Our Vetting Process for People & the Planet

Exploration

Before expanding our curation, we take the time to thoroughly research the brand or product in question. We start by learning more about the brand’s story and ethos to make sure they share core values like inclusivity and care for both people and the planet. We research how they started, what motivates them, the impact they hope to have in the world, and the standards they hold themselves to. Additionally, we make sure that none of the products or practices have been culturally appropriated. For example, we don’t carry products for smudging as this practice is sacred to Native American and Indigenous Peoples.

Next, we examine ingredients, paying attention to a few different areas:

Ethical Sourcing: Ingredients should be sourced in a way that doesn’t cause harm to people or the environment. For instance, if a product contains mica (a mineral that gives certain lotions and oils a shimmering appearance), we require certifications on ethical sourcing practices to make sure this ingredient has not been mined using child labor. 

Plant-based: This area is two-fold. Firstly, we prioritize products that draw on botanical ingredients rather than artificial ones. Secondly, we pride ourselves on bringing you a vegan assortment. When there are exceptions to this rule, such as lip balms that contain beeswax or honey, we require animal welfare statements from brands.

Sustainability: We want to build a better world for future generations and this means making sure none of the ingredients in our assortment place an unnecessary strain on the earth’s natural resources. For instance, we only carry products that contain palm oil if this ingredient is Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified.

Safety: We also avoid ingredients like parabens, phthalates, PEGs, and sulfates as these can have negative impacts on people and the planet. Furthermore, we say no to ingredients that may be contaminated by other, potentially harmful, ingredients. For example, you’ll never find talc in our curation as it is often contaminated by asbestos. 

Efficacy: It’s important to us that everything we carry actually works, which is why we examine each product’s active ingredients. For example, we love hyaluronic acid as it’s proven to help skin retain water and encourage a dewy, radiant complexion.

We also have specific criteria for specific types of products. For example, we don’t carry sunscreens that contain oxybenzone, as this ingredient can harm marine life. 

From there, we move on to looking at each item’s packaging. It’s important to us that the packaging is high-quality, appropriate for the product, and user-friendly. Again, sustainability plays a part in our decision-making here; we prioritize packaging that can be reused or recycled or is made from reused or recycled materials. For example, we love that the LastSwab from LastObject comes with a case made from ocean-bound plastic packaging and arrives in recyclable cardboard.  

Our last criteria? Aesthetics! We want to create a collection of products that are not only functional and safe, but also look great in your home. When it comes to the items in our curation, we think appearances matter and we pride ourselves on offering products that are so visually appealing you’ll actually look forward to using them on a daily basis.

Team Trial

This is our favorite part of the process. Our team members personally test every product we carry and only say yes to those we would recommend to a friend or family member. This stage helps us make sure that tinctures taste good, skincare products don’t leave residue, stress supplements leave us feeling calmer, and much more.

Documentation 

As we mentioned above, we require documentation for products that contain ingredients like palm oil and beeswax, but another ingredient that deserves a special mention is CBD. Standard Dose originates from a desire to combat misinformation and create standards for safe, quality products in the CBD market. That’s why, for any product that contains CBD, we require third-party lab testing for purity and potency. 

So there you have it, a little sneak peek into our vetting process! And of course, if you have any questions about the brands and products we carry, feel free to reach out to our Wellness Advisors.