I am so excited to finally get this post out and introduce everyone to this amazing, palm-free, super ethical, vegan soap company. Coutiver is run by the ever-so-lovely Christophe Lecoeur from a base in Hornchurch, Essex. Christophe spent his entire childhood in the South of France and that is where the obsession with natural/organic ingredients began. Coutiver blends together amazing French artistry with truly wonderful environmental/ethical concerns. All Coutiver soaps are:
100% vegan
100% recycled, recyclable or compostable packaging
100% palm-oil free
100% produced with green energy
100% synthetic-free
100% perfume free
They are also handmade, cold-processed, carry c02 footprint compensation, local product based and use the maximum amount of organic ingredients available. Wow! Furthermore, they are cruelty-free certified by PETA, and when purchasing, you have the option to buy with or without the packaging (a lovely touch!).
I have been trying out two soaps from the line: Pinch of Rosemary* and Aniseed*. And yes, both smell as divine as they sound! Pinch of Rosemary is yet to be opened but I have been happily using Aniseed and I am most definitely impressed. Surprisingly, Aniseed is fragranced with purely essential oils and the aniseed-drop-like scent has been created purely with Fennel... amazing! The formula is super clean and it really does preform. Apart from fulfilling the general job description of a soap (and very well may I add - yay for lather!), this bar also feels incredibly moisturising. This can be attributed to the inclusion of coconut oil and sweet almond oil, both completely organic. It is so moisturising that I've even been finding that I can skip a body lotion after use! The ingredients are super simple and effective; saponified virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, sweet almond oil, ground fennel and filtered water. Most notably, no palm-oil in sight! I am a big fan of companies skipping palm oil in their recipes, as generally, the ingredient is not very sustainable, and the cultivation can be highly damaging to the habitats of primates such as orang-utans. I'm really impressed that this company has extended their ethical standpoint to saving animals as well as the environment - and your skin!
Pinch of Rosemary includes similar ingredients with the addition of rosemary essential oil, ground rosemary and spirulina. I absolute adore rosemary so I am more than excited about opening this one up when I have finished with Aniseed. Coutiver has become a company so very central on my radar and I am most definitely going to be making an order in the future. I love their ethical standpoint and the fact that they are based in my own county! I am currently eyeing up their shampoo bar as an alternative to liquid shampoo. I'll let you know how it goes... You can find Coutiver on Etsy or at Henna Herbals.