Biom Refillable Wipes

In response to the increased use of cleaning products amid the Coronavirus pandemic, Biom launched refillable and compostable wipes to help keep clean more manageable. The brand offers all-purpose cleaning wipes and alcohol sanitizing wipes that are skin safe. Their wipes are plant-based and completely biodegradable. The sleek refillable design looks great sitting on your kitchen counter, so much so that you wouldn’t even guess they’re wipes. The refillable dispenser comes in four colors, with the occasional limited edition color releases. The brand offers a subscription service at a discounted price and one-time purchases, depending on your needs. Biom created these wipes with people and the planet in mind by making everyday tasks easier while not contributing to additional waste.

Ohhcean Vibrators 

Ohhcean, a new sex toy line backed by Sinful, the largest adult intimate retailer in Scandinavia, launched the world’s first vibrators manufactured from outbound recycled ocean plastic. The brand wanted to find a solution for plastic waste and expand the ways we can upcycle ocean plastic. Ohhcean offers three vibrators in different shades of blue to represent the ocean from which the materials came. The collection launched in Europe, with further international expansion planned for the near future. Occhean marks a moment of being environmentally mindful in all areas, including sexual wellness, which may have been an afterthought prior. This collection aims to reduce the environmental impact of intimate products. These are products made to not only create fun and intimacy but inspire the possibilities of change. 

Everist Shampoo, Conditioner & Body Wash Concentrates 

Instead of creating a shampoo and condition bar, Everist found another way to ditch water in our personal care products without losing the traditional lather feeling. Everist offers shampoo, conditioner, and body wash concentrates packaged in a recyclable aluminum tube. These highly concentrated products lather like conventional shampoo or body wash when wet. A little goes a long way, and Everist wants you to get all the products, so each concentrate comes with an aluminum turnkey to ensure you get the most out of your purchase. The brand uses ingredients that naturally break down over time and do not pollute water systems. Everist gives you a traditional shampoo and conditioner feel without additional waste. These concentrates are revolutionizing a notably wasteful industry and are a force for positive

The brand is hoping to ensure equal access to contraception regardless of what state you reside in. Julie Schott has discussed how many of her business ventures are inspired by her wanting to create a better coming-of-age story for young people, and this contraceptive is no different. Needing to take a morning-after pill is nothing to be ashamed of, and Julie is hoping to lower the stressors that come after unprotected sex. The brand also aims to educate people by creating a medical board to help get reliable and credible information to the public. The brand has also established a 1:1 program; for every purchase, one will be donated to communities in need on a quarterly basis. 

Julie gave the morning after-pill a Gen-Z-approved rebrand, helping make the medication stigma and anxiety free. The colorful box creates an approachable element to the product. Investor in Julie Comedian Esther Povitsky said, “I could visualize myself laughing with my friends like, ‘Oh, I had sex with a loser. I’m gonna grab Julie on the way home.'” Julie is meant to give emergency contraceptives a new reputation. It’s a product you can keep on hand in case of an emergency and feel no shame when purchasing it. Julie is helping people of all ages, but especially young people take control of their reproductive health with their messages of empowerment and mission of accessibility. 

Saie Beauty hosted an array of conversations on their Instagram Live to discuss reproductive health education and what a post-Roe v. Wade America looks like. These conversations were held with SisterSong, CEO of Megababe – Kate Sturino, CEO of Maude – Eva Goicochea, and Saie Founder Laney Crowell. Laney Crowell was featured on CNN and discussed how the brand’s part of this collaboration raised over $100,000 in only four days. The Every Body Campaign is centering marginalized communities to ensure access to reproductive care that is often overlooked in the fight for justice. 

Fan favorite brands include by/rosie jane, Fable & Mane, Freck Beauty, Kate McLeod, Kinfeld, Kopari, maude, Megababe, Mented Cosmetics, Nécessaire, Nette, The Outset, PHLUR, Topicals, and Youth to the People are all part of this campaign. They have launched limited edition items to support SisterSong. Some of our top picks include the maude Sex Ed for Every Body baseball cap, Nécessaire’s limited edition body lotion, Freck Beauty Rich Bitch moisturizer, and the Kinfeld Cloud Cover sunscreen. You can shop the entire collection on everybodycampaign.com. This is an excellent opportunity to shop some of your favorite products and discover new brands proudly taking action to ensure equal access to reproductive healthcare.

What Are the Issues?

Abortion is on the ballot this election due to the overturn of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. California, Michigan, and Vermont are attempting to gain further protections for abortion access in their states. In contrast, Kentucky is hoping to pass a measure to deny the right to an abortion. Montana has the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act on the ballot, which would fine or allot prison time to providers that do not provide what the state deems to be ‘life-saving care’ to infants, including penalties for abortion. Over the summer, Kansas tried to pass a similar measure to Kentucky. It failed, proving that many people need safe access to reproductive health care regardless of party. 

Rising gas prices and worsening inflation across all industries concern voters considerably. Democrats were able to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, and with continued majority control in Congress, the party will attempt to continue to try to lower prices and negotiate trade deals. Supreme Court rulings such as the overturn of Roe v. Wade have proven to be an economic issue. Many Americans could not afford to have more than two children as there would be approximately $30,000 of additional yearly expenses. This election is very different from others as states are trying to pass harsher laws that most voters are not in favor of, which could deter voters from voting along party lines, especially concerning economic issues. 

Right-wing candidates have built many campaign promises around fear-mongering of leftist ideologies. Matters on the school level around teaching evolution, climate change, the history of the United States, and critical race theory, a college-level course, have become a talking point for Republican candidates. In Florida, Ron DeSantis wants to ban teaching critical race theory, one again – a college level course, and many states have followed suit in these claims or have banned books with messaging that they believe it aligns with CRT. These dangerous narratives being pushed instill fear in many Americans with hopes of them showing up on election day. 

LGBTQ+ issues, especially regarding transgender youth, have significantly shaped the midterm election. Anti-LGBTQ+ groups have spent tens of millions of dollars airing ads targeting the transgender community, mainly young people, attempting to spread dangerous misinformation. This has been a critical factor in the Florida governor race, where Democratic candidate Charlie Christ has slammed Ron DeSantis for having zero decency or kindness towards people that don’t look like or act like him. Targeting women, transgender youth, and the greater LGBTQ+ community is a fear-mongering tactic to put those communities in danger. People must head to the ballot box and protect their community members from extremist candidates and their proposed legislation. 

Understanding the Midterms 

The midterms determine how the next two years of a President’s term will go based on which party holds majority control of Congress. Ensuring a democratic majority will help push forward legislation protecting reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, climate issues, and inflation reduction. 

It is essential in every election, not just the Presidential election, to participate in your civic duty to use your voice and vote for candidates that align with your values. Voting is just one part of our more prominent role in creating progressive change that benefits everyone. Every day we should be voting with our dollar and taking a stand for meaningful issues, but on November 8th, we need to take our voice to the ballot and demand that progress is furthered. Every vote matters, and the next generation will thank you.