2026 CANDIDATEBeauty & Personal Care
EcoTools
Start The Day Beautifully Kit
Reusable makeup brushes use bamboo handles and recycled aluminum ferrules, with synthetic Taklon bristles.
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HOLIDAY GIFT AWARDS 2026 · STATE No. 13 / 50
Illinoishas good taste.
Three thoughtful gifts with a Illinois connection.
Meet the candidates. Give your favorite a vote.
How voting works
No sign-up. One current choice per browser in each state; choose another candidate to change it. The necessary voting cookie remembers your selections. Counts show total votes. How totals are calculated. The public vote is separate from editorial evaluation. No winners selected. Voting closes December 20, 2026 at 11:59 pm UTC. Voting privacy ↗
THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Three candidates. One favorite.
2026 CANDIDATE
2026 CANDIDATEBeauty & Personal Care
Meliora Cleaning Products
Bath & Body Soap Bar — Package-Free, Peppermint
Package-free solid soap with specified coconut and sunflower oils; the brand describes the bar and packaging approach as plastic-free.
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2026 CANDIDATEBeauty & Personal Care
Soap Distillery
Agave + Salted Peel Bar Soap — No Box
A solid soap offered without a box, made with specified plant oils including sunflower, coconut and olive oils.
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BEHIND THE SHORTLIST
Good reasons.
The whole story.
EcoTools, Meliora Cleaning Products and Soap Distillery: three approaches to thoughtful giving, connected to Illinois.
Each candidate has documented use or review evidence. Read the sources, model scope and limitations below. Candidates are listed alphabetically. State connections do not imply local or US manufacture.
MEET THE CANDIDATEBEAUTY & PERSONAL CARE
2026 CANDIDATEEcoTools
Start The Day Beautifully Kit
Reusable makeup brushes use bamboo handles and recycled aluminum ferrules, with synthetic Taklon bristles.
- The state connection
- The brand's legal operator, Paris Presents Incorporated, lists an address in Gurnee, Illinois; manufacturing in Illinois is not claimed.
- What to know
- Mixed materials and synthetic bristles mean the brushes should not be described as plastic-free or readily recyclable.
WHAT USERS & REVIEWERS SAY Multiple use reports
Multiple retail review streams contain exact-kit buyer accounts praising practical application, gifting and value.
Scope: Start the Day Beautifully kit; packaging and kit versions may differ.
Keep in mind: Some retailers syndicate iHerb/Argos reviews; do not add counts as unique people. Brush softness and storage packaging receive criticism.
Read the owner & review sources
- EcoTools brush kit buyer reviews ↗buyer reviews · Verified iHerb-syndicated comments describe beginner use and gifts; one notes bristles could be softer.
- EcoTools buyer reviews at Sainsbury’s ↗buyer reviews · Gift buyers and users praise quality and blending; includes Argos syndicated reviews.
- EcoTools exact-kit reviews at Walmart ↗buyer reviews · Large exact-kit review footprint, with global/syndicated reviews potentially included.
Research checked November 3, 2026. Reports are attributed, not independently authenticated. A few comments do not establish sales volume or a representative consensus.
Materials, origin & product documentation
Source-based research. No hands-on testing or whole-life environmental comparison by GreenerFriday. Confirm prices, stock and holiday delivery with the seller.
MEET THE CANDIDATEBEAUTY & PERSONAL CARE
2026 CANDIDATEMeliora Cleaning Products
Bath & Body Soap Bar — Package-Free, Peppermint
Package-free solid soap with specified coconut and sunflower oils; the brand describes the bar and packaging approach as plastic-free.
- The state connection
- Manufactured by Meliora in Chicago, Illinois.
- What to know
- Select the package-free variant. No comparative lifecycle assessment or independent product testing was performed for this nomination.
WHAT USERS & REVIEWERS SAY Some use evidence
A zero-waste forum user specifically praises the peppermint body bar; recent buyer comments also favor peppermint and repeat soap use.
Scope: Exact scent/body-bar family; packaging options share reviews.
Keep in mind: The forum evidence is old and seller reviews aggregate scents and packaging. Not a clinical suitability claim.
Read the owner & review sources
- Bubbly bar soap recommendations ↗forum · User specifically recommends Meliora body bars and peppermint lather.
- Meliora package-free soap buyer reviews ↗buyer reviews · Recent comments include peppermint satisfaction; review pool includes other scents.
Research checked November 3, 2026. Reports are attributed, not independently authenticated. A few comments do not establish sales volume or a representative consensus.
Materials, origin & product documentation
Source-based research. No hands-on testing or whole-life environmental comparison by GreenerFriday. Confirm prices, stock and holiday delivery with the seller.
MEET THE CANDIDATEBEAUTY & PERSONAL CARE
2026 CANDIDATESoap Distillery
Agave + Salted Peel Bar Soap — No Box
A solid soap offered without a box, made with specified plant oils including sunflower, coconut and olive oils.
- The state connection
- Soap Distillery says its products are made in Chicago, Illinois.
- What to know
- Choose the No Box option for this packaging rationale. Fragrance and ingredient suitability should be checked individually.
WHAT USERS & REVIEWERS SAY Some use evidence
Verified buyers discuss skin feel and using the exact scent as event favors, showing gifting relevance.
Scope: Exact Agave + Salted Peel soap; boxed/unboxed variants may share reviews.
Keep in mind: Seller-hosted 26-review sample; fragrance preferences vary and one low rating exists.
Read the owner & review sources
- Agave + Salted Peel verified buyer reviews ↗buyer reviews · A buyer used the bars as shower favors; others describe scent and skin feel.
Research checked November 3, 2026. Reports are attributed, not independently authenticated. A few comments do not establish sales volume or a representative consensus.
Materials, origin & product documentation
Source-based research. No hands-on testing or whole-life environmental comparison by GreenerFriday. Confirm prices, stock and holiday delivery with the seller.
THE CANDIDATE MARK
A little recognition.
A story to share.
The Illinois candidate mark for this year’s Holiday Gift Awards. Keep “Candidate” visible: no winner has been selected.
For the listed candidates only. This mark is not a product certification, an endorsement of environmental claims or a winner’s award. Inclusion is unpaid and does not require a backlink. Product-image reuse requires permission from its rights holder.