BEAUTY KNOWHOW: Is this the future of beauty?
Reused ingredients, recycled tools… these brands are leading the way
Upcircle Chai Soap Bar, Kohl Kreatives Ei8ht Brush, Montamonta Sage + Coffee Body Scrub
There’s an interesting beauty trend bubbling up – one that really speaks to my conscious-consumer heart (though actually I prefer the word customer as it sounds less avaricious, more selective and deserving of good service). It’s called repurposing or upcycling – yes, this is even possible with beauty products.
A case in point: Montamonta, an East London-based sustainable skincare brand. Its Sage + Coffee Body Scrub (£17, montamonta.com) is made with used coffee grounds that are collected at the end of each day from cafés nearby and taken to its Hackney laboratory. ‘As we partner with coffee shops, they keep these grounds separate from the rest of their waste,’ explains founder Monty Ashley-Craig. Don’t worry, the grounds are cleaned before reuse. ‘When we collect them they’re semi-dry and we process them the same day by heating, drying and hand-inspecting.’
Meanwhile, there’s Upcircle, a skincare brand that started out using upcycled coffee and is now moving into hemp husks. The brand also repurposes residual spices from syrup brand Henny & Joe’s for its Chai Soap Bars (£9.99 for two, upcirclebeauty.com).
Slightly rhapsodising on a theme, Kohl Kreatives uses 100 per cent recycled plastic to create its cruelty-free make-up brushes. The brand was founded by make-up artist Trishna Daswaney who is concerned about the impact of plastic waste on the environment. ‘With 79 per cent of plastic ending up in landfills and our oceans, recycling is crucial,’ she says. She decided to make beauty tools out of it and says, ‘As a sustainable company, we wanted to be able to create from discarded plastic – and now we also integrate consumer-waste plastic into our production. It’s about taking responsibility and finding a solution to this global issue.’ It’s a very worthy cause and I love the brushes – I’m a particular fan of the multitasking Ei8ht Brush (£8.99, kohlkreatives.com).
That holiday feeling… bottled
If you want to talk good summer scents, these say sunshine all year round
Shiseido Rising Sun (£52 for 100ml eau de toilette, feelunique.com) is a newcomer to the summer squad but set to become a seasonal staple. The mix of ylang-ylang, jasmine, rose, coconut and creamy musk is the epitome of sunnier climes and has been formulated to minimise phototoxicity and sensitivity.
Bobbi Brown Beach, Tom Ford Neroli Portofino
Bobbi Brown Beach (from £52 for 50ml eau de parfum, debenhams.com). Like an exotic ocean breeze, this blend of jasmine, sea spray and mandarin is a fragrant summer holiday singsong.
Tom Ford Neroli Portofino (from £164 for 50ml eau de parfum, johnlewis.com) is another unisex classic from Mr Ford. This is more of a citrus destination spritz, with notes of Tunisian neroli, Italian bergamot, mandarin, orange flower, rosemary and lavender.
Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau Fraîche Skinscent (from £44 for 50ml, debenhams.com). Since it launched in 2007, this fragrance has been synonymous with sunshine, good vibes and stylish escapes. Exotic tiare flower is mixed with coconut, vanilla, amber and sandalwood – it’s glorious.