What is "Comme Avant" ?
Comme Avant offers natural cosmetics with a maximum of 4 ingredients (which is simple but very effective). They have no colouring agents or preservatives, and some of their products are Cosmos, Slow Cosmétique, Vegan and Ecodetergent certified. It's a family business, with Sophie and Nil and their two children Nael and Joan behind Comme Avant. This atypical company is taking an active part, in their own small way, in the zero waste transition for the planet. The manufacture of their products is transparent and no-holds-barred: they reduce everything superfluous to minimise waste. As a result, their solid products are more economical and last longer - a return to the past to take action for our future.
I'm very environmentally aware and I'm in the middle of a transition to reduce my waste, as I told you in a previous article. So when they offered to send me this kit, which included "just the essentials" in cosmetics : a soap, a solid shampoo, a powdered toothpaste, a solid cream and a solid deodorant, I was really excited. I was already familiar with the cream and the solid deodorant, which I'd already approved of, so I was able to discover some new products and compare them with my old zero-waste products. So here's my opinion on each of the products !
My opinion of the products tested
1) Olive oil soap
Soap is a very easy replacement for shower gel. As I have sensitive skin, I was worried that it would dry me out, as it's quite difficult for me to find a soap that suits me. I was really surprised because it doesn't dry out my skin at all, it doesn't smell and it has a very pleasant melting texture. Unlike commercial soaps, it doesn't contain any palm oil or derivatives (which is a huge plus, as it's very difficult to find soaps with very good compositions easily). It's suitable for the whole family and for intimate areas without irritation. Arnaud tested it as a shaving bar and found it much better than (genuine) Marseille soap. On the other hand, the foam isn't very thick, but that doesn't hinder shaving at all and it's not irritating in any way.
2) Argan and rhassoul solid shampoo
Like the soap, I was afraid it would dry out my hair or, on the contrary, make it greasy. I'd had so much feedback about solid shampoos before I went zero-waste that I was afraid of that. My first shampoo was also the result of a collaboration, and I was so well advised that the first one I tested suited me perfectly. So I was able to make a comparison between this one and my old one, and honestly I saw hardly any ! The only difference is that my old one lathered more easily, and this one is a bit tricky to apply at first because of its shape. But you soon get used to it, and I'm really pleased with it : like my old one, I don't need to use it every time I wash my face, I only use it once a week or even every fortnight. It rinses out very easily, doesn't melt in your hand and doesn't give your hair any smell.
3) Minty siwak powder toothpaste
I've tried two types of toothpaste since my transition to zero waste : a powder and a solid. I much preferred the powdered one, even though the solid is really practical when hiking or travelling, so I was really looking forward to testing the Comme Avant one ! It has virtually no taste, and is in no way disgusting, which is THE positive point for me as I'm very sensitive to the taste of toothpastes (some have made me nauseous). It brushes the teeth much better than traditional toothpaste, and requires much less water to rinse (two sips of water are enough). The only negative point is that it's not necessarily practical to apply it to the toothbrush, so you tend to put some on the side.
4) Solid shea butter cream
My favourite Comme Avant product is this solid cream ! It can be used for hands, nails, as a lip balm, after-sun, after-shave and simply to moisturise the skin (face, body...). It's very easy to apply because it melts into the hands, and I could see results after just one use, whether it was for dry hands, eczema or chapped lips (I applied it in the evening, and the next morning I didn't have a trace of a seemingly dried-out lip. I don't use it on my face, as the cream tends not to penetrate (but that's just a question of skin type), but Arnaud uses it as an aftershave and finds that he has far fewer pimples and his skin is no longer tight: he loves it.
5) Cocoa butter solid deodorant
Like the cream, I loved this deodorant, which has an exquisite chocolate scent. It's so delicious, you almost want to eat it ! I find it much more effective than a classic industrial deodorant, and its composition is much cleaner too. When you see the composition of classic deodorants, it's really scary because you apply it to your skin very regularly... I was worried that it would be complicated to apply because it's solid, but in reality it's not at all ! It melts quickly on contact with the skin, so it's not painful or irritating to apply. A lot of people are afraid to switch to solid deodorant because of the hygiene aspect, but all you have to do is apply it to clean skin and unlike roll-on deodorant, the whole product isn't 'contaminated', just the top.
Where can I follow Comme Avant ?
Their Facebook page : www.facebook.com/commeavantcosmetique
Their Instagram account : www.instagram.com/commeavantbio/
Their website : www.comme-avant.bio/
