the unwash review
To Lesse, the brand is more of a ritual than a collection of skincare products. The founder of Lesse, Neada Deters set out to create a brand that had minimal environmental impact but offered maximum results for common skin concerns. For many, skincare is a routine necessity where more is considered better, the more products the better the result is narratives brands are selling. Lesse thinks about skincare from a different perspective where you can have minimal products that deliver optimal results. The brand is focused on representation, sustainability, and integrity within the industry and is fueled by organic ingredients and environmentally conscious formulations.
Neada Deters set out to find solutions to her own skincare issues such as chronic cystic acne which led to the creation of Lesse to solve larger industry problems. In an industry full of gimmicky marketing and selling quick fixes for long-term problems, knowing what to trust can be daunting for consumers. Neada felt exactly this and no longer wanted to continue purchasing products from corporations that value profit over integrity. Many brands are focused on selling more products rather than educating consumers on how to use them, ultimately resulting in more complications than fixes. Their products offer an opportunity to work in harmony with your body and are essentials that focus on nourishing the skin. Creating a brand that offers representation was also part of Neada’s desire to launch a skincare line. Being Filipino-European, she often didn’t feel represented by commercial beauty brands on the market. In a market that is often unattainable and exclusionary to many, Lesse is committed to creating change.
“I learned how detrimental many products on the market and in widespread use are on our skin and the planet. I started to understand that skin care should be minimal, and that corporations were driven by profit, not the health and integrity of their customers’ skin”. – Neada Deters, Founder of Lesse
Lesse is pushing to change the way the beauty industry manufactures and formulates products. Using organic ingredients and reducing the amount of single-use plastic are two of the major goals of the brand. Their website offers a clear breakdown of the ingredients, formulation, and packaging of each of their products, including how to properly recycle. Their entire product range is packaged in glass or aluminum making for easy reusability or recycling. The mission of Lesse is right in its name, less is more. The brand works from the inside out. All of their ingredients are organic and grown to cultivate soil regeneration and biodiversity. Many of the ingredients used are native to the Australian bush, an area threatened with wildfires due to climate change. The brand feels a direct connection to climate preservation as its ingredients come from an area so heavily impacted by climate change.
Lesse is changing the narrative of what sustainability in the beauty space has to look like. Sustainability doesn’t have to be bland but can provide a luxury experience with quality ingredients that can offer results. In an over-saturated industry leaving many feeling disillusioned, Lesse is where consumers can turn to for a slow approach to beauty. From the packaging to the products themselves, your beauty routine doesn’t need to leave a trail of waste. Brands like Lesse are creating the necessary change from manufacturing, and packaging, to marketing for more responsible practices all around – making sustainable living easy.
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Eco Birdy
Belgium-based brand EcoBirdy is giving new life to tossed and unused plastic children’s toys. The brand repurposes plastic waste to create thoughtful design furniture, with a collection dedicated to kids. EcoBirdy is B-Corporation certified and has created its own system for sustainably recycling plastic toys. All of their furniture is completely made from recycled plastic which includes kids-sized pieces and artful lounge furniture.
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Corpus
Corpus appeals to consumers looking for high-quality, naturally formulated products while being climate conscious through responsible packaging and ethical manufacturing practices. Corpus launched with their fan-favorite deodorant stick and has now expanded into deodorant spray, body wash, and candles. The product line stands out from the crowd with its signature light green hue and sleek design. The aesthetically pleasing design will transport your bathroom or vanity to the likeness of a luxury boutique hotel. Their products come in an assortment of different scents and are formulated similarly to perfumes with long-lasting fragrance payoff.
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Henry Rose
Henry Rose is committed to taking the extra steps necessary to ensure their products are as safe as possible with reduced environmental impact compared to traditional fragrance houses. The creation of the brand has been a labor of love for Michelle Pfeiffer, who wanted to ensure the products she was using were safe around her children, and she’s been upfront about the learning curve that comes with creating a brand that has high standards. Henry Rose is dedicated to creating safe products for everyone, even those with sensitive skin and allergies, all while working on playing their part in conserving the planet.
