Acclaimed make-up artist, Ruby Hammer MBE, picks her favourite new refillable beauty buys.
Ever since David Attenborough launched the wildlife documentary series Blue Planet there has been a spotlight on the beauty industry, and all its excesses. Whilst brands quickly cut down on excess packaging, they have been slow to adopt refillable solutions.
Ahead of the curve, the late Dame Anita Roddick DBE launched the Body Shop in 1976 with a vision of ethical sourcing and encouraging customers to recycle their packaging by bringing it back in to store. Refilling, rather than recycling saves the energy required to sort and transform products into something new.
Fast forward to 2021 and refillable beauty finally looks like it may go mainstream, with both indie and established big brands working hard to come together and create a more sustainable beauty industry. Ruby Hammer
ZARA BEAUTY
Featuring over 130 colours, Zara has launched its first beauty line all with refills.
Zara has always reached such a diverse audience, and I wanted to bring that same big vision to beauty with a collection that is clean, refillable, and accessible to all.
Diane Kendal
Look out for their wearable everyday shades, as well as bursts of colour. The Eye Shadow Duos have incredibly soft and silky textures which build from a soft wash to intense colour.
KJÆR WEIS
Founded in New York by Danish-born makeup artist Kirstin Kjær Weis, the packaging has a minimalist Scandinavian aesthetic with an NYC spirit.
Since launch, Kirstin has committed to refillable, nonplastic packaging with natural or organic formulations that really work.
The Flush & Glow Duos are creamy, dual coloured blush and highlight – effortlessly blendable in lit from within shades.
HOURGLASS
Blending ground-breaking active ingredients with innovative technology, Hourglass combines science, luxury, and beauty with a commitment to sustainability.
Curator Eyeshadows launched this year, uniting vegan, cruelty-free shadows with sleek eco-conscious packaging. In 40 shades and finishes, you can customise your own palettes to suit your needs.
HERMES
Designed by Pierre Hardy, Rouge Hermes is functional, refillable… a work of art. Durable metal casing is lacquered, brushed, and polished in colours inspired by the brands’ extensive history of colour. Available in 24 shades, the lipsticks cater to different skin tones and personalities. Taking the status symbol of the IT Birkin bag and bringing it to beauty.
MAC
A makeup artist staple, MAC sells empty shells ready for you to add the pigment pans of choice. Mix and match your perfect palette for beauty on the go.
REN CLEAN SKINCARE
Pledging to be a zero-waste skincare company, REN has committed to making all its packaging recycled, recyclable or reusable by the end of 2021. Evercalm™ Global Protection Day Cream is hydrating, protecting, and comforting day cream in a revolutionary pack! Through infinity recycling, REN has been able to fully regenerate plastic waste, making recycled plastic identical to virgin plastic. This is the first time that certified recycled plastic has been used in premium beauty packaging and is opening a future where plastic can be infinitely recycled without losing its quality, hence the name Infinity Recycling.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the Rose Otto Body Wash in a refillable glass bottle will also become available here, after its successful launch in the USA.
Beauty hasn’t always been simple to recycle, with packs containing numerous materials from mixed metals and plastics to laminates on cardboard boxes. Enter Terracycle, the brainchild of Tom Szaky who set about revolutionising the way we deal with waste. Terracycle offers 1000s of locations across the UK where almost any type of packaging and single use beauty items can be dropped off, ready to be turned into new recycled products. Accepting everything from wipes and single use face masks to spray bottles and powder compacts, once collected the scheme separates the items by material before they are repurposed.
Whilst beauty is certainly not yet fully sustainable, the industry is moving towards more planet-friendly products, leaving you free to decide whether you choose to reduce, reuse, refill or recycle with your favourite brands.
Love & Best wishes
Ruby Hammer
REDUCE > REUSE > RECYCLE
Ruby Hammer
Visit Ruby here and follow her on Instagram here.
