How did the French brand Caudalie establish itself as a powerful eco-responsible leader in the beauty industry? Its founder Mathilde Thomas enlightens us.   It's been a long time since the Caudalie adventure began for Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas. The discovery of the power of polyphenols housed in grape seeds, in 1993, launched the brand, which soon became anchored in the beauty routine of women around the world. A true pioneer in the beginnings of clean beauty, Caudalie continued to evolve, with Mathilde's actions, to be even greener and more eco-responsible without compromising on its effectiveness.  

An ever greener process

  "The list of elements that we want to eliminate from our formulas grows as studies show that some are endocrine disruptors," explains Mathilde Thomas. Since 2017, all of the brand's new skincare products are therefore free of silicones and PEG (polyethylene glycol) - agents frequently used for the silky texture and the surfactant properties they bring to products -, and its complete portfolio is revisited to remove gradually some agents. A major challenge - "Each step is complicated!" -, which it is possible to note thanks to the launch on the market of innovative ingredients, such as derivatives of coconut and sugar, which allow fluid and stable natural concoctions. Mathilde Thomas' other bet? "I want Caudalie to be zero waste - that is to say that all of our packaging is recycled, recyclable or refillable - by 2022." The glass used for the bottles will therefore be transparent, and metallic or laminated impressions on the plastic tubes will be eliminated. For parts that are more difficult to recycle, such as serum pumps, made from several materials, the brand teams up with the recycling company TerraCycle .   This increased awareness, the founder had in Hong Kong, where she lived to conquer the Asian market. “When you live in Asia, the pollution problem becomes extremely concrete. We visited paradisiacal beaches overgrown with waste, and when we surfed, each wave was strewn with plastic residue, ”laments Mathilde. As soon as he returned to France in 2018, tight measures were taken to reduce Caudalie's environmental impact. "Since I go to the lab every week, it makes the process easier!"  

The impact of COVID-19

I was supposed to meet Mathilde Thomas in person, at the end of April, during her planned visit to the Queen City for the inauguration of Caudalie's new head office in Canada, which will house both her offices and her boutique-spa. Crisis Covid-19obliges, its opening was delayed. The brand's boutiques and spas around the world have also temporarily shut down. “The business is badly affected. We have unemployed staff, on temporary layoff… it's a crisis that we have never experienced, ”confides Mathilde, saddened, during our interview with Zoom. When I ask her about the consequences of this event on our consumption habits in the future, the business woman tells me that the hope lies in the next generation. “Young people are very sensitive to the environmental cause and they will only go to work for companies they believe in. They see the product as a whole. This is what will change customs! ” she said, enthusiastic. Anyway,   Théo Dupuis-CarbonneauDiscussion with Mathilde Thomas, confounder of Caudalie © Supplied by ELLE Québec   "In the evening, I mix my Make-up Remover Oil ($ 34) and my Vine Flower Cleansing Foam ($ 34) to remove all traces of makeup!"   Buy © Supplied by ELLE Québec   Buy © Supplied by ELLE Québec   “The whipped texture of the new Lift & Firmness Body Balm ($ 53) penetrates like a charm. And its delicate smell of orange blossom is divine!”   Buy © Supplied by ELLE Québec   "After having melted a little mineral tinted cream ($ 32) with my Premier Cru cream ($ 169), I complete my makeup with a touch of red and a bit of Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara ($ 36)."