If you prefer unscented or lightly scented stuff — and wish for eco-friendly lotions and shampoos that don’t make such liberal use of pungent organic essential oils — try EcoStore. This 15-year-old eco company was created by a couple living in an eco village in New Zealand — and now has a U.S. web front for their plant-based personal care and cleaning products.

EcoStore shuns petrochemicals, synthetic dyes and fragrances, opting for safe and gentle ingredients to create its products, which come minimally packaged in recyclable materials. And while EcoStore products are scented with natural ingredients like lemongrass oil, the smell is light and never pungent.

As for the products’ performance: I liked the Aloe Vera shampoo, which lathered up very nicely, but was disappointed by the matching Aloe Vera conditioner, which wasn’t creamy enough for me and did not work as a detangler at all. I do wonder, however, if this product might be a hit with people who have shorter oily hair and want a very light conditioner. At $10-$11 per small bottle (about 6.75 fl. oz.), however, these hair products are a rather pricey gamble.

In comparison, EcoStore’s soaps are a nice bargain at just $3 per 2.8 oz bar. The Lemongrass bar soap I tried had a light citrus scent — and reminded me a lot of my Dr. Bronner’s organic soap. The two are comparably priced — so the brands will likely start competing with each other come early spring, when EcoStore’s products will become available at U.S. retail stores.

[crossposted on BlogHer]

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