Bordeaux finds a new home in Toronto at The Hazelton House, Caudalie’s first Canadian flagship location

  Caudalie’s first Canadian boutique features immersive design elements inspired by the Bordeaux vineyards in Château Smith Haute Lafitte, the birthplace of Caudalie products and the first Caudalie spa. From a custom grapevine chandelier, white oak wine barrel fixtures to marble inspired by the original spa tiles, the boutique will visually transport guests to the home of Caudalie in French wine country.   “Opening a flagship location in Toronto is an important milestone for Caudalie, one that we’ve been looking forward to for a while,” says Mathilde Thomas, Caudalie, Co-Founder. “The history, culture and energy of Toronto excited us to connect with this beautiful city, share our brand story and immerse Toronto into the DNA of Caudalie.”   Guests can immerse themselves in a product discovery and sampling area, receive personalized skincare analysis with diagnostic tools, and indulge in a full menu of spa services, including favourites like the Premier Cru Facial and Crushed Cabernet Scrub Signature Body treatment.   To ensure the waste produced by the boutique is kept at minimum, Caudalie has partnered with recyclable program, Terracycle, to recycle clients’ empty Caudalie products and to internally safely recycle and discard materials.   About the brand Caudalie is a French skincare brand established in 1995 by Mathilde Thomas and her husband Bertrand in the heart of the Bordeaux region on the “Smith Haut Lafitte” estate. This independent brand uses the benefits of ingredients obtained from grapes and the grapevine. Caudalie products are natural, effective and luxurious; they are based on a model of natural science that follows a very strict charter, known as “Cosm’ethics”   For more info visit caudalie.ca

Henkel is transitioning to fully recyclable toothpaste tubes for their entire oral care portfolio by early 2021. The German consumer goods company said that the move supports their sustainable packaging target of reaching 100% recyclability by 2025.   The classic toothpaste tubes that consumers use by the millions daily have a multi-layer construction that makes the packaging difficult for recycling facilities to process, according to Henkel. In response, the company plans to use technology from their packaging supplier Albéa that allows the tubes to be fully recyclable.   Both the Association of Plastic Recyclers in the United States and Suez. Circpack in Europe recognize Albéa’s Greenleaf tubes as recyclable within existing HDPE bottles recycling streams, Henkel said. Albéa’s process is proprietary, but Henkel did say that the technology for making tubes uses a single-blown film that significantly reduces the carbon dioxide footprint of the packaging.   Spanish toothpaste brand Licor del Polo will have the first fully recyclable tubes with the rest of the oral care brands transitioning by the start of next year, Henkel said.   The switch to Greenleaf tubes allows more than 700 tons of packaging material to be utilized and recovered by waste recycling streams annually, according to Philippe Blank, head of packaging sustainability at Henkel Beauty Care.   Beyond rolling out the recyclable tubes, Henkel and Albéa said they are working together on addressing other aspects of toothpaste packaging. “We have a clear goal: Together we want to launch the world’s first full HDPE tube in 2021, which will then include the cap as well,” Blank said.   Initiatives to keep toothpaste packaging out of landfills have increased over the past few years. In 2018, Colgate and TerraCycle launched a UK program for consumers to recycle oral care products and packaging, regardless of brand. More recently Colgate introduced a fully recyclable tube made from HDPE for its Tom’s of Maine brand in the United States and a new line called Smile for Good in Europe.

Cult French clean skincare brand Caudalie has officially the opened the doors to its first Canadian flagship Boutique Spa in Toronto.   Called the Caudalie Hazelton House, the new 1,100 square foot boutique (located in Yorkville) includes a retail space as well as a spa that will offer a full range of Vinothrapie treatments. Given that the province is still currently in phase two of reopening, facial treatments are currently unavailable (these will be available for booking when Toronto enters phase three), however body treatments can be booked immediately. There are social distancing measurements in place, including allowing clients to use the skin scanner tool whilst guided by a therapist to analyze their skin needs and be given a personalized regimen, as well as the wearing of masks by staff and clients during treatments.   Design elements in the boutique have been inspired by vineyards in the brand’s home of Bordeaux, including a grapevine chandelier, white oak wine barrel merchandising fixtures and marble inspired by the tiles from the brand’s first spa. Plus, the brand has partnered with TerraCycle to recycle empty Caudalie products from consumers and keep waste to a minimum.   Speaking of the boutique’s opening, Caudalie’s co-founder Mathilde Thomas said, “Opening a flagship location in Toronto is an important milestone for Caudalie, one that we’ve been looking forward to for a while. The history, culture and energy of Toronto excited us to connect with this beautiful city, share our brand story and immerse Toronto into the DNA of Caudalie.”   After months of working from home, there’s probably never been a better time to book yourself in for a little (or a lot of) pampering.   To book your appointment, visit caudalie.ca or call 437 215 1267.

The Venetian Resort expands Sands ECO360 recycling efforts as the first Las Vegas-based property, and one of the first in the nation, to develop an innovative program to recycle surgical face masks, which are being used by guests and Team Members as part of the resort’s Venetian Clean initiatives. As part of this pilot project, in partnership with TerraCycle, the discarded masks are collected on-site at The Venetian Resort and sent to a recycling facility where they are separated, shredded and densified into a crumb-like raw material.  This material will be used to make repurposed products such as composite lumber for shipping pallets, railroad ties and composite decking.   “Our responsibility to the planet is one of our company’s core values,” stated George Markantonis, president and COO of The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. “Our Sands ECO360 global sustainability initiative was designed to help minimize our environmental impact, and it reflects our vision as a leader in sustainable resort operations. We continue our journey to a more sustainable future as we seek innovative environmental solutions.”   “At TerraCycle, our mission has always been to eliminate waste, recycle the unrecyclable and use our innovative business solutions to minimize human impact on the planet,” said TerraCycle Founder and CEO Tom Szaky. “It’s through partnerships like the one we enjoy with The Venetian Resort that allows us to fulfill our objective and help preserve the environment for future generations.”   Since re-opening in June, The Venetian Resort began diverting discarded surgical face masks from other waste being sent to landfills, through an industry-leading trash-sorting initiative that takes place on property. In addition to this program, the resort actively sorts its trash, diverting 27 types of items that would otherwise be sent to landfills. Through this program, between 55-60 percent of waste is diverted from local landfills, a number that far surpasses the national average of 32 percent, or the state average of 23 percent. “As a company that has put sustainability in the forefront of our operation, it was important to find a recycling solution for this PPE, to avoid sending them to our landfills,” continued Markantonis.   This project, part of the company’s Sands ECO360 initiative, will help provide “proof of concept” for such recycling, to encourage others to replicate the program. Currently, consumer masks are not recycled through main-stream or curbside recycling programs, due to the complexity of the recycling process.  Surgical face masks are made of a multitude of materials, and need to be sorted and separated before recycling.  In addition a magnet is used to separate the metal nose strips, which can melted and utilized in other recycled materials.  

For more information, visit venetian.com or www.terracycle.com.

The Venetian Resort is expanding Sands ECO360 recycling efforts as the first Las Vegas-based property, and one of the first in the nation, to develop a program to recycle surgical face masks, which are being used by guests and team members as part of the resort’s Venetian Clean initiatives.   As part of this pilot project, in partnership with TerraCycle, the discarded masks are collected on-site at The Venetian Resort and sent to a recycling facility where they are separated, shredded and densified into a crumb-like raw material.  This material will be used to make repurposed products such as composite lumber for shipping pallets, railroad ties and composite decking.   “Our responsibility to the planet is one of our company’s core values,” stated George Markantonis, president and COO of The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, in a statement. “Our Sands ECO360 global sustainability initiative was designed to help minimize our environmental impact, and it reflects our vision as a leader in sustainable resort operations. We continue our journey to a more sustainable future as we seek innovative environmental solutions.”   “At TerraCycle, our mission has always been to eliminate waste, recycle the unrecyclable and use our innovative business solutions to minimize human impact on the planet,” said TerraCycle Founder and CEO Tom Szaky. “It’s through partnerships like the one we enjoy with The Venetian Resort that allows us to fulfill our objective and help preserve the environment for future generations.”   Since re-opening in June, The Venetian Resort began diverting discarded surgical face masks from other waste being sent to landfills, through an industry-leading trash-sorting initiative that takes place on property.   In addition to this program, the resort actively sorts its trash, diverting 27 types of items that would otherwise be sent to landfills. Through this program, between 55-60 percent of waste is diverted from local landfills, a number that far surpasses the national average of 32 percent or the state average of 23 percent.   “As a company that has put sustainability in the forefront of our operation, it was important to find a recycling solution for this PPE, to avoid sending them to our landfills,” continued Markantonis.   This project, part of the company’s Sands ECO360 initiative, will help provide “proof of concept” for such recycling, to encourage others to replicate the program. Currently, consumer masks are not recycled through main-stream or curbside recycling programs due to the complexity of the recycling process. Surgical face masks are made of a multitude of materials and need to be sorted and separated before recycling.  In addition, a magnet is used to separate the metal nose strips, which can be melted and utilized in other recycled materials.   For more information, visit Venetian.com.

OCEAN CITY, Md. (WJZ) — Visitors in Ocean City, Maryland will notice something unique about four brand new benches.   The benches, three of which are located on the Boardwalk and the other at Seacrets, are made from recycled cigarette butts.   The benches were created as a result of the Ocean City Green Team’s Cigarette Litter Prevention Program which was created last year.   The program encourages businesses, visitors and residents to dispose of their cigarette butts and cigar tips properly, while aiming to reduce secondhand smoke. According to Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s largest organization aimed at eliminating cigarette litter and a co-funder of CLPP, cigarette butts remain the most littered item in the U.S. and across the globe.   In 2019, CLPP began a campaign where “butt huts” were made available to businesses willing to take a pledge of participation and assist with collecting cigarette waste throughout Ocean City.   The huts were installed in busy areas that routinely saw concentrated cigarette waste. When full the huts were emptied by volunteers and interns and sent to international recycling leader TerraCycle, who recycled the cigarette butts and used the resulting plastic to manufacture the new benches.  

(PRESS RELEASE) -- The Venetian Las Vegas expands Sands ECO360 recycling efforts as the first Las Vegas-based property, and one of the first in the nation, to develop an innovative program to recycle surgical face masks, which are being used by guests and Team Members as part of the resort's Venetian Clean initiatives. As part of this pilot project, in partnership with TerraCycle, the discarded masks are collected on-site at The Venetian Resort and sent to a recycling facility where they are separated, shredded and densified into a crumb-like raw material. This material will be used to make repurposed products such as composite lumber for shipping pallets, railroad ties and composite decking. "Our responsibility to the planet is one of our company's core values," stated George Markantonis, president and COO of The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. "Our Sands ECO360 global sustainability initiative was designed to help minimize our environmental impact, and it reflects our vision as a leader in sustainable resort operations. We continue our journey to a more sustainable future as we seek innovative environmental solutions." "At TerraCycle, our mission has always been to eliminate waste, recycle the unrecyclable and use our innovative business solutions to minimize human impact on the planet," said TerraCycle Founder and CEO Tom Szaky. "It's through partnerships like the one we enjoy with The Venetian Resort that allows us to fulfill our objective and help preserve the environment for future generations." Since re-opening in June, The Venetian Resort began diverting discarded surgical face masks from other waste being sent to landfills, through an industry-leading trash-sorting initiative that takes place on property. In addition to this program, the resort actively sorts its trash, diverting 27 types of items that would otherwise be sent to landfills. Through this program, between 55-60 percent of waste is diverted from local landfills, a number that far surpasses the national average of 32 percent, or the state average of 23 percent. "As a company that has put sustainability in the forefront of our operation, it was important to find a recycling solution for this PPE, to avoid sending them to our landfills," continued Markantonis. This project, part of the company's Sands ECO360 initiative, will help provide "proof of concept" for such recycling, to encourage others to replicate the program. Currently, consumer masks are not recycled through main-stream or curbside recycling programs, due to the complexity of the recycling process. Surgical face masks are made of a multitude of materials, and need to be sorted and separated before recycling. In addition a magnet is used to separate the metal nose strips, which can melted and utilized in other recycled materials. Sustainability at The Venetian Resort Through the Sands ECO360 global sustainability strategy, The Venetian Resort leads the hospitality industry in a movement to actively minimize the environmental impact of its resort operations on our planet. Using a science-based approach, the strategy focuses on areas with the greatest environmental impact and opportunity, each aligned with a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal. Recent highlights include:

• ENERGY: Las Vegas Sands and NV Energy recently signed an agreement to source 100% renewable electricity for The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, through Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), annually taking approximately 225 million kWh "off the grid," or the equivalent of almost 28,000 single-family houses.
• ENERGY: U.S. Department of Energy recognized The Venetian Resort Las Vegas for surpassing a 20 percent energy reduction goal as a partner in the Better Buildings Challenge. In the fall, it was reported that The Venetian had achieved a 24% reduction in energy since the program began.
• FOOD/PROCUREMENT: To better understand its seafood supply chain and increase its percentage of spend on sustainable seafood, the resort has embarked on a multi-year project with FishWise, a seafood sustainability consultant.
• WATER CONSERVATION: With the expansion of its innovative nano-filtration system, the resort is able to purify and reuse non-potable water for irrigation, fountains, and HVAC cooling tower needs. Overall this system replaces 22 million gallons of municipal water each year with non-potable water, allowing the company to reduce its reliance on fresh water. Beginning in August 2019, the property HVAC cooling tower is now using filtered non-municipal water, saving an additional 175 million gallons of water a year.
• WATER CONSERVATION: In 2020, Las Vegas Sands officially launched The Drop by Drop Project, a new collaborative water stewardship initiative that invests in regional resiliency, ecosystem, technology and educational water projects. The initiative will further incentivize conservation while helping protect water supplies and watersheds in each of our regions.
• WASTE: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that The Venetian is a U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champion. As a champion, the resort is joining an exclusive list of American businesses and organizations in a pledge to reduce food waste in our operations by 50 percent before the year 2030.
• DOUBLE HONOR: Las Vegas Sands was once again named to the exclusive Climate Change A-List by CDP, an international nonprofit environmental organization. This is the company's fifth year in a row to attain a leadership position for Climate Change, a distinction shared by only 2% of companies that have active programs to disclose their global sustainability data. In addition, Las Vegas Sands was again named to the exclusive Water Conservation A-List by CDP. Further, we are one of 10 American companies to attain double A-List status. These CDP lists are widely recognized as the gold standard for corporate environmental transparency.

Also, City Commission Zone 2 candidate comments on new medjool palms and Steering Committee members talk about the experience of serving.   Why I support Jeff Brower   Dear Editor:   Citizens of Volusia County will make their voices heard during the August primary. My vote will go to Jeff Brower for Volusia County Chair because he understands environmental problems we are facing and will work to fix them.   He believes in property owner rights but understands rezoning of properties often does not protect our wetlands and overdevelopment comes with many problems. Our drinking water matters and is a priority to Jeff.   A lesser known issue he has been working to find solutions for is commercial composting of biosolids. Biosolids are the sludge left over from wastewater treatment plants. Currently, our biosolids are dumped on land in Central Florida creating problems with toxic run off. He found the Sustainable Generation System as a viable solution for composting biosolids that can safely be turned into a compost for public use.   Jeff understands the environmental problems caused by plastics. His plan is to add more garbage cans to the beach, pursue fines for littering, launch business sponsored Terracycle cigarette butt collection, add water refill stations and implement an educational outreach program to raise awareness.   He wants better transparency and oversight of the Volusia Forever program. Volusia Forever is a great conservation program but can be even greater with strong leadership oversight. I support Volusia Forever being the strongest program possible.   Jeff is a strong supporter of permaculture, which are agricultural systems designed to be sustainable and self-sufficient. He is a member of Volusia Soil and Water. His forward-thinking ideas for our environment are refreshing. We are long overdue for a County Council chair that represents the people.   Suzanne Scheiber   Ormond Beach

2020 has drastically changed our beauty shopping habits. Here, we put small batch beauty production under the microscope to see if it could change the beauty industry for the better.   Sustainability has long been at the forefront of conversations about the future of the beauty industry. As consumers, we’ve become increasingly conscious of our purchasing choices. Is this product cruelty-free? Is this packaging recyclable? Does the brand meet our environmental expectations?   And now, in 2020, sustainable, ethical and conscious beauty is no longer reserved for independent beauty brands; it is the new standard. Big name brands like L’Occitane and The Body Shop have begun partnering with recycling initiatives like Terracycle, while others have made moves to cut questionable ingredients like palm oil from their products. Mass brands have begun to experiment with refillables, whilst small brands have launched campaigns like We are Paradoxx’s Plastic Free Beauty Day. However, as beneficial as these moves have been, we’re beginning to realise that this is only half of the sustainability story.   Just look at the stats: since 1950, only 9% of the world’s plastic waste has been recycled. Around 12% is still burned. With such an alarming majority of our waste still going to landfill or out into nature (including plastic in our oceans); the move towards cleaner, greener beauty should remain the aim, but it’s clear that cleaning up beauty is much bigger task than how we recycle our dispenser pumps. Instead, it’s time to start looking at how many products are made. And that’s exactly why small batch beauty is having a moment.   Small batch beauty is a beauty production method in which products are made in much smaller amounts than is conventional. In this form of production, products are typically handmade rather than made by machines, and it allows brands to minimise waste and avoid overproduction.   The number of products made can be as as low as 100 units per shade or scent and, more often than not, there’s below 5000 units in each production run. This means small batch production is also either low or zero emission. Smaller quantities can also allow for the use of natural preservatives (or no preservatives at all), which in turn means strict use by dates – there won’t ever be loads of stock stored up in warehouses.   Small batch production is not a new phenomenon. One woman leading the charge is Olivia Thorpe, founder of Vanderohe. For her, reduced production sizes are not only more ethical, but also allows her to create the best products for her customers.   “The customer receives a product that has undergone scrupulous human quality control but also a lot of love, care and attention,” she explains. She compares small batch beauty to the restaurant world. “Michelin-starred establishments have a small number of covers specifically to ensure that the food served is nothing short of perfect.”   It’s also an environmental game changer. Vanderohe “blend by hand with no machinery running day and night [so] there is zero carbon footprint in the production process.” But there’s also a significant reduction in waste. “Any errors during production can be mitigated on a very small scale, resulting in very little waste. An error caused by machinery could result in huge batches having to be discarded.”   Alexia Inge, co-founder of Cult Beauty, believes that small batch production is also better for beauty lovers because it “ensures that consumers have access to the freshest products available.” For skincare, this freshness allows for “the active ingredients to be at their most potent and therefore most effective.”   She also highlights the direct benefit to the environment. “Small batch production tends to support a more sustainable form of farming, avoiding mass monoculture production which is terrible for biodiversity and therefore the environment,” she explains. However, she flags that ultimately the move across to small batch for big beauty brands depends on a change in profit margin strategy that may not be as attractive to customers.   That’s often why it’s only the smaller, independent beauty brands that opt for this form of production. But one big name brand that’s recently experimented with reduced product quantities is MAC. Back in June, it released its first Underground Collection, a product drop made exclusively for loyalty program members.   But unlike the brand’s launches that have come before, there were only 1,000 hand-numbered Extra Dimension Skin Finish compacts produced. This enabled them to “ensure that [M.A.C] didn’t overproduce or end up with excess inventory,” as Ukonwa Ojo, Global Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President, Global Marketing of M∙A∙C Cosmetic explains to Stylist. According to her, the precious stock of this particular highlighter “sold out in a matter of 55 minutes.”   It must be noted that the main selling point was exclusivity, rather than sustainability. However, because of the positive response so far, the brand plans “at least one M·A·C Underground drop per quarter, with the next launch in the early fall.” The positive response and limited nature of the collection has ultimately demonstrated something new: big beauty doesn’t always have to equal bigger quantities.   Whether this launch provides the blueprint for other big brands looking for a more sustainable approach to manufacturing, only time will tell. But as for now, here are some of the best small batch beauty brands to consider when you’re next stocking up.   The best small batch beauty brands  

• Vanderohe

Created as a result of extensive research into organic plant oils in a quest to find a remedy for severe allergy dermatitis, Vanderohe is a small batch beauty brand that cares. Founded by Oliva Thorpe, Vanderohe is 100% organic, only uses 100% cotton and forest-friendly packaging and even donates a portion of profits to Marine Saver, a leading marine conservation team. The debut product, Vanderohe’s No1 Nourishing Face Serum is the stuff of skincare dreams. Containing rosehip oil and soothing chamomile oil, it’s the perfect addition to any skincare routine, even those with sensitive skin.   Vanderohe No1 Nourishing Face Serum, £88  BUY NOW  

• Maya Njie

Maya Njie (pronounced ‘Maia En-jai’) is a London-based small batch fragrance brand. It’s artisanal scents are inspired by the founder’s Swedish grandparent’s idyllic summer home, combined with the soul of her Gambian and Senegalese heritage. Eau de Parfum in Vanilj is a nod to traditional Swedish combinations of vanilla and cardamom and comes spiced up by punchy patchouli.   Maya Njie’s Eau de Parfum in Vanilj, £85 BUY NOW  

• Emolyne

The slogan of this London-based make-up brand is ‘Your Shade, Your Rules’. Emolyne was borne out of its founder Emolyne Ramlov’s frustration with the one-size-fits-all approach to make-up adopted by most of the industry. With 30 shades across their lipsticks, liners and gel polishes, spanning rich red to neutral hues, you are bound to find something to suit you. The aptly named Metamorphosis Gel Lacquer is perfect for anyone who has finally aced the at-home manicure.   Emolyne Metamorphosis Gel Lacquer, £11 BUY NOW  

• Neighbourhood Botanicals

Neighbourhood Botanicals has fast become slow beauty’s cover girl. All of its formulas are natural, made with ECO-CERT ingredients, are cruelty free and vegan. In early 2020 the brand opened its very own lab in Leyton, east London to scale up, without compromising on sustainability. Sunday Morning Dry Shampoo is perfect for those ‘in between hair wash days’.   Neighbourhood Botanicals Sunday Morning Dry Shampoo, £17 BUY NOW  

• The Glowcery

Vegan, check. Cruelty-free, check. The Glowcery is a plant-based, planet-friendly, small batch brand. Formulating in small batches allows the brand to keep their energy emissions low and preserves the freshness and quality of the products. The Coconut Crumble Lip Scrub is proof great things come in small packages.   The Coconut Crumble Lip Scrub, £12 BUY NOW  

• Skandinavisk

Skandinavisk’s Lempi Hand Cream was designed to nourish and protect skin from cold winds, low humidity, and harsh climates, but as we continue to wash our hands more freaquently than ever, its rich formulation is a must-have for all.   Skandinavisk’s Lempi Hand Cream, £20 BUY NOW  

• Afrocenchix

Black hair has long been overlooked in the beauty industry. After being disappointed by countless products that claimed to be great for afro hair on the high street, friends Joycelyn and Rachael decided to make their own, launching a clean UK beauty brand with environmentally conscious packaging: Afrocenchix. The brand’s first product, Soothe Hair Oil, is perfect for injecting moisture into summer braided styles.   Afrocenchix Soothe Hair Oil, £15.99 BUY NOW  

• MDM Flow

MDM Flow is small batch cruelty-free beauty brand that takes its inspiration from street style and youth culture. Its inclusive colour cosmetics range consists of bright, bold, high quality shades that are suitable for all skin tones. Milkshake is a bubblegum pink hue that works on deep through to light skin tones. MDM Flow Lipstick in Milkshake, £15

  2020 has drastically changed our beauty shopping habits. Here, we put small batch beauty production under the microscope to see if it could change the beauty industry for the better.   Sustainability has long been at the forefront of conversations about the future of the beauty industry. As consumers, we’ve become increasingly conscious of our purchasing choices. Is this product cruelty-free? Is this packaging recyclable? Does the brand meet our environmental expectations?   And now, in 2020, sustainable, ethical and conscious beauty is no longer reserved for independent beauty brands; it is the new standard. Big name brands like L’Occitane and The Body Shop have begun partnering with recycling initiatives like Terracycle, while others have made moves to cut questionable ingredients like palm oil from their products. Mass brands have begun to experiment with refillables, whilst small brands have launched campaigns like We are Paradoxx’s Plastic Free Beauty Day. However, as beneficial as these moves have been, we’re beginning to realise that this is only half of the sustainability story.   Just look at the stats: since 1950, only 9% of the world’s plastic waste has been recycled. Around 12% is still burned. With such an alarming majority of our waste still going to landfill or out into nature (including plastic in our oceans); the move towards cleaner, greener beauty should remain the aim, but it’s clear that cleaning up beauty is much bigger task than how we recycle our dispenser pumps. Instead, it’s time to start looking at how many products are made. And that’s exactly why small batch beauty is having a moment.   Small batch beauty is a beauty production method in which products are made in much smaller amounts than is conventional. In this form of production, products are typically handmade rather than made by machines, and it allows brands to minimise waste and avoid overproduction.   The number of products made can be as as low as 100 units per shade or scent and, more often than not, there’s below 5000 units in each production run. This means small batch production is also either low or zero emission. Smaller quantities can also allow for the use of natural preservatives (or no preservatives at all), which in turn means strict use by dates – there won’t ever be loads of stock stored up in warehouses.   Small batch production is not a new phenomenon. One woman leading the charge is Olivia Thorpe, founder of Vanderohe. For her, reduced production sizes are not only more ethical, but also allows her to create the best products for her customers.   “The customer receives a product that has undergone scrupulous human quality control but also a lot of love, care and attention,” she explains. She compares small batch beauty to the restaurant world. “Michelin-starred establishments have a small number of covers specifically to ensure that the food served is nothing short of perfect.”   It’s also an environmental game changer. Vanderohe “blend by hand with no machinery running day and night [so] there is zero carbon footprint in the production process.” But there’s also a significant reduction in waste. “Any errors during production can be mitigated on a very small scale, resulting in very little waste. An error caused by machinery could result in huge batches having to be discarded.”   Alexia Inge, co-founder of Cult Beauty, believes that small batch production is also better for beauty lovers because it “ensures that consumers have access to the freshest products available.” For skincare, this freshness allows for “the active ingredients to be at their most potent and therefore most effective.”   She also highlights the direct benefit to the environment. “Small batch production tends to support a more sustainable form of farming, avoiding mass monoculture production which is terrible for biodiversity and therefore the environment,” she explains. However, she flags that ultimately the move across to small batch for big beauty brands depends on a change in profit margin strategy that may not be as attractive to customers.   That’s often why it’s only the smaller, independent beauty brands that opt for this form of production. But one big name brand that’s recently experimented with reduced product quantities is MAC. Back in June, it released its first Underground Collection, a product drop made exclusively for loyalty program members.   But unlike the brand’s launches that have come before, there were only 1,000 hand-numbered Extra Dimension Skin Finish compacts produced. This enabled them to “ensure that [M.A.C] didn’t overproduce or end up with excess inventory,” as Ukonwa Ojo, Global Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President, Global Marketing of M∙A∙C Cosmetic explains to Stylist. According to her, the precious stock of this particular highlighter “sold out in a matter of 55 minutes.”   It must be noted that the main selling point was exclusivity, rather than sustainability. However, because of the positive response so far, the brand plans “at least one M·A·C Underground drop per quarter, with the next launch in the early fall.” The positive response and limited nature of the collection has ultimately demonstrated something new: big beauty doesn’t always have to equal bigger quantities.   Whether this launch provides the blueprint for other big brands looking for a more sustainable approach to manufacturing, only time will tell. But as for now, here are some of the best small batch beauty brands to consider when you’re next stocking up.   The best small batch beauty brands  

• Vanderohe

Created as a result of extensive research into organic plant oils in a quest to find a remedy for severe allergy dermatitis, Vanderohe is a small batch beauty brand that cares. Founded by Oliva Thorpe, Vanderohe is 100% organic, only uses 100% cotton and forest-friendly packaging and even donates a portion of profits to Marine Saver, a leading marine conservation team. The debut product, Vanderohe’s No1 Nourishing Face Serum is the stuff of skincare dreams. Containing rosehip oil and soothing chamomile oil, it’s the perfect addition to any skincare routine, even those with sensitive skin.   Vanderohe No1 Nourishing Face Serum, £88  BUY NOW  

• Maya Njie

Maya Njie (pronounced ‘Maia En-jai’) is a London-based small batch fragrance brand. It’s artisanal scents are inspired by the founder’s Swedish grandparent’s idyllic summer home, combined with the soul of her Gambian and Senegalese heritage. Eau de Parfum in Vanilj is a nod to traditional Swedish combinations of vanilla and cardamom and comes spiced up by punchy patchouli.   Maya Njie’s Eau de Parfum in Vanilj, £85 BUY NOW  

• Emolyne

The slogan of this London-based make-up brand is ‘Your Shade, Your Rules’. Emolyne was borne out of its founder Emolyne Ramlov’s frustration with the one-size-fits-all approach to make-up adopted by most of the industry. With 30 shades across their lipsticks, liners and gel polishes, spanning rich red to neutral hues, you are bound to find something to suit you. The aptly named Metamorphosis Gel Lacquer is perfect for anyone who has finally aced the at-home manicure.   Emolyne Metamorphosis Gel Lacquer, £11 BUY NOW  

• Neighbourhood Botanicals

Neighbourhood Botanicals has fast become slow beauty’s cover girl. All of its formulas are natural, made with ECO-CERT ingredients, are cruelty free and vegan. In early 2020 the brand opened its very own lab in Leyton, east London to scale up, without compromising on sustainability. Sunday Morning Dry Shampoo is perfect for those ‘in between hair wash days’.   Neighbourhood Botanicals Sunday Morning Dry Shampoo, £17 BUY NOW  

• The Glowcery

Vegan, check. Cruelty-free, check. The Glowcery is a plant-based, planet-friendly, small batch brand. Formulating in small batches allows the brand to keep their energy emissions low and preserves the freshness and quality of the products. The Coconut Crumble Lip Scrub is proof great things come in small packages.   The Coconut Crumble Lip Scrub, £12 BUY NOW  

• Skandinavisk

Skandinavisk’s Lempi Hand Cream was designed to nourish and protect skin from cold winds, low humidity, and harsh climates, but as we continue to wash our hands more freaquently than ever, its rich formulation is a must-have for all.   Skandinavisk’s Lempi Hand Cream, £20 BUY NOW  

• Afrocenchix

Black hair has long been overlooked in the beauty industry. After being disappointed by countless products that claimed to be great for afro hair on the high street, friends Joycelyn and Rachael decided to make their own, launching a clean UK beauty brand with environmentally conscious packaging: Afrocenchix. The brand’s first product, Soothe Hair Oil, is perfect for injecting moisture into summer braided styles.   Afrocenchix Soothe Hair Oil, £15.99 BUY NOW  

• MDM Flow

MDM Flow is small batch cruelty-free beauty brand that takes its inspiration from street style and youth culture. Its inclusive colour cosmetics range consists of bright, bold, high quality shades that are suitable for all skin tones. Milkshake is a bubblegum pink hue that works on deep through to light skin tones. MDM Flow Lipstick in Milkshake, £15