Brianne West, founder of Ethique. Image supplied.
Ethical beauty is having a moment and for good reason, it’s by no means a passing trend but an important concept that’s quite rightly increasing in popularity with local brands like Ethique among those leading the way. Ethique create clever solid beauty bars that are full of concentrated natural ingredients that are simple but effective.
The brand was created by Brianne West in 2012 in her Christchurch kitchen while she was studying for a science degree at the University of Canterbury. She used her knowledge of chemistry and biology to create ethical, natural products in 100% biodegradable, compostable packaging which means they create zero consumer waste. Ethique’s solid beauty bars are concentrated so they can last up to six times longer than bottled alternatives and contain no harsh chemicals.
Each product is designed to bring out the best in your skin and hair using naturally derived ingredients that are curated from sustainable sources. Ethique also use organic ingredients such as coconut oil, cocoa butter, kiwifruit seed oil when available and put each ingredient through as few chemical processes as possible to keep their effectiveness. Brianne has designed lots of different bars suitable for oily, dry and sensitive skin and hair types.
The brand’s dedication to sustainable beauty practices has meant that 160,000 plastic containers haven’t been manufactured to date with their eco-friendly packaging made instead. It’s a concept that has caught the attention of celebrities like Britney Spears and Ashton Kutcher with Kutcher’s video endorsement of Ethique causing a 235% spike in sales. In November 2016 Brianne was named in a list of US Foreign Policy Magazine’s ‘100 leading Global Thinkers’ alongside billionaire philanthropist Melinda Gates, Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan as well as global leaders such as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Ethique’s latest addition is their Crème Bodywash Bars which are designed specifically for those with sensitive skin and those who are after a hydrating body wash. The soap-free bars create a creamy lather and are available in Spearmint & Peppermint and Sweet Orange & Vanilla scents. The brand also recently introduced Glow Solid Deodorant bars which are formulated with a mix of aloe vera, bamboo and yeast, horsetail and sage extract and without aluminium and baking soda. They’re suitable for all skin types and helps prevent odour and lessen sweating in Spearmint & Lime and Lavender & Vanilla scents.
Ethique is a beauty brand that all New Zealanders should get behind and the B Corp certified and climate-neutral business is also committed to donating 20% of their profit to charity every year.
Images supplied.