You know the frustration of running out of toothpaste? or hand soap? Or maybe your stress is in deciding what products you want to bring into your home? Or maybe you want your kids to help with cleaning, but you don’t want them exposed to the harsh chemicals found in most cleaning supplies? Or maybe you are feeling like you want to be more purposeful with the companies to whom you give your money (do they do animal testing? do they use recycled materials? do they have a social mission?)?
These were all concerns of mine when I was first introduced to Grove Collaborative. Grove Collaborative is a Certified B Corp who describes themselves this way:
“We are passionate about the environmental and health impacts of our products. Our site is carefully curated with brands that are good for you, your family and the planet. In making thoughtful decisions today, we not only ensure a better tomorrow but a healthier future for generations to come.”
Why Grove?
I love a lot about the company itself and what they stand for. Plus, their customer service has been fantastic. For example, I regularly order the Tom’s of Maine toothpaste for kids in strawberry for my kindergartener. He hates the “spicy” toothpaste. But I wanted the one with fluoride in it. I thought I had ordered it, but when it arrived with the rest of my order, it was the no fluoride version. I double-checked my order and–sure enough–I had chosen the wrong one. I reached out to customer service (which is super easy to do because you have individual staff members assigned to individual accounts and they email you regularly, but not too regularly, to check in and give you updates on new products or delays in processing, etc.) and told them of my mistake and how I thought I had ordered the version with fluoride. They promptly sent me the fluoride version at no additional charge and told me to keep/donate the no-fluoride version I had received.
Most recently, they were a day behind on processing orders, so my customer service rep emailed me to update me on the status of my order (I did not reach out or inquire–I honestly wasn’t even worried about it) and apologized for the day delay. She added a free gift to my cart to be included in my next order. I LOVE a pro-active customer-service minded company! They are really hard to find nowadays.
As a VIP member, I pay a small fee once a year (I don’t know if things have changed, but I’ve paid $20 for the past two years) and receive free shipping on my orders each month. I can set items I love to show up in my cart as regularly as I deem necessary and can edit those settings any time. Also, every few months, I get a full-size VIP gift which is usually a new item they are carrying that they send out in my next order for free. All in all, I say that the VIP membership pays for itself and then some. In addition, they also offer price matching, so if you do find one of their products on sale somewhere else at a lower price, you can email them and they will make the adjustments.
Here are a few of my favorite things that Grove sells:
Mrs. Meyers–I love their bars of soap, hand soaps, dish soap, and counter spray. I love that they are safe for even the littlest of hands yet smell divine. When the apple cider scent comes out in the Fall, I always stock up to get me through till New Year’s! The rest of the year, I am happiest with the Basil scent. Now that my boys are old enough to help out in cleaning the kitchen, I feel better knowing we are using products that contain natural ingredients.
Caldrea all-purpose cleaner–This is joy in a bottle! Cleaning my kitchen floor is not one of my favorite things, but filling the sink with hot water and 1/2 cup of this makes the job so much better! I LOVE it! My favorite scent is Sea Salt Naroli. It has a clean, citrusy scent without any heavy perfumes. It also does a fantastic job of cutting through food spills and grease. It is a bit pricier than the Mrs. Meyers’ products, but that scent is so uplifting and enjoyable and the big bottle really does last. My favorite part, though, besides the amazing scent is that it is a natural product, so I can have my kids help me as we turn the cleaning of the floor into a race against the clock. I don’t have to worry that the cleaner will hurt their skin or that they will ruin their clothes if when they play with their rags and get it on their clothes.
Cora products-OK, if you are a man or an easily-offended woman, skip over this one.
Cora makes feminine products (you know, maxi pads and tampons). Let me correct that last statement. Cora makes THE BEST feminine products. Their pads are amazingly thin and really and truly conform to your body and move with you. I have used these for two months already and have yet to experience any leaks on even the heaviest of days with these glorious pads. Did I mention they are incredibly thin? I don’t think I did enough. They are SUPER thin.
Besides their awesome fit and feel, they are free of chlorine, fragrances, artificial dyes, deodorants, toxic adhesives, acetone, rayon, polyester, chloroform, phthalates and other scary stuff! They are made with renewable energy in the USA. And as if that weren’t enough, they give pads to girls in need all over the world. Their tampons are made from 100% Certified Organic Cotton and their applicators are made without BPA. They are awesome. You know, there isn’t a whole lot to feel great about when it’s “that time of the month,” but unwrapping a beautifully-wrapped pad and knowing it’s going to do its job just makes things a little better. Plus you’re helping someone else have a similar experience somewhere else on the planet. I’d say that’s a win.
Yes to Natural Man Shaving Cream-My husband swears by this stuff. I think he has tried every “sensitive skin” formula you can buy and his skin always seemed to break out and burn after he shaved. Until this glorious shaving cream came into the picture. He loves it. His buddy tried to convince him that there was a better solution in some specialty shaving cream he could order online. My husband tried a sample and went right back to this glorious cream.
Method body wash-This is a newer love because these body washes just came out this year. Y’all. They are amazing. I love love love the Pure Peace scent in the pink bottle. It lathers up perfectly and the refreshing scent lingers on your skin after you come out of the shower. Sometimes my kids will hug me an hour later and say, “Mmmm. You smell good!” And I do! As a busy mom there aren’t many luxurious moments available to me on a regular basis, but that moment when I stop and smell the gorgeous scent of this soap feels luxurious to me. And it has no harmful chemicals, keeping my skin–and our planet–healthy.
Tom’s of Maine toothpastes–I had read a while back that switching to a natural toothpaste would help eliminate (or at least reduce) the number of canker sores I got in my mouth. It has been true for me. I have tried a couple different versions of the Tom’s of Maine toothpastes and haven’t disliked one yet. I already mentioned earlier about how my son loves the strawberry flavor for kids. I also use the non-fluoride strawberry version now for my little girl and she loves it and I don’t worry so much about her inefficient spitting.
Grove Collaborative Cleaning Gloves–these dish gloves are one of those little luxuries I love to have. If I have to wash some dishes by hand it is usually because we’ve already filled the dishwasher. If we’ve already filled the dishwasher, it means I’ve probably cooked more than usual. And I’m tired. So washing dishes by hand at the sink is probably not at the top of my list of things I want to do. But, I put a little Mrs. Meyers hand lotion on my hands, then put these pretty gloves on and I take a minute to enjoy the lovely smell of the Mrs. Meyers dish soap in my sink and doing the dishes feels a little less like a chore. And when I’m done, I pull my gloves off and my hands feel great.
Method Antibac Bathroom Cleaner-–Every Saturday (OK, that’s not true. Life happens.) Most Saturdays, we divide up the cleaning jobs in our house and two very fortunate boys will be cleaning two bathrooms in our home. This bathroom spray is all-natural so I feel better about spraying it all over and putting my guys to work without so much worry about the harsh chemicals in the air or burning their skin or staining their clothes. Plus it does a great job and leaves a fresh, minty scent behind. I keep a bottle in every bathroom for quick and easy cleaning.
Caldrea linen & room spray–This little bottle of joy has gotten a lot of compliments over the past two years and has really lasted. I bought a bottle in the Pear Blossom Agave scent to keep in our half bathroom downstairs. It really smells great without an overwhelming, heavy perfume effect. I spray it sometimes if I know people are coming over and it leaves our bathroom smelling a little less like four boys use it on a daily basis.
Get a Free 5-Piece Gift Set
I am not an affiliate of Grove Collaborative, just a happy customer. When you refer your friends to Grove, they receive a free gift set and if those referred friends ever make a purchase, you receive a $10 credit on your account. If you are interested in receiving a free 5-piece gift set from Grove, my referral link is here. If any of these items I’ve mentioned sound like things you’ve been looking for, I can’t recommend them enough.
