Get Dirty With Me is a cruelty-free, vegan beauty range of multi-purpose cleansing powders, made from natural ingredients (that you can actually pronounce). Most budget backpackers are more than familiar with the hassle of trying to cram loads of different wash products into their already jam packed rucksack. Body wash, conditioner – what if you could do all of that with one thing? … PLUS your laundry and your dishes! Well this does!
Alongside their concern for animal welfare, this Eco-brand’s goal is to offer travellers an easy to carry product, whilst replacing plastic bottles with biodegradable pouches. I caught up with Get Dirty With Me founder, Leah, to find out more about her vegan beauty brand.
1. Your website blog features some wonderful interviews with fellow Eco-travellers. In a time where travel is becoming more and more popular and accessible, what do you think we can be doing to ensure we are travelling responsibly?
I think awareness is one of the most important things we can foster as responsible travellers. I’m certainly not perfect, but stopping and thinking about the impact we’re having on an environment and culture is the first step, before we can begin thinking about what we can do about it. I love to see the trend towards responsible travel growing, as it means more products and experiences are popping up with a focus on sustainability and responsibility. As someone who has been travelling most of their life, it’s great to see, and be a part of these changes.
2. Your brand idea started as a result of you shaving your head for the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave. What inspired you to do this in the first place?
My Mum was going through radiation treatment, and lost her hair. This just happened to coincide with the World’s Greatest Shave, so I shaved my head in solidarity with my Mother, and to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation. It was great to raise so much needed funds for the charity, but the best part was that my Mum kept forgetting that I’d shaved my head, and would start laughing when she saw me.
3. How easy/difficult was it for you to create packaging that was biodegradable? It’s an ongoing battle, and it’s taken a lot of research.
There’s a lot of “green washing” marketing out there, so I went through a lot of supposedly, but not really, green packaging options before I found the current bags. The pouches require special machinery to fill them, which also made finding a manufacturer more involved. On the next batch this year we’ll be printing directly on the bags, getting rid of the stickers, so the entire thing is biodegradable. And encouraging Get Dirty With Me users to use reuse the bags in a green way. They’re perfect to use as little planters when you’ve finished the powder!
4. One of your products, Clean All Things, claims to do exactly what it says on the ‘tin’. What was the process for creating a product that does everything from washing your hair to cleaning your dirty dish and laundry?
Clean All The Things was a happy accident! I came across the magic ingredient while I was playing with the formulas for the other powders. It’s funny, there are all these ingredients that have been used for centuries, that modern consumers have forgotten about. All I did was make it more user/ travel friendly.
5. Have you considered approaching larger Eco focuses brands to buy your products for both the growing travel and Eco-friendly markets?
Absolutely! I’m working with a few retreat organizers, and I’ve spoken with some NGOs about the possibility of partnering on some of their projects. I’m in the process of partnering with an eco-friendly marketplace in Australia. I’m looking forward to growing that side of the business next year!
6. How important were the vegan and cruelty free aspects of your products when you were developing them?
I was determined to make a truly Eco-friendly product, so of course making it cruelty-free was important. I wanted to make something good for your body and good for the earth.
7. What’s been your favourite travel destination and why?
I get asked this question all the time, and I’m terrible at answering it. There are too many favourites! At the moment I’m really enjoying being back in the US and exploring different places here. And I keep going back to Thailand because I love it there. It’s such an amazing culture.
8. What have you got planned for the rest of 2018?
I’m sticking around the USA, focusing on manufacturing and launching Get Dirty With Me in America. Then heading back to Thailand because I love it there and need to visit at least once a year!
You can order all of the Get Dirty With Me Cleansing Powders from their shop, and also learn more about the brand and Leah’s adventures over on her Facebook and Instagram pages.
Do you write or work for a vegan/ethical cause? We’d love to feature you! Head over to our contact page for more details.
