Want to look good and feel good? SM Beauty is the one-stop shop for the widest range of beauty and self-care products in the country. Whatever you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it here. Whether self-care means pampering your skin, styling your hair, creating new looks or spritzing yourself with your favorite scents, SM Beauty is your go-to.

SM Beauty carries an amazing selection of sustainable and clean beauty products that range from affordable to premium price points, debunking the common belief that all sustainable products are pricey. Friendly pro tip: Check out refill packs to get more for less deals. Now, there are a lot more reasons to check out the SM Beauty store nearest you.

A popular choice among Filipinos is Naturals by Watsons, made from the finest organic ingredients from around the world. Every Filipino deserves access to these kinds of products—from shampoos and conditioners to body wash, lotions, and hair serums that come in variants such as aloe vera, argan, olive, rose, and more. There’s surely a product for everyone’s every need. The bottles come in recycled plastics, too!

If you’re looking for pure essential oil, there’s Pili Ani (available at select SM Beauty stores only). Breathe in the rejuvenating, revitalizing aroma of eucalyptus, lavender, juniper or citronella as your skin absorbs the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of essential oils. What’s more, you also help support Pili Ani’s team of Filipino farmers and their families.

The Body Shop: Bloom and glow

Yes, bloom and glow with The Body Shop’s Bloom and Glow British Rose Essentials. Buff away your dead skin cells with the Body Scrub; rinse, lather up with the rose-scented Shower Gel, towel dry and slather on dollops of the Body Butter with rose extract. Give your body some love by smoothing on a scoop of the hydrating Body Lotion with organic almond milk and oil. Then add a few spritzes of the Eau de Toilette. Finally, give your hands a little pampering with a gentle rub of the Hand Cream.

The Body Shop is your one-stop destination for self-love, nature-inspired, cruelty-free bath and body and beauty products. In January, 2024, it proudly achieved 100-percent vegan product formulations certified by The Vegan Society, believing that no animals, big or small, should be harmed in the name of cosmetics.

With high-quality ingredients sourced ethically from thousands of farmers and artisans across the globe, The Body Shop products also offer great value for money. It prioritizes the use of natural ingredients and those that are biodegradable, rooted in biotechnology and green chemistry, all from sustainable sources. It selects the most powerful of nature’s change agents, the most potent bioactives from plants. All its formulas are reviewed by toxicology experts and tested for safety by a dermatologist or an ophthalmologist.

Moreover, The Body Shop products are free from questionable ingredients such as parabens, mineral oils, formaldehyde donors, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, petroleum, triclosan, as well as genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

You can count on The Body Shop to create hardworking products that deliver real benefits: beautiful skin, heroic hair, and a fabulous face that will make you fall in love again and again with yourself in a truly holistic way.

Yogalove: A pure kinda love

Feeling sore from your workout session? Feeling unwell and stuffy from a hectic schedule? Stressed from work and finding it hard to unwind? Feeling the midday slump and need a body fuel refill after a nerve-wracking day?

Relax! Embrace a pure kind of love that only YogaLove can give. Get relief and recovery as well as energy and immunity. Say goodbye to that nasty migraine or muscle pain with refreshing, soothing peppermint, cajeput, and ginger. Arm yourself with the incredible health benefits of eucalyptus, rosemary, and tea tree oil as you fight head-on the symptoms and signs of daily stress. Bask in the heartwarming floral cuddles of calming lavender, bergamot, and cedarwood. Give your mood a boost with the most fruity and zesty citrus variants like grapefruit and sweet orange as well as peppermint.

Your body will surely appreciate the YogaLove Cooling Cream, YogaLove Daily Body Oil, and Feel Good Kit. Check out more of YogaLove products at Kultura at the SM Stores and SM Malls.

Falling in love with Artisanal Chocolates

Yes, all we need is love, but chocoholics will agree with Charles Schulz, creator of everyone’s favorite comic strip Peanuts, that a little chocolate now and then won’t hurt. Especially if they’re our very own artisanal chocolates—Malagos, Auro, Theo & Philo available at Kultura at the SM Stores and at SM Malls—ovingly handcrafted to reflect the rich heritage of Filipinos and sustainably sourced from our local farmers.

Why are these artisanal chocolates a growing niche today?

First of all, it’s their quality and taste. They’re usually made with selected cacao beans and less likely to use filler ingredients, like starches and vegetable oils, so the flavor is superior to mass-produced chocolates. Second, the artisanal chocolatiers make it a priority to source locally, pay fair wages, and prioritize sustainable practices. Consumers understand there’s a premium to ethical sourcing and are willing to pay more because it aligns with their personal values. Third, artisanal chocolate makers are happy to experiment with local flavor profiles and combinations to come up with something new and unique every time, thus exciting customers who are always looking for something novel and extraordinary. Lastly, today’s consumers take pride in locally made artisanal chocolates and support local businesses as they appreciate the process and products, and are happy to contribute and be a part of this developing industry.

Anmari & Co. and Ilha: Going loco over our local bags

Our local handmade bags have happily made their way into international markets, so loved and raved about. And why not? These painstakingly handwoven, embroidered, and beaded beauties use traditional methods that date back to our ancestors and natural materials to create contemporary classics that celebrate Filipino craftsmanship and empower local artisans.

Anmari bags at Kultura within SM Store and in Kultura shops in SM Malls are made of buntal fiber extracted from buri palms mostly sourced from the buri plantations in Quezon province. Though they’re not yet selling abroad, Anmari was once invited to an event in the US where they sent a small batch of products.

Ilha’s artisanal pouches and clutch bags at Kultura are handmade in Marikina, home of the best shoe, bag, and leather artisans. Ilha uses natural fibers, such as straw and rattan found in Philippine forests, and features striking beadwork and hand-embroidery in its designs.

Indeed, with the wide selection of sustainable self-love products from SM Green Finds, taking care of oneself and the planet is the most natural thing to do.

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Editor's note: BrandedUp is designed to provide you with insightful, inspiring, and educational content created by The Philippine STAR in collaboration with brands like SM Store.