FILL’ER UP
Sustainability that doesn’t sacrifice style
Clever ways to make your beauty routine greener.
IF YOU'VE BEEN WRESTLING
with guilt over how much packaging all of your best lotions and potions have you racking up, you’ll be pleased to know the sands are finally shifting. In Queensland, you can shop at eco retailer Biome’s Naked Beauty Bars, where you can buy the ingredients (in reusable jars, or get the exact amount you need from the bulk range) to blend up your own beauty products. “In 2016, Euromonitor International estimated that the global beauty market produced nearly 19 million squeezable plastic tubes alone,” says Biome founder Tracey Bailey. “Many people don’t realise that most plastic tubes and containers for body and hair care, makeup and toothpaste can’t be recycled through household recycling bins. So several years ago, we turned our attention to solving the waste generated by the packaging of natural beauty products that can’t be recycled.”
Each week, the store (which also has an excellent online platform at biome.com.au) releases a new recipe or two, so you can make your own cosmetics, hair and body care or even home-cleaning products. Bailey’s personal favourite? “I love making my own vegan deodorant,” she says. “Once your body detoxes from heavy synthetic deodorants, the natural versions become much more effective. The ingredients are candelilla wax, shea butter, coconut oil, bicarb, arrowroot powder and pink clay, along with a choice of essential oils. It is simple and quick to make.”
French fragrance house 100Bon also welcomes refills of its entirely natural and entirely beautiful perfumes. “I’m in the fragrance business, not the bottle-selling business,” laughs co-founder Nicolas Brassier. In Australia, the brand sells 200ml refills at Mecca, but in its own stores in France, a dispensary will top up whatever vessel you like. “So much of fragrance is about memory and personal associations. If putting a scent into your own bottle gives you more of that, then great,” he adds.
At Louis Vuitton stores, you can also take in your empty perfume bottle to recharge it. L’occitane sells jumbo refills of its bestselling liquids. And Hourglass’ covetable gold bullet (which is more like jewellery than lipstick) is designed to be kept forever. When the lipstick gets low, you can buy a refill for about $30.