Eco boost: Five recent developments in sustainable beauty across APAC

By Amanda Lim

- Last updated on GMT

Five of the most-read stories relating to one of the hottest topics in beauty today, sustainability. [Getty Images]
Five of the most-read stories relating to one of the hottest topics in beauty today, sustainability. [Getty Images]

Related tags Sustainability Apac

We round up of our five most-read stories relating to one of the hottest topics in beauty today, featuring innovative solutions from APAC’s sustainable beauty movement.

1 – Chew on this: Dentist develops eco-friendly toothpaste tablets that meet dental care standards

A dentist in Australia has developed environmentally friendly toothpaste tablets​ to meet the consumer desire for elevated oral care products that achieve dental care standards.

The oral care space has been undergoing a transformation as more people are beginning to treat toothpaste and mouthwash as a beauty lifestyle product.

This is being driven by new independent brands and start-ups that are putting a novel spin on oral care, billing them as an extension of the beauty routine.

While the shift in how we think about oral care is exciting, dentist Dr Rob Wood has been concerned that such brands are neglecting the oral healthcare aspect of the products.

2 – Sun and surf: Kao to relaunch sun care brand Allie with ‘ocean safety’ focus in 2022

Kao Corporation is relaunching its sun care brand, Allie, with a series of new ‘ocean safe’ products​ that align with recent regulations implemented to preserve the marine ecosystem.

Launched in 2000, Allie is a mass-market sun care brand from Kao that has been widely available in health and beauty retail stores around Asia.

On December 9, Kao announced that Allie was set for a relaunch, which would see a new line of products and a renewed focus on sustainability. In particular, the brand would now focus on ocean safety​.

The new Chrono Beauty range will be launched on February 12 next year beginning in Japan.

3 – The right choice: Retailer A.S. Watson sees P&G collaboration as opportunity to expand sustainable beauty offerings

Health and beauty retailer A.S. Watson says it has taken another step forward in sustainability by co-creating a skin care brand with Procter & Gamble that aligns with its Sustainable Choices product range.

The Hong Kong-based company has been strengthening its commitment to sustainability in the last couple of years.

In October, Watsons announced that it launched a Sustainable Choices range with over 1,600 products. This was in collaboration with leading global players including Beiersdorf, Kao, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble (P&G), Shiseido and Unilever.

“We’ve been working closely with our strategic supplier partners to offer a wide range of Sustainable Choices products – everything from skin care to shampoo – making it easier for customers to make purchase decisions that contribute to a better world for all,”​ said Malina Ngai, CEO of A.S. Watson, Asia and Europe.

4 – ‘Talking trash’: Upcycled ingredients to soar in 2022 across EMEA

EMEA beauty suppliers say upcycled ingredients are the next big trend to watch in 2022​, as brands look for ways to plug circular needs and cater to sharper consumer sustainability demands.

Over the past few years, the sustainable beauty agenda had certainly evolved fast – shifting to wider green ideals but also circular business goals longer-term. In the EMEA region specifically, this was being propelled by the European Commission’s (EC) goal to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, part of the European Green Deal unveiled in December 2019.

For beauty, the circular business agenda offered plenty of opportunities and one key aspect within this was upcycled ingredients.

5 – Refill revolution: Trestique brings refillable, one-stop makeup routine to promote repeat buys

Customer loyalty in colour cosmetics can be elusive, but a makeup brand built around crayons and sticks has converted to a refillable model​ to give consumers a reason to come back.

Colour cosmetics brand Trestique, based out of New York City, started six years ago built on the concept of a full makeup routine of stick and crayon-format products. Co-founder and co-CEO Jack Bensason said the idea behind the brand was to create a simple, single-brand makeup routine.

While it is common in the skin care market for consumers to purchase a whole routine under a single brand umbrella, Bensason said consumers were significantly less likely to do the same thing with makeup because retailers and brands were more likely to advertise their newest or trendiest product.

“Unlike many other brands, we’re not built around one hero product,”​ Bensason said. “In makeup, the customer behaviour is very different because … the brand never gave them a reason to buy all the products under one roof. Our hero product is basically the makeup routine.”

Related topics Market Trends All Asia-Pacific

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