Ethique’s sustainable beauty brilliance

by James Wilkinson

When it comes to sustainable beauty, New Zealand’s Ethique, founded by Christchurch based entrepreneur Brianne West in 2012, is continuing to raise the bar.

West created the forward-thinking, zero-waste beauty and lifestyle business out of her own “frustration with the environmental impact hair, face, body and home care products and their packaging on the market”.

Ethique delivers proven effective, concentrated and sustainable solutions without the unnecessary packaging or water added. Since creation, the brand has removed the necessity for over 9 million plastic bottles from being produced with the goal of 50 million by the end of 2025.

Just one of Ethique’s solid shampoo bars saves three plastic bottles from ending up in landfill, and one of their conditioner bars saves up to 5 plastic bottles.

Starting with solid shampoo bars, the brand has since sky-rocketed and was awarded “Fastest Growing Retail or Consumer Products Business” in the Deloitte Fast 50 in 2019.

The Ethique range is vegan, palm oil free, ethical, plastic free and fairly sourced. The company is proudly carbon neutral, and on track to be climate positive, offsetting 120% of net carbon emissions, by the end of 2020.

Every year 20% of the company’s profits are donated to a number of ongoing charity partners and the brand is also the highest rated B Corporation in New Zealand.

TOP PRODUCTS FROM ETHIQUE

Some of the best in the range from Ethique that are ideal for at home or on the road.

Tip to Toe Shampoo and Shaving Bar

AU$22
For both shampooing and shaving, lather in your hands and spread on the skin or apply with a shaving brush. It contains kaolin clay, cocoa butter, glycerine with orange, lime and mint oils for a zesty, clean scent.

Wonder Bar Conditioner

AU$25
This solid conditioner bar also doubles as an in shower moisturiser and is suitable for sensitive skin, apply directly to the skin or hands for application, it will last for up to five months. It contains organic, fair trader coconut oil, cocoa butter and vitamin B5 make this super effective and guilt-free.

Pumice Tea Tree and Spearmint Bodywash Bar

AU$9
The body wash bars are the easiest eco swap to make, this bar is the most popular and provides a gentle exfoliation, apply directly to the skin or hands for application. It contains pumice scrubs, charcoal cleansers, tea tree, spearmint and ginger oils.

Rustic Solid Deodorant

AU$20
The solid deodorant keeps underarms smelling fresh, rather than stop sweat, it is not an antiperspirant. It contains magnesium hydroxide, zinc oxide, and bamboo (which absorbs 20% of its own weight in sweat and oil), scented with lime, cedar wood and eucalyptus, with jojoba and sweet almond oil.

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