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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at VCU chapter.

We’ve recently had the pleasure of sampling some products from Richmond based and queer womxn owned beauty company: Wildly Free.

One thing I’m always on the lookout for is finding beauty and skincare products that are sustainable and low-waste. When I heard about wildly free, I was quite intrigued by their mission. 

Their mission is stated as:

“Wildly Free was founded with the principle of mindfully creating safe and effective beauty care that encourages enhancement without limitations or judgment, with sincere consideration of our planet and all that inhabit it. We are a brand on a mission to uplift others through our safe, experiential beauty options, accessibility, inclusive representation, sustainability and social activism initiatives. We pledge to continue taking action for the well being of all people and communities, which include making all and any necessary changes in order to continue being an anti-racist, equitable, and a diversely represented business. This, combined with our core values, we hold ourselves accountable to create the changes we wish to see in this wild world!”

Solstice Serum

One of the products that were sent to us was the Solstice Serum. A unique and appealing factor about this product is that it can be used as both a facial serum and a hair serum. Their website recommends this serum for all skin and hair types. 

The product can be used as both a day and a night serum. Although I would say the product is more suitable for normal to dry skin. For those with oiler skin, I recommend using this in your nighttime skincare routine rather than in the morning. The product feels quite soothing and hydrating on the skin.

The product also has a slight shimmer to it, giving your skin a mild glow after application. I personally liked this effect; the glow is quite subtle and not too overpowering.

I did love using this product as a hair serum. My hair is type is on the drier side, and this really helped give my hair a smooth and shiny look. As a hair serum, a little goes a long way; make sure you use a small amount because too much can make your hair greasy.

At $42 per 1 oz. bottle, the price is mid-range for a serum. Given that the serum can be used for your hair and skin, I feel that the price is worth it.

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Resilient Multi-Surface Cleansing + Defense Mist:

I have to say that I mistook this product for a facial mist when I first saw it (oops!), but the product is actually a non-toxic multipurpose cleaning solution. It can be used to clean makeup, brushes, skincare tools, surfaces and can even be used as a hand sanitizer.

My favorite thing about the product was its packaging. The product came in a small glass spray bottle, which can be upcycled or recycled once completed. Hand sanitizers and cleaning solutions are typically in plastic packaging, and this is a great zero-waste alternative.

The formula has a nice fragrance derived from essential oils and is not drying on your hands when used as a hand sanitizer. I was not a fan of using it as a brush cleaner, but it is good to use to sanitize your makeup pallets and such. 

It comes in a portable size, so you can toss it in your bag and use it as a disinfecting spray when you’re on the go, which is quite convenient during COVID times. However, at $12 for a 2 fl oz. bottle, it’s slightly expensive for a sanitizing solution. With that said, I understand why the product is priced this way, given the non-toxic solution and sustainable packaging. 

If you are someone who is trying to reduce your plastic waste, then I very much recommend this product as an alternative to the regular hand sanitizers found in stores. 

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Final Verdict: I really like what this company stands for; I think eco-conscious and sustainable beauty products are incredibly important. I would say the best thing about these products is their versatility, especially the Solstice Serum. Another upside to these products is that they come in sustainable packaging, with very minimal plastic. The company is also very transparent about the ingredients in their products and uses simple ingredients. Overall, If you are looking to add some eco-conscious products to your beauty routine, I recommend trying Wildly Free. I hope to see more products from them in the future.

Sanjana Ravulapalli is a Junior at VCU, double majoring in Political science and Digital Journalism. She currently serves as the Vice President and Events Director for Her Campus at VCU. She loves art, theatre, writing, politics and exploring Richmond. She hopes to find herself working for a major media outlet in the future.
Mary McLean (née Moody) is an avid writer and is the former Editor in Chief of Her Campus at VCU. She wrote diligently for Her Campus at VCU for two years and was the Editor in Chief for three years. You can find her work here! She double majored in Political Science and History at Virginia Commonwealth University and graduated in 2022. She loves her son, Peter, and her cat Sully. You can find her looking at memes all night and chugging Monster in the morning with her husband!