Butterly recently gifted me with a rollerball perfume from Clean Reserve’s H2EAU collection, in Brilliant Peony. Because I only have 7 days to post a review after receiving the product, I’m going to briefly discuss the company and its practices, and the product and its contents. However, just like with the T-Fal pan, I will be updating this review in about six months, so if you are interested in this product but not ready to give it a try, make sure to come back.

The Company: Clean Reserve

Contemporary Fashion (https://contemporaryfashion.com/stories/top-5-ethical-amp-sustainable-perfume-brands/) mentions that Clean Reserve is the “culmination of a unique, creative collaboration with three of the world’s top fragrance houses chosen because of their commitment to sustainability and philanthropy.” Clean Reserve says on its website (https://www.cleanbeauty.com/pages/our-story) that it creates its perfumes with responsibly sourced ingredients, green manufacturing practices, and eco-conscious packaging,

Environmentally Conscious: The company states (https://www.cleanbeauty.com/blogs/why-clean/explore-the-new-wave-in-fragrance-clean-reserve-h2eau), keeping the environment in mind, they “have carefully selected sustainable ingredients and made the decision to continue (their) partnership with EARTHDAY.ORG.” Ethical Elephant contacted the company (https://ethicalelephant.com/is-clean-perfume-cruelty-free-vegan/), which confirmed that all products manufactured in the US. Contemporary Fashion (https://contemporaryfashion.com/stories/top-5-ethical-amp-sustainable-perfume-brands/) confirms that every big bottle is “made from recyclable glass. Additionally, all of the caps are made from sustainable wood from Spain. The perfumes come in recyclable boxes (FSC-certified) with compostable plant-based cellophane.” I’m not sure about the rollerball that I am reviewing, but this bodes well.

Ingredients: The company’s website (https://www.cleanbeauty.com/) explains that not all its ingredients are natural: “Because they know that ‘natural’ isn’t always best for the planet, however, some of the ingredients used for the CLEAN Reserve are nevertheless synthetic. Tried and trusted, these alternatives may actually prove far more ‘green’ (and safer, with non-allergenic properties) than certain essential oils.” I found the balance between clean ingredients but not at the cost of the environment very appealing.

Vegan: Ethical Elephant contacted the company (https://ethicalelephant.com/is-clean-perfume-cruelty-free-vegan/), which stated that “All CLEAN products are 100% vegan which means they don’t contain animal by-products like fat or milk.” All the information on Ethical Elephant comes from the company though. So take it with a grain of salt.

Cruelty-free: The company’s website (https://www.cleanbeauty.com/) explains that “Clean Reserve H2EAU is never tested on animals and never at the expense of animal welfare.” Ethical Elephant contacted the company (https://ethicalelephant.com/is-clean-perfume-cruelty-free-vegan/), which confirmed that “they do not test their products or ingredients on animals or ask others to test on their behalf. Their suppliers also do not test on animals, nor do they allow their products to be tested on animals when required by law. And finally, their products are not sold in stores in mainland China or any other country that may require animal testing.” Cruelty Free Kitty confirmed this (https://www.crueltyfreekitty.com/brands/clean/): “Clean is cruelty-free. They don’t test their finished products or ingredients on animals, and neither do their suppliers or any third-parties. It’s also verified that their products are not tested on animals anywhere in the world, including mainland China.”

The Product: H2EAU Collection in Brilliant Peony (10mL rollerball)

I received the 10mL rollerball version, which retails at Sephora Canada at CAD43.50 at the time of writing. The perfum also comes in 100mL format. My rollerball came in a cardboard box with no plastic; the tube is made of glass, with the only discernible plastic being in the cap. I’m going to try finding out if the glass in the rollerball is also recycled, like it is with the big bottles.

The company claims the perfumes in the H2EAU collection to be long lasting, gentle, and hydrating. Is it long lasting? The perfume is water based, so I was wondering how strong the smell would be. It didn’t disappoint; it lasted all day, and I could still smell it the next morning. Is it gentle? I don’t have sensitivities so can’t attest to that, but it didn’t cause any rash or inflammation, so there’s that 😉 Is it hydrating? I only had 7 days to test this product before I had to submit a review, so can’t attest to that, but also, does it really matter since we only put perfume on pulse points? Perhaps it means that, for people who have dry skin or skin that tends to dry out easily, applying this perfume every day won’t create dry spots on application location. I can let you know in six months if I have dry skin where I apply the perfume.

“Brilliant Peony” is an apt name for this scent. It smells very much like peonies, with a musky undertone that balanced it out. At the tail-end of winter, it was a reinvigorating, springtime smell that reminded me of what is waiting for us (hopefully soon!) The scent lasted all day. I can see how someone who has a very sensitive nose could feel overpowered by this smell, but for someone like me with a regular sense of smell, it was very enjoyable, especially since I could smell it through my sweater cuffs.

Recommendations

Because it’s a little on the pricey side, at CAD43,50 at Sephora (online only), I suggest stopping by a store to give it (or another scent) a try, as it is, it seems, a more ethical option than big brands. There are a number of scents available, including Water Lotus and Nectarine Petal. You can also wait a few months for me to dig a little more into the company’s practices.