It’s been an interesting road up to this post, my first review in my newly relaunched product review feature. I’m trying to see things differently—to look at products with a mindset defined by questions such as: is this product good for my personal development? Is it going to somehow contribute to the positive growth of the community? Does it have little or no relative negative impact on the world?

So many questions! Product reviewing is going to be a path slowly travelled—but let’s be honest, I’m going to love figuring it out, however long it takes. Nerd alert 😉

I’ve been a member of Influenster for a year and a half now and found myself keeping my fingers crossed to start getting their VoxBox’. I finally got one this week and, quite appropriately perhaps, it was a nice green box that matches my blog’s theme quite nicely. Unfortunately the lighting isn’t too good today, but I hope you get a good idea from the pictures below—there is nothing quite like sharing the fun of opening a package.

This excitement was cautious to say the least, a reminder that I have to be careful not to lose sight of my primary objectives, and that I shouldn’t let the fun of receiving a package and trying new products cloud my judgement (because omg, package!) I find it so easy to find excuses to buy stuff even with the best of intentions because I get caught in the excitement of getting something new.

Anyhow!

Why The Bioré Baking Soda VoxBox?

One of the reasons I applied for the Bioré Baking Soda VoxBox is that it contains facial cleaning products—something everyone needs to do well, since cleanliness is next to godliness—and it is baking soda based. There are increasing concerns about water pollution cause by cosmetic chemicals (here, here, here), so alternatives that allow us to have clean, clear skin while not harming the environment are well worth it.

Another reason is that these products are baking soda based. This ingredient has made quite a splash in the beauty world recently inspiring hacks that seem to be everywhere (here, here, here). Baking soda can be both found as is in nature or produced in a laboratory based on other compounds. Mining of course has quite an environmental impact. But it seems that the environmental impact of baking soda is still quite low (here).

Both these products ALSO include a bunch of others I don’t recognise. Seeing these lists, I realise that I have to find tools online created by experts in the field that can help me make a more informed decision. For the purpose of this review, however, I’ll let it be.

A Little Bit about Bioré and the Products Included

As a company, Bioré is owned by the Japan-based chemical and cosmetics company Kao Corporation. Only a couple of months ago, it was named one of the most ethical companies for nine consecutive years by the Ethisphere Institute. According to GoodGuide, the company’s “environmental policies, practices and performance are above average” with a GoodGuide score of 6.5 out of 10. The same guide gives 65 Bioré products between 4.3 and 7.0 out of 10. The two products in question are not on the list yet—I’m intrigued to know what their score will be.

The packaging is made out of plastic number 5 which can be recycled and is apparently one of the safer plastics. The 128 grams of cleansing scrub are bound to go a long way, since each use requires only a quarter size and recommended usage is 2-3 times a week. The 200 milliliters of the pore cleanser will probably waste more plastic though as it is meant for daily use.

First Use of the Bioré Baking Soda VoxBox Products

My first use of both products when splendidly. My skin felt so soft, which can be very difficult in the middle of winter. One pump of the pore cleanser delivered just the right amount for my entire face; I was a little concerned about getting the cleansing scrub powder wet—do not take this one into the shower!—but the simple delivery system includes a top that pops up thanks to a button on the side of the cap that can easily help keep the powder dry—if one is careful.

That’s it for now! I’ll be back in two weeks with an update on if this product continues to work its magic or not, and with any new information I might have gleaned on the product, its ingredients, or on Bioré or Kao. If you know anything about these, do let me know in the comments below!

Important: I am not an expert when it comes to the environmental effects of products on the environment; I am just a concerned consumer trying to have the least negative impact on the global community. I received these two products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.