Prop styling my favorite low-tox products
Welcome back to week 2 of my miniseries, “make art, not money,” where I photograph things/people that are inspiring to me, with the objective of nothing other than creating something cool.
My choice for this week was a complete 180 from last week’s shoot! I decided to intersect a few different things that inspire me:
Product photography — it’s just so different than what I do most of the time. I’ve done a handful paid product work in the past, but recently, my work has consisted of so. many. portraits. Which, don’t get me wrong, I love; I love working with people, but sometimes it’s just nice to be able to maneuver your subject the exact way you want, and not feel bad redoing it 27x.
Prop styling — I honestly think this is a dream job?? Styling sets for brand/product campaigns? Please & thank you.
Holistic health & low-tox living — if you know me in real life, you know this is a top-5-favorite topic of conversation for me. I grew up pretty health-conscious, but as the internet grew, so did the wealth of resources and alternative information on what’s actually good for our bodies. Most home goods and personal care products on the market are wreaking havoc on our bodies; we absorb ingredients daily that are endocrine disruptors, fertility destroyers, and known carcinogens. S0, while I know I can’t (and have no desire to) live in a bubble, I’ve chosen to eliminate harmful exposure where I can.
I also just love supporting small, ethical businesses whenever I have the option, so toxins or not, I’d much rather buy my skincare from a small business than like, Loreal.
All that to say, here are the photos! I wanted these to feel warm, a little filmy, a little midcentury (heart eyes for all the warm wood tones), and simple. I’m happy with the way these photos turned out, especially for only spending maybe ~45 mins shooting it? And spending zero time prepping— just styling the way I felt in the moment.
I will link & credit all the brands I can. :) Enjoy!
The first few shots were just me warming up and styling some random things that I love. Aside from that nasty fragrance oil thing I made at a bachelorette party… I choke every time I walk past it, but keep it because it’s pretty and I believe in balance.
These are my favorite ever shampoo & conditioner from Under Luna. I’ve been using them for a little under a year, and I love them. Both the shampoo & conditioner smell amazing (but not over the top; I’m very sensitive to fragrance, as we established lol), have incredible ingredients, and my hair and scalp have never felt/looked better. I have very dry, curly, fine hair that sees quite a bit of heat, but my hair genuinely hasn’t been this soft or healthy since like 2009. Enough said.
Also, if you’re not using a scalp scrubber, what are you even doinggg? Best feeling ever.
I didn’t realize I had dang near the entire Boka lineup until I was pulling products out to potentially shoot; clearly, I decided to run with it. Also, clearly, I love them. They have the best toothbrushes I’ve ever used—I literally don’t even touch the ones I get from the dentist—and (most importantly) their packaging is fire. Their toothpaste is fluoride-free, containing a different, less neurologically harmful compound called nano-hydroxyapatite. Which, don’t quote me on this, but I’m fairly certain it’s a material biologically native to our teeth. Anyways, big fan of the whole line. Top 3, though:
The tongue scraper (if you don’t have one of these, you NEED. It’s so disgusting and kind of life changing)
On the top, we’ve got Little Seed Farm deodorant. It comes in a jar, it’s like a cream/paste consistency, and you use the little wood applicator to put it on. I know I’m probably losing some of you here lol but I’ve tried SO MANY natural deodorants over the years, and this is the only one I’ve tried that a) works, and b) doesn’t give me a rash. It smells delish, it’s under $15, and will last you forever. I’ve had mine for a hot second and I’m only halfway through. The application is inconvenient, yeah, but you do what you must to not plaster aluminum on your lymph nodes.
Underneath, we have one of my all-time-favorite products. I’ve used Smear products for roughly 2 years now, and it’s honestly transformed my skin. I use a few “treatment” products in conjunction with this, but if I’m going somewhere overnight and want to pack light skincare-wise, I’m taking this, only. The whipped consistency is *chef’s kiss*, and the lipid structure in tallow is similar (if not the same as?) human skin, so it’s super bioavailable and feels amazing on the skin. Love love love them. I did a project on Smear, here.
(Also love my gua-sha… I think it’s from Amazon lol, nothing fancy)
Last section! These are more “fun” products— first, a Beeswax candle from Welch Candle Co, which I’m obsessed with, because I hate scented candles. Major no. I get an instant headache when I smell them. Beeswax candles are the best, because they contain no nasty fragrance, but you still get the ambiance that a lit candle provides. A win!
Second, my Oura ring. I’m an info girl (as you are probably picking up with the length of descriptions in this post), and the Oura ring gives me more information than I ever knew I wanted. I won’t talk too much about this, but if you’re on the fence about one, do it. It makes sleep and recovery like a game— sometimes you have to gamify stuff to keep your life together, y’know?
That’s it! Thanks for checking out my photo-challenge-turned-health-blog. I’ve been working on this post for far too long, so I’m gonna keep my exit short. Do something that inspires you, today. Go make something cool.
Love!
Ani
