Spotlight: Making beauty sustainable and ethical

By Lottie Kilraine
lottie@slpmedia.co.uk

South London has witnessed weeks of protests by environmental campaigners calling for more to be done to combat the climate crisis.

From seasoned activists to first-time protesters, people are making their voices heard in the fight against environmental destruction.

Sustainability and being environmentally conscious is no longer seen as a niche, but rather a must-have for any business that wants to survive.

However, as consumers we still produce an eye-watering amount of waste.

In the UK alone, we generate about five million tonnes of plastic each year. British households create more than 26 million tonnes of waste yearly, a report by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that is the weight of about 260 large cruise ships.

This means that the average person in the UK throws away almost 400kg of waste each year – seven times their own body weight.

That being said, many people are becoming more conscious of their personal environmental impact.

Fast fashion brands who create cheap, throw-a-way garments are now regularly called out and chastised, while supermarkets continue to encourage reusable bags and other sustainable-savvy ideas.

But what about the go-to products we use daily to keep ourselves looking good?

Like the fashion world, the big beauty brands are just as guilty of producing and marketing fast beauty.

The beauty industry is a huge contributor to those shocking waste figures, with single-use plastic packaging being used for a range of products from hair care, to moisturisers, to this week’s hottest mascara.

The pressure to pursue a 10-step beauty routine every morning and night can have catastrophic environmental consequences, not to mention damage to your finances.

And that’s just the waste side. There is the also the added environmental impact of the beauty industry’s use of microbeads, unsustainable palm oil, animal testing, excessive use of water, to name but a few.

What can South Londoners do?

Shop Independent

There is an abundance of independent beauty brands based south of the river creating handmade goods with less damaging by-products.

If you are unsure where to start, visit your high street and look out for small businesses selling locally sourced items.

Take a look at websites such as Etsy.com or scroll through social media for makers creating quality products, closer to home.

Once you start looking they are easy to find.

Less is More

When deciding on a beauty product, it is generally safe to stick to the less is more rule.

A smaller list of ingredients means it is easier to spot any unwelcome chemicals, and means the ingredients used are generally better for you and the environment.

Shop Cruelty Free

When a product is considered cruelty-free it means it is manufactured by methods which do not involve any harm to animals.

Traditionally, a lot of beauty and cosmetic brands tested their products on animals in laboratories, and some still do.

Look out for a cruelty-free logo or labelling before buying a product, or better yet, shop small as the majority of handmade goods are small batch and therefore less likely to be tested on animals.

Solidamie

Solidamie is an independent small batch beauty brand that is challenging the industry norms.

They do this by specialising in high-quality formulations in a solid bar form meaning minimum packaging – so a minimal environmental impact.

Solidamie products are cruelty-free, plant-derived, sustainable, zero waste, biodegradable and are made in the owner’s South London-based laboratory.

The products are highly concentrated, making them effective, luxurious bars that are activated by water.

By having products in a solid, concentrated bar form, the water usage is reduced and subsequently so is the carbon footprint.

Solidamie’s founder, Lana Lelik grew up in Russia in the 1990s, after the fall of Soviet Union, but now lives in Dorset Road, Mottingham.

The 34-year-old said: “The subject of sustainability didn’t exist for me growing up in Russia, as the country was pretty much in a survival mode.

“However, somehow I have been obsessed with doing the right thing ever since I was a kid.

“My mum told me I was always giving litter back to people in the parks when I was nine-years-old or I would pick up someone else’s litter on the way home from our picnics.

“Eventually, I took this passion into creating plastic-free beauty products.

“I have always been creative at heart and obsessed with learning every little detail about how things are made.

“My interests included fermented foods, complicated food recipes and how creams and shampoos are created.

“I have always felt strongly about our generation damaging the planet.

“My products combine things I care about – creativity, well executed process and sustainability.”

Ms Lelik completed a diploma in skincare formulation and then spent a year diversifying into learning about hair and the chemistry of hair care products.

She said: “I tasked myself with recreating a luxurious pH balanced product but in concentrated bar form without water, soap or a plastic bottle.

She said: “I started manufacturing in the log cabin laboratory we had built in our garden during the pandemic.

“We started building works in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit, but the works had to be paused because of the lockdown.

“The project was delayed, but I carried on working on other aspects of the launch and we started in November last year.”

In July, Solidamie won the Bronze Free From Brand award and silver and bronze awards in the hair care category at the tenth annual Free From Skincare Awards.

The Europe-wide awards were founded to encourage and reward manufacturers of skincare products that are ‘free from many of the allergens, preservatives, additives and fragrances associated with skin sensitivities, allergies, and ethical, environmental and health concerns.

Ms Lelik said: “It’s incredible to be recognised for all the hard work that has been leading up to this moment.

“This time last year, our building works of our house-based cosmetic lab were still paused due to a pandemic.

“But that didn’t stop us working on our plastic-free haircare range.

“What a difference a year can make, we have scooped up three awards for creating highly effective products for hair without artificial fragrances, plastic, animal derivatives, sulphate or palm oil.”

You can check out Lana’s products on her website www.solidamie.co.uk

Main Pic: Lana Lelik