There’s a saying that goes, “Take care of the world inside you so you can take care of the world outside you.”

Many of us, including me, subscribe to that notion, that’s why we give a lot of importance to self-care. But I also believe it’s possible to take care of yourself and take care of the world around you at the same time.

When choosing personal care products, for example, it takes just a little more thoughtfulness to seek out brands that are socially or environmentally oriented. An outstanding one is Glowing Orchid Organics. This homegrown Canadian brand not only makes fantastic creams and soaps, they also empower their customers to contribute to a worthy cause. Here’s how every purchase from Glowing Orchid becomes a charitable act from each customer.

• Giving access to safe drinking water to families in Cambodia – Donations go to the Trailblazer Foundation, which installs Bio-Sand Water Filters that makes the water safe to drink.
• Providing solar lights to families in Kenya – Solar lamps are safe, convenient lighting tools for families who wouldn’t be able to afford them.
• Conducting a special life education program for children in India – Classes are taught by expert educators from the local child welfare agency. Subjects include personal hygiene, sex education, and career counselling.
• Providing grain seeds to nourish children in Malawi – Parents receive a year’s supply of seeds such as vegetables and soya bean. They also get training on conservation farming.
• Planting trees to nurture forests around the world – From Kenya to India to Cambodia, the increased number of trees help protect communities from floods while regulating carbon emissions in the atmosphere.

What do Glowing Orchid customers have to do to donate? Absolutely nothing! These contributions come at no additional cost to Glowing Orchid buyers. You just buy the products you like, and you’re automatically giving to a cause!

For example, when you buy Glowing Orchid’s Facial Creme, part of the money you pay goes to children’s life education in India. That’s counted as one Impact. Or when you purchase their Natural Deodorant in a Paper Tube, you’re automatically donating to clean water access across the globe, and that’s another Impact.

So far, in the three years that Glowing Orchid has been with B1G1, the business has made a whopping 191,206 Impacts all around the world! That’s all thanks to the company’s lovely customers who have mindfully chosen to buy from an ethical, socially conscious brand. Glowing Orchid aims to hit 1 million Impacts, and with your continued purchases, you can be part of this effort!

Now we know how easy it is to support a cause just by purchasing products we love. But this is much more than just easy giving. Glowing Orchid specifically chose B1G1 as their partner initiative not just for the ease it provides, but also because of two important reasons.

First, B1G1 maintains transparency in terms of where the money goes and what the results are. Through regular blog posts and comprehensive annual reports, the initiative reveals Impact numbers, spotlights their project organisers, and shares real-life stories of individuals and communities who benefit from the projects.

The other reason is that B1G1 projects are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. SDGs are categories of development targets that the UN has identified as essential to humanity and wants to achieve by 2030. Among these goals are eradicating poverty, ensuring decent work, and implementing climate action.

Glowing Orchid’s supported projects are aligned with 12 of the 17 SDGs. Above, you see how the company's donations or Impacts are distributed among these SDGs as of March 13, 2023. Most of Glowing Orchid's Impacts go to these three development goals:

• Providing clean water and sanitation
• Ensuring good health and wellbeing
• Making cities and communities safe, resilient, and sustainable.

I think it’s all the more noble for charity to be in line with the UN’s global goals. It lets you know that your donation isn’t just going to random organisations, but to those that actually have a concrete vision of what they want to achieve.

The B1G1 partnership is only one of the many reasons I’m in awe of Glowing Orchid Organics as a personal care brand. Besides their commitment to giving, they’ve built their business on the principle that personal care should be ethical and organic – no harmful ingredients or questionable manufacturing practices involved!

Brands like this make it easier for us customers to live a mindful lifestyle and to be a little more selfless when it comes to self-care. If you want to shift to a personal care routine that’s genuinely good for you and also better for the greater world, browse the Glowing Orchid shop and you’ll find a product or two to love. (Their Helichrysum Facial Creme and Baking Soda-Free Deodorant are absolute favourites!)

All images courtesy of B1G1.