Recently, I signed up for The Honest Company's Honest Bundle subscription service. I was largely driven by my curisotiy of the brand, its philosophy and seduced by the gorgeous packaging and instore merchandising at Harmon and Bed Bath and Beyond.
In addition, one of the founders, Jessica Alba, was also recently featured in Forbes as America's Richest Self-Made woman. |
The Honest Company was founded by Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan who believed in safe products for babies and the home. Their vision was to bring effective, safe, eco-friendly products that are beautiful, and affordable, while providing convenient service and products the entire family can enjoy.
There are four customizable bundles available from the Honest Company - Diapers & Wipes, Essentials, Organic Formula, and Health & Wellness. Each can be modified by mixing and matching products to suit your needs, and recur monthly based on the frequency you opt and cancelled at any time. As I was curious to try the Company's offerings, I subscribed to the Essentials bundle which is $35.95/month at a 6 week frequency for five products. From the economics, this bundle worked out the cheapest as I could try items from Bath& Body and Cleaning which we use regularly. Each item, regardless of retail cost, works out at approximately $7/item. Not bad when some of the toileteries and cleaning goods can set you back up to $16. That's approximately a 35% saving off retail - adding more items (up to 3) earns an additional 25% off. Delivery to my door is also great as I don't have to lug bulky cleaning items on the subway.
If you're interested in subscribing or trying out the service, check it out here. Mini-free trial bundles are also available!
Briefly, here's how the products performed,
Honest multi-surface cleaner
This plant-based formula was formulated to tackle dirt, grease and grime anywhere and anytime. After using it around the house for 1 month, I was impressed by its ability to tackle grease and oil spills on our stovetop and counters without leaving a residue, and also as a spot floor cleaner to mop up spills and clean dirt. I'll admit, I was a little skeptical at first because I've been so used to relying on well known cleaning surfactants and compounds to achieve that special sparkle. The fresh smell of grapefruit was also refreshing and not overpowering or headache inducing. Recommended!
Honest dish soap - white grapefruit
A plant-based dish soap, this product claimed to penetrate grease, brime, gunk and dish mess. The ultra concentrated and sudsy formula actually surprised me. As a devotee to Palmolive for an effective dish clean, Honest's dish soap cleaned my greasy and dirty woks and pans extremely effectively without needing too much soap or damaging my hands in the process. Best of all, the soap rinses clean easily and 1 bottle lasts a long time. The suds factor is also a big plus as most eco-friendly detergents don't suds up as nicely to remove dish particulates and grease. Recommended!
Honest diaper rash cream
Formulated to provide a protective barrier on baby's skin, this naturally concoted rash cream was a pleasure to apply and use. Made with skin friendly organic shea, jojoba, tamanu and coconut to moisturize skin, and zinc oxide to reduce redness and inflammation, the cream was very easy to apply and wasn't sticky, goopy or difficult to use. Not only did I use it on baby's butt, but also to soothe patches of heat/prickly heat rashes. Recommended!
Honest organic balm
Made with certified organic oils, extracts and beeswax, this multi-tasking balm is formulated to soothe irritations associated with diaper rash, eczema, dry skin and what ever ails your skin. I've been obsessed with skin balms. Growing up in Australia, Paw Paw ointment is a staple in every household. I wanted to try this balm to see how it fared against my trusty Paw Paw ointment, and used this to restore my forever dry hands and feet, as a lip balm, dry skin patches and irritated skin. Overall, as a bedside table staple, it's helped restore dry skin overnight and did an effective job in helping my feet get sandal ready. I don't think it will completely replace my Paw Paw ointment but it's certainly worthwhile having on hand. Recommended!
Honest breathe easy rub
A petroleum and menthol free rub to soothe congestion, this product was ok. My toddler still preferred her Vicks as it gave a satisfying warming sensation and smelled familiar. Personally, I preferred this rub as it was not goopy or sticky, and the smell wasn't too overpowering. On the fence..
Honest multi-surface cleaner
This plant-based formula was formulated to tackle dirt, grease and grime anywhere and anytime. After using it around the house for 1 month, I was impressed by its ability to tackle grease and oil spills on our stovetop and counters without leaving a residue, and also as a spot floor cleaner to mop up spills and clean dirt. I'll admit, I was a little skeptical at first because I've been so used to relying on well known cleaning surfactants and compounds to achieve that special sparkle. The fresh smell of grapefruit was also refreshing and not overpowering or headache inducing. Recommended!
Honest dish soap - white grapefruit
A plant-based dish soap, this product claimed to penetrate grease, brime, gunk and dish mess. The ultra concentrated and sudsy formula actually surprised me. As a devotee to Palmolive for an effective dish clean, Honest's dish soap cleaned my greasy and dirty woks and pans extremely effectively without needing too much soap or damaging my hands in the process. Best of all, the soap rinses clean easily and 1 bottle lasts a long time. The suds factor is also a big plus as most eco-friendly detergents don't suds up as nicely to remove dish particulates and grease. Recommended!
Honest diaper rash cream
Formulated to provide a protective barrier on baby's skin, this naturally concoted rash cream was a pleasure to apply and use. Made with skin friendly organic shea, jojoba, tamanu and coconut to moisturize skin, and zinc oxide to reduce redness and inflammation, the cream was very easy to apply and wasn't sticky, goopy or difficult to use. Not only did I use it on baby's butt, but also to soothe patches of heat/prickly heat rashes. Recommended!
Honest organic balm
Made with certified organic oils, extracts and beeswax, this multi-tasking balm is formulated to soothe irritations associated with diaper rash, eczema, dry skin and what ever ails your skin. I've been obsessed with skin balms. Growing up in Australia, Paw Paw ointment is a staple in every household. I wanted to try this balm to see how it fared against my trusty Paw Paw ointment, and used this to restore my forever dry hands and feet, as a lip balm, dry skin patches and irritated skin. Overall, as a bedside table staple, it's helped restore dry skin overnight and did an effective job in helping my feet get sandal ready. I don't think it will completely replace my Paw Paw ointment but it's certainly worthwhile having on hand. Recommended!
Honest breathe easy rub
A petroleum and menthol free rub to soothe congestion, this product was ok. My toddler still preferred her Vicks as it gave a satisfying warming sensation and smelled familiar. Personally, I preferred this rub as it was not goopy or sticky, and the smell wasn't too overpowering. On the fence..
Overall, The Honest Company's cleaning, bath & body products delivered against their claims with pleasing aesthetics. I recommend the service to anyone who's looking for a safer and more eco-friendly alternative to traditional home and personal care products. The Essentials Bundle was also economical and ideal for frequent household consumables, such as dish soap, laudry detergent, cleaners etc.