Honest Home Cleaning Products | Jessica Alba Interview 2021
Jessica Alba on Her New Conscious Cleaning Line, Working From Home, and Her 2021 Vision
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Staying home hasn't slowed Jessica Alba down — in fact, she's busier than ever. The actress and founder has been working to develop new products for The Honest Company, and the brand's latest release is especially relevant right now. The Conscious Cleaning collection includes reusable containers that contribute to a lower carbon footprint by reducing packageing waste. Eco-friendly and thoughtfully designed? We're in.
Alba talked to POPSUGAR about why this new line was important for Honest to create, what her work from home life is like (spoiler: she turned her closet into an office!), and what she hopes to see in 2021. Keep reading to get the scoop from the star herself.
Why a Conscious Cleaning Line Was an Important Next Step For The Honest Company
"When I founded the company, we launched with some basic solutions in cleaning. It was always important for me to obviously put human health first and make sure that the ingredients we use are safe for our waterways and for the planet. But it was always a challenge, even nine years ago, finding packageing solutions and formulas that would meet the standards of safety that we have. Now, what's fantastic is that we've figured out a way to reduce the amount of water and single-use plastic that's being shipped across the country.
So, when you look at the data points that we looked at, and how much does single use plastic bottles or surface cleaners go into landfills, and it's 600 million a year that could go into landfills based off of consumption. So, we're like, 'That's just outrageous and so unnecessary — how can we try and open up a new path and create a new solution for folks to do better for the planet?' And so, that's the new Conscious Cleaning line."
On Cleaning Up in Alba's Household
"I feel like every day is very messy in my house, so for cleaning on that regular basis, I want there to not be any sort of harsh scent. When I was growing up and my grandma or my mom cleaned up, we all had to evacuate the room because it smelled so strong. It was like it would give you a headache. I would say that there's still a lot of cleaners out there that do that to people. I think what's great is that this cleaner is just not that. This is the antithesis of that.
And then also, these bottles are really beautiful, and they would seamlessly work in any home, no matter your design preference. It's not like a giant advertisement saying, 'Two times stronger' and this giant brand name across the bottle. It's not embarrassing if you leave it out. It looks nice under your sink or in your laundry room or wherever you keep your stuff."
Why Sustainability Is Important to Alba
The Honest Company Home Cleaning Kit ($40)
"Sustainability is really one of the cornerstones of what we always strive for. Back when I first founded the company, when it came to formulation, even not that long ago, there were microplastics that a lot of companies were putting in hand soaps and body washes that are ending up in the waterways and really affecting our ecosystem. And so, it was important to me to make sure that we aren't using any of those types of chemicals or contributing to poisoning any of the wildlife and certainly what's going into the waterways.
Now that we've gotten our formulas right and we know that people are willing to change their habits and not use just the big conventional companies but are trusting Honest in bringing that into their home as a solution, knowing that you don't have to compromise on effectiveness to have safer ingredients, so once that is sort of established, then it opens up more solutions that we can really push forward when it comes to packageing."
On Her Most Used Room in the House
"I would have to say my closet. I turned it into my office. So, there's a little corner where I have these trolleys, they're like bar carts. I put my computer on one and then underneath I have my vitamins, extension cords, and different, various plugs, and things. Then on my other bar cart, I have positive affirmations, crystals, incense, and things like that. So, I have kind of a vibe. Then behind me, I hung up different things that I got off of Amazon's handmade section, Anthropologie, and this crystal home decor by a woman named Ariana Ost. She makes these beautiful crystals that you can put up as wall decor and stuff. I literally never thought I would spend so much time in the closet."
What Alba Is Looking Forward to in 2021
"I'm excited for there to be a fresh sort of perspective and more hopeful perspective. I'm excited for people to get vaccinated, so we can start moving through the world and through life with more freedoms, and not be so terrified that we're going to get someone else sick or that we're going to get sick.
I think this has been a time for reflection and a time that we've really had to think about everything differently. I'm also just excited about what that means. How are we going to change our habits as we move back into a routine? And, maybe it won't really happen until the fall, but what does that look like? And, I actually really truly believe that there's a consciousness throughout everyone, pulsing through everyone's day-to-day that wasn't there before 2020. And so, there's this new kind of woke kind of vibe that's happening where people can't not know what they know now. And, I just think we're more connected than ever in a way."
