clear skin, clear conscience

This clinic is offering both

TWO YEARS AGO, James Vivian Dermal Therapies became the first skincare clinic in the country to partner with Sustainable Salons Australia (SSA). “I was looking to significantly reduce our salon waste,” says Vivian, who was dismayed that the regular council-supplied recycling bins didn’t allow for much of the plastic his Melbourne and Sydney clinics dispose of daily. “As an industry, I believe we contribute heavily to the amount of waste that pollutes our earth. Within our clinics, we were becoming increasingly aware and disturbed by the amount of items used in our treatments that were ending up in the trash.”

By joining SSA, he’s now able to recycle up to 95 per cent of what’s used (and anything that SSA is unable to take, such as hairnets, gets tossed in a Terracycle Zero Waste Box). “As well as collecting our own recyclable waste, we ask our clients to return any packaging they purchase from us so that we can add it to our collection. SSA uses the money raised from recycling to support charitable causes, such as Ozharvest, which provides meals for people in need.”

Beyond recycling, Vivian also examined his salon practices, opting for treatment methods that require less water, only using products not tested on animals and favouring environmentally aware brands. But that doesn’t mean performance is compromised. “We pride ourselves on being able to positively change our clients’ skin with pro-grade lasers and cosmeceutical skincare,” he says. Healthy skin plus healthy environment? We can’t think of better causes to be passionate about.

jamesviviandt.com