Animal-Based Lifestyle Holiday Gift Guide 2022

This gift guide was created for those who live an animal-based lifestyle and want to share it with the ones they love. If this is you, you probably no longer want to buy cheap, meaningless gifts that will likely just end up in the back of a cabinet somewhere.

You want to gift something useful that you also wholeheartedly believe in.

Many of the gift ideas suggested in this post are centered around the idea of giving a “better” version of something. Better candles. Better cleaning products. Better snacks. Better bath items. Better skin care. Better gadgets.

Sure, it may seem weird to gift someone with tallow soap, a red light reading light, or a plastic-free razor, but the way I see it, if purchased with intention, the gift screams, “I love you so much and want to share my lifestyle with you in hopes that you’ll love it too so we can connect and thrive together.”

This post reads in the following order:

• discounts for active 2022 Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals
• animal-based lifestyle stocking stuffer ideas
• animal-based lifestyle gift ideas
• my regular discount code/links in case you miss the 2022 Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals

I hope you find this guide useful, and that you have a beautiful holiday season with those you love and who love you.

Note: this guide is not exclusive to Christmas. It can be used for birthdays or whatever holiday warrants a gift.

Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2022 Deals

If you are reading this in November 2022, below are active Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals. Many apply to the products mentioned in this post. I also included all of my regular discount codes at the bottom of this post. Those codes are active year-round and can be used in the event that you miss the below Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals.

Perma Earth: 10 days of 10% off the entire site. Shop using this link and use code BLACK1010 at checkout. (11/18-11/28)

Redmond Real Salt: A variety of products are already discounted. Shop using this link and use code ASHLEYR at checkout for an additional 15% off. (11/25-11/28)

Carnivore Crisps: The entire site is discounted 20%. Shop using this link and use code ASHLEYR at checkout for an additional 10% off. (11/25-11/28)

Ancient Minerals: 30% off the entire site. Shop using this link and use code BF2230 at checkout. (11/18-11/27)

Toups & Co Organics: 15% off the entire site. Shop using this link and use code BFCM15 at checkout. (11/25-11/28)

Araza Beauty: Shop using this link and use code(s) BF15 for 15% off, BF20 for 20% off on orders $125+, BF25 for 25% off on orders $200+. (11/25-11/28)

Leaf Shave: 20-25% off the entire site. The greatest discount (25% off) is on Black Friday. Shop using this link. (11/21-11/28)

Mt Capra: Most products are already 10-40% off. Shop using this link and use code ASHEATS at checkout for an additional 10% off. (11/25-11/28)

BiOptimizers: 25% off the entire site. Shop using this link and use code ASH10 at checkout. (11/21-11/28)

Jigsaw: $15 off any order. Shop using this link and use code Cyber2022 at checkout. (11/21-11/28)

Wedderspoon Manuka Honey: 35% off the entire site. No code required. Shop using this link. (11/25-12/3)

LetsGetChecked: 30% off 11/25-11/27 and 35% off 11/28-12/2 the entire site. No code required. Shop using this link. (11/25-12/2)

Sea2Table: $40 off + free shipping for orders $189+. $100 off + free shipping on new subscriptions. Shop using this link.

Lalo: 40% off the entire site. Shop using this link. (11/15-11/30)

Nutrisense: $75 off for 3-month plans for first-time users. Shop using this link. (11/25-11/28)

Cultures for Health: All kits are 30% off. All cultures are 30-40% off. Free shipping over $50. Shop using this link and use code ASHLEYR at checkout for an additional 10% off. (11/25-11/29)

Branch Basics: 20% off the entire site. Shop using this link. (11/25-11/28)

GembaRed: The entire site is discounted. Shop using this link and use code ASHLEYR at checkout for an additional 10% off. (11/23-11/30)

Lovevery: $30 off new play kit subscriptions. Shop using this link and use code JOY30 at checkout. (11/25-11/28)

Animal-Based Lifestyle Stocking Stuffer Ideas

The treats and candies from my stocking were one of the best parts of Christmas morning. I have fond memories of snacking on them while opening presents. These treats were mostly chocolate, but sometimes “Santa” would gift us protein bars, gummies, or other odds-and-ends snacks.

If you’re looking for good treats to stuff your kid’s stockings with, try these individual Manuka honey packets, The Carnivore Bar Honey Bar, Carnivore Crisps, or electrolytes from LMNT or Redmond Life (if your kid is old enough to understand and appreciate electrolytes, of course).

I’m sure most kids would be confused if a starter culture showed up in their stocking, but if you regularly make your own fermented products (or would like to introduce the process to your kids), gifting them with a starter culture could be a cool idea. Making homemade sourdough or sour cream, for example, is an experience you can both look forward to having together, and the gift doesn’t end with the stocking.

If you’re like my mom, you put things like floss and deodorant in your kids’ stockings. For floss, consider this bamboo charcoal floss. It’s made with only 3 ingredients: bamboo, charcoal, and peppermint oil. And for deodorant, Toups & Co Organics has a tallow-based deodorant made with just tallow, coconut oil, arrowroot powder, magnesium hydroxide, and essential oils.

As for gadgets, consider a GembaRed Calm MINI Red LED Reading Light. Most other “amber” or “low blue” reading lights still have a trace of blue and a bunch of green in them. The GembaRed Calm is 100% red. This makes it optimal for avoiding melatonin-suppressing blue and green lights. And for your older kids who shave, consider a plastic-free Leaf razor (they’re stunning!).

For your little ladies, consider nail polish from 100 Percent Pure (made without the 20 common toxins found in conventional formulas) and makeup from Araza Beauty, Toups & Co Organics, or 100 Percent Pure.

And, for everyone…anything from Perma Earth!

Animal-Based Lifestyle Gift Ideas

Many of the above stocking stuffer ideas are also good gift ideas, so they are shared again below (along with some new ideas).

If your person loves candles

Standard candles are typically made using synthetic fragrances and other junk.

If you’re looking for a clean candle, it doesn’t get much better than White Oak Pastures candles. Their candles are made of just three ingredients – beeswax, tallow, and essential oils – and they have different scents available based on the season.

Their fall scents – Banana Bread, Allspice, Cinnamon, Pecan Pie, Simmering Spice, Spicy Pumpkin, and Tobacco & Flannel – are what’s currently available.

I have Banana Bread and Pecan Pie. Both are wonderful and smell remarkably just like the labeled scent – something you don’t always get with a candle.

Perma Earth also sells candles and wax melts made with tallow, beeswax, and essential oils (plus candle color wax). Scents include Cinnamon Roll, Butterscotch, North Pine, Rose Petals, Dark Roast, Banana Nut, and more.

Perma Earth also offers an unscented candle if your person doesn’t do well with scents.

If your person loves luxurious baths

Consider a sugar scrub from Perma Earth, a bath bomb from Perma Earth, or magnesium bath flakes from Ancient Minerals.

Perma Earth’s unscented sugar scrub is made with just three ingredients: cane sugar, lard, and vitamin E. If you’re looking for a scented sugar scrub, they have a variety of scents too: Vanilla Sugar, Coffee House, Lavender, Honey Lemon, Grapefruit Rose, Coconut Lime, Pineapple Orange, Sea Foam, and Honey Berry.

Their unscented bath bomb is made with just five ingredients: baking soda, non-GMO citric acid, buttermilk, lard, and cream of tartar. They also have scented versions available. Some even include free-floating flowers, salts, and other natural substances.

And if a gift that induces muscle and/or mental relaxation sounds like something your person would like, consider magnesium bath flakes.

If your person is a gym rat, runner, or fitness enthusiast

Consider protein powder, collagen, and/or electrolytes.

Most protein powders are made using crap ingredients, so if your person is into protein powder, consider getting them a better version.

Mt Capra Clean Whole Protein is one of the cleanest protein powders available, made with easy-to-digest A2 goat milk. No sweeteners, no flavors, no gums, no stevia, no hormones, no GMOs, no chemicals. Just one ingredient: grass-fed goat milk protein. 80% casein, 20% whey. Other variations include fermented protein + minerals/probiotics.

For whey-free and casein-free options, consider beef bone broth protein powder and/or chicken bone broth protein powder. Each of them only has one ingredient: bone broth protein.

Note: obviously tread carefully here. I’m sure people who take protein powder are attached to their protein powder, so use your best judgment if you think your person would love it or be offended.

Collagen is another great way to get protein in, so if your person is intentionally trying to consume high amounts of protein, consider getting them some good collagen. Below are three options.

Perfect Supplements Collagen is certified glyphosate-free and sourced exclusively from Brazilian grass-fed pasture-raised cows. No fillers, pesticides, hormones, or flow agents, and mixes with both hot and cold liquids. Saturee Collagen is 100% hydrolyzed collagen from bovine hide. Free of fillers, flow agents, and additives. Good for gut health, joints, bones, and reducing inflammation. Saturee also offers 100% Norwegian marine collagen from wild-caught cod fish skin. Also free of fillers, flow agents, and additives. High bioavailability and good for skin, hair, and nails.

Electrolytes are also great gift options for gym rats.

I gifted my sister-in-law with LMNT electrolytes once. After trying them out, she was hooked and now drinks electrolyte water daily.

LMNT offers pre-packaged single-serving electrolytes (great if you’re on the go). Redmond Life offers pre-packaged electrolytes, bulk electrolyte powder, and electrolyte capsules.

If your person likes to read

Consider a GembaRed Calm MINI Red LED Reading Light.

My husband and I each have one of these. It’s a little light that clips onto your book for night reading. We also sometimes turn one on for ambiance while we wind down at night.

Most other “amber” or “low blue” reading lights still have a trace of blue and a bunch of green in them. The GembaRed Calm MINI is 100% red. This makes it optimal for avoiding melatonin-suppressing blue and green lights.

If your person likes DIY

Consider a starter culture or gelatin.

This may be a bit of a stretch if they’re DIYers but have no idea about fermented foods or gummies/marshmallows, but if they like to try new things, you never know.

Cultures for Health offers a variety of starter cultures for things like sour cream, feta cheese, kombucha, kefir, cream cheese, skyr, and sourdough.

As for gelatin, Perfect Supplements Gelatin and Saturee Gelatin are both good options. Perfect Supplements is my favorite as it is certified glyphosate-free gelatin, sourced exclusively from Brazilian grass-fed pasture-raised cows. No fillers, pesticides, hormones, or flow agents. Great for creating marshmallows, gummies, and jellies.

You could go one step further and create a few homemade jellies for your person and make a gift basket with the jellies, gelatin, and a few starter cultures, and include a note about how you’d like to make some homemade foods together.

If your person has been asking about “those little meat capsules” that you take

Get them their own bottle of those little meat capsules.

Which one you get them obviously depends on which one they’re curious about, but either Heart & Soil Supplements or Marine Health Foods desiccated oysters are great places to start due to their nutrient density.

Note: If you’re looking for an organ supplement source that is cheaper than Heart & Soil but still high quality, consider Perfect Supplements. They offer a multi-organ blend and a desiccated liver supplement. You won’t get the targeted support that you do with Heart & Soil, but these are great alternatives. Perfect Supplements also offers both products in bulk powders. Use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

If your person stinks (ha, jk, or not)

Consider tallow deodorant. Toups & Co Organics Natural Deodorant is my favorite and is made using tallow, coconut oil, arrowroot powder, magnesium hydroxide, and essential oils. They also offer an Extra Strength variation that includes baking soda.

We’ve tried their Lime + Bergamot and Balsam Fir + Cedarwood scents. They smell wonderful and I highly recommend both. I got the Lime + Bergamot scent for myself and the Balsam Fir + Cedarwood scent for my husband. Lime + Bergamot smells like slightly sweet fresh laundry. Balsam Fir + Cedarwood has an earthy/woodsy smell to it.

Perma Earth also sells deodorant, both fragrance-free and essential oil-based.

Their Fragrance-Free Natural Tallow Deodorant has the following ingredients: Local Pasture-Raised Grass-Fed Suet Tallow, Magnesium Hydroxide, Certified Organic Cornstarch, and Natural Vitamin E.

Personally, I like that Toups uses arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch, which is why I chose their deodorant. Perma Earth is a solid second choice though if you don’t mind the cornstarch. animal-based holiday gift guide

If your person shaves a lot (i.e. grandpa)

Consider a Leaf razor.

First of all, their razors are stunning. Check them out for yourself.

But more importantly, they’re plastic-free.

If everyone used a plastic-free razor, that would keep more than 3 billion disposable razors out of landfill each year.

The razor kit comes with 10 blades. When you run out, you just buy more blades. And once you’re done using the blades, you can store them in a blade tin. Once your blade tin is full, drop it off at a scrap metal drop-off to be recycled or send it back to Leaf for a zero-waste shaving system. animal-based holiday gift guide

If your person still uses conventional sunscreen

Consider Toups & Co Organics tallow-based sun balm or Perma Earth’s sun cream.

Instead of using zinc oxide (which is found in most traditional sunscreens), both Toups sun balm and Perma Earth’s sun cream are made with non-nano zinc oxide. Unlike standard zinc oxide, non-nano zinc oxide does not penetrate the skin or enter the bloodstream.

The base of both products is grass-fed tallow. Tallow is loaded with vitamin A, D3, K2, E, and B12, great for the skin, known to fight off wrinkle-producing free radicals, and has a natural SPF of 4.

Perma Earth’s sun cream has an SPF range of 35-50. Ingredients are similar to Toups, but it is unscented and doesn’t include olive oil, coconut co2, or vanilla. If your person doesn’t do well with scents (or just prefers fewer ingredients), this one may be a better option. animal-based holiday gift guide

If your person likes sweets

Consider getting them some fancy honey.

You could pick up something local from your grocery store, or get some Manuka honey from Wedderspoon.

They have an organic raw variety, as well as raw (K Factor 12), raw (K Factor 16), on the go individual honey packets, and raw Beechwood honey (which I’ve always been curious about). animal-based holiday gift guide

If your person travels

Consider individual Manuka honey packets, The Carnivore Bar, and/or Carnivore Crisps.

All are nutrient-dense shelf-stable snacks that come in handy for the on-the-go lifestyle. animal-based holiday gift guide

If your person still wears cologne/perfume

Consider a natural fragrance from Perma Earth.

I plan on getting my dad one of these for Christmas this year since he still wears conventional cologne (and I’m trying to gently nudge him away from it :)).

Their fragrances only have two ingredients: the fragrance and jojoba oil.

And per their website, their “fragrances are derived from scientifically-processed natural sources and are certified skin-safe by the FDA, INCI (Personal Care Products Council), and are used according to the IFRA’s 48th Amendment Standards (International Fragrance Association). The IFRA standards are based on safety assessments from RIFM (Research Institute for Fragrance Materials). Our fragrances contain no known chemicals to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.”

Not sure which fragrance to choose for your person? Perma Earth sells sampler sets. Each include five fragrances. For men, consider the Elemental Adventure sampler set (this is the one I’ll be getting my dad). For women, consider the Romantic Fantasy sampler set. animal-based holiday gift guide

If your person works outdoors

Consider insect repellant (if mosquitos/insects are a problem where your person works) or electrolytes.

White Oak Pastures offers a Farm Essential Spray that is made using herbs and vegetables from their own garden along with essential oils that smell good (note: it is very strong…a little goes a long way!) and naturally repel insects.

Perma Earth also offers insect repellant (they call theirs “Bug Off”), but in lotion form. They offer a lotion tube and body butter.

As for electrolytes, it’s amazing how fast hard work outdoors (especially in the heat) can deplete electrolytes.

During a hot Texas summer day once, a technician came over to our apartment to do some work. He was sweating bullets (his entire shirt was sopping wet like he had just jumped into a lake) and he looked parched. We got into talking and I asked him how often he sweats like that. He told me daily. I mentioned electrolytes and asked him if he had heard of them. He mentioned no, and with a glassy/giddy look on his face, told me that he “feels like he could really use something like that.” I’ll never forget that guy.

LMNT offers pre-packaged single-serving electrolytes (great if you’re on the go). Redmond Life offers pre-packaged electrolytes, bulk electrolyte powder, and electrolyte capsules. animal-based holiday gift guide

If your person loves makeup

Consider makeup from Toups & Co Organics, 100 Percent Pure, and/or Araza Beauty.

Toups & Co Organics offers an impressive selection of makeup products.

You can find everything you would expect in a standard makeup routine – foundation, primers, lipstick, mascara, eyeliner, blush, eye shadow, bronzer, highlighter, etc. – just offered in a much cleaner version than you’d see in your standard beauty store. Check out Toup’s array of makeup products here.

Araza Beauty is another clean makeup brand, with products like coconut cream foundation and avocado butter eye + brow pencil.

Araza Beauty is Certified Paleo through the Paleo Foundation, meaning every ingredient they use is free from soy, dairy, legumes, grains, gluten, and anything artificial.

100 Percent Pure also offers clean makeup options with products like cocoa butter lipstick and eyeliner pigmented from black tea leaves. Their process is cruelty-free and they source their pigments from fruit, vegetables, tea, and cocoa to avoid commonly used FD&C colorants and heavy metal dyes. animal-based holiday gift guide

If your person loves nail polish

Consider nail polish from 100 Percent Pure.

They offer low-toxic nail polish made without the 20 common toxins found in conventional formulas. They currently have nine colors to choose from, and also offer a couple of options for base coats (horsetail + ridge filler) and one top coat. animal-based holiday gift guide

If your person loves cleaning/household items

Consider Branch Basics.

This could apply to anyone, of course, but I definitely had moms and grandmas in mind when I thought of this section.

Don’t you want to just throw out all of the toxic household cleansers that are sitting in your loved ones’ homes? Now is the time when you can be sneaky and (sort of) do just that. Get them a better cleaner so they end up throwing out the crappy stuff themselves.

Branch Basics offers one formulated product that turns into a variety of cleaning products: surface cleaner, glass cleaner, bathroom cleaner, laundry detergent, and more.

To learn more about the ingredients they use in their formulation and why (and more about the cleaning variations), check out the How It Works section on their website. animal-based holiday gift guide

For your close loved ones

Your relationship with the person you are purchasing a gift for determines how intimate the gift is.

For those you are closest to – say a spouse, parent, sibling, or child – maybe something a bit more personal would be fitting.

A guided CGM experience with Nutrisense. At-home health testing with LetsGetChecked. A gift card for White Oak Pastures, Northstar Bison, or Sea2Table (if they like seafood). Magnesium if they have trouble sleeping or feel fatigued.

This is assuming you’ve been interacting regularly with them and they’ve shared some of their health concerns/deep wishes with you.

“I’ve always wanted to try a CGM.” “I wonder if I’m getting enough sun and am curious about my Vitamin D levels.” “I wish I could try regeneratively raised meat to see if it tastes different than the meat I buy from the store.” Or whatever it is. animal-based holiday gift guide

Discount links & codes

As promised, here are my discount codes/links that can be used year-round (in case you miss the Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals).

White Oak Pastures: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout. Note: This code can be used once per customer.

Heart & Soil Supplements: Shop using this link and use ASH10 for 10% off at checkout

Nutrisense: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for $25 off your first month.

Perma Earth: Shop using this link.

Redmond Real Salt: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 15% off at checkout.

Carnivore Crisps: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

Ancient Minerals: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

Toups & Co Organics: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR10 for 10% off at checkout.

Araza Beauty: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

Leaf Shave: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

Mt Capra: Shop using this link and use ASHEATS for 10% off at checkout.

BiOptimizers: Shop using this link and use ASH10 for 10% off at checkout.

Jigsaw: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for $10 off at checkout.

Wedderspoon Manuka Honey: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

LetsGetChecked: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 30% off at checkout.

Sea2Table: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for $20 off your first purchase of $149+.

Lalo: Shop using this link.

Cultures for Health: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

Branch Basics: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

Saturee: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

Northstar Bison: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

LMNT: Shop using this link.

The Carnivore Bar: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout (25% off for subscriptions).

Perfect Supplements: Shop using this link and use ASHLEYR for 10% off at checkout.

If you like deals: I created one giant hub that lists out the products I (and my family) use and/or recommend with explanations about each. I am also partnered with the majority of these companies and have plenty of discount codes available for use. To take advantage of the deals (or if you’re curious to learn more about what I and my family use to optimize our health), check out my Discounts Hub here. animal-based holiday gift guide