Hi friends! Same as yesterday, I'm pinning a note to let you know that I'm working a tango festival right now and won't be able to get completely caught up on comments until next week. Thank you so much for watching and commenting! And thank you for your support & for subscribing to my channel, I can't believe I just passed 20k! xoxoxo!!!
Congrats! I've been kind of eyeing your numbers thinking you would for sure hit 20K by the end of February :) That probably sounds weird but I think you're amazing and it's exciting to watch your channel grow.
It was so hard to watch you apologise at the end of this video. The content was definitely not boring and you did a great job starting to piece together information from companies that aren’t very transparent! Thanks for all the hours that went into this!
Yes! As a college instructor, I try to encourage my students to get comfortable with the discomfort of the gray area. Very few issues are simply black and white. Thank you for addressing this and for the thoughtful approach to corporate ethics from a consumer standpoint.
Feel like we are being so spoilt with how often you are updating lately!! Love the way you talk about the companies you brought from now being ‘in control of that money’ really makes you think mindfully about your spending
If you manufacture in China and sell there you normally do not have to test your products on animals, it's a grey zone. It's more for the products that are made outside of China but sold there. Also the companies themselves to not have animal testing labs, they allow the Chinese owned labs to test their products in their labs. That's how they say that they themselves do not test on animals. China has though recently moved more into testing the way EU tests, on articial made tissue. I know they have scientists out in the world now to learn the technique. So I am sure China will stop animal testing aswell, with some time. Just wanted to give whatever little information I had. Loved the video hon!
If you are looking for more info about Amazon, check out Abby Williamson's channel. She just posted a video about why she doesn't shop on Amazon, her perspective is from someone who lives in Seattle and sees the consequences of their headquarters in the city. It was a really interesting video! Not that you didn't do enough research, just offering some more info for you ❤️
Hannah, you are wonderful. I think how tired, weary, and confused you were at the end of this process speaks volumes to the fact that many people who make those black and white claims such as "I am only going to do X" or "I'm definitely not going to do Y" likely do not understand what it is that they do not know.
I loved this video. It was not boring at all, it was really interesting learning about these companies. Thank you for putting so much time and energy into this! Also, I am living for those little clips with Joe and Sadie at the end, so cute!
First of all, THANK YOU. I watched every second of this video and I’m so glad. I consider myself to be well versed in the ethics of animal testing (by which I say well done in your research and explanations! I know our community can, unfortunately, be unnecessarily harsh. 🙄) I’ve been wanting to learn more overall about ethical consumerism, but it’s such a daunting task. So thank you for all of the hard work you’re doing to learn and share with us. I’m looking forward to learning more from you and starting to think and learn on my own too. You are an inspiration and a light! ❤️
“Let’s take a deep breath, open our minds, get curious and loosen our collective grip on perfectionism.” - HLP This puts my mind and heart at ease. Love it so much I’m going to quote you on my channel. 😘😘😘
I am an anti-animal testing shopper but I never really felt the need to harass people over if they buy from companies that do test on animals because as you said- ethics are murky and varying shades of grey. I DO side eye when companies claim they're cruelty free and some basic research shows that they're obviously not (L'oreal and Sephora both do this). I think it's way more gross for a company to pretend they're CF/anti-animal testing and flat out lie to a consumer than to say "Yeah we do this because the laws of China require it". NARS used to be cruelty free but started selling in China, but I respect them way more as a company because they made a statement saying they knew they'd lose their anti-animal testing base by selling there but the law is the law.
@@rachelsurname4722 I agree with you- a LOT of companies in the beauty industry claim to be cruelty free/ethical through slimy dishonest language, which is ironic.
@@rachelsurname4722 ive witnessed first hand that Mac indeed claims theyre cf. I asked them on their instagram a few weeks ago and they said no, sent me to some anti vivisection website. Im really disappointed in this company that i will never buy even if theyre cf one day.
Great point! Every individual has the power of *choice* and it's ok for people to think differently! I'm actually enjoying the grey area of your informed consumerism presentation... good job! Now let your brain rest!
So glad you've added inclusivity in your categories. If nothing else, all your hard work has reinforced the adage, "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism." That is not to say that we should give up pushing corporations to be better, and to go out of our way to put our money, when possible, in more ethical companies, but there is a huge burden on the consumer to figure this stuff out for ourselves. Thank you for taking one for the team on this.
Such an interesting and thorough video. Thank you for all of your hard work. I can see how it can be quite complicated. Just a little note related to Loreal and Maybelline manufacturing...not sure if it helps or would be similar but I worked for Revlon in the 1990's, at one of their manufacturing plants in Arizona. I can't speak to the sources of all the materials, or facilities outside the U.S., but the facilities in Arizona were very clean and well run. We were not allowed to take any photos inside as a lot of the automated production machines and robotics were patented, but we had to be FDA inspection ready at all times, and wear hairnets, gloves, etc. when walking through most areas. They had a Workers Union on-site to make sure of fair treatment and pay, employee cafeterias, locker rooms, amenities, security on-site. They offered full health coverage for entire families of even the lowest rankings of employees. They also used a lot of temporary and resident (with proper permits) immigrant labor and offered them full-time employment after a very short trial period. Since I worked in H.R., if an issue (most common were questions with hours and pay grades) with an employee arose, the union representatives were at their side to make sure they were addressed properly. Hopefully this helps. xo
Another thing to note about Amazon is that in every country they operate they pay little or not tax which is a huge issue in both economy and people's lives. For example, in the uk, tax is highly valuable for our nhs and schooling (I know all tax doesn't just go towards these things but they're still a huge part of most western societies)
Katie Elizabeth yes, and the roads that they use to transport their goods, and the tax credits which top up their employees low pay and so on ad infinitum
This was absolutely fascinating! Plus, you started out the video with a Rilke quote :) I think this is such a fabulous exercise in conscious consumerism. It is, as you say, quite a slog, and it also goes to show just how distanced we are from the companies we purchase from, and how much information is hidden away from everyday consumers. This was a behemoth of a video, and I think you did such a good job! Whether or not you're currently letting the information you find drive your future purchases or not, being aware of who you're purchasing from is an eye opener. As a cruelty free consumer, I really appreciate how you're handling the subject. Things like selling in China and in-house testing tend to have black and white answers - they do or they don't - but there are so many grey areas involved, and a lot of conflicting sources/certifications for cf products and companies. So I think it makes total sense within the confines of your spreadsheet. Also - Congrats on hitting 20k!!!
I don't usually comment on videos, but I wanted to say that I really respect what you're doing here. You're being incredibly honest about your purchasing habits and doing A LOT of behind the scenes research and then spending A LOT of time filming and editing this whole thing for us, when you don't have to be. I really appreciate you taking the time to do so because I find your viewpoint on these matters interesting and the research you did valuable. I look forward to watching the next installment (all one hour of it!)!
I love data Videos and was looking fortward to this. I really like how you set up the spreadsheet. I believe you should differentiate between the sub-company and the Parent-Company for the following reason: When the parent companies Analyse that people rather buy from their more ethical sub companies, they are more likely to go into the ethical direction in the future. At least in my mind this makes sense 😅
THANK YOU HANNAH!!! I really enjoyed this, and learned so much! Your research is appreciated and welcomed. Please continue your research and don’t feel that this is boring. Your 20K viewers need this.
It took me a while to commit to watching a nearly hour long video but I am so glad that I did and so grateful to you for doing all of this work and presenting it to your viewers so clearly. You inspired me to do a no-buy year and I've always been concerned with ethics of companies that I buy from, and ecological impacts but never put in the effort to really look into where my money is growing. I appreciate the starting point that I have from this video and, again, you have inspired me to do better in my own life. Thank you so much!
Hannah in Wonderland...I really feel like you jumped down the rabbit hole with this project. It shows that even with the internet there is a complete lack of transparency. Thank you for all your effort. Congrats on making it to 20K! ❤️
Hannah, what a labour of love! Love of exploration, of knowledge, of responsibility, of sharing, of making a difference, of growing.. What an amazing work you have done, this can become a research, a book, something that will go beyond your individual exploration, as it already is by sharing it with us. I can only imagine the hours spent gathering all this information!!! Thank you so much for this work. I have always been wanting to become more conscious and learn more about all of these issues, but only finding bits and pieces of conflicting information, you have presented a lot of food for thought. What I have loved the most was your introduction on the grey area, yes I resonate completely, it is so hard to sustain, yet it is the most ethic place to be probably, as ethic is not black and white, and it is also the hardest spot to be...an image I am sharing in hopes of easing your frustration on your quest, is what a professor once told me in the face of my own frustration while digging deeper (I cannot remember if this image he quoted and from where) and it always helps me, the more we learn, and grow and know, the more our sphere of knowledge expands, in expanding the surface of the sphere (knowledge) has more and more contact with the vast unknown, with all that remains in the dark (I am translating, English is not my first language, so not sure how it comes out) so the questions multiply, as our awareness of how much we still do not know expands with all that we know.....xxx
Hannah, even if all the information cannot be found right now, thank you so much for calling out that the information isn’t out there. This reveals that companies need to do more to be transparent in their practices so that consumers can “vote” wisely with our money!
This was so much work and so useful! It shows how hard it is to be an ethical consumer and how little info most companies really provide us (without lots of researching). I wish that more channels did something like this, we need this conversation!
Hannah, honey. You did so much work! It felt like a slog because it IS a slog. I would never do this project. I would think, “What a good idea!” But then If I ever actually undertook it, I would feel bored, depressed, and overwhelmed, all at once probably. You’re awesome. Thank you for this. 💗
If anything I feel the majority of us are grateful that you’ve compiled this data and then are able to convert it into shareable information for us. It’s good to plant the seed and begin to drill a little bit more than the surface level we are so use to. Great job and thank you the house! Over time this will go from spreadsheets to stories of their own. 🤗
I don't put myself out there like you do, so I can't relate to posting videos on topics that get people riled up, and making myself vulnerable to public criticism. But I have to tell you I am awed by the amount of work you put into this, and how incredibly dedicated you are to such a worthwhile endeavor! Please know this is NOT boring at all, quite the opposite. I think it's fascinating. If anyone does get bored they can click out, but please keep doing what you're doing-it's very appreciated! xo
Congrats on 20K! You are by far my favorite and most unique channel I have started watching in the last year. I appreciate how much time and effort you have put into this topic and many of the content you provide. In general, I watch much shorter videos, however, I don’t mind (At ALL) the length of your videos, because I find myself captivated by the information you provide. It does mean, sometimes your videos sit in my watch later until I have the time to watch them because I don’t want them on in the background while cleaning or doing another mundane task, because I don’t want to miss something you have said. Thank you for being a channel I didn’t know I needed in my life.
an interesting note on ecological impact would be that companies such as amazon and ebay use huge server farms, these servers consume massive amounts of energy, here comes the question in play what energy these coorperations use. Green energy would mean the ecological impact would be lower and so on...
I am really impressed how much work you put into this. Thank you for sharing your research. I can very much relate to your thoughts on ebay. I like to buy and sell second hand. In terms of sending boxes, I think the huge difference between ebay and amazon is, that in (second hand) ebay something almost never gets returned. And when I sell something I reuse boxes and newspaper to package the item. I also feel you on the grey area topic. The world it just so complex and one should recognize that. I oftentimes use expressions like "as far as I know" or "if I remember correctly" because I hate to claim that I know something when I don't. But when I say that I know something for sure, then I really do.
Yes Hannah, 44 minutes in and we're still watching! Definitely not the most boring video ever, in fact, it's been very very interesting! Thank you (and Joe) for all the work that went into this. 💖 You look amazing Susie Q, and I hope you're having a great and lucrative time at the festival!
Another important component of being cruelty free is not using any individual ingredients that have been tested on animals. This video was amazing, Hannah. I can't imagine the amount of effort and time it takes in your daily life to add this research content into your filming schedule! I really enjoyed it, and thank you.
I love listening to your thoughts so much. Always such interesting insights. Thank you for that, Hannah! Now I’m ready to enjoy this video :) Have a great day!
I think it's do some that you are aligning your budget with your personal ethics. I think the spreadsheet you created with the info about companies is stuck a great idea. I definitely don't buy from certain stores/companies if I know they use practices I don't agree with, but I'm sure lots of companies slip through the cracks. Thanks for bringing more awareness to these questionable practices.
P.S. I just noticed you're up to 20k followers! Amazing! I am so astonished by how much you've grown since I started following you last summer. Great job!
Congratulations on 20k subscribers!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🥂 I have no idea who in their right mind would thumbs down any of your videos but I'm kind of loving it. It means you are standing up for something and hitting a nerve. "You have enemies? Good! That means you have stood up for something in your life." ~Winston Churchill. Your research is fabulous!!! Rock on Hannah. 💖🤘🏻💋
I stayed until the end. I appreciate your hard work in being a conscientious consumer and sharing the information. I really admire your dedication to presenting different information and perspective on the beauty industry. I also love that you remain neutral and non judgmental, just presenting the facts and your personal experience.
This is really a job for a full-time investigative reporter, but it would be fascinating to see the breakdown of political donations to different candidates/SuperPACs made by these companies. The FEC website has a searchable database, but really difficult to see all of the records for a given corporation since donations are spread out over different names, PACs, etc. Love your comments on grey area and releasing the clutch on black-and-white thinking!!
44 minutes in, and I'm still watching! I'm glued to the screen. This is such an interesting video, and I really really enjoy it. Thank you for putting in the time to make this.
This wasn’t boring at all! I’m amazed and impressed as to how much time, attention and detail that you put into this project. You uncovered a lot of information within your research. I can see how this will make you not want to buy as much because of all the work you have to do after the purchase! Joe’s answer to what he thinks of your outfit, lol!
Hi Hannah! Last year I casually watched a few of your no-buy videos that popped up in my recommendations and just came across your beauty budget videos today. You mentioned at the end of this video that you were worried it was boring and too hefty. On the contrary, this video just made me subscribe to your channel! I LOVE how thoughtful, thorough, and realistic this content is! It's refreshing to have critical thinking encouraged and explored so openly. I just told my husband about your project and the word my brain reached for was "fascinating." I also like how you are being realistic in your timeline and not committing to more than you can handle within the given year - I never seem to remember to do that and it always bites me in the butt! XD I like to consider myself fairly eco/ethically-minded, with a lot of room for improvement. While I compost, reduce my waste, and try make ethical (small business, fair-trade, sustainable, clean ingredient list, etc.) purchases when possible in certain areas, many other purchases go unchecked. I still have quite a bit of unconscious spending. Even despite watching ethical and conscious spending videos regularly, this is one of the most practical, useful videos I've watched. I actually feel like I know how to accurately assess the impact of my purchases in a data-driven way. I'm definitely going to try a similar approach as you for an in-depth inventory of my how my dollars are impacting the world around me. What you're doing reminds of a "trash audit" that many zero/low-wasters do to start out and continually lessen their waste, but for financial purchases instead! I think it would illuminate my problem areas and enable me to actively seek out more positive ethical solutions. In particular, I'm itching to apply this to my food purchases, including restaurants and their parent companies, as well as grocery retailers and food suppliers. I think I would learn quite a lot from implementing your type of inventory/research approach. THANK YOU SO MUCH for creating and sharing this content! I'm excited to watch your journey throughout the rest of the year! Peace & Light - Mindy
I have eczema and have loved Cerave products for years, but I have stopped buying their products last year when I went cruelty free. It’s SO disappointing to hear that they started selling in China. 💔🐰 And I had no idea they were owned by L’Oréal. 😔 Thanks for doing all this research! It’s amazing and is something that I’m wanted to look into myself after my no buy year.
Thank you for this undertaking. So informative. Your channel is an inspiration as always. Im not trying to be a passenger seat driver...but the more you research Amazon the harder it may be to find the out what their take is from companies they distribute. I work in book publishing....and Amazon takes a much higher cut of any book sold on their website than the 15 percent you reference in this video. They also demand exhorbitant "pay to play" fees of publishers. You may recall the drama with Hachette a few years back. They demand the same unreasonable fees of small publishers who simply can't afford to pay Amazon a million dollars a year just to have their books on the Amazon website. they have driven several pioneering independent publishers out of business through bad business practices. Love your channel!
Amazon is a problematic favorite. They are willing to take such a loss to gain customers and thus drive smaller businesses into the ground. But I can imagine that the book side of the business is a bit different since the publishing business is so competitive.
@@brigutierrez5249 I'm not an expert...I would like to know more. ...and Amazon has done some good for some publishers/ authors... however I think for a lot of companies who work with Amazon the cut and fees Amazon is taking is proprietary info...so it's hard to estimate how much Amazon is really getting of your money vs the product creator.. Basically I try to buy from anywhere else before them.
I've been looking forward to this video since you first mentioned it. I've also been dreading it a little bit. I feel like we're so often blissfully ignorant to so many of these behind the scenes details. Thank you for putting so much work into this! I watched every second of the video. Also, the cat refusing love is hilarious Suzie-Q
Maybe you could add a column for transparency and if it was easy to find out the information, although perhaps that is covered by question marks 🤔 As an animal activist !!! I'm interested to see which brands you find that still conduct their own animal testing, as a lot of countries and states have been banning recently. Also I think I recall that Sephora's house brand conducts tests on animals in America, or perhaps that was something they did on the past, it is certainly difficult to find information on these things! Most people stop researching once they find they are sold in China so I can't wait to see what else you find out!
There are different models where some companies are owned by L'Oreal (or another big corporation) but operate independently (like NYX and Bare Minerals) and some are completely "swallowed" by L'Oreal, like CeraVe. The ingredients may be vegan, but they test on animals (sell in China). Not for vegans, which sucks. I've found a couple of alternatives though.
@@abigailheynen4065 Of course! Ceramedex in the tub and First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (they also have more products that seem very nice. Chose the "all purpose" tub because it's cheaper. ;) Their ultra repair cleanser is also very nice! Those are the two products I've tried.) Oh, and The Ordinary's moisturizer also has ceramides and other good ingredients.
@@abigailheynen4065 Earth Science makes cruelty-free, vegan ceramide body and face lotions and a line of sensitive/dry ceramide skin products. They're far less expensive than Cerave too!
Marianne I completely agree with this breakdown as well. I will gladly purchase NYX but even though I see Cereve all the time and would love to try some of their products its going to be a hard pass for me.
Thank you so much for all the hard work you have put into this. It was fascinating hearing about all these companies. Please don't feel bad about this video and the research uncovered, you found some gems and opened my eyes to company behaviours. Hope you continue this series.x
Thank you so much for all the work you do and the high quality of your videos. And congratulations on reaching 20K! I watched every second of this video, and was struck by your professionalism and effort into making incredible content. It is a journey to figure out how personal ethics play into where we spend our money and what companies we support. It's so tricky, and I appreciate all the time and effort you put into your detective work and the beautiful spreadsheet. I love spreadsheets (big nerd). Thank you again and I look forward to the continuing saga of Hannah's Beauty Budget.
I notices Asutra has vitamin C serum. You should try it and let us know your thoughts on their serums and other products! I'd love a series where you review additional products from companies that get high marks.
Standing ovation for you, Hannah, for putting in so much work and effort into this video! I learned so freaking much from this and found it so interesting! Thank you so much and I hope you're enjoying your tango festival right now! All the love ♥♥♥
Im so sorry your throat is raw and parched! If it’s any consolation, this video was impeccably done and I listened to it like a podcast as I drove around today. Can’t wait to keep learning more from these brands. I am have always been disappointed that many RUclipsrs don’t share much about a brand’s history or background when showing one-brand tutorials or introducing new brands on their channels.
Another of my biggest concerns with Amazon is what happens to the huge amount of returns they receive. it's so easy to return stuff to Amazon!! is that stuff reused (sold), is it landfill, what is it? I've heard that they sell huge boxes of random stuff at wholesale prices...still wasteful..
A lot of it is resold as Like New or in Good Condition at a discount from the original price, it's visible when you look at all buying options. I think that's a good thing since it's recycling goods to an extent. No argument that Amazon has major issues, but any purchase I make is through smile.amazon.com where you choose an organization that will receive a small percentage of your purchases; I chose the Nature Conservancy.
So much of the big ticket items I purchase from Amazon are from their Warehouse deals. They rarely repackage and advertise the products as being in potentially damaged packaging. The carseats, high chairs, and rock n plays I bought when I had my twins were all Amazon warehouse purchases
What an AMAZING video. I am so thankful you took the work to do this project for those of us that have never had that subject really cross our mind in so much depth. Your hard work has made this video so easy to understand and also having so many facts that many of us haven’t hand any thought where our money was going when purchasing something, that maybe we need to think of our everyday purchasing in a bigger perception. This is absolutely awesome Hannah! 💙💜
Thank you for putting your voice out there and establishing yourself as someone who will hold corporations accountable for their behaviors. Ethical consumption is so extraordinarily important yet under-discussed-hopefully not for long.
Upon completing the video and hearing the despondency in your voice, I relate. I relate so hard. Keep fighting the good fight. And, as a self-proclaimed “animal rights activist” and “angry vegan,” I think you’re doing great. Love hearing your perspective as always, Hannah. And love the pairing of the blouse with the headband hehe :)
First of all congratulations on 20K subscribers. So well deserved. Second I can’t imagine the time and effort that both you and Joe put into this video. I found it fascinating and daunting as I try to work through my own ethics about purchasing from some of these companies. Yay no-buy year! Great job!💕💕
Stayed for the whole video! I decided to throw this on while I was working on some drawing exercises, so it was great to double down on the learning experience. I really appreciate your perspective and all the work you (and Joe!) have put into this. Even if you might feel like it wasn't enough, it was plenty for me - a few things I already knew, but most I absolutely did not. As I like to say: the more you know, the more you know you don't know! Also: It's near impossible to live completely ethically and please everyone, but being more aware of the consequences of your lifestyle is far more valuable than being content with ignorance.
Also, this was NOT sloppy! It was intensely thoughtful and organized! You did so much work on behalf of this community you have created. NEVER APOLOGIZE.
Thank you for this video Hannah. It is obviously well researched and brings up an important topic that most of us don’t think enough about. This was clearly a huge effort on your part, but I hope you realize that you are having an impact on viewers like me who will think twice before buying from some of these huge companies and choose instead to support the more ethical choices. Well done!!!
This was a very informative video beautifully executed by you in every aspect! The amount of time and thought you (and Joe) have put into creating the spreadsheet; the time and effort that went into researching all of the information on every single company; and finally, the way you’ve presented the information in the video-everything was just impeccable in my opinion! The information you weren’t able to uncover didn’t take anything away from what I was actually able to learn from this video, nor did it make it any less interesting or valuable. I think that it’s because of the fact that this video was presented by you, it was not the least bit boring to watch not only because the info was good, but also because of beautiful quality of your speech, and alluring sound and calmness of your voice! I’m absolutely convinced that you could make total gibberish sound appealing, so when the information is so interesting, it’s just a win/win combination for me!
Contrary to how you seem to think you did, this was a super interesting video. I actually had it playing next to me while I was getting some work done and I kept finding myself looking away from my computer to pay attention to what you were saying. So interesting how you found out so many things I had no idea about. So much hard work, Hannah. Amazing. Please give Joe a huge high five and tell him we appreciate the hard work.
Thank you so much for putting in all this work, this was so educational! It's always tempting as a consumer to just buy what you like and avert your eyes from any practices of companies you might not approve of, especially since it's such a labour-intensive process to gather valid information. I'm also thankful for your non-preachy attitude, I think we can all agree that shopping ethically is a struggle especially if you are restricted by things like a low budget or limited choice of alternatives due to location. I'm trying to buy my stuff from more ethical sources where I can, but it's difficult to always marry that with my wants and needs. For example I would love to be less dependant on Amazon but l live in a small German town and I want to read books in their original language. Not just any books, specific ones. They won't be available in local libraries or bookstores, so the by far easiest option is... yeah. My biggest contribution to a more ethical world right now is probably that I'm too poor to make much of a negative impact with my measly spendings.
I rarely comment on beauty channels but what you’ve done here is just awesome. I have decided to go 100% cruelty free this year and pay more attention to where my money is going. I wish all youtubers who promote the idea of corporate responsibility and cruelty free were as reasonable and put together as you are. Also, on the whole parent company thing, I too feel that it matters just as much as the ethics that the brand claims to represent.
I was surprised to see you apologize at the end. I was gripped and fascinated. It was a long video to be sure but I listen to it in the shower and so it was perfect for multitasking and listening. I'm learning with you so I'm looking forward to finding out more about these companies.
Thank you for all the thought you put into this video! I am also trying to be a more mindful shopper, shopping mostly secondhand unless the business fits my ethics - and your content always gives me more things to ponder. : ) Thanks for being such a sweet person with an interesting take on consumer spending! P.s: congrats on surpassing 20k!
Thanks for bringing to light the info you found about these companies. I specifically loved your point that there is so little info about the production of cosmetics. That is something that I really love about some of the companies I have discovered in the “green beauty” (indie/nontoxic/clean beauty...whatever you want to call it) community. I have found quite a few companies that are incredibly conscious about their impact in all aspects of business. they are forthcoming with this info about where and how their cosmetics are developed through the whole supply chain.
Thank you for going through the effort to find this information! This truly is a gray area. I love your dedication and your ability to try to remain as objective as possible :). Hope your festival is wonderful!
What an undertaking! I am so filled with admiration of you for your dedication to this project. It's a lot but you present the information so clearly and I wasn't bored at all! I think the lack of transparency that these bigger companies display is really telling. It does make me think about buying from smaller indie brands. Definitely want to check out Timeless when I need to replace some skincare.
I really loved this video. I truly never thought of where my money ended up before... wow. Information is power and we all as consumers can take decisions as a whole who will influence our future and the actions of corporations. I’m really thankful you did all of this research and I’m pretty sure I’ll influence others decisions.
I'm so glad that CP is at least admitted that they are the fast fashion of the beauty world. Makeup and fashion aren't a consumable and yet we collectively treat it as such. I still like CP because despite their fast fashion attitude to their products, they do make quality products and are CF. But since their 3rd year in business I've been thinking about their impact due to packaging and the amount of shipping they do. With a new release every week and the high volume of people shopping, the impact has to be huge. The amount of packaging and fuel they are also consuming consequently is frightening.
Absolutely love and appreciate this video and all the information. Sorry you throat was raw. But very good information and I'm so interested in doing my own research. Thank you!!!
I really genuinely appreciate the effort you put into this video. I’ve always wanted to know this information but wasn’t willing to put in the work. I can imagine how hard and depressing it was to look all of this up
Hannah, this a great video! I know that I've never given much thought to what the companies I'm buying from are using their profits for. This is so interesting. Thank you for taking us along your journey budgeting. I'm loving your beauty budget videos!
So much information, but such great content! Well done, Hannah! Thank you for all the work you put into this content. As a beauty lover, I know I should be more conscientious of the product am supporting but I am a lazy human. I think that all of this information is great consumer-need-to-know and will, more than likely, make us think twice about the businesses we give our money to. You talked a bit about parent companies in this video and I like your take on it. I also like the way you decided to check into Cruelty Free companies or not. My thoughts on parent companies are a bit like humans...we aren't our parents' mirror human, therefore, I do not judge by what a parent company does when looking at an entity operating under another, but can completely understand how some people get into that mindset. I think it's fair to judge a company's CF status on the two things you are checking for, testing and where they are selling. I watched every minute, by the way! Great Job!!!
"my name is alyssa edwards and this...[pause for the drama]...is alyssa's secrets....[loud tongue-pop to highlight the sheer flawlessness]" did i mention that i love your opening intro :D
Yaaaasss gray area party! Question your assumptions! Research companies! Research your own habits! Graaaaaaaay! Sidenote: I think you would really enjoy the show 'The Good Place'. The acting is fantastic and there's a lot of discussion of ethics, both theoretical and real, in the show.
Amazing video, Hannah! I appreciate your systematic evaluation of your monthly purchases. Your videos will help me be more conscious about my purchases.
I happily made it through the entire video, and I appreciated all the work you put into exploring these issues. I'm totally uneducated on these things, and I feel a little more educated after spending this hour with you :)
Completely finished the video! Glad to spend a third of my trip home with you ☺️ This project has to be such an undertaking and I’m proud of you for sticking to it (even though it’s only been a month)
Thank you so much for the information. Wow!!! At 50 going Vegan was huge but learning about companies and the story behind the scene is very important. We as consumers need to learn. Ignorance is bliss. :(. Thank you again. 3 weeks into my no buy and all of your videos resonate with my present journey.💕🌸
Thank you, Hannah! You put so much effort to put this together! Lots of info and I can feel your struggle of not be able to get everything you want, but you did so well, so don't give yourself too much pressure~~
Hi friends! Same as yesterday, I'm pinning a note to let you know that I'm working a tango festival right now and won't be able to get completely caught up on comments until next week. Thank you so much for watching and commenting! And thank you for your support & for subscribing to my channel, I can't believe I just passed 20k! xoxoxo!!!
Congrats!!!
Congrats on 20 K subscribers!!
Congrats! I've been kind of eyeing your numbers thinking you would for sure hit 20K by the end of February :) That probably sounds weird but I think you're amazing and it's exciting to watch your channel grow.
20K?! Woohoo!!!
Congratulations 🎉 I'm grateful for discovering your channel. I hope it continues to grow. 👍🏼 Enjoy your time at the festival!
*round of applause for all the work and research Hannah put into this*
Feeling spoilt rotten with all the great content from you this week 😆
*this* is the type of conversation I want to see more of on beauty channels!
It was so hard to watch you apologise at the end of this video. The content was definitely not boring and you did a great job starting to piece together information from companies that aren’t very transparent! Thanks for all the hours that went into this!
Kirri Solly-Slade 👏👏👏
Agreed. That was not my feeling at all either.
Not at all boring! One of my favorite videos this year!!
Absolutely agree ... I was fully absorbed in every minute of this video!
100% agreed!
Yes! As a college instructor, I try to encourage my students to get comfortable with the discomfort of the gray area. Very few issues are simply black and white. Thank you for addressing this and for the thoughtful approach to corporate ethics from a consumer standpoint.
Feel like we are being so spoilt with how often you are updating lately!!
Love the way you talk about the companies you brought from now being ‘in control of that money’ really makes you think mindfully about your spending
If you manufacture in China and sell there you normally do not have to test your products on animals, it's a grey zone. It's more for the products that are made outside of China but sold there. Also the companies themselves to not have animal testing labs, they allow the Chinese owned labs to test their products in their labs. That's how they say that they themselves do not test on animals. China has though recently moved more into testing the way EU tests, on articial made tissue. I know they have scientists out in the world now to learn the technique. So I am sure China will stop animal testing aswell, with some time. Just wanted to give whatever little information I had. Loved the video hon!
Love your videos😊💕
@Angelica Nyqvist Nice to see you here. :)
If you are looking for more info about Amazon, check out Abby Williamson's channel. She just posted a video about why she doesn't shop on Amazon, her perspective is from someone who lives in Seattle and sees the consequences of their headquarters in the city. It was a really interesting video! Not that you didn't do enough research, just offering some more info for you ❤️
Abby's video was very informative!
I really loved Abby's video since it was a different perspective on Amazon, and it wasn't preachy yet held valid points.
I boycotted Amazon for a year, but I stopped when I saw they gave their employees $15 hour. I still try to minimize my purchases.
Hannah, you are wonderful.
I think how tired, weary, and confused you were at the end of this process speaks volumes to the fact that many people who make those black and white claims such as "I am only going to do X" or "I'm definitely not going to do Y" likely do not understand what it is that they do not know.
Well done, Hannah! Kimberley Clark would be so proud! 👏👏👏👏
Hannah, the work you and Joe have put into this is so impressive! Thank you for this thoughtful approach.
Congratulations on 20k! Your growth towards intentional curated responsible consumerism is admirable.
I loved this video. It was not boring at all, it was really interesting learning about these companies. Thank you for putting so much time and energy into this! Also, I am living for those little clips with Joe and Sadie at the end, so cute!
First of all, THANK YOU. I watched every second of this video and I’m so glad. I consider myself to be well versed in the ethics of animal testing (by which I say well done in your research and explanations! I know our community can, unfortunately, be unnecessarily harsh. 🙄) I’ve been wanting to learn more overall about ethical consumerism, but it’s such a daunting task. So thank you for all of the hard work you’re doing to learn and share with us. I’m looking forward to learning more from you and starting to think and learn on my own too. You are an inspiration and a light! ❤️
Laurynn Elise 👏👏👏
Yes, I'm big on cruelty free cosmetics and I totally agree with this - Hannah is doing a great job.
“Let’s take a deep breath, open our minds, get curious and loosen our collective grip on perfectionism.” - HLP
This puts my mind and heart at ease. Love it so much I’m going to quote you on my channel. 😘😘😘
I am an anti-animal testing shopper but I never really felt the need to harass people over if they buy from companies that do test on animals because as you said- ethics are murky and varying shades of grey. I DO side eye when companies claim they're cruelty free and some basic research shows that they're obviously not (L'oreal and Sephora both do this).
I think it's way more gross for a company to pretend they're CF/anti-animal testing and flat out lie to a consumer than to say "Yeah we do this because the laws of China require it". NARS used to be cruelty free but started selling in China, but I respect them way more as a company because they made a statement saying they knew they'd lose their anti-animal testing base by selling there but the law is the law.
MAC is the worst about trying to claim they are CF when they are not. I can't stand MAC
@@rachelsurname4722 I agree with you- a LOT of companies in the beauty industry claim to be cruelty free/ethical through slimy dishonest language, which is ironic.
@@rachelsurname4722 ive witnessed first hand that Mac indeed claims theyre cf. I asked them on their instagram a few weeks ago and they said no, sent me to some anti vivisection website. Im really disappointed in this company that i will never buy even if theyre cf one day.
Great point! Every individual has the power of *choice* and it's ok for people to think differently! I'm actually enjoying the grey area of your informed consumerism presentation... good job! Now let your brain rest!
So glad you've added inclusivity in your categories. If nothing else, all your hard work has reinforced the adage, "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism." That is not to say that we should give up pushing corporations to be better, and to go out of our way to put our money, when possible, in more ethical companies, but there is a huge burden on the consumer to figure this stuff out for ourselves. Thank you for taking one for the team on this.
A 53 minute upload?!
My love for you just grows and grows!!!
Such an interesting and thorough video. Thank you for all of your hard work. I can see how it can be quite complicated. Just a little note related to Loreal and Maybelline manufacturing...not sure if it helps or would be similar but I worked for Revlon in the 1990's, at one of their manufacturing plants in Arizona. I can't speak to the sources of all the materials, or facilities outside the U.S., but the facilities in Arizona were very clean and well run. We were not allowed to take any photos inside as a lot of the automated production machines and robotics were patented, but we had to be FDA inspection ready at all times, and wear hairnets, gloves, etc. when walking through most areas. They had a Workers Union on-site to make sure of fair treatment and pay, employee cafeterias, locker rooms, amenities, security on-site. They offered full health coverage for entire families of even the lowest rankings of employees. They also used a lot of temporary and resident (with proper permits) immigrant labor and offered them full-time employment after a very short trial period. Since I worked in H.R., if an issue (most common were questions with hours and pay grades) with an employee arose, the union representatives were at their side to make sure they were addressed properly. Hopefully this helps. xo
Another thing to note about Amazon is that in every country they operate they pay little or not tax which is a huge issue in both economy and people's lives. For example, in the uk, tax is highly valuable for our nhs and schooling (I know all tax doesn't just go towards these things but they're still a huge part of most western societies)
Katie Elizabeth yes, and the roads that they use to transport their goods, and the tax credits which top up their employees low pay and so on ad infinitum
So good to have a critical thinker on You Tube! :-)
This was absolutely fascinating! Plus, you started out the video with a Rilke quote :) I think this is such a fabulous exercise in conscious consumerism. It is, as you say, quite a slog, and it also goes to show just how distanced we are from the companies we purchase from, and how much information is hidden away from everyday consumers. This was a behemoth of a video, and I think you did such a good job! Whether or not you're currently letting the information you find drive your future purchases or not, being aware of who you're purchasing from is an eye opener. As a cruelty free consumer, I really appreciate how you're handling the subject. Things like selling in China and in-house testing tend to have black and white answers - they do or they don't - but there are so many grey areas involved, and a lot of conflicting sources/certifications for cf products and companies. So I think it makes total sense within the confines of your spreadsheet. Also - Congrats on hitting 20k!!!
I don't usually comment on videos, but I wanted to say that I really respect what you're doing here. You're being incredibly honest about your purchasing habits and doing A LOT of behind the scenes research and then spending A LOT of time filming and editing this whole thing for us, when you don't have to be. I really appreciate you taking the time to do so because I find your viewpoint on these matters interesting and the research you did valuable. I look forward to watching the next installment (all one hour of it!)!
I love data Videos and was looking fortward to this.
I really like how you set up the spreadsheet.
I believe you should differentiate between the sub-company and the Parent-Company for the following reason:
When the parent companies Analyse that people rather buy from their more ethical sub companies, they are more likely to go into the ethical direction in the future.
At least in my mind this makes sense 😅
LeamauZz I agree
I've always felt this way too!
Agreed.
THANK YOU HANNAH!!! I really enjoyed this, and learned so much! Your research is appreciated and welcomed. Please continue your research and don’t feel that this is boring. Your 20K viewers need this.
It took me a while to commit to watching a nearly hour long video but I am so glad that I did and so grateful to you for doing all of this work and presenting it to your viewers so clearly. You inspired me to do a no-buy year and I've always been concerned with ethics of companies that I buy from, and ecological impacts but never put in the effort to really look into where my money is growing. I appreciate the starting point that I have from this video and, again, you have inspired me to do better in my own life. Thank you so much!
Hannah in Wonderland...I really feel like you jumped down the rabbit hole with this project. It shows that even with the internet there is a complete lack of transparency. Thank you for all your effort. Congrats on making it to 20K! ❤️
Hannah, what a labour of love! Love of exploration, of knowledge, of responsibility, of sharing, of making a difference, of growing.. What an amazing work you have done, this can become a research, a book, something that will go beyond your individual exploration, as it already is by sharing it with us. I can only imagine the hours spent gathering all this information!!! Thank you so much for this work. I have always been wanting to become more conscious and learn more about all of these issues, but only finding bits and pieces of conflicting information, you have presented a lot of food for thought. What I have loved the most was your introduction on the grey area, yes I resonate completely, it is so hard to sustain, yet it is the most ethic place to be probably, as ethic is not black and white, and it is also the hardest spot to be...an image I am sharing in hopes of easing your frustration on your quest, is what a professor once told me in the face of my own frustration while digging deeper (I cannot remember if this image he quoted and from where) and it always helps me, the more we learn, and grow and know, the more our sphere of knowledge expands, in expanding the surface of the sphere (knowledge) has more and more contact with the vast unknown, with all that remains in the dark (I am translating, English is not my first language, so not sure how it comes out) so the questions multiply, as our awareness of how much we still do not know expands with all that we know.....xxx
Can’t believe you finished this excellent video with “sorry”
You’re amazing, woman!
Hannah, even if all the information cannot be found right now, thank you so much for calling out that the information isn’t out there. This reveals that companies need to do more to be transparent in their practices so that consumers can “vote” wisely with our money!
This was so much work and so useful! It shows how hard it is to be an ethical consumer and how little info most companies really provide us (without lots of researching). I wish that more channels did something like this, we need this conversation!
Hannah, honey. You did so much work! It felt like a slog because it IS a slog. I would never do this project. I would think, “What a good idea!” But then If I ever actually undertook it, I would feel bored, depressed, and overwhelmed, all at once probably. You’re awesome. Thank you for this. 💗
If anything I feel the majority of us are grateful that you’ve compiled this data and then are able to convert it into shareable information for us. It’s good to plant the seed and begin to drill a little bit more than the surface level we are so use to. Great job and thank you the house! Over time this will go from spreadsheets to stories of their own. 🤗
I don't put myself out there like you do, so I can't relate to posting videos on topics that get people riled up, and making myself vulnerable to public criticism. But I have to tell you I am awed by the amount of work you put into this, and how incredibly dedicated you are to such a worthwhile endeavor! Please know this is NOT boring at all, quite the opposite. I think it's fascinating. If anyone does get bored they can click out, but please keep doing what you're doing-it's very appreciated! xo
Congrats on 20K! You are by far my favorite and most unique channel I have started watching in the last year. I appreciate how much time and effort you have put into this topic and many of the content you provide. In general, I watch much shorter videos, however, I don’t mind (At ALL) the length of your videos, because I find myself captivated by the information you provide. It does mean, sometimes your videos sit in my watch later until I have the time to watch them because I don’t want them on in the background while cleaning or doing another mundane task, because I don’t want to miss something you have said. Thank you for being a channel I didn’t know I needed in my life.
an interesting note on ecological impact would be that companies such as amazon and ebay use huge server farms, these servers consume massive amounts of energy, here comes the question in play what energy these coorperations use. Green energy would mean the ecological impact would be lower and so on...
I am really impressed how much work you put into this. Thank you for sharing your research.
I can very much relate to your thoughts on ebay. I like to buy and sell second hand. In terms of sending boxes, I think the huge difference between ebay and amazon is, that in (second hand) ebay something almost never gets returned. And when I sell something I reuse boxes and newspaper to package the item.
I also feel you on the grey area topic. The world it just so complex and one should recognize that. I oftentimes use expressions like "as far as I know" or "if I remember correctly" because I hate to claim that I know something when I don't. But when I say that I know something for sure, then I really do.
Yes Hannah, 44 minutes in and we're still watching! Definitely not the most boring video ever, in fact, it's been very very interesting! Thank you (and Joe) for all the work that went into this. 💖 You look amazing Susie Q, and I hope you're having a great and lucrative time at the festival!
Another important component of being cruelty free is not using any individual ingredients that have been tested on animals.
This video was amazing, Hannah. I can't imagine the amount of effort and time it takes in your daily life to add this research content into your filming schedule! I really enjoyed it, and thank you.
I love listening to your thoughts so much. Always such interesting insights. Thank you for that, Hannah! Now I’m ready to enjoy this video :) Have a great day!
I think it's do some that you are aligning your budget with your personal ethics. I think the spreadsheet you created with the info about companies is stuck a great idea. I definitely don't buy from certain stores/companies if I know they use practices I don't agree with, but I'm sure lots of companies slip through the cracks. Thanks for bringing more awareness to these questionable practices.
P.S. I just noticed you're up to 20k followers! Amazing! I am so astonished by how much you've grown since I started following you last summer. Great job!
Congratulations on 20k subscribers!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🥂 I have no idea who in their right mind would thumbs down any of your videos but I'm kind of loving it. It means you are standing up for something and hitting a nerve. "You have enemies? Good! That means you have stood up for something in your life." ~Winston Churchill.
Your research is fabulous!!! Rock on Hannah. 💖🤘🏻💋
I stayed until the end. I appreciate your hard work in being a conscientious consumer and sharing the information. I really admire your dedication to presenting different information and perspective on the beauty industry. I also love that you remain neutral and non judgmental, just presenting the facts and your personal experience.
This is really a job for a full-time investigative reporter, but it would be fascinating to see the breakdown of political donations to different candidates/SuperPACs made by these companies. The FEC website has a searchable database, but really difficult to see all of the records for a given corporation since donations are spread out over different names, PACs, etc. Love your comments on grey area and releasing the clutch on black-and-white thinking!!
44 minutes in, and I'm still watching! I'm glued to the screen. This is such an interesting video, and I really really enjoy it. Thank you for putting in the time to make this.
This wasn’t boring at all! I’m amazed and impressed as to how much time, attention and detail that you put into this project. You uncovered a lot of information within your research. I can see how this will make you not want to buy as much because of all the work you have to do after the purchase! Joe’s answer to what he thinks of your outfit, lol!
Hi Hannah! Last year I casually watched a few of your no-buy videos that popped up in my recommendations and just came across your beauty budget videos today. You mentioned at the end of this video that you were worried it was boring and too hefty. On the contrary, this video just made me subscribe to your channel! I LOVE how thoughtful, thorough, and realistic this content is! It's refreshing to have critical thinking encouraged and explored so openly. I just told my husband about your project and the word my brain reached for was "fascinating." I also like how you are being realistic in your timeline and not committing to more than you can handle within the given year - I never seem to remember to do that and it always bites me in the butt! XD
I like to consider myself fairly eco/ethically-minded, with a lot of room for improvement. While I compost, reduce my waste, and try make ethical (small business, fair-trade, sustainable, clean ingredient list, etc.) purchases when possible in certain areas, many other purchases go unchecked. I still have quite a bit of unconscious spending. Even despite watching ethical and conscious spending videos regularly, this is one of the most practical, useful videos I've watched. I actually feel like I know how to accurately assess the impact of my purchases in a data-driven way. I'm definitely going to try a similar approach as you for an in-depth inventory of my how my dollars are impacting the world around me.
What you're doing reminds of a "trash audit" that many zero/low-wasters do to start out and continually lessen their waste, but for financial purchases instead! I think it would illuminate my problem areas and enable me to actively seek out more positive ethical solutions. In particular, I'm itching to apply this to my food purchases, including restaurants and their parent companies, as well as grocery retailers and food suppliers. I think I would learn quite a lot from implementing your type of inventory/research approach. THANK YOU SO MUCH for creating and sharing this content! I'm excited to watch your journey throughout the rest of the year!
Peace & Light - Mindy
I have eczema and have loved Cerave products for years, but I have stopped buying their products last year when I went cruelty free. It’s SO disappointing to hear that they started selling in China. 💔🐰 And I had no idea they were owned by L’Oréal. 😔 Thanks for doing all this research! It’s amazing and is something that I’m wanted to look into myself after my no buy year.
Hi Katie! I have eczema too and I swapped to using Dermaveen! If you can access them where you are, they're cruelty free and eczema approved :)
Thank you for this undertaking. So informative. Your channel is an inspiration as always.
Im not trying to be a passenger seat driver...but the more you research Amazon the harder it may be to find the out what their take is from companies they distribute.
I work in book publishing....and Amazon takes a much higher cut of any book sold on their website than the 15 percent you reference in this video. They also demand exhorbitant "pay to play" fees of publishers. You may recall the drama with Hachette a few years back. They demand the same unreasonable fees of small publishers who simply can't afford to pay Amazon a million dollars a year just to have their books on the Amazon website. they have driven several pioneering independent publishers out of business through bad business practices.
Love your channel!
Amazon is a problematic favorite. They are willing to take such a loss to gain customers and thus drive smaller businesses into the ground. But I can imagine that the book side of the business is a bit different since the publishing business is so competitive.
@@brigutierrez5249 I'm not an expert...I would like to know more. ...and Amazon has done some good for some publishers/ authors... however I think for a lot of companies who work with Amazon the cut and fees Amazon is taking is proprietary info...so it's hard to estimate how much Amazon is really getting of your money vs the product creator.. Basically I try to buy from anywhere else before them.
I've been looking forward to this video since you first mentioned it. I've also been dreading it a little bit. I feel like we're so often blissfully ignorant to so many of these behind the scenes details. Thank you for putting so much work into this! I watched every second of the video. Also, the cat refusing love is hilarious Suzie-Q
Maybe you could add a column for transparency and if it was easy to find out the information, although perhaps that is covered by question marks 🤔
As an animal activist !!! I'm interested to see which brands you find that still conduct their own animal testing, as a lot of countries and states have been banning recently.
Also I think I recall that Sephora's house brand conducts tests on animals in America, or perhaps that was something they did on the past, it is certainly difficult to find information on these things! Most people stop researching once they find they are sold in China so I can't wait to see what else you find out!
Laura Prince I was thinking the same thing! But yeah, the more yellow...the less transparent! Makes sense!
Ulta house brand is cruelty free. But as you pointed out, how far does that go?
There are different models where some companies are owned by L'Oreal (or another big corporation) but operate independently (like NYX and Bare Minerals) and some are completely "swallowed" by L'Oreal, like CeraVe. The ingredients may be vegan, but they test on animals (sell in China). Not for vegans, which sucks. I've found a couple of alternatives though.
Marianne would you mind sharing the alternatives you have found?
@@abigailheynen4065 Of course! Ceramedex in the tub and First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (they also have more products that seem very nice. Chose the "all purpose" tub because it's cheaper. ;) Their ultra repair cleanser is also very nice! Those are the two products I've tried.) Oh, and The Ordinary's moisturizer also has ceramides and other good ingredients.
Ive been wanting to try cereve for years but I suspected theyre not cruelty free. First aid beauty repair cream is good and I have used many times.
@@abigailheynen4065 Earth Science makes cruelty-free, vegan ceramide body and face lotions and a line of sensitive/dry ceramide skin products. They're far less expensive than Cerave too!
Marianne I completely agree with this breakdown as well. I will gladly purchase NYX but even though I see Cereve all the time and would love to try some of their products its going to be a hard pass for me.
Thank you so much for all the hard work you have put into this. It was fascinating hearing about all these companies. Please don't feel bad about this video and the research uncovered, you found some gems and opened my eyes to company behaviours. Hope you continue this series.x
Thank you so much for all the work you do and the high quality of your videos. And congratulations on reaching 20K! I watched every second of this video, and was struck by your professionalism and effort into making incredible content. It is a journey to figure out how personal ethics play into where we spend our money and what companies we support. It's so tricky, and I appreciate all the time and effort you put into your detective work and the beautiful spreadsheet. I love spreadsheets (big nerd). Thank you again and I look forward to the continuing saga of Hannah's Beauty Budget.
I notices Asutra has vitamin C serum. You should try it and let us know your thoughts on their serums and other products! I'd love a series where you review additional products from companies that get high marks.
This is very interesting. I've never seen anything like this on RUclips. You're such a breath of fresh air, Hannah, and congratulations on your 20k!
Standing ovation for you, Hannah, for putting in so much work and effort into this video! I learned so freaking much from this and found it so interesting! Thank you so much and I hope you're enjoying your tango festival right now! All the love ♥♥♥
Im so sorry your throat is raw and parched! If it’s any consolation, this video was impeccably done and I listened to it like a podcast as I drove around today. Can’t wait to keep learning more from these brands. I am have always been disappointed that many RUclipsrs don’t share much about a brand’s history or background when showing one-brand tutorials or introducing new brands on their channels.
Another of my biggest concerns with Amazon is what happens to the huge amount of returns they receive. it's so easy to return stuff to Amazon!! is that stuff reused (sold), is it landfill, what is it? I've heard that they sell huge boxes of random stuff at wholesale prices...still wasteful..
A lot of it is resold as Like New or in Good Condition at a discount from the original price, it's visible when you look at all buying options. I think that's a good thing since it's recycling goods to an extent. No argument that Amazon has major issues, but any purchase I make is through smile.amazon.com where you choose an organization that will receive a small percentage of your purchases; I chose the Nature Conservancy.
unless they're completely new in box, amazon does not resell many used things. like you said a lot of them go to giant wholesale auctions.
Search RUclips for, I bought a box of Amazon returns.
Safiya Nygard did a video on this. She bought a box of returns.
So much of the big ticket items I purchase from Amazon are from their Warehouse deals. They rarely repackage and advertise the products as being in potentially damaged packaging. The carseats, high chairs, and rock n plays I bought when I had my twins were all Amazon warehouse purchases
What an AMAZING video. I am so thankful you took the work to do this project for those of us that have never had that subject really cross our mind in so much depth. Your hard work has made this video so easy to understand and also having so many facts that many of us haven’t hand any thought where our money was going when purchasing something, that maybe we need to think of our everyday purchasing in a bigger perception. This is absolutely awesome Hannah! 💙💜
Thank you for putting your voice out there and establishing yourself as someone who will hold corporations accountable for their behaviors. Ethical consumption is so extraordinarily important yet under-discussed-hopefully not for long.
Upon completing the video and hearing the despondency in your voice, I relate. I relate so hard. Keep fighting the good fight. And, as a self-proclaimed “animal rights activist” and “angry vegan,” I think you’re doing great. Love hearing your perspective as always, Hannah. And love the pairing of the blouse with the headband hehe :)
First of all congratulations on 20K subscribers. So well deserved. Second I can’t imagine the time and effort that both you and Joe put into this video. I found it fascinating and daunting as I try to work through my own ethics about purchasing from some of these companies. Yay no-buy year! Great job!💕💕
Stayed for the whole video! I decided to throw this on while I was working on some drawing exercises, so it was great to double down on the learning experience. I really appreciate your perspective and all the work you (and Joe!) have put into this. Even if you might feel like it wasn't enough, it was plenty for me - a few things I already knew, but most I absolutely did not. As I like to say: the more you know, the more you know you don't know!
Also: It's near impossible to live completely ethically and please everyone, but being more aware of the consequences of your lifestyle is far more valuable than being content with ignorance.
Also, this was NOT sloppy! It was intensely thoughtful and organized! You did so much work on behalf of this community you have created. NEVER APOLOGIZE.
Thank you for this video Hannah. It is obviously well researched and brings up an important topic that most of us don’t think enough about. This was clearly a huge effort on your part, but I hope you realize that you are having an impact on viewers like me who will think twice before buying from some of these huge companies and choose instead to support the more ethical choices. Well done!!!
I loved this, and I’m really inspired by this series. I would love to see a video devoted to Sephora vs. Ulta based on your good/bad characteristics.
This was a very informative video beautifully executed by you in every aspect! The amount of time and thought you (and Joe) have put into creating the spreadsheet; the time and effort that went into researching all of the information on every single company; and finally, the way you’ve presented the information in the video-everything was just impeccable in my opinion! The information you weren’t able to uncover didn’t take anything away from what I was actually able to learn from this video, nor did it make it any less interesting or valuable. I think that it’s because of the fact that this video was presented by you, it was not the least bit boring to watch not only because the info was good, but also because of beautiful quality of your speech, and alluring sound and calmness of your voice! I’m absolutely convinced that you could make total gibberish sound appealing, so when the information is so interesting, it’s just a win/win combination for me!
Contrary to how you seem to think you did, this was a super interesting video. I actually had it playing next to me while I was getting some work done and I kept finding myself looking away from my computer to pay attention to what you were saying. So interesting how you found out so many things I had no idea about. So much hard work, Hannah. Amazing. Please give Joe a huge high five and tell him we appreciate the hard work.
Your point is so accurate! Mature and conscious choices in the way we consume or spend money is very important.
Thank you so much for putting in all this work, this was so educational! It's always tempting as a consumer to just buy what you like and avert your eyes from any practices of companies you might not approve of, especially since it's such a labour-intensive process to gather valid information. I'm also thankful for your non-preachy attitude, I think we can all agree that shopping ethically is a struggle especially if you are restricted by things like a low budget or limited choice of alternatives due to location. I'm trying to buy my stuff from more ethical sources where I can, but it's difficult to always marry that with my wants and needs. For example I would love to be less dependant on Amazon but l live in a small German town and I want to read books in their original language. Not just any books, specific ones. They won't be available in local libraries or bookstores, so the by far easiest option is... yeah. My biggest contribution to a more ethical world right now is probably that I'm too poor to make much of a negative impact with my measly spendings.
I appreciate you talking about size diversity as a small size person this doesn't need to be on your radar, so it's heartening that it is!
I rarely comment on beauty channels but what you’ve done here is just awesome. I have decided to go 100% cruelty free this year and pay more attention to where my money is going. I wish all youtubers who promote the idea of corporate responsibility and cruelty free were as reasonable and put together as you are.
Also, on the whole parent company thing, I too feel that it matters just as much as the ethics that the brand claims to represent.
Yay I'm feeling blessed with all the content this week! I'll make myself a cup of tea and join you very soon ;)
I was surprised to see you apologize at the end. I was gripped and fascinated. It was a long video to be sure but I listen to it in the shower and so it was perfect for multitasking and listening. I'm learning with you so I'm looking forward to finding out more about these companies.
Thank you for all the thought you put into this video! I am also trying to be a more mindful shopper, shopping mostly secondhand unless the business fits my ethics - and your content always gives me more things to ponder. : ) Thanks for being such a sweet person with an interesting take on consumer spending!
P.s: congrats on surpassing 20k!
Thank you for doing this! Probably the most informative beauty video I have ever watched. Looking forward to monthly updates on this. Bravo
Thanks for bringing to light the info you found about these companies. I specifically loved your point that there is so little info about the production of cosmetics. That is something that I really love about some of the companies I have discovered in the “green beauty” (indie/nontoxic/clean beauty...whatever you want to call it) community. I have found quite a few companies that are incredibly conscious about their impact in all aspects of business. they are forthcoming with this info about where and how their cosmetics are developed through the whole supply chain.
Thank you for going through the effort to find this information! This truly is a gray area. I love your dedication and your ability to try to remain as objective as possible :). Hope your festival is wonderful!
What an undertaking! I am so filled with admiration of you for your dedication to this project. It's a lot but you present the information so clearly and I wasn't bored at all! I think the lack of transparency that these bigger companies display is really telling. It does make me think about buying from smaller indie brands. Definitely want to check out Timeless when I need to replace some skincare.
I really loved this video. I truly never thought of where my money ended up before... wow. Information is power and we all as consumers can take decisions as a whole who will influence our future and the actions of corporations. I’m really thankful you did all of this research and I’m pretty sure I’ll influence others decisions.
Totally interesting, and nice to see Sadie expressing herself at the end.
I'm so glad that CP is at least admitted that they are the fast fashion of the beauty world. Makeup and fashion aren't a consumable and yet we collectively treat it as such. I still like CP because despite their fast fashion attitude to their products, they do make quality products and are CF. But since their 3rd year in business I've been thinking about their impact due to packaging and the amount of shipping they do. With a new release every week and the high volume of people shopping, the impact has to be huge. The amount of packaging and fuel they are also consuming consequently is frightening.
Again WOW!!! I’m so impressed. And it definitely makes me think about the companies from where I purchase. Really amazing Hannah.
Absolutely love and appreciate this video and all the information. Sorry you throat was raw. But very good information and I'm so interested in doing my own research. Thank you!!!
I really don’t get how people can dislike this type of video(?)
Great job Hannah!
Thank you for this video and congratulations on 20k
I really genuinely appreciate the effort you put into this video. I’ve always wanted to know this information but wasn’t willing to put in the work. I can imagine how hard and depressing it was to look all of this up
Not sure if you mentioned this but Clarisonic is also owned by Loreal. Great video!
Hannah, this a great video! I know that I've never given much thought to what the companies I'm buying from are using their profits for. This is so interesting. Thank you for taking us along your journey budgeting. I'm loving your beauty budget videos!
Hannah, I'm so proud of you
I really love this series! Personal growth has to start somewhere and I think this is a great place to start.
So much information, but such great content! Well done, Hannah! Thank you for all the work you put into this content. As a beauty lover, I know I should be more conscientious of the product am supporting but I am a lazy human. I think that all of this information is great consumer-need-to-know and will, more than likely, make us think twice about the businesses we give our money to. You talked a bit about parent companies in this video and I like your take on it. I also like the way you decided to check into Cruelty Free companies or not. My thoughts on parent companies are a bit like humans...we aren't our parents' mirror human, therefore, I do not judge by what a parent company does when looking at an entity operating under another, but can completely understand how some people get into that mindset. I think it's fair to judge a company's CF status on the two things you are checking for, testing and where they are selling. I watched every minute, by the way! Great Job!!!
"my name is alyssa edwards and this...[pause for the drama]...is alyssa's secrets....[loud tongue-pop to highlight the sheer flawlessness]" did i mention that i love your opening intro :D
Yaaaasss gray area party! Question your assumptions! Research companies! Research your own habits! Graaaaaaaay!
Sidenote: I think you would really enjoy the show 'The Good Place'. The acting is fantastic and there's a lot of discussion of ethics, both theoretical and real, in the show.
The whole time I was watching this I was thinking, "How would Chidi approach this video?" (would probably end with a panic attack tbh)
Thank you for all the work in this video! I really love this type of thoughtful consumerism! Thank you for slogging through! I loved it!
Amazing video, Hannah! I appreciate your systematic evaluation of your monthly purchases. Your videos will help me be more conscious about my purchases.
I happily made it through the entire video, and I appreciated all the work you put into exploring these issues. I'm totally uneducated on these things, and I feel a little more educated after spending this hour with you :)
Completely finished the video! Glad to spend a third of my trip home with you ☺️ This project has to be such an undertaking and I’m proud of you for sticking to it (even though it’s only been a month)
Thank you so much for the information. Wow!!! At 50 going Vegan was huge but learning about companies and the story behind the scene is very important. We as consumers need to learn. Ignorance is bliss. :(. Thank you again. 3 weeks into my no buy and all of your videos resonate with my present journey.💕🌸
Thank you, Hannah! You put so much effort to put this together! Lots of info and I can feel your struggle of not be able to get everything you want, but you did so well, so don't give yourself too much pressure~~