Our guest in this episode is Dr Terence Chung, visionary co-founder of FRUU Cosmetics, which is a company dedicated to turning sustainable ingredients, particularly “wonky fruits” or byproducts from the juicing and agricultural industries, into natural cosmetics. In conversation with Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier, Terence not only shares the remarkable journey of FRUU, but also provides valuable insights into the company’s total commitment to sustainability. In this episode, we unravel the complexities and triumphs of incorporating unconventional ingredients into cosmetics, and gain a deep understanding of the challenges that accompany this innovative approach. Join us for an insightful conversation that promises to unveil the hidden potential within these often underestimated ingredients, promising a paradigm shift in the way we perceive beauty and sustainability.

Welcome to the 200th episode of Green Beauty Conversations in which we celebrate not just this milestone, but also six years of thought-provoking dialogues in the world of clean beauty. Join Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier as she marks the occasion with her reflections on the profound changes witnessed in the green beauty landscape since the inception of this podcast. Listen in for a journey that charts the change through Green Beauty Conversations’ episodes, and delves into the shifts, challenges and triumphs that have defined the evolution of the beauty industry. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

We explore the dynamic world of sustainable beauty with a true expert, Thomas Kerfoot, who is a co-founder of O&3, The Oil Family. Thomas brings over 17 years of passionate expertise to the conversation. His self-proclaimed “oil nerd” status sets the stage for an enlightening journey into the fascinating realm of natural oil ingredients. O&3 isn’t your typical manufacturer or cosmetic ingredient supplier. It is a pioneering force, not only distributing, but innovating by bringing unique ingredients from remote corners of the world to clients globally. What’s more, the company is committed to upcycling and zero waste, and to understanding the profound impact of natural ingredients on the ever-evolving beauty industry. Join Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier in conversation with Thomas for an episode that unravels the secrets of sustainable beauty practices, and offers a deep dive into the importance of conscious sourcing. Get ready for an engaging dialogue that goes beyond the surface, exploring the cross-over of sustainability and natural beauty innovation. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

In last week’s Green Beauty Conversations, we delved into a pivotal conversation with Noelly Michoux from 4.5.6 Skin, exploring the significance of inclusivity in skincare science and formulation. Building on this crucial theme in this opinion episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier reflects also on her episode with guest Dija Ayodele – author, aesthetician and beauty industry advocate for women of colour – which discussed why black skincare matters. However, if the giant cosmetic labs creating next-gen skincare and haircare aren’t thinking about including all skin tones and hair types in their R&D, there will never be true inclusivity and choice. Here, Lorraine dedicates her opinion short to this critical aspect of the beauty industry – scientific inclusivity. Join us as Lorraine unravels the layers of scientific inclusivity and its impact on personal care science. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

In this episode, we embark on a transformative journey with founder Noelly Michoux, the visionary force propelling 4.5.6 Skin to the forefront of skincare innovation with the world’s first Skin Tone Research Lab. Shaped by experiences in France, and now reshaping beauty norms, Noelly’s evolution from a corporate background to pioneering a skincare revolution is a narrative that resonates. Discover the complexities involved in establishing the Skin Tone Research Lab and the profound commitment of Noelly and her company to bridging the racial equity gap in the beauty realm. In discussion with podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier, Noelly shares her insights on navigating the multiple challenges faced by skin phototypes 4, 5, and 6.  Tune in for an enlightening conversation that transcends conventional beauty narratives. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website. Noelly Michoux is offering Green Beauty Conversations' listeners a special discount code giving you 25% off all individual products (not valid on duos or kits). Use this code below at checkout on the 4.5.6 Skin:  456FORMULABOTANICA    

In this episode, we’re addressing a question that has surfaced time and again, and that is whether age is a barrier to becoming a beauty entrepreneur. This stems from the inspiring interactions we had during a recent VIP webinar we held at Formula Botanica, where attendees opened up about their concerns, particularly around one recurring question: “Am I too old to start a beauty brand?” This episode addresses that very question and extends a message to those who may feel limited by age, appearance, or indeed any demographic or societal expectations. Podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier, a chartered environmentalist, biologist, and the CEO of Formula Botanica gives her Green Beauty Opinion on these issues, sharing her takeaways from the previous week’s episode with Birch Babe founder Debbie Alger, who started her beauty empire in her sixties. Join Lorraine in debunking the myths surrounding age and entrepreneurship in the beauty industry.

We dive into the amazing and inspiring journey of Formula Botanica graduate Debbie Alger, who is the founder and lead skincare formulator of Canada-based skincare company Birch Babe. Her story is one of the most extraordinary we’ve come across of a hobbyist formulator turned professional beauty entrepreneur. Debbie’s passion for clean beauty and sustainable practices led her to embark on a 6-month solo hike from Patagonia to Chile, ultimately inspiring the creation of Birch Babe. From humble beginnings as a DIY formulator, Debbie, with the help of her daughters, has transformed Birch Babe into a thriving natural skincare company offering over 50 products. Join us as we explore her entrepreneurial journey, which she embarked on in her 60s, and the key lessons she learned along the way. Want to feel inspired? You will be. Settle in for today’s interview with Debbie from Birch Babe. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Happy New Year and welcome to 2024! As we step into this brand new year, full of hope and opportunities, let's dive into the exciting world of green beauty formulation. As CEO of the award-winning online organic cosmetic formulation school Formula Botanica, and your podcast host, I am here to guide you through formulating not just your skincare products, but your entire year. Reflecting on last week's episode in which we discussed the evolving dynamics in green beauty with visionary skincare entrepreneur April Gargiulo, the founder of acclaimed brand Vintner's Daughter, I want to focus here on how you can channel your own aspirations into tangible goals for 2024. Whether you're dreaming of starting a new beauty brand, exploring new botanical ingredients, or wanting to take your existing business to new heights, this episode will help you set the foundations for a fulfilling year ahead in the world of green beauty. Listen in to formulate your best in 2024. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

In this episode, we hear about the enlightening journey into the world of skincare and beauty of April Gargiulo, a visionary and entrepreneur who is the founder of the cult beauty brand Vintner’s Daughter. April stands out as a trailblazer, redefining the industry’s standards with her innovative, yet also timeless approach to skincare. Armed with a passion for wellness and a commitment to empowering individuals to embrace their natural beauty, April has carved a unique niche for herself creating a contemporary brand that echoes the success of classic cult beauty products of the past. Join Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier as she interviews April Gargiulo about her unique approach to beauty that sees Vintner’s Daughter infuse its formulations with the philosophy of wine making. Get ready for a fascinating conversation that goes beyond skincare into the realms of slow beauty and sustainability. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

As the holiday season approaches, many of us in the Green Beauty Conversations community are contemplating how to gift beauty sustainably. This topic, which recalls our well-received episode on sustainable beauty alternatives to Black Friday, is more relevant than ever. Brands face financial and emotional challenges as they enter the fourth quarter of the year; a peak period they rely on for the seasonal spend it brings. But, consumers in recent years have their concerns too and are now cautious about spending for various reasons from limited budgets to the realisation that over-consumption is at odds with preserving the planet. Last week, we delved into the surge of beauty advent calendars in the UK; a phenomenon that signals a broader global trend. To continue this conversation, this episode focuses on sustainable beauty gifting. For those who missed the previous episode, do revisit it, and immerse yourself in the inspiring dialogue that podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier takes forward in this opinion. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

As the festive season approaches for many of us, one trend that has captured the beauty industry’s attention is the rise of beauty advent calendars. These calendars go way beyond traditional paper or chocolate calendars and have become a significant phenomenon in some branches of the beauty industry, and in certain countries. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and host Lorraine Dallmeier, in discussion with colleague School Education Manager Ana Green, delves deeper into the intricacies of this trend. They explore the rationale for these calendars, what their production entails and their impact on consumer behavior, with a special look at the sustainability challenges they present. Join them for an engaging and slightly controversial discussion on whether beauty advent calendars are a delightful treat or a consumption trap that simply adds to the waste mountain the beauty industry produces. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

The beauty industry's exploration and use of biotechnology is growing fast as we heard in the previous episode with Josh Britton, CEO and co-founder of Debut Biotech. Large corporate cosmetics companies are turning to biotech - or synthetic biology - to grow their high-performance cosmetic ingredients sustainably in labs. The contrast in approach between the industrial and artisan beauty sectors is intriguing. The indie beauty sector, represented by the Formula Botanica community, shows minimal engagement with biotech. When we searched the Formula Botanica online forum for mention of biotech, we found just a handful of comments and queries about it. In this opinion episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier explores these diverging paths and their implications for the future of beauty. Could the advent of biotech prove the key difference between the artisan-scale indie beauty brand and the mainstream? Much depends on the availability of bio-based ingredients for small-scale brands as well as the mission and mindsets of artisan founders and formulators. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

In this ground-breaking episode of Green Beauty Conversations, we dive into the world of biotech beauty, a realm where the age-old practices of botanical extraction meet cutting-edge science. For millennia, the natural world provided the raw ingredients for cosmetics. The early 1900s brought chemistry to bear on ingredient manufacture, but now, with the massive rise in demand for all-natural beauty products, we are seeing demand for plant-extracted cosmetic ingredients outstripping supply. Factor in the costs to the natural world associated with growing, harvesting and processing plant-based ingredients, and you begin to realise that biotech could be the sustainable solution for the beauty industry. Biotech ingredients that mimic plant extracts like for like can scale, be created sustainably in a lab, reduce costs, claim efficacy and be high-performance cosmetic ingredient sources. Are we at the cusp of a massive shift to biotech in the cosmetics industry? Are we also about to see ingredient wars between the all-natural, plant-extracted camp and the biotech pioneers? Our guest, Josh Britton, CEO of Debut Biotech, guides us through the revolutionary changes biotechnology is bringing to the cosmetic industry. Join podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier as she uncovers how Debut Biotech is leading the charge in this new era, transcending traditional methods to create high-performance, sustainable ingredients. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Growing up in the Netherlands, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier learned the value of recycling plastic from an early age. However, the prevailing culture of single-use plastics Lorraine experienced in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States was in stark contrast to the practices she grew up with in the Netherlands. Now, with her career in the cosmetics industry, and background as a Chartered Environmentalist and a biologist, Lorraine is finely tuned to any cosmetics firms’ claims about sustainable packaging, plastic-free alternatives and other green credentials. While many big players are moving towards more responsible packaging systems, a pressing question remains: what really happens to our recycled plastics? Is the labeling of certain plastic cosmetic packaging as recyclable, blindsiding us and akin to greenwashing? In last week’s podcast, Lorraine interviewed Dr Suvi Haimi, Co-Founder and CEO of Sulapac, who brought to light the myth of plastic recyclability, revealing that some plastics can only be recycled once. In today’s Green Beauty Opinions, she explores this crucial issue. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website. 

In this episode, we’re delving into an issue that lies not only at the heart of the green beauty industry, but one that we raise in our conversations time and again on this podcast – sustainability and tackling plastic waste. When we come across innovative answers and practical solutions to help reduce plastic waste in the beauty industry that are also within reach of small, indie beauty businesses, we are keen to explore them and spread the word about how they deliver on their promise. Podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by Dr Suvi Haimi, CEO and Co-founder of Sulapac, a pioneering company based in Finland that is on a mission to replace conventional plastic with sustainable alternatives. We’re proud to say that some of our graduate beauty founders and brands are already using Sulapac’s packaging and contributing to a plastic-free future in the beauty industry. If you wish to follow their lead, we encourage you to listen in to our interview with Suvi as we explore the innovative ways Sulapac is combating plastic waste and contributing to a greener planet. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.  

As the world’s number one online formulation school with award-winning courses, it is particularly validating to see how far and wide Formula Botanica teaching is spreading. Before the advent of online learning, cosmetic chemistry was taught only in a small number of universities, mainly in the UK and US, which meant formulation training was not as widely accessible as it should be. Formula Botanica has changed that in a big way. Its teaching now reaches over 19,000 students in over 190 countries. In this opinion episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier sets out a vision for a better global cosmetics industry; one that sees it entirely normal for local, indie beauty entrepreneurs to create premium skincare brands to rival any of the global big brands out there today.  In fact, Formula Botanica graduate founders are doing just that, as we heard in the previous episode with self-made beauty entrepreneur Dewi Kauw.  In doing so, they will be challenging the dominant, Eurocentric perception of beauty which should no longer be valid, and certainly needs to be changed. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.    

Imagine going from cafe owner to mother to cosmetic formulator, teacher and contract manufacturer in less than 10 years having created a beauty empire built on turning problems into solutions and roadblocks into opportunities. In this episode, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine talks to Dewi Kauw, a school graduate and founder of Skin Dewi, an award-winning, Indonesian-based, organic skincare and bodycare brand. What began as a mother’s quest to alleviate her baby’s skin issues has grown into a formulation and manufacturing empire with a mission to educate on lifestyle and wellness while helping its audience and customers care for a myriad of skin issues. Dewi explains the trials and tribulations of not only launching a plant-based organic skincare line in Indonesia, but also the challenges she faced on a manufacturing front. She dared to dream of building her own manufacturing facility and with determination and creativity she made it happen. Tune in for an enlightening interview full of juicy entrepreneurial tidbits and wise advice on how passion and perseverance can move beauty mountains. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website. 

AI is being leveraged by the beauty sector to help increase productivity, reduce costs, automate task and improve decision-making. In last week’s guest episode, Lorraine heard how AI was impacting the beauty industry and what can be expected of this powerful technology in the future. Taking a cue from her interviewee, Lorraine decided to take up the challenge of seeing how capable one commonly-used AI tool – tech darling ChatGPT – is of formulation. Could it help, for example, formulate a solid facial serum bar with vitamin C? In this opinion episode Lorraine walks us through her experiment with ChatGPT, which went through a number of stages before ending with a stunning conclusion. Listen in to find out if AI is able to formulate skincare successfully despite lacking that essential ingredient - “human-ness” - the Formula Botanica and indie beauty community bring to the equation. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Suddenly, AI has gone mainstream and people are discovering how efficient and effective it can be to complete all sorts of tasks. There are so many benefits to using AI and its potential is boundless. However, the beauty industry continues to grapple with AI and what it could mean for the industry. Could AI in the future design our cosmetics, formulate for us, or make the beauty industry more sustainable? AI is in its nascent stages so who knows what the future holds. In this episode, Lorraine talks to Yann Chilvers, the Co-Founder of Covalo, the world’s largest beauty ingredients’ platform. Yann explains in detail how Covalo leverages AI and data analysis to give its customers a competitive advantage. He also outlines AI’s shortcomings and how human participation in any technology system will always be required on some level. Settle in for a fascinating conversation on how AI is currently impacting the beauty industry and what it may have in store for us in the future. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Reusing what would normally be considered waste byproducts is not only an innovative way to repurpose a wide variety of materials, but also a smart beauty business move and good for our planet. Upcycled ingredients are set to play a larger and larger role in the future of beauty. In the last guest episode, Lorraine interviewed Geoff Chapin, CEO of Carbonwave; an innovative company from the USA transforming Sargassum seaweed into a number of amazing products including an all-natural plant-based emulsifier for the cosmetic industry. He turned an environmental disaster into upcycling gold. Join Formula Botanica CEO, biologist and chartered environmentalist Lorraine Dallmeier in this episode as she covers just three fascinating upcycling techniques already in use in the beauty industry. These are just a hint at the possibilities for upcycling and circularity in the beauty industry of the future. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Seaweed is an amazing, multipurpose marine plant. It offers a habitat for marine life of all shapes and sizes, grows and regenerates quickly and has a magical way of helping heal the ocean by absorbing harmful ingredients washed into our oceans by large scale manufacturing and farming. In the context of the global climate crisis, this is highly encouraging. However, human activity has a nasty way of interfering with the planet’s finely-balanced eco-system and also affects what nature intended for seaweed. Take for example sargassum seaweed, which, as a result of excessive nutrients being flushed into the ocean, creates massive algal blooms every year that bring with them their own destructive ecological and economic problems. In 2020, an innovative team of entrepreneurs and STEM experts started to investigate what consumer products could be made from sargassum. Fast forward a year and they became the world’s leading developer of ultra-regenerative, plant-based biomaterials from seaweed. In 2021, they brought to market the world’s first all-natural, sustainable, plant-based emulsifier for cosmetic use and it has taken the beauty industry by storm. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Geoff Chapin, CEO and co-founder of Carbonwave on his inspiration behind the business of upcycling seaweed. If you are interested in hearing more about this amazing marine-based functional cosmetic ingredient, you don’t want to miss this exciting conversation about a field of cosmetic research that is taking the industry by storm.

In the last guest episode, we heard from Formula Botanica graduate and indie beauty rock star Leslie Reichgelt, founder of Bella Botanicals, who has managed to smash every preconception we have about what a beauty brand should be and how one should operate. She shared some amazing tips on how to build a beauty business on a budget by simply networking and being visible in your own community. Prompted by Leslie’s experiences, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier uses this episode to reflect on her early career and how difficult it was to put herself out there. Being the visible face of her business was terrifying at the start, but Lorraine persevered. It is daunting starting a new business and we all have moments of doubts. But, the key to success lies in getting out of your comfort zone and taking a leap of faith towards personal growth and your dreams of becoming a beauty entrepreneur. How do fledgling beauty entrepreneurs shift their mindset to be successful in today’s economic climate? Listen in to an exciting and inspirational episode that offers a simple road map to pushing past your biggest fears and creating a successful beauty business on a budget and on your own terms. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website. 

In this episode, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier talks to indie beauty founder and graduate Leslie Reichgelt of Bella Botanicals, a natural and organic skincare brand based in the USA. Leslie shares her story on how she has built a successful beauty brand from the ground up, and talks of the highs and lows that she has experienced along the way. Leslie’s honest, practical and personal story shows how it is entirely possible to create a sustainable and successful natural beauty business from your own home, and dispels the myth that the market is too crowded for "yet another beauty brand". Listen in for the pep talk you need to follow in Leslie's footsteps. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

In a world brimming with beauty products and services, have you ever wondered what happens to them once they’ve served their purpose? As we immerse ourselves in skincare, haircare and makeup, it’s easy to forget that beautifying often comes at a cost to our planet. The beauty industry, with its myriad companies, products, and services, has inadvertently – or perhaps also blatantly – contributed to the mounting waste crisis that plagues our planet. In this opinion episode of Green Beauty Conversations, host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier – also a Chartered Environmentalist and biologist – presents a new and pressing concept for all of us in the beauty industry to think about and make centre stage: “end-of-life beauty planning.” Listen in to learn why we should buy, manufacture, and formulate cosmetics with their end in mind. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

The next time you go for a regular hair cut, take a moment to think about what happens to the waste hair you’ve just left behind. If you had a hair colour or highlights, then your visit has a larger waste footprint as it will have generated left-over colourant, aluminium foils, and empty plastic bottles. There are over a million hair salons of all sizes in the USA alone creating waste like this, and a similar story happens the world over and across the beauty industry in nail bars, spas, barber shops and esthetician salons. But, one person’s waste is another’s solution. In this guest episode, we hear from Shane Price, an eco-preneur with a background in molecular biology and biochem, whose visit to a barber's over a decade ago gave him the motivation to come up with solutions to the environmental impacts of the beauty industry. Listen in as Formula Botanica CEO and host Lorraine Dallmeier discovers some astonishing ways Shane’s initiative with  Green Circle Salons is saving waste, one salon visit at a time. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Just when you thought the beauty industry had exhausted its lexicon, along comes “cleanical”. At first glance, cleanical seems innocent enough and quite easy to decipher; it’s a mash-up of “clean” and “clinical,” and aims to describe formulations that are both clean beauty formulations and clinically proven. What’s the harm in using it on labels, social media, or in the beauty media? For a start, cleanical should be seen as controversial as it has no scientific basis. To explain why, Lorraine Dallmeier, the host of Green Beauty Conversations and CEO of Formula Botanica, unpacks the term and presents her view on the use of “cleanical” in the beauty industry. In this episode, she argues why this buzzword should be abolished from our vocabulary and how it is yet another term that perpetuates misconceptions about clean beauty. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Clean beauty has been espoused for almost three decades and in that time there has been no real clarity on what "clean" really means in the beauty landscape. Initially tied to the Southern Californian wellness movement of the early ’90s, the broad interpretation of clean has only become wider and more confusing. However, now there is a new beauty movement afoot that is challenging clean. Strictly speaking, “clean beauty” remains a marketing term that would require evidence-based proof to substantiate the claims some beauty brands use it for. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by colleague School Education Manager Ana Green to discuss this hotly-debated term. Listen in to make your mind up about the future of clean beauty.  To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Inspired by the 9th generation herbalist interviewed in the previous guest episode, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier asks us to think about the plants and herbs native to us that have been revered for centuries for the beauty secrets they hold within. Lorraine dives into three herbs native to her in the UK which were documented in the 16th century by one of the country’s most renowned and pioneering herbalists of his day, Dr Nicholas Culpeper, in his “Complete Herbal: a book of natural remedies for ancient ills”. How do the age-old and folkloristric benefits of herbs stand up against today’s scientific assessment of their powers? Listen in to be surprised by ancient wisdom and inspired to do your own research into the secrets of herbs growing near you.

Natural formulation may seem a new sector of the beauty industry today – barely 20 years old – but it was there long before the dawn of mainstream commercial cosmetics. Its roots lie in thousands of years of home formulation, herbology and traditional and folkloristic medicine with recipes handed down by word of mouth across generations. If you love the thought of being involved in an exciting, modern natural beauty movement that is part of the great continuum of ancient knowledge of the power of plants, then you will want to listen to this guest episode. Formula CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Dr Jenelle Kim, a 9th-generation master herbologist, doctor of traditional Oriental medicine, best-selling author, cosmetics formulator and wellness expert, who shares her rich heritage of plants of East Asia. Dr Kim has woven plants into her life and her career, and they are the powerhouses in her performance cosmetics. If you want to hear exactly what it means to infuse your ancestor’s knowledge into the formulations you create, join us for a fascinating story. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

In this opinion episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier delves into the intriguing world of “skintellectuals” and the significant influence Gen Z is wielding in the beauty industry. But who are these self-proclaimed “skintellectuals” and what do they stand for? With scientific jargon bombarding beauty consumers, it’s only natural that individuals seek to understand the terminology and concepts behind skincare ingredients.  Accessibility to knowledge has given rise to a so-called “skintellectual movement”, that can only gain momentum. Lorraine proposes that it should play a pivotal role in challenging beauty brands on issues like sustainability. Only by questioning and demanding transparency, can we contribute to cleaning up the beauty industry and making it more environmentally conscious. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

If sustainability is to make headway in the beauty industry, it is future generations who will be shaping it and seeing it through. So, how are generations like Gen Z thinking about sustainabilty in the cosmetics industry, both as beauty shoppers and future formulators? In this episode, Lorraine interviews Riley Cowen who is a graduate student of ISIPCA, a Paris-based institute for post-graduate studies in perfume, cosmetics products and food flavour formulation. Riley has insights into both the marketing and business side of the industry as well as cosmetic science and product development. At 22, she brings a unique perspective as a young industry insider on Genz Z’s take on sustainability in the beauty industry. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

“Beauty” – a short, six-letter word that none of us need define. We know what it means. Or do we? The shocking truth is that even many of us in the beauty industry have never looked up nor questioned its dictionary definitions. Now is the time to do both, says Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier. Our guest in the previous episode, Shaun Russell, owner of Scandinavian-based fragrance and lifestyle brand Skandinavist, and chair of B Corp Beauty Coalition, drew our attention to the definition of beauty, asking us to see it as encompassing the beauty of the natural world, not only the world of cosmetics. He pointed out that in buying beauty products, we should think of their impact on the beauty of the planet. Beauty should be defined by the world around us, not by how we appear to others. In this opinion episode, Lorraine takes a cue from Shaun’s comments and investigates the world of the word beauty to uncover some shocking and depressing truths about it. Listen in to make your mind up on whether it’s high time to redefine beauty. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.  

Some beauty brands are cajoled into taking action on sustainability by their customers or competitors. However, others are not waiting around. They are taking the lead and cooperating in setting themselves the highest environmental and social standards to hold their beauty businesses to account. B Corp Beauty businesses are in this latter group. But, what is B Corp and what role does a sub-set group called the B Corp Beauty Coalition play? If you haven’t heard of this forward-thinking, non-profit organisation or the active lead taken by over 60 of its beauty brand members, it is time to put them both on your radar when you wish to shop for sustainable beauty. Lorraine talks to Shaun Russell, founder of B Corp-certified, Scandinavian fragrance and lifestyle company Skandinavisk, who is also co-founder and chair of B Corp Beauty Coalition, an initiative of over 60 B Corps worldwide united in working to improve the sustainability standards of the beauty industry. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Get ready to see marine ingredients – specifically algae – featuring everywhere in cosmetic products. Seaweed is moving on up from its traditional role in the spa sector and as a functional gelling and colouring agent. While we usually don’t take much notice of the latest trending ingredient, which is here today and gone tomorrow from our cosmetics, algae is one category of ingredients that is worth investigating, and, we hope, set to stay. If you listened to our previous episode in which Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier and colleagues discussed the latest cosmetic trends seen at this year’s in-cosmetics Global, the world’s largest trade fair for the industry, you will have heard how marine ingredients are dominating the agenda. In this opinion episode, Lorraine takes a closer look at why algae, seaweeds and other marine ingredients herald a new era in sustainable cosmetics.  Listen in to hear 4 reasons to love algae in your cosmetics. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.  

The fundamentals of formulation, such as the techniques of emulsifying, don’t really change over the decades. What does change however are the ingredients. Each year, manufacturers release the latest innovative ingredients their R&D teams have been keeping under wraps. Interestingly too, we see old ingredients rediscovered and revamped into new forms. Tens of thousands of cosmetic ingredients exist, but there is one place that helps put them into context and shows us where the cosmetics' industry is heading; and that is in-cosmetics Global. This massive, annual trade fair draws in thousands of industry insiders  to explore the hottest trends in cosmetic ingredients. The Formula Botanica education team attended the 2023 in-cosmetics Global in Barcelona and is here to report on the latest trends that will filter into our teaching, in particular The Lab, our CPD membership site, as well as inspire all of us in natural formulation. Podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by colleagues School Education Manager Ana Green and Cosmetic Scientist Beatriz do Amaral to pick out the highlights of in-cosmetics Global 2023 that are shaping the future of our cosmetics.

In this Green Beauty opinion, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks about the resistence to change both consumers and the natural skincare formulation community face from the established beauty industry. Her guest in the previous episode, Candice Quinn, founder of MANISAFE is just one example of this in action, and Lorraine mentions others that proved to be less than music to the mainstream industry’s ears. Yet, as Formula Botanica graduates have proved, time and again, there are plenty of niches in which they are pioneers whether in serving their customers’ needs more closely, or in adopting eco-beauty practices. One beauty entrepreneur at a time, we are seeing more and more Candice Quinns dare to find solutions to problems the industry won’t even admit to. Join Lorraine in this episode as she celebrates indie beauty's entrepreneurial mindset. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

We all know the saying:”your hands really show your age”. Your grandmother or mother may have told you to take care of your hands and to protect them, not just your face, from the damage caused by UV exposure and other environmental stressors. Wearing gloves while doing housework may be your mantra already, but listen up. If you love caring for your hands and are in love with the perfection and durability of gel manicures, you may be exposing the skin on your hands to UV damage. Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Candice Quinn, who is the Founder of MANISAFE, a multi-award-winning small business with a mission to make gel manicures kinder to hands’ skin. MANISAFE created a collection of fashion-statement, UV-protective gel manicure gloves designed to protect the skin on your hands from the harmful UV light emitted by nail lamps to cure gel polish. Candice’s aim is to save hand skin from damage in all situations – including their beautifying. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Sustainable beauty can seem a mission impossible. Whether appraoching it as a beauty consumer or indie beauty brand, we can get dragged into a complex and depressing world of carbon emissions and waste recycling and despair that we can ever do the right thing for the planet. But, as we heard in the previous episode with Anisha Gupta of Bluebird Climate, sustainable beauty can be accessible to all and need not be costly, complex nor confusing. Bluebird's fascinating impact assessment tool for beauty brands and rather cool - yes, we can apply that word to sustainability - website widget puts a positive spin on the matter. In this Green Beauty Opinion episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier explains the many reasons we have to be positive about embracing sustainable beauty. Let's call this episode a look on the bright side of the future of beauty. Forgot about overwhelm and start being overjoyed that we live in the era that will see sustainability go mainstream. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website. 

Sustainable beauty is a term laden with grand visions and vague concepts. It is enough to scare off even those indie beauty brands wanting to do their best to reduce their carbon impact and waste.  Unraveling sustainability as a small business is complex, so imagine our excitement at coming across a new platform aimed specifically at making sustainability a simpler process for small beauty and wellness companies to navigate. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Anisha Gupta, chemical engineer, sustainability expert and co-founder of Bluebird Climate, a climate-tech firm handholding small beauty companies in their mission to decarbonise their operations and make lifecycle assessments of their products. Based on low-cost access to their transparent benchmarking tools, Bluebird believes that it doesn’t have to be complicated to tell a sustainability story. If sustainability has been on your mind, and whether your beauty business is pre-launch, a start-up or established, this is an episode to help you get going on your brand’s sustainability journey. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

The word gentle is touted around in the beauty industry and familiar to consumers. However the ingredients inside certain cosmetics may be anything but gentle to our skin. The beauty industry creates products to help reduce the visible signs of ageing, like fine lines and wrinkles, by over cleansing, exfoliating and peeling our skin. But this removes the microbiome we so badly need for good skin health and for the maintenance of our skin barrier. We heard about the human microbiome and its vital role in maintaining skin health in our previous guest episode with Leo Salvi of Kind to Biome, a firm developing rigorous, verifiable tests to assess the microbiome gentleness of cosmetics. In this opinion episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier asks: "Isn't it time we see the industry formulating with a different and gentler agenda than antiageing and turning back the clock on our skin?" To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.

Imagine the human microbiome as a planet with millions, and possibly billions, of microorganisms living in harmony to protect their host - our skin and scalp. Incredibly, one square centimetre of our skin, depending on the part of the body, could have that number of microbes living on it. We are in early days of scientific research on the skin's microbiome and its function in maintaining the health of our skin and body. How then is it possible to have cosmetics sporting labels that say their formulations are microbiome friendly? Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier dives into the mysterious and magical world of our skin's microbiome. Her guest is Leo Salvi, a chemist, qualified safety assessor for cosmetics and the Co-Founder and Head of Science at Kind to Biome® which provides a scientifically-validated methodology to back up microbiome-gentle claims for beauty products. Will microbiome-friendly cosmetics be the next big industry trend? Listen in to discover and make your mind up. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.  

In this opinion podcast, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier asks us to look back and laugh – or else we’ll cry with despair – at her chart-topping ten most ridiculous claims that the beauty industry has made. In the previous episode, Lorraine and colleague Ana Green unpacked the facts behind one of the latest claims in cosmetics’ marketing – fossil fuel-free beauty. It proved to be yet another misleading term. As a follow up, Lorraine takes us through her choice of most ridiculous claims starting over a hundred years ago at the beginning of the modern cosmetics industry. While today, most of those historic claims could not be made, Lorraine notes that we still find similar, if subtler messaging circulating in the beauty industry. Look back and laugh or look back and be angry about what many global beauty firms are communicating today. We leave it up to you to decide. Listen in to an astounding round-up of ridiculous claims. You won’t believe what makes Lorraine’s top three.

Fossil fuel-free beauty - haven’t we covered this one before on Green Beauty Conversations? Not in its new form. Fossil fuel-free is yet another distinct claim we’ve seen popping up on cosmetics’ labels. You’d be right to think it's familiar as on this podcast we have delved into related claims of carbon-neutral, zero-waste and climate-neutral, along with a host of topics open to greenwashing such as waterless, green, clean and blue beauty. However, while it may overlap with those other terms, we realised that fossil fuel-free beauty needs its own episode in order for us to unpack its meaning. Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier is joined by School Education Manager Ana Green to shed light on exactly what fossil fuel-free beauty is and why it may be among the most confusing and misleading terms yet applied to beauty products. Listen in to decide for yourself if fossil fuel-free is a claim too far. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.   

Big beauty has spent well over a century using fear-mongering to marketing its products to us. Even if today it is more sophisticated in its methods and use of media, the mainstream industry is still telling us we are not good enough or beautiful enough. In effect, it is telling us it’s not alright to embrace and celebrate our unique, inherent beauty and the normal part and parcel of being human – ageing. But, there are some in the beauty industry daring to ditch this messaging and give voice to a different way of looking at beauty; one that celebrates us as we are and makes us feel good in our own skin without using negative messaging to make us buy their products. In this green beauty opinion, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier explains how indie beauty formulators and entrepreneurs are helping dismantle decades of big beauty’s domination of the beauty narrative. Lorraine concludes with a clarion call for more of us to learn to formulate and change the industry for the better. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.  

If you are thinking of indie beauty entrepreneurship, this episode is a must-listen. It has been a while since the podcast has featured a Formula Botanica graduate brand, and with well over 300 incredible founders and successful beauty brands featured in our online gallery, the decision about whom to approach wasn’t easy. But, one name popped up time and again – Roshanne Dorsett, graduate of the  International Organic Skincare Entrepreneur Program, and founder of The Glowcery. Roshanne has achieved incredible heights for her brand in just three years, having launched The Glowcery, a superfood, natural and sustainable skincare brand, in spring 2020 just before the Covid-19 lockdowns. In this interview, you will hear of the amazing, inspiring personal transformation that Roshanne went through in starting her gorgeous and multi-award-winning beauty brand. But, what are really fascinating are her insights as a new, beauty entrepreneur; how she overcame challenges, bootstrapped her business, grew in confidence and now has plans to take The Glowcery international and develop it as a lifestyle brand. Roshanne drops some mindset bombs on indie beauty entrepreneurship that you need to hear. So settle in for a fantastic episode that could change your life.

There are few corners of formulating beauty that are left untouched. We’ve seen just about every possible formulation category covered on this podcast alone. We’ve heard about carbon neutral, waterless beauty, and clean, green and blue beauty, along with net zero and zero waste and more. But, until our previous episode, with haircare brand entrepreneur founders of Climaplex, we had not come across a cosmetics business actively formulating to protect us from the myriad effects of climate change. Not only is Climaplex doing right by the planet by formulating to ethical, sustainable principles, their haircare products are designed to tackle multiple effects of the fluctuating, and ever more extreme environmental conditions on our hair and scalp. In this Green Beauty opinion short, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier asks if formulating to protect our skin, body and hair from the ravages of climate change could become the norm – in fact, a new gold standard in cosmetic formulation. To learn more about this episode, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.  

Retail shelves are full of haircare products aimed at repairing our hair. Too dry, too greasy, dandruff, split ends, issues with frizz, more curl or less curl required, or shine and gloss needed? Every product promises hair nirvana to encourage us to buy. But, if we’re honest, many products may not work, or work as described. So, when podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier received a press release from a new haircare brand saying its products were formulated to combat the effects of climate change on our hair, she was sceptical, but also curious to find out more. The brand, Climaplex, has serious credentials. Its co-founders are industry veterans with several decades’ experience in the consumer and professional haircare and cosmetics manufacturing industries. They had invested in clinical development and trials run by a leading EU university to prove the climate change-haircare link and the efficacy of their products. In this episode, Lorraine talks to guests Simon Ostler, a renowned hairdresser, haircare brand pioneer and former industry executive and Giannantonio Negretti, head of a leading, international cosmetics manufacturing group to hear first hand how this new category of climate change cosmetics came into being. And, importantly, how Climaplex is committed to resolving our climate-change-created hair and scalp issues honestly, holistically and sustainably. To learn more about this episode, Lorraine's guests, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website.  

In the last episode, podcast guest Ekwy Chukwuji-Nnene, founder of indie, vegan haircare brand Equi Botanics, said that one cosmetics conglomerate had told her, in effect, that the beauty needs of people of colour didn’t count. Ekwy explained that when she approached the firm with her tried-and-tested natural haircare formulations for coily and textured hair, the executives replied: “Black women will buy whatever we sell them”. Ekwy shed light on what goes on behind the scenes of one giant in the cosmetics industry, but which is likely to be the prevaling attitude found across the sector. So incensed was podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier about the arrogant attitudes – and racism – in the mainstream commercial beauty industry that she just had to get on her soapbox in this green beauty opinion. Can indie beauty founders like Ekwy and consumers counter this arrogance and call the mainstream beauty out for its domineering attitudes once and for all? 

When entrepreneur Ekwy Chukwuji-Nnene was told by a major cosmetics conglomerate that "Black women buy anything we sell them", she was at first stunned and then angry. Founder of indie, vegan haircare brand Equi Botanics, Ekwy was met with scepticism when she pitched her products to a global beauty firm. Ekwy knew that they worked. Her formulations had helped resolve her own devastating hair issues and those of her daughters and had gained her a loyal community of early adopters. She knew also that there was a vast, untapped market of women of colour who were being ignored by the dominant, established beauty brands. Why is it that well into the 21st century, the beauty industry still believes it need cater only to the Eurocentric beauty ideal of a white woman with straight hair? Podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier invited Ekwy onto the show to talk not only about the challenges inherent in caring for coily, textured hair, but also about the struggles facing beauty entrepreneurs of colour. To learn more about this episode, Lorraine's guest, all of the links that were mentioned and anything else, please visit the show notes on the Formula Botanica website. 

From interviewing numerous founders for this podcast, we know that starting an indie beauty brand based on sustainability principles can be more expensive as well as limit your choices of packaging, ingredients, suppliers, partners and more.  However, if you are a beauty brand founder of colour or from a minority, then both anecdotal and statistical evidence shows that you will face almost insurmountable barriers to entry just starting any beauty brand, let alone one founded on sustainability principles. In our last episode on the history of slavery in soapmaking, we heard indie beauty founder and minority community activist Dr Candace Parrish explain that embracing sustainability is expensive and that these extra costs limit entrepreneurs of colour from getting into this industry in the first place. In this green beauty opinion, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier explores the points Candace raises to take a look at the barriers to entry for entrepreneurs of colour and from minorities, especially when it comes to sustainable beauty.

Soap has been the mainstay of personal care for millennia, but in recent years, it has gone from household commodity to luxury cosmetic in homes and hotels. Soapmaking is thriving too as an artisan hobby and has launched many entrepreneurial beauty businesses. Formula Botanica graduate Sandra Velasquez started her successful Latinx heritage bath and body brand Nopalera in 2020, helping elevate soap to new heights.  But, let’s just stop for a moment. Do we ever ask ourselves about the history of soap? It is worth doing so as there is a whole era of soapmaking that has been almost erased from the records of social history. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier discovers the murky past of soapmaking with guest Dr Candace Parrish, whose studies in public relations, health communication, and visual communication led her to unearth a shameful period of American history and its enslaved soapmakers. Candace went on to create her soap and candle brand Odelia, Marie & Patrice to honour the legacy of African-American soapmakers, and as a platform to support activism for Black and people of colour in America today.

When you start a beauty brand, every aspect of it from your own unique formulations to your packaging and branding are up for grabs. Every detail is in your hands and even if outsourcing tasks, you, as the founder, have control. If you embrace sustainability in your brand mission at the outset, it will drive every detail and decision. How much easier this is than struggling to audit a beauty business later on against sustainability principles and finding it falling short. In this Green Beauty Opinion, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier discusses the advantages nimble, newcomer indie beauty brands have over the “oil tanker” giant firms of personal care. It will still take indie brands boundless energy, resources and resolve to be true to any founding mission to act on sustainability not just talk about it. However, the advantages and the market is theirs if they prepare ahead rather than retro fit sustainability as most personal care conglomerates must do. 

Solid cosmetics are growing in popularity in line with our desire for less-is-more skincare and to do right by the planet. They can be multiuse, potentially use less water in their manufacture, strip out water as a “filler” in their formulation, and may not need preservatives. As they are waterless, they can be less weighty to ship thanks to their minimal packaging. For all their virtues however, solid formulations are often seen as fun, cheap and disposable and not attractive enough to deliver high-performance skincare. We may think of them as glorified bars of soap. However, there are innovative, forward-thinking cosmetics brands that are daring to reframe solid formulations to appeal to a more luxury beauty market. When we heard of the brand SBTRCT, we knew we had to find out their secret of making solid beauty not just the norm, but the luxury norm too. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to SBTRCT founder Ben Grace about his mission to disrupt the beauty industry and show us that anything is possible; even a facial serum bar perhaps.

Natural, indie, clean, green, organic skincare is now commonplace on store shelves and is talked about wherever you are online. This podcast is all about it, but if you’ve listened recently to Green Beauty Conversations, you will have noticed we’ve been focusing more on the topic of natural, sustainable haircare and attitudes to hair. But talk aside, are consumers actively looking to buy natural, more sustainable haircare products? Big, household-name international brands have generally had a comfortable monopoly on our haircare buying habits for decades. But recently, we have seen some high-profile brands having to do product recalls amidst safety concerns. Perhaps this will see shoppers start to question mainstream haircare ingredients. If so, we may have the same situation we did in the early 2010s when a  fear of parabens kickstarted the indie beauty movement. In this green beauty opinion episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier asks what it will take for consumers to move away from the mainstream brands and what role indie brands will play in the future of haircare.

Indie beauty and the organic and natural cosmetics sector have typically focused more on skincare than haircare. This is to be expected; people can be reluctant to change their haircare routines and products once they have found brands that work for them. There are other reasons too for natural haircare lingering behind, such as the perceived higher cost of using natural shampoos and conditioners whose precious ingredients are immediately washed off. However, we are witnessing an exciting rise in the number of natural haircare brands, and also in consumer awareness of the need to seek out more sustainable haircare products too. The tide is turning for the dominance of mainstream haircare, not least on account of some recent high-profile product recalls in the sector. To discuss the kind of changes we need to make the haircare sector more sustainable and, as brand founders, see natural, indie haircare leading the way, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Jana Blankenship. The founder, CEO and lead formulator of green beauty haircare and B Corp company Captain Blankenship, Jana made a conscious decision a couple of years ago to pivot her business to focus solely on haircare and embed sustainability into its operations.

Visualising through storytelling is a good way to set our sights on what is desireable and possible, and then make the imagined become reality. Beauty brands have long used storytelling to create an appealing narrative about their products. It is in this context that Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier dares to air a new format in this green beauty opinion episode – a short story of life in the beauty industry in 2100. Lorraine helps us imagine what may seem impossible today; a truly sustainable beauty industry – one not driven by ever-more consumerism, but founded on sound sustainability principles. Inspired by her guest on the previous episode, sustainability leader, activist, and artist Khandiz Joni, Lorraine asks us to listen to her hopes for a future beauty industry that has avoided breaching the 9 planetary boundaries – or tipping points of sustainability – Joni outlined.

Would you like to hear a single, simple definition of sustainability that you can apply to your daily life in the beauty industry, whether as an indie business founder or consumer? The beauty industry media is clamouring to provide one, and at Formula Botanica, we’ve had journalists approach us for short sound-bites on what sustainable beauty means. Unfortunately, things aren’t so simple. In reducing talk of sustainability to the level of discussing this or that bottle for our beauty products or whether plant A is a more sustainable an option in our formulations than plant B, we are all guilty of missing the big picture. Of course, starting small and taking steps like changing packaging, seeking out refillables and formulating solid beauty products do make a difference. But, we also need to think big if we are to see a more sustainable beauty sector. Our guest in this episode Khandiz Joni, Chartered Environmentalist, independent sustainability consultant and, as she describes herself, a “sustainable-ist”, returns to the Green Beauty Conversations podcast. Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier invites Khandiz to discuss the big conversations the beauty industry, both small and large scale, needs to have about issues fundamental to sustainabilty, such as its use of land and water and role in agriculture and in how it contributes to biodiversity loss.

Whenever podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier has tackled the issue of sustainability in the beauty industry, she has heard time and time again the refrain that various pioneering approaches can't be done or done safely, are too expensive or demand too much from beauty consumers to put into action. In this Green Beauty Opinion Lorraine shines the spotlight on some of the beauty industry's true pioneers to make the point that the "eco-beauty entrepreneurs" of today will be those who eclipse their peers in the future. These are personalities changing the beauty industry for the better as they run successful beauty companies. The future will thank these entrepreneurs of today who are daring to defy the norms and through sheer doggedness and innovation are finding viable, profitable, practical ways to bring beauty products to market with minimal impact on the planet. Who dares wins, perhaps?

As indie beauty consumers, formulators and brand founders, we want to act responsibly when it comes to making, packaging, buying and disposing of our beauty products. Yet, for all our goodwill, it is incredibly difficult to know if the measures we are taking to reduce, reuse and recycle, plastic containers in particular, are making a difference. We've talked to pioneering indie beauty brands running some exceptional return and refill schemes, but our guest in this episode has flipped the idea to create refillable packaging designed to last - not just one or two refills nor a few years, but in theory up to 2,500 years. Instead of worrying about the time it takes a plastic container to biodegrade (which can be up to 400 years), Izzy Zero Waste is an indie beauty company designing permanence into its packaging.  Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Shannon Goldberg, co-founder and Chief Zero Waste Officer at Izzy Zero Waste Beauty to ask if the brand has created the ultimate solution to sustainable beauty packaging.

In this first Green Beauty Conversations of 2023, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier and all the school team wish you a healthy, happy, prosperous year.  The start of the year is always an exciting time as we anticipate, envisage and make plans for the next 12 months. Lorraine dives right in to this topic throwing down some challenges. She asks what plans you have to change your life for the better this year, and to make a positive impact on those around you? What formulation goals are you setting? Are you dreaming big and thinking of taking steps to start your own beauty brand this year? Whatever your plans, don’t let things beyond your control limit your horizons.  Lorraine starts the year with an upbeat message for all of us in the indie beauty community.

What a year it’s been for celebrity beauty brand launches. Not content with being on our screens, celebrities have been in overdrive in the beauty industry not as the “face” of this or that brand, but as cosmetic business founders themselves. In 2022 alone, we’ve seen Bradd Pitt’s “Le Domaine”, Jared Leto’s “Twentynine Palms”, and Kim Kardashian’s “Skkn by Kim” launch along with a flurry of other celebrity beauty brands. As beauty consumers and indie brand founders, do we care? Some in the beauty industry, especially self-made beauty entrepreneurs who have grafted hard to bring brands to market without celebrity privilege, status and wealth, and social influencers presenting themselves as the moral compass of the industry, do care. Love or hate the celebrity phenomenon, it’s time to stand back from emotions as we dissect their beauty businesses. In this episode, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier and School Education Manager Ana Green take a balanced view of the reasons for the rise in and resentment of celebrity skincare brands.

Haircare seems on the surface such an everyday topic. Who doesn't regularly see mainstream shampoo brand adverts touting the ease, speed and convenience of using their haircare products for instant well-groomed and manageable hair? But, there is so much more to unpack in talk of hair and haircare. As we discovered in our previous episode in conversation with Formula Botanica haircare diploma course lead and student mentor Suzanne Soto Davis, haircare can be minimalist and we should try to take a less-is-best approach to it. But, that does not mean that haircare is one size fits all, nor less complex or controversial a topic than skincare. In this Green Beauty Opinion, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier takes the issues involved in hair and haircare further. Before we can talk of swapping products for sustainability’s sake, we must tackle deeper issues about hair that overshadow our choice of product; hair prejudice and discrimination and hair as a tool of social norms and mores and at times also of stereotyping and repression. Listen in to hear just how much is at stake when we talk about hair and how we should be mindful about how we choose to discuss hair and its care.

Are you a person who shampoos daily? Do you also use a shelf of other haircare products like conditioners, detanglers, moisturisers, serums, leave-in shampoos and conditioners, sun protection products, styling gels, foams, hair fragrances, sprays, waxes and more? If this sounds like your haircare routine, then it is high time to start using fewer haircare products and less of them too. Not only will your hair – and more importantly, your scalp – thank you for it, but you will also be adopting a more sustainable haircare routine.  We have talked on the podcast about skinimalism, and now we are seeing the same concept applied to haircare. Joining Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier on the podcast to talk about minimalism in haircare is Suzanne Soto-Davies, founder of eco-friendly haircare brand Truu by Nature Obloom. Suzanne is also a Formula Botanica student mentor and course lead for our Diploma in Organic Haircare Formulation. If you currently use only shampoo and conditioner and think you are already on track as a haircare minimalist, listen in as you will be surprised to hear what Suzanne has to say about that daily shampoo too.

Does we really need more beauty brands? No, of course we don’t, we hear you reply. With thousands of beauty products on the market, and with the hundreds more that arrive – often born of celebrity brands and containing trending, so-called high-performance ingredients – it is reasonable to assume the cosmetics’ market is saturated. However, as with all opinions there are counter arguments to explore. In this Green Beauty Opinion episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier delves into the question and flips it to ask: “Does the world need more unsustainable beauty brands?”. Listen in for a soapbox opinion podcast that calls out the real problem underlying the majority of mainstream beauty brands – their inability to adopt sustainable practices. We may not need more, but we certainly need different kinds of brands to replace them; the kind of indie beauty brands many of our Formula Botanica graduates launch.

When we came across a cosmetics' company publicly declaring that it would love to see its customers buy fewer of its products, we knew we just had to interview its founder on Green Beauty Conversations. This podcast, as one focused heavily on the ethics and practice of green beauty, has heard industry journalists ask time and again how a cosmetics company would survive if it encouraged its customers to buy less. What kind of beauty business dare call out the elephant in the room - overconsumption as the root cause of an unsustainable economy, and planet? We have tackled the consumption issue in numerous episodes; Podcast 124: the four pillars of sustainable beauty spells out a blueprint of how the beauty industry can approach sustainability. But, until now, we had not talked directly to beauty brand that was so aligned with our own messaging. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to founder and CEO of Elate Cosmetics Melodie Reynolds to discover how her brand has built a sustainable business for a more sustainable planet by believing in less is more. Listen in to hear from Melodie, a driven and inspirational founder, about how Elate is putting those pillars of sustainable beauty into action.

This Green Beauty Opinion airs just before Black Friday; the day on which the world experiences a retail rush. With Black Friday now extending to a week – even a month – of heavy discounted prices on everything from big-ticket tech items to small business beauty products, we asked in our previous episode whether we – as beauty consumers and indie beauty businesses – should participate in Black Friday, and if so, in what way. The fact remains that Black Friday is a day indie beauty businesses too can make significant sales and reach out to customers with interesting offers. But, are they being heard in the noise of Black Friday mega deals from mainstream brands? In this opinion short, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier explains why natural indie brands have a lot to offer beauty shoppers and dispels the myth that only the cosmetics' conglomerates can create high-performance skincare. Listen in to discover why small, natural indie beauty businesses and their products deserve our support all year round and not just on Black Friday. 

Black Friday, love it or hate it, is that annual event that sees consumers snap up bargains and big businesses add billions to their profits. Lasting a day, weekend, week and even a month for some businesses, Black Friday is embraced also by small indie beauty brands. It can be a tipping point in the year moving any size of business closer to its profit goals for the year. The sheer rampant consumerism of this particular Friday that falls just before the US Thanksgiving holiday - but which is now promoted as a shopping event the world over - has seen alternatives advocated. Some options include asking us on one extreme to boycott Black Friday altogether, to reminding us to shop more mindfully and support small businesses all year round. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier and School Education Manager Ana Green discuss the background to Black Friday and how it arrived on almost the whole world’s calendar. They explore four main alternatives that both beauty shoppers and indie brands can adopt to make beauty consumerism that bit more sustainable on Black Friday and, in fact, all year round as well.

Is the metaverse a liberating space in which we can shake off our physical selves and explore multiple new identities freely and for fun? Or is it a means to escape very real-world, pressing and critical problems such as sustainability, climate change, and, where beauty is concerned, issues like body shaming? In other words, is the metaverse a place to bury our heads in the sand? In this Green Beauty Opinion, Formula Botabnica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier shares her thoughts on the potential of metaverse, having had many of her preconceptions challenged by the previous episode’s guest, Dr Alex Box, an internationally-renowned artist, identity designer and beauty futurist. Listen in to expand your knowledge and viewpoints on this next-gen version of the Web which we will all come across and have to negotiate sooner or later.

If you are a gamer, then the metaverse will be a familiar space. But, if you are a natural cosmetics’ formulator helping friends, family and customers with real-world skincare and haircare issues, a hyper-virtual reality metaverse of avatars, immersive digital experiences and the concept of the post-human body is going to be light years away from how you live your life in the beauty sector. As with all advances in digital technology, what is new, weird and totally incomprehensible today is likely to enter the mainstream later. In a few years, you too, whether beauty shopper or indie brand founder, may well engage with the metaverse in all its Web 3.0 glory. You are probably asking what on earth the metaverse is anyway and wondering how you can embrace physical beauty products without using your physical body. Dazed and confused about what this means for beauty as we know it? So were we. To help decode the metaverse, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier interviews Dr Alex Box, a beauty futurist and internationally-renowned artist who has redefined the role of creativity in makeup, beauty and identity. Don’t expect to hold on to reality in this episode as we immerse ourselves in a parallel universe.

Can synthetic biology offer a more sustainable way to bring "natural" cosmetic ingredients to market? Can a branch of bioscience that includes the word synthetic in its name ever be considered natural? These are questions Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier tackles in this opinion episode. Following her interview in the previous episode with Jake Wintermute, developer-evangelist at synthetic bioscience company Ginkgo Bioworks, Lorraine picks up on some valid comments and concerns of Green Beauty Conversations’ listeners. Our recent episode with Dr Barb Paldus on biotech beauty – or lab-grown skincare – proved similarly controversial. Lorraine asks us to think carefully before we dismiss synbio and similar advances in biosciences as the anathema to natural cosmetics. Each of us must make up our own mind on these new frontiers in cosmetic science, and dig deep before deciding on what natural means to us. Listen in for a thought-provoking Green Beauty Opinion which might leave you with even more questions to answer.

Imagine a future in which bacteria is king and you might give a friend the skincare equivalent of a sourdough bread starter so they can grow their own moisturiser at home. Our podcast guest in this episode is on record as seeding this idea. We love the concept of cosmetic science being ever more in the hands of the home formulator, but is this concept just too futuristic? In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier, a biologist and Chartered Environmentalist, digs deeper into the world of lab-produced ingredients to investigate the field of synthetic biology. Lorraine interviews Jake Wintermute, developer-evangelist at US-based synthetic biology research company Ginkgo Bioworks who describes SynBio as genetic engineering on steroids. In Green Beauty Conversations, we recently covered another new frontier in cosmetic science – biotech beauty. It proved a controversial topic as many in our community felt that using lab-grow plant molecules as 'natural' cosmetic ingredients was a step too far. Listen in and use this episode as a primer to another new branch of science that could open up a revolution in cosmetic ingredients - or perhaps give us more to worry about?

You may not have loved history lessons at school, but there is plenty to love about the history of cosmetic formulation. It shows that everyone can become a natural cosmetic formulator and be part of our millennia-old birthright to make our own beauty products at home whether for ourselves or to start a new career or small business. Making skincare is not a recent phenomenon. The vast global beauty industry is a newcomer at just under 200 years old. Well before lab scientists in white coats featured in cosmetics’ advertising came thousands of years of home formulation dating back at least to Ancient Egyptian times. Following her interview with Geoffrey Jones, Isidor Straus Professor of Business History at Harvard Business School and author of Beauty Imagined – A History of the Global Beauty Industry, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier highlights in this episode events in cosmetic history that show humankind had the inherent skills to formulate cosmetics. This Green Beauty Opinion takes you on a brief journey through the centuries to show you that it is time to bring cosmetic formulation home. Listen in to hear how history shows us that everyone can formulate.

What can history possibly teach us about the modern-day beauty industry? As it happens, there is a quite a lot. The lives of early beauty industry pioneers alone hold clues to how we have arrived at today's global cosmetic industry. There are parallels, for example, between how those early-20th century industry personalities started their businesses and the indie beauty founders of today; word-of-mouth marketing of a century ago and social media marketing of today are similar in their aims. Fueled by a desire to unearth the secrets of today's phenomenally-successfully global beauty industry and discover indie beauty's place in it, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier read dozens of books on the sector. One in particular stood out for its sheer depth and breadth of analysis of how the past continues to shapes the beauty sector today. In this podcast episode, Lorraine interviews Geoffrey Jones, author of Beauty Imagined: A History of the Global Beauty Industry, who is Isidor Straus Professor of Business History at the Harvard Business School. Listen in for some fascinating insights into, among other topics, the myths, lies and makeup that helped shaped the modern beauty industry we know today.

Never has the barrier to entry to becoming a skincare formulator and starting your own beauty business been so low. Yet, with all the social media hype and hustle, we can get distracted by news of the indie beauty brand personalities who raise millions in funding and then sell their businesses to mainstream brands, and decide it’s all too overwhelming to think about. It is easy to lose sight of what formulating your own natural, organic skincare is all about – from learning a new, empowering skill to changing your life in ways that don’t necessarily mean becoming a superstar beauty entrepreneur. In this opinion short, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks about how indie beauty can empower you if you take the leap to learn to formulate. She urges us to go at our own pace and on our own terms without the pressure of comparisonitis. Don't wait for permission to start; just give it a go. Be the person you are meant to be. Create a natural beauty business that you shape and own and discover just how positive a life-changing experience it can be. 

When you come across indie beauty founders on social media, you may feel overwhelmed. Their branding, websites and social channels seem so visually together and focused, while you may still be at the stage of wondering how to formulate, let alone build a business with a clear mission. What is it really like to start your own skincare brand? Until you speak to an indie beauty entrepreneur who has truly changed their life and you see it happen before your very eyes, being an indie founder can seem an impossible journey. If these thoughts have run through your mind, then listen to Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier interview Naz Bashir, founder of Solo Skin London.  Naz's story is one of someone who started small, thinking of formulating for her own skincare issues only.  From DIY hobbyist to trained organic formulator and indie brand  founder with awards to her name, Naz Bashir talks about how her Formula Botanica courses changed her life. In learning to formulate professionally, Naz grew in confidence as a formulator and realised she was not alone with her skin issues. A business was far from her thoughts at the outset, but it is now her life's mission and very much a revenue stream for Naz and her family. We promise you that this episode will leave you feeling totally inspired about joining the community of natural, organic formulators. Just see where learning to formulate can take you too.

In this Green Beauty Opinion, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier shares the stories behind a poll she ran on refillable beauty. When asked whether they would go out of their way to clean, return and refill beauty packaging, some 75% of respondents said a resounding yes. While this is an encouraging sign, Lorraine paints a realistic picture of what is actually involved in realising a future where refillable beauty is the norm, not the exception. Some respondents commented that they simply didn't have time to go out of their way to make those refill trips. Others said beauty products were a luxury for them and they wanted shiny new packaging to complete their consumer experience. One said that reuse and refill was better suited to household cleaning products than beauty. However, Lorraine remains ever the optimist that refillable and reusable beauty packaging will prevail for the planet's sake. She challenges us to change our beauty consumer habits and help make refills the norm.

Imagine shopping in two years from now for anything from your favourite nut milk to face cleanser and struggling to see products on the shelves housed in plastic packaging. Futuristic perhaps, but it may arrive in a store near you sooner than you think if pioneering entrepreneur Jo Chidley, the founder of sustainable, natural personal care brand Beauty Kitchen, has her way. Jo’s latest venture ReRe, an amibitious return, refill, repeat scheme, is tackling the seemingly impossible by championing a far-reaching reuse revolution. Jo and co-founder Stuart Chidley set up ReRe not only to implement cradle-to-cradle design into Beauty Kitchen’s own products, but also as the world’s first closed-loop solution for packaging through its ground-breaking Re programme and refill stations. Already counting some of the UK’s biggest retailers like Asda, Marks & Spencer and Holland & Barrett as participating partners, ReRe is on a mission to change the way brands create packaging and bottle goods, how retailers sell almost anything, and how consumers shop. Join Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier as she interviews Jo Chidley, a circular economy expert, chemist, herbal botanist, and co-founder of Beauty Kitchen, the highest scoring B Corp in the UK beauty industry. This episode shows just how the power of the collective – manufacturers, retailers and consumers – can drive a truly circular economy in packaging.

If you are a regular listener to Green Beauty Conversations, you will have heard Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier and guests tackle numerous aspects of sustainable beauty. Circular, biodegradable, waterless, carbon and climate neutral, net zero and a gamut of other issues has come under the spotlight in our podcast conversations. Tackling the issues by examining the various certification schemes and looking at case studies one by one may, however, lead us to forget the bigger picture - and overlook some uncomfortable truths. Today's global cosmetics' industry is inherently unsustainable if it continues with its age-old model of economic growth. Business as usual with the production of billions of units of consumer products each year that still mostly end up in landfill, enter waterways and pollute the oceans is not an option if we wish to halt the planet's degradation and reverse climate change. In this green beauty opinion, Lorraine, who is also a Chartered Environmentalist and biologist, dares to talk about the elephant in the room - the need for the half-a-trillion US$ beauty industry to take drastic measures to change its behaviour. Infinite growth with finite resources has to end. Lorraine puts forward her four-pillar blueprint for a sustainable beauty industry that may come at a price to business as usual, but is critical if we are to address the crises humankind has inflicted on the planet. Listen in for some hard talk on the big issues and be inspired to act now, whether indie or large-scale beauty business, to take responsibility for, and to play your part in building a sustainable future for the industry and the planet.

Natural, sustainable beauty is a phrase used liberally in the beauty industry. Today, we are used to beauty brands, mainstream and indie, touting the naturalness of their formulations and their sustainability credentials, but can we be critical of their products, words and actions if we are in the dark about what the terms mean? Do the brands themselves truly know what they are committing to when using these words? Consumers may be far more unclear about where the differences lie between natural and sustainable than insiders in the beauty industry. Among the many beauty industry terms we have covered on Green Beauty Conversations, natural and sustainable still stand out as being particularly misused despite their familiarity. They are interchanged in error, misunderstood at best or harnessed to mask green-washing at worst. The terms seem so deceptively simple that it is entirely possible to not think through the complexities that underpin them. Given the continued lack of clarity about natural and sustainable, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier and colleague Ana Green, the School's Education Manager, devote an entire episode to the origins, definitions and practical application of these words in the beauty sphere. Listen in to make sense of natural and sustainable beauty and as a result, feel empowered as beauty formulators, founders and consumers to demand clarity from anyone in the beauty industry throwing these terms into their own conversations.

Would you buy lab-grown skincare? While this might seem futuristic, biotech cosmetic ingredients are here now, and going to become more commonplace on our beauty shelves – and sooner than you think. In this Green Beauty Opinion, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier follows up on key takeouts from her interview with Dr Barbara Paldus, the founder of biotech company Codex Beauty Labs. In that episode, we heard how lab-grown ingredients derived efficiently and sustainably from single plant cells rather than from vast fields of crops will become the new normal in cosmetics. But, are we as consumers and natural formulators ready to embrace lab-grown ingredients? The scene seems set for biotech beauty to be the next naturals vs synthetics’ battleground. But, as always, the issues are nuanced. Lorraine proposes we approach biotech beauty with informed debate and open minds. There is likely to be a hybrid model in the cosmetics industry as plants have given us a sense of calm, grounding and well-being for millennia and are inherent in our cultures, rituals and rites. And for now, biotech cannot efficiently lab grow every ingredient. Lorraine’s challenges us to be receptive to the radical solutions required to sustain the industry and the planet and to look into the research from suppliers of biotech ingredients. How would we react if our favourite plants were threatened by climate change? The advent of biotech beauty brings with it searching questions, but ones we need to think of answers to now, not in decades to come.

The natural and organic cosmetics world loves sourcing the purest, sustainable plant-based ingredients that are ethically picked, plucked, farmed and harvested, and processed with as little artifice as possible. On this podcast, we have covered a raft of natural ingredient sourcing and formulation concepts from wild-harvesting and biodynamic farming to blue, waterless and upcycled beauty. All of these topics, we have assessed through the lens of sustainability. It is worth reiterating and remembering this as we tackle the topic of this episode of Green Beauty Conversations - biotech beauty. The next most potent, active botanical is possibly being engineered from plant stem cells using biotech right now, as a breakthrough natural cosmetic ingredient. But does the sound of lab-grown plant actives in your cosmetics excite you or worry you? Is it too futuristic or something you'd adopt willingly right now? How receptive would you be to using biotech-based ingredients if your ideal of natural organic cosmetic ingredients is their farming or wild harvesting from forests and fields? The truth is that biotech beauty is happening now, and is gaining momentum - in part, as an answer to some of the key sustainability issues surrounding the farming of crops as cosmetic ingredients.  To give us insights into the world of biotech beauty, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier, herself a biologist and chartered environmentalist, talks to Dr Barbara Paldus of Codex Beauty, a firm pioneering biotech cosmetic formulation. Listen in to this eye-opener on biotech which, given current climate change predictions, could be the new normal for sourcing natural, and even organic, cosmetic ingredients sooner than you think.

We expect to find beauty brands that are certified clean, green, sustainable, Halal, vegan, carbon negative, plastic free and more. But, would you know which to choose if you had to opt for a vegan or plastic-negative version of the same product. "Have we over-certified the beauty industry to the point of confusion?", asks Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier. In this opinion short, Lorraine says that even those of us in the beauty industry struggle to make sense of all the schemes, so it is inevitable that many beauty consumers will simply have no clue about their merits. Now, retailers like Target and Sephora are coming up with their own standards and choosing to reject stocking brands on the basis of their own criteria. In her last guest episode, Lorraine interviewed Yashi Shrestha, Head of Science & Research at Novi Connect, an online platform helping cosmetic formulators comply right from product inception stage with a variety of standards. Similarly, another platform Provenance, also a recent podcast guest, helps with product transparency by using blockchain to verify brands' claims. But, even with these innovative, pioneering platforms, Lorraine says she keeps coming back to the question of whether the beauty industry needs all these certification schemes. Has the beauty industry gone too far and made life impossible for itself and its consumers? This podcast has covered a large number of the most commonly used terms and certifications on beauty and we urge you to delve into the archives to play catch up on them. All seem open to interpretation though. The fact remains that many cosmetic formulators are relying on obtuse supply chains that may not have all the documentation required to verify a claim or help certify a standard. The beauty industry is still working in the dark having made a rod for its own back by creating standards that for many are simply unattainable. Lorraine challenges us as formulators and beauty shoppers to ask ourselves what really matters to us. What standards and claims do we prioritise and why? Or, are we simply too exhausted and confused by the schemes to know? Listen in to another Green Beauty Opinion that challenges us to make the beauty industry a better, more sustainable place.

Confused by the plethora of standards, regulations and accreditation schemes at large in the beauty industry? You are not alone. Whether you are a big brand striving for sustainability or an indie founder needing to demonstrate Halal, vegan, clean, safe, GMO-free or any other mission for your products, there is every possible scheme to apply for and label to slap on your products these days. But, how do you really know the provenance and composition of your cosmetic ingredients and can your suppliers provide a paper trail to back up any claims? From Formula Botanica's years of experience working with natural formulators and indie brand founders, we know the pain involved in digging deep on the supply side of cosmetics. But, times are changing. More and more beauty shoppers - and conscious retailers - wish to know the truth about what goes into cosmetics and are pushing the industry to validate its claims. One innovative platform is managing to square the circle and open up industry minds to a brave new world in which ingredient information is researched in detail, divulged, shared, and validated against claims to the benefit of everyone in the cosmetics' business. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host talks to Yashi Shrestha, Director of Science & Research at Novi Connect, a turnkey solution for formulators to build beauty and personal care products that meet the complex transparency needs of today’s consumers. Put simply, Yashi and the Novi team are sorting out the whole mess for formulators and brands keen to make their product development cycles more transparent and sustainable. Listen in for an episode that could make conscious formulating a whole lot easier.

In this Green Beauty Opinion, we pick up on key issues of plastic waste raised in the last episode with guest Peter Wang Hjemdahl, co-founder of rePurpose Global. Here, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier sounds a note of realism and cautious optimism about how beauty can tackle its plastic dependency. While sceptical of offsetting and plastic waste credit schemes, Lorraine says that realistically a plastic-free beauty industry is not likely in our lifetimes. Offsetting and credits that help pay for the removal of plastic and global activism on plastic pollution are valid. Entities like rePurpose Global are making us aware of our responsibility to reduce, recycle and repurpose plastic already in circulation. This in itself is a first vital step to tackling the issue. Sustainability is a journey not a destination and we have to acknowledge that plastic is here to stay. Lorraine explains that plastic in itself is a fantastic invention. It is our use - or misuse - of plastic coupled with the lack of capacity worldwide to recycle and retain plastics within the supply chain that are at fault. Plastic is not the enemy. We are, along with the waste we create. Beauty and personal care industries should embrace circularity. We have seen this in action with past podcast guests; the US personal care company Meow Meow Tweet is a pioneer of return-and-refill schemes that keep plastic packaging in circulation. If all plastic in beauty could be cleaned and refilled and also made of PCR plastics that would be an enormous achievement. Lorraine challenges us to seek out beauty brands that use plastic responsibly and to cut down on our own consumption. Using less plastic and being responsible for the plastic on our doorstep is how we start to tackle those staggering figures on plastic waste, and make the beauty industry a more sustainable and better place.    

Having looked at the shocking extent to which plastic is present within beauty formulations in liquid microplastic forms, in this episode Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier tackles plastic in beauty packaging.  Few of us would disagree that the beauty industry and its consumers should reduce, reuse and recycle plastic packaging more. But, as the figures show, the challenge is great. Half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years and production of plastic has increased exponentially from 1.5 million tons in 1950 to 367 million tons by 2015. An incredible 8 million tons or so of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations. As we know from our episode on biodegradability, plastic can take about 400 years to break down in the environment. Any discussion on plastic packaging and the millions of tons of waste it produces is fraught with complexity and seemingly irresolvable problems. Where do we start as small beauty businesses to play our part in reducing plastic waste when the figures are so daunting? There are ways to start small and still make a difference. In this episode, we hear from one pioneering social enterprise that is literally removing plastic waste and helping companies of all sizes to reduce their dependency on plastic. rePurpose Global is the world’s leading plastic action platform dedicated to reducing waste, reviving lives and restoring nature’s balance. Lorraine talks to Peter Wang Hjemdahl, co-founder and Chief Advocacy Officer at rePurpose Global, about the creative, yet practical ways the social enterprise is tackling plastic packaging from its source in supply chains to its end of life in waste mountains. Listen in for some positive news on how our plastic dependency is being be tackled.

In this Green Beauty Opinion, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier voices her concerns about the pervasive use of microplastics in cosmetics. Following on from the previous guest interview with Madhuri Prabhakar of the campaigning organisation the Plastic Soup Foundation, this short opinion episode is a call to action to all beauty consumers to spread the word about just how worrying microplastics are. Because most of us just don’t know that they lurk in the majority of our everyday personal care products. These liquid plastics – or synthetic polymers – are in everyday products from paints and sealants to shower gels and lipsticks. Their traces are found throughout the world from raindrops to our blood stream. Lorraine points out that there is a place for plastic, but not in cosmetics. It is used far too much and to the extent that we could say we have ‘plastified’ our lives. But the beauty industry is massive and powerful and has spent decades convincing us that the performance of a cosmetic product is paramount. Microplastics are synthetic polymers with low water solubility that enhance glide, skin feel and stability in cosmetics. As nanoplastics they can enter the body, and they also get washed off to enter the food chain and persist in aquatic environments. With legislation on micro- and nanoplastics pending in the European Union, cosmetics' trade bodies have hit back at calls for a ban on microplastics in personal care formulations. Their argument seems to focus on semantics. Their definition of microplastics would provide a loophole to ensure their beloved synthetic polymers can remain in formulations. Lorraine stresses the need for the precautionary principle to come into play in this debate with action and legislation to remove microplastics from cosmetics before the extent of their harm is felt – and proved. The UK’s Royal Society of Chemists says that industries should seek to move away from a ‘take, make and dispose’ model of manufacture in order to reduce the amount of liquid synthetic polymers in use. As Lorraine has said many times on Green Beauty Conversations, the mainstream beauty industry thrives on this very cycle of manufacture. In summing up, Lorraine challenges us all to spread the word about hidden microplastics in cosmetics so more beauty consumers are aware of their choices and can lobby the microplastic-loving beauty giants.    

Reducing plastic in the packaging of personal care products is high on the agenda of many mainstream cosmetics’ firms, but are microplastics in cosmetics getting the same attention? Even if a brand’s packaging is plastic free, the product inside may not be. What goes into the bottle – the formulations we slather on each day – are literally riddled with micro- and nanoplastics. Shocked? So were we. We have covered the issues of post-consumer plastics, biodegradability and zero waste in the past. But plastic in outer packaging is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the use of plastic in the cosmetics’ industry. An estimated 9 out of 10 mainstream personal care products may contain microplastics. These figures aren’t plucked from thin air. They come from the Plastic Soup Foundation, a single-issue environmental organisation working to stop plastic pollution at its source. The Foundation conducted scientific research into its database of over 7,000 cosmetics from 10 big brands and concluded that microplastics were present in 87% of the products analysed. The environmental and human health impacts of these hidden plastics are now the subject not only of research, but also of proposed EU legislation. As we discover in this episode, intentionally-added microplastics are contentious and the very mention of their restriction or outright ban has seen push back from the mainstream cosmetics industry. To unpack the data from the charged debate, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Madhuri Prabhakar, project leader and campaigner of the Beat the Microbead (BTMB) campaign by the Plastic Soup Foundation. Listen in for some shocking revelations about plastics in cosmetic formulations.

Influencers have an exciting opportunity given their reach and reputations to change hearts and minds of beauty consumers. Imagine influencer product reviews mentioning how easy it is to refill packaging or that a beauty brand has gone plastic free or is working towards zero waste or carbon negative goals? In the last episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier discussed the world of the beauty influencer with School Education Manager Ana Green and questioned whether influencers were talking about, let alone talking up, beauty brands’ sustainability. One key thing hit home in that episode: the power and great responsibility beauty influencers have. In a recent survey, some 49% of shoppers interviewed said they relied on  recommendations of vlogggers, YouTubers, bloggers and social media influencers in making purchases, viewing their opinions as they would those of trusted friends. In this short Green Beauty Opinion, Lorraine proposes how influencers can use their platforms responsibly to drive home the message that sustainable beauty should be the norm, not the exception in the industry. Influencers are not going to stop covering new product launches, but they could do more to challenge brands about their sustainability credentials and include this information in their regular content. In this way, they will influence consumers to make sustainable choices and to ask their own questions of brands. Changing the beauty industry is a collective job that we all need to participate in. Lorraine’s challenge to influencers is to embrace their power and harness it to promote a more sustainable beauty industry. In doing so, influencers could have more influence than they perhaps realise and make positive, lasting change to the beauty industry.

It is hard to imagine that beauty influencers barely existed a decade ago. Now though, hundreds of thousands of influencers take to social media platforms each day to talk about the latest beauty launches and offer their opinion on the promise and performance of products. Those who dominate social media are as influential and competitive as ever, and perfecting their presences on TikTok, which is the platform of the moment. Few influencers make a full-time living on social media, but all have one thing in common: their attraction to shiny new beauty products to test and talk about. But, with new products comes a tidal wave of samples as well as tens of thousands of units of unrelated, often unsolicited promotional merchandise which big cosmetics' brands think will influence the influencers. As we discussed in our recent episode with responsible beauty retailer Credo, samples' packaging is mostly not recyclable and comes laden with plastic. In this episode, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier discusses the business model of influencers with the school's Education Manager, Ana Green. Ana, once a beauty blogger herself, has valuable insights into influencer and brand relations and suggests how both parties can foster a more sustainable beauty industry as they partner to promote products.

Beauty shoppers are clamouring for green packaging and sustainable beauty. The industry is coming out with innovative packaging made from recycled plastics that themselves can be recycled. So isn’t this a positive landscape and a happier space for the beauty industry to be in than a few years ago? If only sustainable beauty packaging were so simple. In this Green Beauty Opinion, Formula Botanica CEO, Chartered Environmentalist and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier praises the strides the beauty industry is making on sustainable packaging, but also unearths the truth about how much is recycled. Consumers still know little about what our beauty packaging is made of and where it ends up in its afterlife. In this opinion short, Lorraine explains that while we are becoming familiar with acronyms for plastics, like post-consumer recycled PET plastics, and are better at deciphering recycling symbols, the reality is that very little plastic waste is recycled. Plastics are still shipped from rich countries across the world to be dumped in open landfills. Ultimately, much ends up polluting the oceans. Innovative packaging solutions are well and good, but are let down by a recycling infrastructure that can’t close the loop and sustain a circular economy. Lorraine’s challenge to all of us engaged in beauty, whether as shoppers or industry insiders, is to start having more conversations about the environmental harm of beauty packaging. Whether indie founder or mainstream big beauty business, we need to tell our customers just what our packaging is made of and how to recycle it. Make our customers lives easier by making videos on how to recycle that airless pump bottle, for example. As shoppers, we must be prepared to ask beauty brands how to recycle and reuse their packaging, whatever it is made of, and pile the pressure on them to respond with clarity. While R&D is coming up with the next closed-loop, circular economy packaging, we can start having an immediate impact by simply having conversations and educating each other. And remembering that because innovative sustainable packaging can be recycled, it doesn’t mean it will be.

We all love getting something for free. How many times have you shopped for a new cosmetic product and been rewarded for your purchase with a bundle of free beauty samples? Some of the sachets popped into your bag or mailer box might have nothing at all to do with eye cream, cleanser or serum you just bought. But does it matter when we love receiving those little sachets of samples for free? This podcast episode focuses on these tiny beauty products which are in fact staggeringly wasteful. Each year, the beauty industry creates 122bn units of sample sachets, most of which have no clear-cut way of being recycled. In all likelihood, we consumers don’t need them, don’t use them and certainly wouldn’t like them if we knew that those free gifts have no happy end of life and go on to do untold harm to the planet. Joining Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier to tackle the topic of planet-toxic beauty samples is guest Mia Davis, VP Sustainability and Impact at Credo Beauty, which is the largest clean beauty retailer in the US. Mia, a committed, career environmentalist, created the Credo Clean Standard, including the retailer’s ambitious and forward-thinking Sustainable Packaging Guidelines. When Lorraine learned of Credo’s bold step last year of announcing it was no longer providing beauty samples, she knew that something seismic was happening in the industry. So who better to have on the podcast to talk about changing habits of the beauty industry’s lifetime than Mia Davis, who has set not just Credo but also the wider industry the challenge of culling samples for good?

In our last guest episode with the indie beauty co-founder Tara Pelletier, we heard how her business Meow Meow Tweet was not only driving a successful bulk refill scheme for its beauty products, but also how it was shunning the pressure to churn out new products. But will the beauty media bother with indie companies that can't push out press releases about their latest new product? Will opting for deeper rather than wider product ranges self harm an indie brand? It takes a brave business owner to call out the traditional beauty business model that is built on bringing out a constant stream of new products. For the sake of sustainability, this should be happening if we are to consume less and save the planet's resources more. Can we change the culture around product development? Lorraine Dallmeier, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host, says that while she has come across numerous beauty brand and industry stories about improving packaging, finding sustainable suppliers and striving for circular beauty, she has heard none about a brand choosing to slow its growth for sustainability's sake. The beauty industry model is still all about fast churn; in fact, we can talk about 'fast beauty' just as we do about fast fashion. The beauty media thrives off reporting the latest innovation and product release. Lorraine's point is that a brand with loyal customers enjoying its current range has no need to keep pushing out new products. Are customers really waiting for something new? And why would an indie brand wish to upstage its hero products with new ones all the time? Lorraine challenges all brand founders in the indie beauty community, and beauty consumers, to be loyal to the fabulous products already out there and reject fast beauty. By doing so, they can start to shift mindsets on beauty's traditional business model. Listen in to Lorraine's opinion short in which she asks the ultimate question: can the beauty business model be built on slow beauty?  

Less is more so the saying goes, but one innovative beauty products' company is turning this on its head and offering 'more for less' with its inspirational refillable beauty scheme. Meow Meow Tweet, a US-based vegan, low-waste, personal care company has come up with a refill scheme that makes it easy for its customers to buy skincare, haircare and bodycare products in bulk at a discount. Can you imagine buying face cleanser in bulk? Meow Meow Tweet could and it decided its brand mission was to help customers reduce overall consumption by ditching lots of little pots and going for bulk buys. As the average woman beauty consumer uses about 16 product a day, you can get a feel for just how unsustainable the beauty business is. By buying more but less often and at a discount, its loyal refill customers have helped Meow Meow Tweet to embrace circular systems of reuse that can eliminate waste entirely. Founded in 2009, Meow Meow Tweet was certainly ahead of its time in acting on sustainability. It was the first brand to introduce 100 percent backyard compostable deodorant sticks and lip balms. Meow Meow Tweet is also a certified plastic negative and climate neutral company. In this second podcast looking at beauty refill success stories, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Tara Pelletier, co-founder of Meow Meow Tweet about the company's simple, sustainable slow beauty refill model. Listen in to hear about how one beauty company is quietly doing big things for sustainability.

In this short Green Beauty Opinion, Lorraine celebrates the bounty of botanicals, but urges us to think about how to conserve the very plants that provide us with endless inspiration and incredible ingredients. There wouldn’t be a single natural formulator in the Formula Botanica community who wouldn’t agree that plants are changing the beauty industry for the good and must be cherished. The groundswell of natural formulators and indie beauty founders is unstoppable. Lorraine points out that while Formula Botanica has enrolled some 15,000 students worldwide, you might not know that our community comprises some 300,000 people who have taken our free courses as well. Our Free Organic Skincare Entrepreneur Masterclass is open for enrolment now as we air this episode. Botanical bounty for formulators comes from leaves, roots, seeds, bark, flowers, stems, twigs, marine plants and more. Different parts of the same plant provide us with incredible phytoactive extracts to let our creativity as formulators run wild. Botanical formulation has the power to ground us in our busy, stressful lives. The term "earthing" refers to our ability to connect deeply with nature around us. Lorraine quotes a report which spoke of improved mental health and overall wellness in female participants of a survey into the effect of living in or near green spaces. Plants have made a presence throughout mankind’s history, sharing in rites and rituals, and providing us with the stillness we crave. Little wonder then that we love them as natural formulators. Lorraine challenges us as natural formulators, indie beauty brands and beauty consumers to make sure our use of precious botanicals does not deplete nor harm them. We must exploit plant power sustainably ensuring the bounty of botanicals thrives and not just survives for future generations. This is a responsibility that faces both the natural and mainstream beauty industry.

At Formula Botanica, we have over 15,000 students studying to become organic cosmetic formulators with us and many have  already launched their own cosmetics brands in parallel with their studies – and day jobs. If you are considering bringing natural formulation into your life, then this episode is a must-listen. Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier interviews a school graduate and indie beauty brand owner who has taken her love of botanical beauty to new heights, expanding and diversifying her original business along the way. Copenhagen-based Stella Nisreen Kanaan, a lifelong learner, beauty salon owner and cosmetic brand entrepreneur, talks about her passion, drive and determination to make plants and nature the foundation of not only her personal journey, but also that of her entire business. Stella infused her new, organic beauty product business into her salon practice and hasn't looked back. Unstoppable and certain of the business sense of botanicals in beauty, Stella talks us through her entrepreneurial journey, and shows just how possible it is to turn a dream into reality if you really believe in your mission.

Our last podcast episode on the sustainability of using tropical ingredients in our cosmetics raised the issue of transparency in supply chains.  In this Green Beauty Opinion, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier examines one solution to this lack of transparency; going local. Should indie formulators seek to source their ingredients as close to their homes and labs as possible? What implications and advantages are there in doing so? Is it more sustainable to go local than shipping ingredients across the world? Lorraine points out that supply chains are hard to unravel. We have very little information on an ingredient apart from its safety data sheet (SDS), which says nothing about sustainability apart from mentioning the toxicity of a material. We can't know for certain if any ingredient, local or not, is a sustainable option. For example, a particular seaweed ended up crossing country borders five times as it was shipped in and out during its processing into a cosmetic ingredient. Would it still qualify as a local and more sustainable ingredient? Going local in your sourcing of ingredients can however hold out hope for indie beauty formulators keen to be sustainable. Formula Botanica has always stressed indie formulators should build strong relations with reliable suppliers. If they are local, then you can have even greater chance of making this a success. With strong ties, comes a flow of information, insights and advantages, such as greater quality control and brand differentiation. Lorraine points to her podcast interviews with international beauty brand founders May Lindstrom,  and Sarah Brown of Pai Skincare who both said that that keeping manufacturing in-house and using trusted, mostly local suppliers had given their brands an edge in quality and transparency. By going local you can also infuse your brand with your heritage and with personal meaning. Every little we can do to help drive sustainability in our formulations and brands is worth it. Going local may not be the complete answer, but by doing so, indie beauty can start to make a sustainable difference and avoid those murky supply chains.

The destruction of rainforests - the world's most bio-diverse ecosystems - and the impact this has on the indigenous peoples living in and depending on them, and on global climate change is imprinted vividly in our minds. As a community of indie, organic beauty formulators and entrepreneurs, we are highly aware of the value of tropical habitats. None of us would wish to add to a greater loss of biodiversity nor cause more environmental and societal harm simply by going about our daily business as indie beauty formulators. Knowing where, how and by whom our natural cosmetic ingredients are grown and harvested and how they travel to us is one of the biggest challenges facing the indie formulator. Today's beauty consumers too are asking hard questions about the sourcing of cosmetics' ingredients. Yet, as we discussed before on this podcast, simply boycotting ingredients won't help sustainability. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier and colleague Ana Green, the School's Education Manager, discuss some of the many complex arguments underlying the sourcing of natural cosmetics ingredients from at-risk tropical forests and regions. Should we be using those gorgeous rainforest ingredients in our formulations even if we don't know how sustainable they are from their source to our skincare pots? Listen in to the nuanced debate to make your own mind up.

Welcome to this Green Beauty Opinion in which Formula Botanica  CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier shares her main takeouts on the last episode with guest Tammy Facey, founder of indie beauty brand Jim + Henry. In a beauty world struggling to grasp sustainability concepts, let alone act on them, solopreneur Tammy impressed us with her simple solutions for getting a product refill scheme up and running.  Where mainstream and big beauty brands stall behind well-meaning reports and set impressive goals for decades ahead, Tammy shows how indie beauty can succeed in doing something about sustainability right now. Sustainable practices can't wait. If indie beauty adopts simple answers - which in Tammy's case meant picking up the phone and persuading refill stores to join her network - we can start to chip away at the complex challenges and make a real difference. Indie beauty doesn't need to overthink the issues.  With the founder often as sole decision-maker, indie beauty can be nimble and pioneer simple, local solutions that make a difference immediately. Size doesn't matter in acting on sustainability. While indie beauty is world's apart from personal care giants, it can have the advantage of connecting directly to and helping educate its customers on sensible, simple solutions everyone can adopt effortlessly. Lorraine is sure that an entrepreneurial mindset is the way to driving greater sustainability in the beauty sector. Are you up to the challenge? Listen in for a thought-provoking opinion in which Lorraine challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

On Green Beauty Conversations, we have covered some challenging concepts in sustainable beauty such as the circular economy, carbon neutral and climate neutral beauty and zero waste. We admit these are not easy to grasp, but together with some incredible guests, this podcast has tried to unpacked these topics in simple terms. While we might all nod in agreement with the ideals and aspirations driving sustainability concepts, just how do we in the indie beauty world make them part of our daily lives and business? Isn't the circular economy something that only big beauty brands with significant research teams and funds can put into practice? In this episode, we hear from one indie beauty entrepreneur whose actions answer this question with a resounding 'No'. We find out that small brands can do just as much to reduce, recycle and reuse and retain resources in the economy as big businesses. It just takes vision, drive and some lateral thinking. Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier speaks to indie beauty entrepreneur Tammy Facey who single handedly pioneered her own circular economy scheme. In 2017 Tammy founded Jim + Henry, the UK's first brand for Afro and curly hair type to create a leave-in hair conditioner comprised of only eight ingredients. Committed to sustainable beauty, Tammy set herself the mission of building a refillable beauty business. Listen in to her story and discover how small indie beauty brands can play their part in the circular economy too.

In this short Green Beauty Opinion, Lorraine challenges us to act now to change the status quo on the discrimination women of colour face every day. Whatever our platform, we all have a chance to alter the narrative that has dominated society's view of ideals in beauty for hundreds of years. Inclusivity and diversity are words easily slipped into beauty industry discourse. While progress has been made there is a long way to go to erase societal conditioning about Black, Brown and other non-European/Caucasian skin tones. Change needs all voices to participate and all of us to act if the beauty industry is to drill down into why and how it not just historically, but also today still excludes people. If we all use our platforms, whatever they may be and however widespread our communities, we can help break the bias the beauty industry perpetuates against people of colour. Not using our voices to effect change would be to do a disservice to them. Lorraine mentions just three of numerous, glaring and deep-rooted examples of where diversity in the beauty industry is found lacking: beauty product design; marketing and advertising language; and beauty imagery. In conclusion, Lorraine challenges us all to think about how we can use our platforms, whether in the workplace, socially, as indie beauty advocates, on social media or elsewhere, to call out the inequalities. How will you use your platform as you move forward?

For decades, the dominant portrayal of beauty has been through the lens of white and lighter skin tones. Beauty editorials, advertising and marketing - and of course product formulation - has typically failed to represent, let alone understand the needs of Black and darker skin. Well-intentioned and long overdue conversations are going on in the industry about diversity and inclusivity. And there are some breakthroughs with product ranges such as Rihanna's Fenty Beauty which caters to all skin tones. However, women of colour are still facing the daily challenge of finding beauty products, information and salon practitioners who understand their skin's needs. Behind the words and celebrity product lines lies the reality of beauty counters and salons that are lagging behind and unable to cater to those with darker skin tones. Podcast guest Dija Ayodele has made it her life's work to educate the industry and advocate for all types of beauty products to be  accessible and relevant to women of colour. Simply put, Dija Ayodele is making Black skincare matter. A successful practising aesthetician, Dija is a champion and pioneer of black and darker skincare and beauty and she has plenty to say about the gaps in beauty industry education when it comes to understanding the needs of women of colour. Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Dija about her work and her book 'Black Skin: The Definitive Skincare Guide' which was published in late 2021 and is already receiving international acclaim.

It is incredible to think Green Beauty Conversations has arrived at episode 100. What a milestone to celebrate and an opportunity for me to take stock of the past four years on air. In this time, the podcast has been listened to over half a million times and been downloaded in at least 90 countries. We’ve hit the number one spot in the beauty podcast charts in 50 of those countries, so I want to give a shoutout to loyal listeners in Egypt and India and Ghana and Saudi Arabia and Nigeria and Indonesia; just a few of the countries where we regularly top the beauty charts. It is humbling to know we make a difference to the indie beauty community right across the globe. As podcast host, I have had the pleasure of interviewing a diversity of guests from across the beauty industry and beyond. They have not only shared fascinating stories of entrepreneurship and personal growth, but importantly also been controversial and thought provoking. Each guest has opened up our minds to new possibilities and the change needed in this half a trillion $US business called beauty. I invite you to listen in to this short celebratory 100th episode that I dedicate to you – our listener – and to all our guests, and in which I share what I have learned from running this podcast over these past four years.

With beauty trends predicting a big return to colour cosmetics post pandemic and spiralling demand for plant-based skincare, 2022 looks set to be the year of growth for botanical makeup. And right on cue at Formula Botanica, we are launching our first, botanical makeup mini course as this podcast airs. Behind the scenes, our in-house formulation team led by cosmetic chemist Rouah Al-Wakeel has experimented with botanical pigments for years and has now perfected a range of luscious lipsticks coloured only with plant pigments. To celebrate this breakthrough, we are running a Mini Lab on Natural Lipstick Formulation in our exclusive, members-only site The Lab at Formula Botanica. In this episode, Rouah joins podcast host Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier to talk us through the facts, fun and challenges of formulating with plant pigments. They may take time to get to know, but botanical pigments can open up a whole new market for formulators keen to get ahead and get an edge in the natural makeup niche. Listen in to find out why Rouah's favourite lipstick colour is now red radish.

Welcome to this Green Beauty Opinion in the run up to International Women’s Day 2022 (IWD). In this opinion short, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier follows up on the previous podcast on the role of indie beauty in empowering a new generation of women entrepreneurs.  Lorraine reflects on why female entrepreneurship is so valuable in our societies. Against a backdrop of the pandemic, which according to the NGO Oxfam cost women in 2020 alone some 64 million jobs and $800bn in revenue worldwide, women now have even greater need to be included at parity in economic, social and political life.  Goal 5 of the UN’s Sustainability Agenda recognises that gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but also key to fostering a sustainable, peaceful and prosperous world. Women’s equal representation in all spheres of life helps improve the overall well-being of society. Women’s greater participation also helps educate societies, alleviate poverty and reduce environmental destruction.  Above all, women’s entrepreneurship and women in leadership roles lift other women up, showing them what is possible to be and do. Women can further empower women, lifting all boats on a rising tide. This is something we have seen time and again at Formula Botanica where our graduate and student indie beauty entrepreneurs not only lead by example, but also actively share know-how, give of their time and support those following in their footsteps.  We need to reevaluate what we mean by entrepreneurship and see its value lying not just in the ability to create wealth, but also in contributing positively to society. And it is in this sphere that female entrepreneurship has shown it has a major role to play.  Lorraine urges us to participate in International Women’s Day and to be the change we seek. Join in, share your actions via social media and strike the IWD #breakthebiaspose.   Listen in for a thought-provoking opinion that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

Indie beauty may be driving a generation of female entrepreneurs but women in other sectors still don't make it to the boardrooms. With this in mind, we ask what is gender equality today? Think of the people running the beauty industry in your locality. The beauty salons, nail bars, hairdressers, spas, and the beauty counters of drug stores are likely to be staffed by women. From a quick survey like this, you would think we should be addressing the need for greater diversity or the promotion of men in the beauty industry instead of the parity of women in the sector. But, what is gender equality or diversity or inclusivity too if there is no equality of representation across an industry? From shop and salon floors to the boardroom tables of big beauty brands and from the kitchen tables of start-up entrepreneurs to the offices of venture capitalists, gender, and other forms of equality must be factored in, focused on and fast forwarded. Because the beauty industry seems to be the domain of women does not mean it is led by women at management level nor do many female entrepreneurs attract the financing and support they need to help them succeed. In this episode, which airs a couple of weeks before International Women's Day (8 March), Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier and Ana Green, the school's Education Manager, discuss the vital role that indie beauty plays in fostering women's self empowerment, and also the startling realities many women face in getting to the top and succeeding as beauty sector entrepreneurs.

In this Green Beauty Opinion, Formula Botanica CEO, chartered environmentalist and biologist Lorraine Dallmeier comments on the often knee-jerk tendency of some in the beauty world, both formulators and consumers, to boycott cosmetic ingredients that they deem unsustainable.   Talking to the Responsible Mica Initiative in the last podcast, Lorraine heard about the complex world of mica mining that produces the glittery ingredients we love in cosmetics. Mica mining in India, the largest producer, relies on vulnerable, isolated mining communities who live in extreme poverty and often use child labour. Before you boycott mica - or any other natural or botanical ingredient - think again. An all-out boycott rarely provides a solution to those unsustainable practices you’ve found out about. Lorraine lists five key reasons we should ask before we act on boycotting an ingredient: Synthetic or other alternatives may not be less environmentally damaging nor even more sustainable. Boycotts can harm the local, traditional and often indigenous communities that derive their livelihoods almost entirely from producing that ingredient.  How do you know the ingredient you boycott won’t crop up in other products or aspects of your daily consumption? Mica, for instance, is in hundreds of products we use daily, from cars to toasters.   A contentious ingredient like palm oil, that hits the media headlines, might trigger a concerted effort to prioritise conservation efforts or its sustainable production.  Sustainability is too complex to make sweeping statements or judgements on. The Responsible Mica Initiative counts 80 members and works with a multi-stakeholder taskforce from a range of industries.  Lorraine challenges us to boycott instead our own unsustainable practices such as over consumption of beauty products. Listen in for a thought-provoking opinion that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

As we go to air with this episode of Green Beauty Conversations in early 2022, the predictions are that frosted eye shadows, glittery nail art and luminescent blushers are going to be big trends this year. Adopting the hashtag #Y2K, a new generation of beauty consumers is exploring makeup trends of the 1980s to the millennium, and rediscovering the allure and bold shimmer of mica minerals in cosmetics. But, all that glitters in the cosmetics’ world is not gold. Behind those shimmering cosmetics lies a mineral mining industry that in some parts of the world relies on artisan and small-scale miners who are living in poverty and often have to put their children to work to have any chance of supporting their families. How can natural formulators or beauty consumers know where their mica comes from and the conditions in which it is mined? What about the environmental as well human health and welfare impact of mica mining in parts of the world that are well out of sight of the global cosmetics industry? What can we do to source and buy cosmetics using ethically-mined mica? In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier – a chartered environmentalist with a passion for digging deep on unsustainable and exploitative practices in the beauty industry – talks to Olivier Dubourdieu, Project Manager at the Responsible Mica Initiative to find some answers to these questions.

Welcome to this Green Beauty Opinion on the challenges of changing consumer perceptions about the image of solid formulations from homespun artisan goods to luxury cosmetic purchases.   Following on from the last podcast episode on innovative sustainable packaging solutions, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier asks why consumers won’t see solid formulations as on a par with their high-performance emulsions and serums.  With the beauty industry responsible for tens of billions of packaging units ending up in landfill each year, it is imperative that both manufacturers and consumers embrace solutions such as refillable beauty and solid formulations that can do without most packaging in the first place.   Why banish solid formulations to functional products for cleansing and washing? Already, solid formulations have the capability to cover an exciting range of cosmetics including those with active, efficacious ingredients such as retinoids.  Lorraine says that the only thing holding manufacturers back is their perception that consumers conceive of high-performance cosmetic formulations as needing liquid forms and luxury packaging. But, there are exciting opportunities for the innovators and the climate crisis demands action and leadership from both mainstream big brands and the indie beauty community.  Lorraine’s challenge to us all, whether as formulators or beauty consumers, is to take action now and start shifting perceptions by changing our own behaviour by both formulating and choosing solid cosmetics.  Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.  

Imagine beauty packaging given to us by nature and that returns sustainably to nature once we, as beauty consumers, have unboxed our product and have no further need for its protective cartons, filler materials, mailer boxes and more? Imagine then the infinite possibilities of magical mushrooms and plantable cosmetic containers. Does this all sound too far fetched? In this episode, you'll hear just how organic matter from mushrooms is literally growing consumer packaging and how eye, brow and lip pencils and liner casings are sowing the seeds of bee-friendly, wild flower meadows. Green Beauty Conversations has covered just about every sustainable angle, and many a greenwashing one too, in the world of beauty and its packaging. But when we heard about two innovative companies using nature to create packaging that is truly cradle-to-cradle in their life cycles, we just had to discover more. The Magical Mushroom Company and Sprout World are redefining the notion of ethical sustainability in beauty products and packaging. Podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO talks to Michael Stausholm, founder and CEO of Sprout World – the company behind the first makeup pencil in the world that can be planted and grown wildflowers; and to Natasha Walker, Business Development Manager at Magical Mushroom Company which develops a natural alternative to fossil fuel-produced polystyrene and other polymers at industrial scale. Might the beauty industry be looking to the very nature it reveres in its cosmetic formulations for answers to reducing the tidal wave of unsustainable packaging it creates? Listen in for some fascinating insights into how sustainable packaging is literally growing before our eyes.

In this Green Beauty Opinion short, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier challenges all indie beauty founders to make a real difference to the beauty industry. Picking up on her interview in the last episode with Formula Botanica graduate Sandra Velasquez, who built her Nopalera brand firmly rooted in her Mexican heritage, Lorraine urges the indie beauty sector to make products with both purpose and passion. Sandra is not only an inspiring founder and formulator with business acumen and drive, but also one who focused on a clear mission. She set out to change consumer preconceptions about the status of Mexican products. By celebrating and amplifying Mexican culture in her range of upscale beauty products, she succeeded in raising the bar on attitudes to other sectors of Latino-based products too, not just beauty.   Sandra is an example of how formulating for change is a powerful business driver. A clear mission for your business is a vital ingredient for indie beauty success.  Lorraine sets all potential indie beauty entrepreneurs the challenge of finding their special 'why' and to build a beauty brand with purpose. The world has no need of more beauty products unless they make a real difference, not just to consumers' lives, but also to the industry they operate in - and perhaps beyond too.  Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to make the beauty industry a better and more sustainable place. 

Does an indie beauty founder's mission matter as much as the products they formulate? This is scary territory for formulators who love creating products and dream of one day launching a beauty brand. But decisive answers to questions like this are fundamental to any beauty entrepreneur's journey. What will your brand stand for? What do you as a founder bring to the brand story? What is your philosophy and your brand's purpose? If you thinking of your own journey as an indie beauty founder but are floundering and feeling overwhelmed, this episode with Formula Botanica graduate and new business owner Sandra Velasquez is the inspiration you need. Everyone's backstory is different, however Sandra's mission in building Nopalera - a bath and body line infused with her Mexican heritage - has universal messages relevant to all would-be beauty entrepreneurs. Sandra spent a whole year honing her core philosophy and getting her branding to reflect her vision for Nopalera as an upmarket Latino beauty brand. She bucked perceived norms, plugged a gap in the market, stunned and silenced her critics and grew a community around her mission. And all because she had a clear vision of Nopolera not only as a profitable, successful brand but also as a trailblazer helping Mexican producers be valued and get the credit they deserve. Sandra launched Nopolera as a high-end Mexican bath and body line in 2020. Inspired by the indigenous Nopal cactus, Nopalera, after just one full year of trading, is now in 250 independent retailers across the States including Nordstrom. Sandra has been featured in major media outlets including NBC, Elle, Vogue and Forbes. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier invites Sandra to take us on her journey. We discover the power of creating an authentic brand with a mission far greater than that of selling skincare.

Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier starts the year sharing the message that cosmetic formulation is within everyone's reach. In this opinion short, Lorraine says history shows us that homemade cosmetics were in fact the norm from ancient times until the early 20th century. Then, a change happened when marketing, branding and big business took over convincing us that only cosmetics made in industry labs were valid, safe and effective. This is ironic since many now household international cosmetics' brands were in fact  started by women pioneers from their kitchens. Now, Formula Botanica and its 14,000-plus community of student formulators and graduates - hundreds already with their own  successful indie beauty brands - are busting this industry myth. Everyone can be empowered to formulate their own skincare and has a right to learn formulation and discover what goes on under the lid of mainstream products. The indie beauty movement of skincare entrepreneurs is on the cusp of something big. Listen in to hear how a skill reclaimed is shaking up the mainstream cosmetics' industry. Green Beauty Opinions challenge you to be the voice of change making the beauty industry better, more transparent and sustainable.

It is not every day you get the chance to have a refreshingly honest, down-to-earth conversation with the founder of a beauty brand that is taking the world by storm. Sarah Brown, founder of Pai Skincare, joined podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier for an epic Green Beauty Conversation that takes us on Pai's journey from garage start-up in 2007 to being voted the 5th most popular skincare brand in the world in 2021 with almost 5 million global online searches. A proudly independent, organic brand and unswerving in its commitment to making products in house, Pai stands out as not only one of the first natural cosmetics brands to arrive on the scene, but also as one that has stayed true to its founding principles. Financially viable, forward thinking and walking the walk on sustainability, Pai is at heart still very much an indie brand and a rarity in a beauty industry rife with greenwashing, buyouts, outsourcing and hype. This episode is a mine of information with behind-the-scenes insights into the daily life of a growing brand, and valuable to any would-be or early-stage beauty entrepreneur. Sarah Brown tells it straight with no fluff. If you want to know just what it takes to build a business born of a personal skincare need and grow it into a brand that has gained customer loyalty and is driven by ethics, passion and purpose, then settle in for 45 unstoppable minutes of beauty industry hard talk. Sarah launched Pai in 2007 as a certified organic skincare line for sensitive skin. Pai formulates and manufactures all its products from its custom-built facility in London. Previously, Sarah was International PR Manager for E&J Gallo Wines. In 2015, she joined the Board of Cosmetic Executive Women.

Welcome to this Green Beauty Opinion in which Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier picks up on an important issue raised in the previous episode on carbon neutral beauty in her interview with the co-founders of BYBI Beauty. BYBI’s Elsie Rutterford and Dominika Minorovic said that to date, the time, effort and money spent on developing BYBI as a truly sustainable brand was not making a mark on consumer consciousness as a key reason to choose their brand’s products. Is sustainability not such a big issue for consumers after all? Lorraine quotes several leading opinion polls conducted in the past few years that tell a different story showing consumers are keen to buy from brands that put sustainability at the heart of their business. Lorraine points out that there is a clear mismatch between what consumers say they are doing or wish to do and what they are actually doing at the point of purchase. They are simply not voting with their wallets and choosing brands that embed sustainability in their DNA. Why is this? Some polls show that consumers don’t know how to tell if a brand or product is sustainable. So does the blame lie with the brands or the consumers? This grey area of responsibility blurs the action needed now which is for us all to reduce our consumption and go out of our way to question the brands we buy from. With greenwashing still rife - as we have heard in our episodes on waterless beauty and biodegradablity - we all as consumers need to take the responsibility for sustainability and not lay the blame elsewhere. Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

Uncontrolled beauty consumerism is inherently not a sustainable economic activity. We’ve said it before on the Formula Botanica podcast but it’s worth stressing again: the entire life cycle of a consumer beauty product from cradle to grave can be a long list of carbon-producing processes. The growing, harvesting, processing and shipping of raw, natural materials coupled with beauty product packaging, distribution, retailing and waste create a complex chain of potentially carbon-emitting steps and unsustainable practices. So, faced with this reality and a sense of overwhelm about the daily news on the climate crisis, what can an indie beauty brand meaningfully do to ensure it doesn’t burden the planet, or do even better by becoming planet positive? With this key question in mind, Green Beauty Conversations’ podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier invited the founders of indie brand BYBI to shed light on their mission to become not just a carbon neutral but also a carbon-negative – or planet-positive – beauty brand. In this insightful, no-holes-barred episode, Formula Botanica graduates and BYBI co-founders Dominika Minorovic and Elsie Rutterford prove the sceptics wrong. Listen in for some refreshing honesty in a world of greenwashing and hear how one beauty brand is carrying out sound plans to sink carbon while successfully selling skincare.

Welcome to this Green Beauty Opinion in which Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier shares her opinions on the polarised debate about the sustainability of beauty ingredients that pits naturals vs synthetics - yet again.   Lorraine’s interview in the last episode with Emily King of FairWild raised nuanced questions about not just the sustainability of wild-harvested cosmetic ingredients, but also that of natural botanicals and synthetics in general.  Sustainability can be seen as a three-legged stool that functions  only if each leg - planet, people and profit - is in balance. Should we opt for a synthetic alternative if local communities who gather and trade ethically in the natural ingredient have their livelihoods wiped out?  Regulated, sustainable practices may support future generations and keep alive valuable cultural know-how and traditions.  As you can see, there is no black and white answer to the sustainability of any cosmetic ingredient, natural or synthetic. We simply don’t know if a synthetic or natural ingredient is more sustainable across all three pillars without meticulous research. Yet, some in the beauty industry, particularly voices on social media, would argue that synthetics are the more sustainable route to take now. This is far too simplistic a viewpoint. It dumbs down the discussion and ignores the complexity inherent in sustainable beauty.  Lorraine challenges us to think carefully about the arguments we hear articulated, and urges us as indie beauty advocates to keep an open mind.  Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

Wild harvesting plants as cosmetic ingredients sounds idyllic. It conjures up visions of nature's botanical bounty going straight into beauty product formulations, barely processed or adulterated by human hand, and carefully selected from woodlands, hedgerows, forests, mountains and moors. Wild harvesting is certainly a marketer's dream. You will no doubt have seen beauty products sporting 'wild harvested' labels and brands mentioning on their packaging and websites that their products include wild-harvested botanicals. But harvesting any plant, whether a commercial crop or a wild plant, has an environmental impact. Wild harvesting may sound the ultimate way to source natural beauty ingredients, but how do we as consumers know if the wild harvesting of precious botanicals isn't leaving its own damaging footprint on the planet? Wild harvesting could turn out to be a far cry from the sustainable image it portrays. To help unpack the truth about wild harvesting, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier invited Emily King, business engagement officer in the secretariat of the FairWild Foundation, on the show. FairWild is a non-profit initiative with the mission to secure a fair and sustainable future for wild plant resources and people. Listen in to hear just how wild harvesting can be a real force for sustainable good - for planet, plants and people - if managed the right way.

Welcome to this Green Beauty Opinion in which Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier asks if by using trending terms like 'waterless', the beauty industry is shying away from the very real challenges of sustainability.  Waterless is on the beauty industry’s lips, and follows on from concepts like carbon neutral and biodegradable beauty, skinimalism, beauty miles and more. But, waterless is a particularly irritating term as behind the scenes every beauty product leaves a water footprint, large or small. Waterless is no doubt used by well-meaning beauty brands keen to do the right thing for the environment. But, as Lorraine argues, by heralding the latest concept as yet another definitive blueprint for sustainability, the beauty industry is glossing over issues and avoiding the elephant in the room: its inherently unsustainable model of rampant economic growth built on finite resources. Latching on to single concepts deflects attention from the far more challenging blueprint for sustainability the industry needs to adopt. Lorraine invites us all to not only talk the talk, but walk the walk in our drive for beauty industry sustainability. Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

Waterless beauty is on everyone's lips these days and waterless products are being touted as a key pillar of the beauty industry's drive for sustainability.  But, as with most beauty industry buzzwords, the term waterless has the potential to be hype, hot air and just another case of greenwashing. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier, a biologist and chartered environmentalist, is joined by colleague and deputy education manager Ana Green to unpack the waterless beauty trend. Listen in for a reality check on the meaning of waterless. Does it have substance or it is just another beauty industry marketing term that doesn't stand scrutiny? In this episode on waterless beauty, you will hear: How the term waterless has gone from meaning simply anhydrous products and then more concentrated solid products to being equated firmly with sustainability. About the 4 key reasons waterless beauty products have captured consumers' hearts and minds. How a beauty product may have a totally waterless formulation, but will inevitably leave a water footprint throughout its life cycle. Why waterless beauty can be considered window dressing and that the sustainability issues facing the beauty industry are far more nuanced. Key take-outs include: Waterless skincare in the true sense of anhydrous products has plenty to offer beauty consumers.  Water plays an important role in skincare products. An optimal beauty routine would involve hydrating the skin topically with water-based products which can also impart water-soluble, active ingredients. It is misleading to use waterless to imply a product is automatically a more sustainable option. Instead, the beauty industry should be talking about 'water-responsible' beauty and practices.

Welcome to this Green Beauty Opinion in which Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier shares her main takeouts from the previous episode interviewing Jessi Baker, MBE, Founder and CEO, of Provenance, a software solution helping brands build trust and enabling change through transparent communications. Traditionally, the beauty industry and consumers have thought of transparency as relating to ingredients alone, and focused on the near polar debate of natural good, synthetics bad. However, when it comes to transparency about sustainability, the debate is more nuanced. Eradicating greenwashing requires us to ask questions about beauty brands’ commitment to recycling, waste, the climate, their social footprint and far more. And we need transparent, verifiable evidence of any claims they make. Thankfully, with the power of tech solutions, companies like Provenance are independent auditors of claims, helping propel brands to a more sustainable place and in doing so helping consumers make more sustainable choices. Lorraine challenges us to think about what is important to us in the beauty products we buy and to press beauty brands for transparency about more than their ingredients. Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenge us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

The beauty sector is a half-a-trillion-dollar global industry, but it's only recently that beauty brands are finally starting to take part in the sustainability conversation. Largely, this is in response to greater consumer demands for transparency in how beauty does business - all the way from its supply chains to the truth behind its claims. We've seen this play out on this podcast. Over the past year, sustainability has featured in just about all our episodes in some form. We have covered topics such as circular, net zero, zero waste and climate neutral beauty along with the issues like biodegrability, sustainable retail and skinimalism. But, there are plenty of brands, from multinationals to indie beauty, who are are out there using sustainability terms as a veneer; green-washing us in other words. How do we as beauty consumers verify the truth of a beauty brand's claim that their packaging is made of recycled materials? Or that they’ve offset their last year’s carbon emissions? None of us can hold every single beauty brand to account on every single impact. One ambitious entrepreneur is on a mission to change that by encouraging the beauty industry, as well as many other industries, to verify their claims and turn positive social and environmental impact into brand value; a win-win for brands and consumers. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Jessi Baker, MBE, the founder and CEO of Provenance, a software solution verifying sustainability claims and helping empower shoppers to make sustainable, ethical choices at the point of purchase.

Welcome to this Green Beauty Opinion on the challenges indie beauty faces in sourcing natural ingredients. Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier shares her views on the main takeouts from the podcast interview with Timo von Bargen of Covalo, a one-stop platform representing 40k beauty industry suppliers. Lorraine welcomes the arrival of innovative marketplaces like Covalo and praises entities like in-cosmetics Global, which facilitate the matchmaking of suppliers with customers. But, she reminds us that indie beauty has faced an enormous uphill struggle to be recognised by ingredients' manufacturers as a force in the industry. Even today, some in the industry don’t understand that the indie businesses of today can be the giants of tomorrow. Formula Botanica has seen this attitude change and is itself now approached by suppliers keen to reach indie beauty brands. However, the industry seems to have forgotten that some famous, decades-old beauty brands were in fact started by indie formulators. Lorraine challenges us to connect and communicate as a collective voice to change the dominant culture in some quarters of beauty industry that downplays the value of indie business. Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

Finding cosmetic ingredients is one of the first challenges every indie formulator faces. After all, we want our ingredients to be natural, sustainable, efficacious and, ideally, available in small Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs). However, the big wide world of cosmetic ingredient suppliers has not set itself up to cater for indie beauty. Suppliers generally don't realise that today’s indie formulators may become tomorrow’s industry giants. We've a good many of our graduate brands at Formula Botanica which have grown large and fast and are now taking overseas markets by storm.  So, how do indie beauty brands find and source the innovative, plant-based ingredients that will set them apart and help them formulate effective products and grow remarkable brands? In this episode, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Timo von Bargen of Covalo, a comprehensive search platform that connects beauty brands with over 40K suppliers. Covalo offers access to a huge ecosystem of cosmetic ingredients as well as listings of suppliers of packaging, and services such as contract manufacturing, formulation, regulatory compliance and testing. These are all areas of the beauty supply chain and business that small indie brands have to grapple with. But how do they find their way through the thousands of possible solutions and ingredients? We encourage you to listen in for some very useful advice and tips to help you on your formulating journey.

Welcome to this Green Beauty Opinion on the sustainability of the beauty industry. Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier shares her own views on the main takeaways from the previous episode with guest Anna Teal of the British Beauty Council. Lorraine, a chartered environmentalist herself, praises the British Beauty Council’s 2020 report ‘Courage to Change’ which raises the industry's unsustainable practices and challenges it to change. But, she asks if the industry can ever do more than pay lip service to sustainability if rampant consumption of beauty products lies at the heart of its economic model. There needs to be a complete rethink in the way the entire sector operates, from manufacturers, retailers and buyers to the media right down to individual shoppers. Lorraine is astonished that the beauty industry, while talking sustainability, has gone silent on the elephant in the room: its traditional model of volume-driven profit. After all, we can't shop our way to sustainability. Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

"For beauty brands, the risk of not changing is starting to outweigh the risk of changing, uncertain and fraught with challenges as it may be." When Green Beauty Conversations' host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier read words like these in the British Beauty Council's report, The Courage to Change, she realised that the beauty industry had reached more than a light bulb moment in its drive for sustainability. The Council's 48-page report, which is full of wake-up call statistics and hard-hitting quotes from surveys and leading industry names, is more than window dressing. It shows that the British Beauty Council, a not-for-profit body founded just over three years ago, is already a catalyst for that change. The beauty industry impacts the environment heavily and touches all of us whether we're directly involved in the industry or not. From the obvious actors such as personal care manufacturers and beauty retailers to each of us taking a shower every day, this is one industry that we all participate in. The beauty industry is not traditionally known for its collaborative approach nor to value the environment more than the volumes of product it churns out. However, the Council's report states that some 88% of consumers want brands to do more to help them make a difference. Given the sheer diversity and scale of this sector, how can its players collaborate and be the actors of change consumers are demanding? Lorraine spoke to Anna Teal, The British Beauty Council's Pillar President for Innovation and a leader with over two decades in the commercial beauty sector. Listen in to hear how the Council, headed by visionaries like Anna Teal, is determined to help the beauty industry change the habits of a lifetime.

Welcome to our Green Beauty Opinion on the sustainability of essential oils hosted by Lorraine Dallmeier, Formula Botanica CEO, who is also a Chartered Environmentalist and biologist. In this short opinion piece, Lorraine picks up on the key takeouts from the last episode when she spoke to Dr Sally Gouldstone, a long-time conservationist and founder of Scotland-based natural skincare brand Seilich. The overuse and misuse of essential oils is worrying not only qualified aromatherapists but also environmentalists. Essential oils can leave a heavy production footprint to the detriment of the planet. Urging us to reduce our use of essential oils, Lorraine points to botanical alternatives that formulators can explore for their scent and skin benefits and talks about the option to go fragrance free. Can you cut down on your own personal use of essential oils? Would you pay more to buy the limited amount you need from ethical suppliers that support a sustainable essential oil industry? Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

A few decades ago, essential oils were used mainly by aromatherapists and barely featured in our daily lives. Now, we use essential oils in everything from cosmetics to household cleaners. Essential oils are also a mainstay of natural skincare where they are used for their gorgeous scents and also as skin-beneficial ingredients. However, our use of essential oils is putting pressure on plants, pollinators and the planet's sustainability. Essential oils are big business for entities like multi-level marketing companies and large cosmetics' manufacturers. Even indie beauty, which generally works in small batches and low volumes, is contributing to the global demand for essential oils. Lorraine Dallmeier, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO, talks to Dr Sally Gouldstone, conservationist and Founder of natural skincare company Seilich. Sally puts forward some controversial opinions on essential oil use and starts by asking: "Just how essential to our lives are essential oils?" This episode challenges Sally to square the circle for natural formulators who want to continue using essential oils, but mindfully and sustainably.

Welcome to our Green Beauty Opinion on sustainable beauty retail. Lorraine Dallmeier, Formula Botanica CEO, a chartered environmentalist and biologist, voices her views on the key takeouts of the last episode with Jazmin Alvarez, founder of retailer Pretty Well Beauty.  In this short opinion piece, Lorraine says that the retail industry has the power and responsibility to make sweeping changes to the way cosmetics are sold.  While we are now seeing schemes such as Clean at Sephora and Target Clean, most large beauty retailers are fumbling in the dark about what to do.  Should mainstream retailers start refusing to stock some big name brands because they can’t demonstrate their sustainability credentials yet - if ever?  Can we envisage a retail world with store categories such as Circular, Biodiversity, and Zero Waste?  Consumers are seeking out these labels already. Systemic change won’t happen overnight but we encourage beauty retail to start having those conversations with brands. Lorraine challenges us to speak up and ask retailers for evidence of beauty brands’ sustainability credentials.  Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

Sustainable beauty is sometimes seen as a subset of clean, green, natural beauty and more, however the single word sustainable hides a very complex set of questions and definitions. What is sustainable to one beauty brand, may not be for another. So when a beauty retailer sets out to attract and sell only sustainable beauty brands, it challenges itself to define sustainability and sort out the pseudo sustainable from those beauty brands blazing a trail in the field. Green Beauty Conversations podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier talks to Jazmin Alvarez, founder of New York-based clean beauty retailer Pretty Well Beauty about her drive to showcase the best sustainable, clean beauty indie brands about. Pretty Well Beauty already stocks one Formula Botanica graduate brand. Rarely do you find a clean beauty brand that isn't passionate also about reducing its environmental footprint and in promoting sustainability. But just how do you go about vetting beauty brands' credentials and finding out about their journeys to sustainability? This is the mission Jazmin set herself when she launched Pretty Well Beauty. And as a 14-year veteran of a parallel sector, fashion, before setting up her pioneering retail enterprise, Jazmin is well attuned to the issues of sustainability - or its lack - in the beauty world. In this episode, Jazmin explains her views and definition of sustainability and talks about the mutual and beneficial relationship sustainable retailers can build with indie brands who together are dedicated to paying more than lip service to sustainability.

Welcome to Green Beauty Opinions. In this five-minute short, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier reflects on the key takeouts of the last episode with Austin Whitman, CEO and founder of Climate Neutral; a non-profit actively assisting beauty brands to become certified to its carbon neutral standards. Sustainability will define the next decade in beauty and beyond. With indie beauty brands coming under intense pressure to demonstrate their sustainability credentials, and facing a bewildering number of new certification options, Lorraine queries how they can decide which schemes to embrace. And how does a brand measure its carbon footprint and in a way that is open to public scrutiny?  Lorraine prompts us as beauty consumers to be a ‘sustainability task force’, pressing for change in the industry, but also reflecting on what we really need to use and buy.  Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

Climate neutral is one of the hottest trending terms in the beauty industry at the moment. But, claiming carbon or climate neutrality is a massive undertaking which is why beauty brands that are investing in ways to reduce their carbon footprint tend to work on offsetting instead. When we came across a non-profit entity set up to help companies devise a road map to become climate neutral, we were enthusiastic about its mission but also sceptical about how this would be possible. At Formula Botanica, we praise any efforts indie beauty brands take to incorporate sustainability into their business. But what does it mean to become climate neutral? What's involved? And how do you know a brand is doing the right thing? To shed light on carbon neutrality and its application to the beauty business, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier spoke to Austin Whitman, CEO of non-profit Climate Neutral. Founded in 2019, Climate Neutral is a new certification scheme helping businesses in every sector become certified to its standards. With Lorraine a chartered environmentalist and biologist, this episode of Green Beauty Conversations drills right down into the grey areas about how we measure our carbon footprint and asks how small, indie beauty brands can hope to make sense of it. This episode demystifies carbon footprints and inspires beauty brands of whatever size or stage in business to start their own journeys to climate neutrality.

Welcome to our Green Beauty Opinion on biodegradable beauty.  In our five-minute opinion pieces, Formula Botanica CEO, chartered environmentalist and biologist Lorraine Dallmeier voices her thoughts on key issues facing the beauty industry and sets us a challenge to make the sector a better place.  Commenting on the topic of biodegradable beauty, Lorraine says that the industry isn't yet leading the conversation on the issue. Despite all the noise about biodegradability, it is shocking how little information there is on how the beauty industry is embracing it. Having a 'biodegradable' label on products and packaging can hide the environmental impacts of production; for instance, the use of resource-heavy industrial composting plants.  Lorraine acknowledges that some big beauty brands are investing in biodegradability but says that many claims are not backed up. And how can indie beauty brands hope to join the biodegradable movement?  Are bioplastics the answer? What about the use of child labour in producing green packaging options? Should the change start with consumers buying less? And what about circular beauty's prospects? Not every solution is clear-cut and consumers are left in the dark.   Listen in for a thought-provoking five minutes that challenges us to be the voice of change and integrity, making the beauty industry better and more sustainable.

Biodegradable is a common label today on consumer packaging but what exactly does it mean? After all, everything can biodegrade over time, although it might take thousands of years. And while we tend to focus on the biodegradability of packaging, there is also the matter of the product itself. What happens to the expired face creams we dollop into our household waste bins or the hair conditioners that wash away with the shower water?  This podcast digs deep into this most complex of concepts. We weren't surprised to discover that biodegradable lacks a rigid definition, that it is easily confused with composting - a related but different process - and that even many giants in the beauty industry fail to provide clear facts about just how their packaging and products are biodegradable. Biodegradable is yet another grey area for beauty consumers. After this episode, we're sure you will be asking questions about the biodegradable labels you come across and demand to know more. But would your best policy be to simply reduce the amount of beauty products you consume? Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier, a chartered environmentalist and biologist talks to colleague Ana Green, who is Formula Botanica’s Deputy Education Manager and has for many years been taking a long hard look at the environmental impacts of the beauty industry and its packaging. Together, they put a definition to this term and explain the complexities of breaking down a cosmetic formulation and its packaging in the environment.

Eryca Freemantle joins Green Beauty Conversations to take us through her life's work championing diversity in the beauty industry. Her career literally started out by accident and led her on a mission to help shape the lives of women of all skin tones working in the beauty industry.  From her own experiences in an empowering career in makeup artistry to stars and celebrities, Eryca has created a movement and platform that is a force for others. Formula Botanica CEO, Chartered Environmentalist, Biologist and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier caught up with Eryca Freemantle to discuss how her powerful personal story became a catalyst for her motivational, inclusive platform E.A.T.O.W - Embracing All Tones of WoMen - with the capital 'M' denoting the inclusion of men too. E.A.T.O.W. offers mentoring, courses, coaching and business strategy as well as runs a Make-up Artist of the Year Award. Eryca is proof that, to paraphrase Mark Twain, 'Accident is the greatest of all inventors'. From starting with nothing to traveling the world as makeup artist to stars and celebrities such as singers Seal, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson and later as an advisor to the London College of Fashion and the UK's Prince's Trust, Eryca is a life force and inspiration for the beauty industry; and a women of her time, helping others in her sector embrace the diversity the industry sorely needs.

So what's new in the world of CBD or cannabidiol skincare? Quite a lot it seems. Cannabidiol cosmetics are now mainstreaming as major supermarket and drugstore shelves testify. You can find CBD cosmetics ranging from skincare to haircare as well as, more surprisingly, in cosmetics like makeup - even mascara. With CBD in cosmetics commonplace - though still illegal as well as highly regulated in some parts of the world - we wondered whether brands' and consumers' fascination with cannabinoids is likely to fade. Is the beauty industry milking the CBD trend as a cash-cow while it lasts? Has it gone too far by including cannabinoids in formulations where it makes no sense? And just how can indie beauty brands use CBD in their formulations and gain a share of what is now a very crowded CBD skincare marketplace? To answer these questions and more, podcast host, chartered environmentalist, biologist and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier turned to Colleen Quinn, who is an award-winning, celebrated clinical aromatherapist, cosmetic chemist and researcher specialising in cannabis research, formulations and education. With a book on CBD skincare publishing as we go on air, Colleen is certainly the go-to industry expert to help unpack the truths from the myths and make sense of CBD as a highly effective, active cosmetic ingredient. Colleen Quinn, Founder LabAroma and Labcannamist, is committed to delivering functional, therapeutic, plant-based products. Her mission is to inspire and empower people to become a confident plant enthusiasts skilled in curating truly effective therapeutic plant remedies by understanding plant science and backed with evidence. 

Circular beauty is on the beauty industry’s lips and may seem yet another trend that’s here today and gone tomorrow. However, circular beauty should not be seen as a ‘trend’ at all. It comes under the concept of the circular economy or ‘cradle-to-cradle’ principle, which sees products as having a lifecycle in a loop. Most of us have heard of the ‘cradle-to-grave’ linear lifecyle in which products see out their useful life to be disposed of sustainably. In the cradle-to-cradle product loop though resources used in and for product manufacture effectively stay in circulation. They are reused, recycled, reclaimed, upcycled and so on. The circular economy has zero tolerance of any waste and byproducts that can’t be recovered and returned to the loop; if not the original product loop, then someone else’s. While the concept of the circular economy is fairly easy to grasp, the same cannot be said for putting its principles into action. The beauty industry in particular is a newcomer to the concept, which is why circular beauty may seem yet another sector trend. As beauty products are ultimately washed off, absorbed by the skin, evaporate, are sloughed off with the skin or ditched – responsibly, we hope – it is impossible for the beauty sector to truly conform to the circular economy. However, there are ways in which beauty product manufacturers, and we include indie beauty here too, can change their outlook and their processes to adopt circular economy practices. They can start to design its principles into their businesses and set their sights on aspiring to its aims. At Formula Botanica, we have yet to come across a really insightful, practical definition of the term as it applies to beauty, and in particular, indie beauty. So, in this episode, podcast host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier discusses with colleague Ana Green the very challenging concept of circular beauty giving us plenty of encouraging, practical examples of it in action. The beauty industry has always had its pioneers. Circular beauty needs current and next generations of beauty entrepreneurs to take up its challenges now and not pay lip service to it as a ‘trend’ – for the planet’s sake. In this episode on circular beauty, you will hear: The 4 key principles of circular beauty and how they differ from and go way beyond the 'do no harm' mantra of most beauty industry efforts to be sustainable. Examples of big and small beauty industry players who are taking practical, meaningful steps to include circular beauty in part of their production processes; and how some indie beauty business are leading the way! A run through some of the barriers facing beauty businesses and a realistic assessment of just how challenging circular beauty is to the industry. The effective and easier to implement ways indie beauty can play its part; for instance, by formulating products that can be used in lower quantities and therefore keep resources out of 'the loop'. Key take-outs The key take-outs include the first steps a beauty brand should take if they want to bring circularity into their business model, which are: Digging deep into the supply chain of all your supplies, from ingredients to packaging, which might prove challenging and take resourcefulness and perseverance; Looking at redesigning products to reduce their footprint and keep sourced materials to a minimum; Knowing exactly how much waste your business creates - and include packaging waste you pass on to your customers; and Seeking ways to create environmental net gain, not just mitigating your footprint's damage by, for example, giving to charities.

The story of green beauty in Africa is simply not shouted about. The natural cosmetics' world is familiar with African ingredients in their raw state, such as that mainstay of anhydrous formulations shea butter or newer oils on the market such as baobab and moringa. But what do we know about African green beauty entrepreneurs who view their native ingredients as an integral part of their cultural heritage and who are pioneering beauty brands within their continent? They are not only working with the raw natural ingredients their forebears did, but they are also creating innovative, high-performance cosmetics from their native, plant-based resources. The world just doesn't hear much about how the African green beauty industry is growing rapidly, creating and responding to demand for quality and high-performance cosmetic products. It deserves recognition as a rich, diverse and valuable economic sector not just as a raw ingredients' supplier. Today, for the most part, the rest of the world has little exchange with the African beauty industry apart from its commodities. But we hope this will change, and soon. To find out more about the green beauty sector in Africa, we talked to two amazing women pioneers of green beauty within Africa. Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier hosted a panel discussion with Nancy Ndukwe-Ositelu, Executive Director of BeautyFestAfrica, the first and largest learning conference for pan-African beauty business professionals within Africa and the diaspora; and Valerie Obaze, beauty entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the award-winning skincare brand R&R Luxury in 2010, following the birth of her first daughter. The two guests explain the main challenges facing beautypreneurs across the continent and about some solutions that the international cosmetics and business world can help with. Importantly, we explore what green beauty in Africa can teach the global beauty and cosmetics world.

May Lindstrom, CEO and founder of cult LA-based indie beauty brand that carries her name, mother of two young children, and partner in business with her CFO husband, joined us for a remarkable episode of Green Beauty Conversations. If you know May Lindstrom, the chances are it is through her brand's fabulously coloured Blue Cocoon Beauty Balm Concentrate; a product that has seen many a copy-cat. This episode of Green Beauty Conversations only touches on this hero product because it is the truly unique, quiet and mindful way May Lindstrom has built her business that caught our attention. In some ways, May's personal journey to starting 'May Lindstrom the brand' resonates with many founders in the indie, natural beauty space. She has hypersensitive skin and spent her childhood to early twenties desperately seeking ways to alleviate a raft of skin problems triggered by using synthetic ingredients in mainstream personal care. But, this is where May Lindstrom's backstory parts ways with other indie beauty founders. A childhood amidst nature and parents who taught her to see magic in the great outdoors, gave May her lasting sense of responsibility to humanity and nature. Her formative experiences and deeply-rooted personal philosophies drove the brand at start up, and still do today even as it has reached iconic status. Interestingly, May, ever a creative child, became an art student, model and make-up artist but had once set her sights on becoming a chef with her own restaurant. May is not called 'The Skin Chef' for nothing. Her products are renowned for their high-quality, ethically- and sustainably-sourced ingredients. May takes obsessive care in sourcing natural botanical cosmetic ingredients directly from trusted, vetted farmers and other suppliers just as if she were cooking with them and nourishing her own family from within. In this podcast, host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier reveals the May Lindstom behind her now celebrity status to discover a truly atypical, indie beauty brand founder. May puts sourcing the highest quality ingredients before growth and people most certainly before profit, is unphased by copy-cat products and will pull out of big retailers even when profitable if they can't support her brand in line with her high standards. As she says, with each product having her name on it, May Lindstrom is still a very personal business with all the good times and the difficulties that come with keeping things relatively small in a very big, profit-driven industry. Listen in for a chance to hear how May Lindstrom founder and brand thrive by bucking the beauty industry normal. In this episode with May Lindstrom, you will hear: How in formulating for her own skin issues and for individual clients with severe skin problems gave May her expertise in ingredients and how to make products effective, but that skincare needs also and as importantly to be sensorial, magical and beautiful and take you to a different space. Why May deliberately formulated a capsule collection beauty range rather than felt pressured to continually release new products. 'Choice can be paralysing', May says. A multitasking, smaller range is also in line with the current minimalism trend in skincare. Why your customer's opinion comes first. Listen directly to clients about what they like or don't in a formula and reformulate to respond to their needs. Do this rather than pump out new stock to suit retailers (who often don't have the systems in place to sell your current stock well before its Best Before dates anyway!). How May Lindstrom retains complete control over her company to ensure they own the entire manufacturing process. 'Ingredient integrity' is of paramount importance to indie beauty brands if they wish to differentiate. Outsourcing means you often lose control over the provenance of your ingredients and you won't know how they went from seed to skincare. Why May doesn't like to focus on categories such as 'green', 'clean' beauty. Her philosophy is to make skincare with kindness that connects people to themselves and helps them find their own kind of beautiful. This approach underpins all her formulations. Key take-outs include: If you think of sustainability as just packaging, you are so far behind! May Lindstrom ensures every aspect of the company seeks to operate sustainably; by paying a living wage (and in line Los Angeles rates); hand selecting ingredient suppliers and farmers who run ethical, sustainable businesses; and drilling down into the provenance of every component in their operations. A successful beauty business needs to change lives, not just turn a profit. Ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing, and if it lifts others up either changing their skin and/or changing their relationship with their skin. Any brand can create good skincare, but to differentiate itself it needs compassion, commitment and courage to think differently. May Lindstrom is growing direct-to-consumer business in preference to expanding into more retailers as it wishes to keep greater control of its values and and product quality at the point of sale. Copycat brands and products are unlikely to be a threat if you work to establish your credentials as an ethical brand. Products may be copied but you alone own your founding philosophy as an indie beauty brand. Discover May Lindstrom: Website: maylindstrom.com Instagram: @maylindstromskin

Parabens is a collective name for a group of chemicals used as preservatives in consumer products such as food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. They have been synthesised in labs for almost 100 years. So far then, parabens seem quite boring ingredients. But, in just under two decades, parabens have become the bogeymen of the beauty industry, pitting at times the mainstream personal care industry and science against indie beauty, the media and beauty consumers. Even someone with just a passing interest in the personal care industry is bound to have heard about parabens in cosmetics products. Just take a look at row of cosmetics on any drugstore shelf these days and you're likely to come across a good many brands sporting the words 'paraben free' on their packaging; even though in some places, like the EU, it is considered unfair competition. Parabens are permissible in cosmetics in the EU at regulated levels. If they have been known of and in use since the 1920s, surely we know a great deal about their possible side effects in our consumer goods like cosmetics? When and why did consumers' parabenoia, as we call it, take hold and is the vilification of parabens justified? In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier, a biologist and Chartered Environmentalist, digs deep into paraben science, history and hysteria. She takes a neutral standpoint to dissect the facts from the fiction. Lorraine talks us through the controversy and timeline as parabens moved out of science labs into media stories provoking a crisis in beauty consumer confidence and on to their pivotal moment in pioneering the indie beauty movement. This is the episode to listen to if you've ever wanted to get behind the headlines and truly understand the furore over parabens in cosmetics. Will parabens continue to coexist with natural, paraben-free beauty? Has indie beauty been too hard on them? Lorraine presents the debate, but only you can decide. In this episode on parabenoia, you will: Find out that the defining moment for parabens was research published in 2004 showing that parabens had been found in breast cancer tissue. While no evidence of causal linkage was provided by this research, from then on, parabens were vilified by many as 'toxic chemicals'. Learn that no scientific evidence has yet suggested that all parabens need to be removed from cosmetics but that the lack of concrete evidence hasn’t shifted public opinion on parabens. Hear that since the outcry over parabens, a long list of chemicals used in cosmetics including Sodium laureth sulfate, phthalates and PEG compounds were added to those to avoid in personal care - often to the disdain of cosmetic scientists. Discover that first the DIY beauty movement and then early entrant natural beauty brands emerged as consumers sought to avoid buying 'nasty chemical-laden' beauty products. Early indie beauty products often couldn't compete with mainstream products in terms of performance. This gave big beauty leverage - and so the two camps of natural and mainstream cosmetics became even more divided and not only over the paraben issue. Key take-aways include: Thanks to the paraben saga and its aftermath, consumers are far more aware of science's role in cosmetic formulation and are sceptical of claims whether made by mainstream or indie beauty brands. Indie beauty/natural beauty are coming of age and realising they need to present the inherent benefits of natural cosmetics rather than live off scaremongering and using 'free-from' claims. The paraben story has now come full circle as mainstream cosmetics giants and ingredients manufacturers are ploughing research into natural ingredients and products and also listening to and even investing in indie beauty brands. Parabens and their fellow decried chemicals not only created the indie beauty sector but also changed the mainstream too - time will tell just how defining parabens have been to  both camps in the beauty industry!

Over the three years of the Green Beauty Conversations podcast, we have looked critically at almost all trending catchwords, phrases and terms used in the beauty industry. Clean, green, waterless, zero waste, upcycled, microbiome, essential, raw and blue beauty are just some we've covered. A term very much on the rise in early 2021 is conscious beauty. And who better to define conscious beauty than The Conscious Beauty Union; an entity committed to informing and guiding beauty professionals such as makeup artists, beauticians and salon practitioners on how to make sound, informed conscious choices about the cosmetics they buy, use or promote? In this episode, host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier talks to the three co-founders of The Conscious Beauty Union (CBU) - Khandiz Joni, Tahira Herold and Lou Dartford - to find out not only about the CBUs' role but also to drill into the fine print on conscious beauty, and in particular what it means to the wider industry as well as beauty consumers. The Conscious Beauty Union is an informal education platform helping beauty professionals develop sustainable practices but its voice should resonate with anyone engaged in beauty. The CBU defines conscious beauty as making informed choices about one product over another by knowing as much as we can about its full lifecycle. While sustainable beauty is about looking at perhaps single aspects of a brand or product, such as the packaging or how a key ingredient is harvested, conscious beauty takes a holistic, global view. Conscious beauty examines categories that go beyond sustainability. The aim is for us all, from beauty industry insiders to consumers to be able to make conscious beauty purchases based also, for example, on a brand's transparency, promotion of inclusivity and its ethics. In this episode on conscious beauty, you will: Find out about the key differences between conscious beauty and sustainable beauty; Discover that conscious beauty is about giving us the information to start our own journey of travel towards making better beauty consumer choices and is not a prescriptive way of engaging with beauty products; Realise that conscious beauty will mean different things to different people; our ability to put conscious beauty into practice will vary with location and budget and, in the case of beauty professionals such as makeup artists or salon practitioners, with the role of beauty products in their jobs; and Find out that conscious beauty can mainstream if we all make steps to start asking questions everyday about our beauty purchasing habits and about the beauty brands we use. Key take-outs include: The Conscious Beauty Union offers an educational platform and movement to help beauty professionals (and others) start to ask the questions to make conscious choices about their beauty buying and usage habits. It has member-only advice, educational webinars, articles and other training and information as well as invaluable free resources on its site. We should celebrate and feel proud as beauty consumers, professionals and brands of the small wins on our journey to more conscious beauty rather than feel guilty about how we engaged with and used perhaps less ethical or sustainable beauty products in the past. We need to accept what we can do with the information we have at the time on a product or brand and lever that to motivate us to educate also our own audiences and circles, whether friends and family or beauty industry colleagues, partners and customers.

Did you know that the age of minimalist skincare had dawned in the beauty market? But is our desire to do more for our skin with less really filtering down to our habits as beauty consumers? Can we resist the allure of new products with their promises and claims? Just ask yourself how many beauty products are on your bathroom shelves? If you've 16 and counting then you are in good company as that is the average number of beauty products women use daily. A glance at the social media 'shelfies' shows just how much we are in love with having a range of cosmetics. But, there are two sides to the story of how we consume beauty products. The beauty industry is one of the world's most unsustainable as its business model is driven by its need to constantly bring new products to market. As beauty consumers we therefore need to take a long hard look at whether we need a latest, new, improved or wonder product. Perhaps one product can multitask and save us the need for more. And we need to ask if the products we use are truly essential for our skin health and our well being? In this episode, host and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier, a passionate advocate of less is more and a biologist and chartered environmentalist, discusses with colleague Ana Green how both the beauty industry and beauty consumers must share responsibility for making the industry more sustainable. From our purchasing habits and our hoarding of products to how the industry is geared for profit, this Green Beauty Conversation explores the meaning of 'essential' in beauty consumerism today. In this episode on minimalist skincare, you will hear: About the difference between essential, functional, pleasurable and minimalist skincare; How essential means different things to different people and that one person's 'essential' may be irrelevant to another beauty consumer so there can be no standard defining essential; How consumers have difficulty navigating the swathes of new beauty products with their new ingredients and efficacy claims; That while the beauty industry is looking at packaging and recycling in its quest to be more sustainable, it has largely refused to address its age-old business model which requires it to make more and encourage consumers to buy more, thereby depleting world resources; and how Big beauty brands should be encouraged to share their findings in areas such as sustainable packaging with smaller brands and indie beauty so the gains made for the environment are multiplied. Key take-outs include: Don't be led into thinking that affordably priced, single ingredient skincare is necessarily the ideal. You may end up buying more low-priced, single focus products. The layering of multiple, single focus skincare products, especially those not designed to work together, can have a detrimental effect on the skin, impairing its natural barrier. Over exfoliation and damage from over use of Retinol are two examples often cited on social media these days. Beauty consumers should aim to reduce consumption by buying fewer, longer-lasting products and choosing multipurpose products with fewer (essential) ingredients and by ensuring they finish a product before buying more. Hoarding shelfies of product should not be an option. Minimalist skincare habits start at home. Consumers need to think mindfully about what they really need and change their cosmetic usage and pare back their needs well before they get to the point of purchase (when shiny new products are there to tempt them!). Further Reading In the podcast, Loraine mentioned two industry report that make interesting further reading on the beauty industry, its business model and sustainability: The Ecodesign Research by L’Oréal and the British Beauty Council, Courage to Change report

This is a very special episode of our podcast as it marks three years since we launched Green Beauty Conversations. To celebrate our anniversary, we go behind the scenes at Formula Botanica. School CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier invited some of our now 40-strong team to chat about their roles and to share their insights and stories - both the fun and the mishap moments - in day-to-day life at Formula Botanica. We're a truly multinational team dedicated to serving a global student body of 12K students and growing.  We celebrate also the very people who make our work possible; our students and graduates who show us each day the limitless possibilities the green beauty space can open up. Green Beauty Conversations: 3 years in brief Over the past three years, Green Beauty Conversations has clocked up 60 episodes, almost 300,000 downloads and interviewed some 60 guests. We've hit the number one spot in iTunes for beauty and had deep dive conversations into both trending and controversial topics in the green beauty industry. We have redefined what natural and clean beauty are, examined so-called blue beauty and raw beauty, and challenged the mainstream personal care industry to look behind short-term gains and discussed its sustainability credentials. We have shown that you don't need to be a cosmetic chemist to be a competent skincare or haircare formulator. Along the way, we have pushed our guests on their topics and learnt from their expertise. We've been amazed by the innovation and tenacity of many of the green beauty business founders we've interviewed and never cease to be surprised by the sheer range of indie beauty niches they represent. Our Team Behind the Scenes If you have come across Formula Botanica from our podcast only, you may not know that we are a large, ever-growing team of dedicated professionals behind the scenes. It takes around 40 of us to run Formula Botanica which now has over 12,500 students in over 175 countries. We received thousands of emails, chats, messages and comments on all our platforms from our school helpdesk to our many social media channels. To celebrate the three-year mark of our youngest media outlet - this podcast - we chat in this milestone episode to members of our Education, Student Experience and Marketing & Tech teams. We will let their voices take you behind the scenes on what has been an incredible roller coaster journey from a small-scale student body following a single course delivered by email to the world's largest online education platform for natural organic formulators and indie beauty entrepreneurs.

Think of upcycled beauty and you probably think of DIY home formulators mixing up a body scrub or face mask from kitchen store cupboard ingredients. You may have even tried using left-over coffee grounds as scrub particles. But it takes brave, inspired and curious minds coupled with phenomenal drive and business sense to turn waste coffee grounds into a global and sustainable beauty business in just four years. Our guest in this episode did just that, and more, by upcycling organic waste and redundant byproducts from food and drinks' industries into star ingredients in a line of natural, sustainable cosmetics. In this podcast, we hear from Anna Brightman, co-founder along with her brother Will, of Upcircle Beauty which launched in 2016 with the vision of "..leaving the world better than they found it" by finding useful, profitable purposes for others' waste. There's treasure in waste and Upcircle Beauty is proof that this old saying rings true. The sibling pair discovered that more than 500,000 tonnes of coffee grounds that are consumed each year in the UK alone are sent to landfill. They decided to start collecting coffee from cafes across London and transforming them into their sustainable skincare range. Since their launch four years ago, the brand has saved over 275 tonnes of coffee. By the time we interviewed Anna, Upcircle were upcycling 10-plus food and other botanical byproducts and were set to launch a further three products to add their impressive range of over 40 variations of exfoliants, moisturisers, serums and masks. At first, investors and others in the beauty industry were sceptical and doubted that an industry as fickle as beauty would grasp the concept of upcycled ingredients let alone embrace it. But Anna, Will and their growing staff along with a dedicated network of upcycling partners in the food and drink sector have successfully upscaled to sustain a British-based operation selling beauty products into 800 retailers in the US alone. Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier, a Chartered Environmentalist who has a passion for delving into sustainability, spoke to Anna Brightman about the challenges of building a business that relies on difficult, often messy waste byproducts and where Upcycle find inspiration for new products from new sources of waste. Whether a beauty consumer or natural formulator, you'll find this an inspirational listen about a company truly pioneering circular and byproduct beauty. In this episode on upcycled beauty, you will: Learn the two definitions of an upcycled ingredient. Discover that upcycled waste and byproducts, despite first impressions, can provide the beauty industry with innovative, reliable and sustainable ingredients. Find out that the most important attributes beautypreneurs need in looking for innovative waste byproducts to upcycle are imagination, curiosity and determination to research and pioneer their viability. Learn that using upcycled ingredients is a huge step for a business wanting to grow along sustainable principles, but that business owners needs to take a rain check also on how sustainability is factored into other aspects of their operations. Key take-outs include: If you are green beauty entrepreneur, look around you actively for inspiration for upcycled waste. For example, Anna Brightman is now working on how to upcycle flowers and plants into cosmetic ingredients after she noticed local florists discarding them. Think laterally about how to work not just with the end waste, but also with local farmers and other businesses to provide a win-win for both of you. For instance, Upcycle has helped other industries profit by working with them and training their staff on how to process their waste or byproducts for cosmetic ingredients. If you want to scale your business and need to rely on sources of upcycled ingredients, think about which industries or venues are already producing that waste product in volume. For instance, hotel chains might be throwing away in bulk a particular waste product you have your eye on. Be prepared to do a lot of research and experimentation when using upcycled ingredients you source. Not all will work. Anna mentions that only certain type of coffee grounds suit their products. It takes perseverance and you need to build good relations with your source industries.  

Welcome to Green Beauty Conversations, the podcast that challenges you to think about how you buy, use, make and sell your natural beauty formulations. Our host Lorraine Dallmeier, CEO of online organic cosmetic science school Formula Botanica, tackles topics that will make you think and encourage debate about green beauty with your friends, followers or customers. The global green beauty community looks to Formula Botanica for guidance on major events in the industry, such as new ingredient releases, innovative formulation techniques and indie business guidance. Formula Botanica is at the forefront of the global green beauty industry and is committed to bringing you the best and most up-to-date information from the green beauty world. Listen to the Green Beauty Conversations podcast and become part of the global green beauty movement.

Google raw beauty for a definition and you'll find it described as "stark and powerfully impressive" and the possessing qualities that fire up the senses. This is about raw beauty describing physical appearance. Raw beauty is also used to talk about outer radiance derived from inner wellness and often linked to a wholesome diet rich in raw, natural foods. So where does raw beauty skincare fit in? Raw beauty skincare can be bundled up with on-trend beauty descriptors such as clean beauty, green beauty and even blue beauty. It is a subset of these natural beauty categories but takes a unique approach to formulation which starts at the beginning of a product's lifecycle with the sourcing of ingredients. Our podcast guest in this episode. Nadine Artemis, founder of Living Libations, has spent the past 25 years making raw beauty her life's mission. To Nadine, raw beauty is more than about the practicalities of handling natural ingredients and issues such as their temperature or the manufacturing processes involved. Those are just the first, but far from only aspects she considers when sourcing natural skincare ingredients. For Nadine and Living Libations, raw beauty harks back to the ancients' understanding of the life essences of plants. Living Libation's philosophy is about using raw natural ingredients in synergy with our body by drawing on the innate power of natural carrier oils and essential oils. Nadine calls her line 'pure renegade'; two decades ago when Nadine pioneered the idea of minimally-processed ingredients in skincare as a way to boost our natural radiance, her ideas bucked the trend - and still do in a world now abuzz with talk of pure, natural and organic beauty. In this podcast interview with Nadine, Formula Botanica CEO and host Lorraine Dallmeier drills into the nuances of raw beauty and its role in a cosmetics industry driven by expectations of high-performance skincare. This episode certainly dispels the myths about raw beauty cosmetics as DIY skincare. Raw beauty is an exciting, complex journey into the benefits of botanicals and perhaps also a philosophy for natural skincare. In this episode on raw beauty, you will: Find out the differences between raw beauty and natural, pure, clean and green beauty. Discover why raw beauty is as much a philosophy of how we interact with the natural world as a beauty niche. Learn that using raw beauty is about creating a symbiotic relation between what goes on the skin and what is going on in the skin; in the skin biome, for example. Hear how the potency of plants was known to the ancients and that current-day raw beauty philosophy harks back to the theories of Essentialism and Vitalism which proposed that botanical, organic matter has unique, innate, vibrant qualities. Learn why raw beauty is far more than simply about the temperature, handling, processing and manufacture of natural ingredients. Key take-aways include: How raw beauty goes to another level in using pure ingredients. For instance, raw beauty formulations will include botanical oils that are not only cold-pressed and sustainably sourced, but also not rendered 'joyless' through processes such as bleaching, winterising (a form of refining) and de-odourising. How raw beauty is formulated to work with what the mainstream cosmetic industry might see as limitations - such as the shorter shelf life of its products. It sees the benefit in ingredients that are fresher and more nutritious for the skin and rejects those that are processed and refined to artificially extend their shelf life or iron out variations in their scent, feel and properties. Understanding that raw beauty as a business relies on the formulator-founder developing a sixth sense for ingredients like essential oil and carrier oils. They also need to build strong, long-lasting relations with ethical supplies of quality ingredients to ensure they can source the ingredients at their most pristine.

Do natural deodorants work? If you have tried natural deodorants and been disappointed by their performance in combating sweat and body odor, then this episode of Green Beauty Conversations will be a real learning curve and eye opener. The first question to tackle though is what is sweat? Body sweat has a primordial purpose even if today's taboos and societal conditioning have put paid to us broaching the subject of sweat in a reasoned way. Sweating has a core function in cooling our bodies when we're hot or under stress. Its other role of signaling 'fight or flight' hints at how homo sapiens functioned millennia ago. Once we understand the role of sweat, we can choose the right natural deodorants to work in tune with our own particular needs. If you buy regular, mainstream antiperspirants or deodorants, you may choose them for their scent and strength. Yet, using the same one-size-fits-all, drug store deodorant or antiperspirant year in year out is not necessarily the best nor healthiest approach to masking body odor nor to our overall well-being. To unpack the discourse on sweat, shame and body image, we speak to Ada Juristovski, Co-founder and CMO of Nala Care, a natural, personalised deodorant brand based in Vancouver, Canada. Ada gives us an in-depth, enlightening insight into physiological and psychological aspects of sweat and, in the process, helps us understand sweat better so we can choose healthier deodorant options for our daily personal care routines. Research has shown that we each have differing armpit microbiomes, which is an aspect of our skin that Nala takes into account in formulating its natural deodorants. Listen in as Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier digs the dirt on the types of sweat, how we deal with body image and underarm cleanliness, and the pros and cons of natural deodorants, including their reliance on baking soda and activated charcoal. We think you'll come away realising it pays to understand more about sweat, and to get hot under the collar about ideal body images. In this episode, you will: Learn about the different types of sweat and its function in keeping our bodies in a state of healthy equilibrium. Hear about how societal conditioning has influenced notions of the female body image and fostered the pursuit of beauty over health and well being. Discover that sweat is now beginning to be talked about more positively as it is associated also with exercise, sex, empowerment and strength. Find out about how natural deodorants work in tune with our bodies by letting us sweat again rather than by clogging sweat glands. Key take-aways include: We all sweat to different extents and in different situations, so we should think of mixing up our deodorant product choices to suit varying needs. Our lifestyles, our water consumption, whether we are on medication and so on can affect our levels of sweat and on a daily basis. Natural deodorant formulas usually include and rely on the odor-neutralising ingredient baking soda which is highly alkaline and therefore not in line with the skin's pH. So look out for brands which offer different formulation strengths, including a baking soda-free option. Other ingredients play a huge role in natural deodorants' efficacy too. Copaiba oil, for example, has stress-reducing properties so by inference has the potential also to reduce sweat production when we face stressful situations. Be more mindful of what causes you to sweat; and be mindful too of the products you use to mask body odour. Using a deodorant isn't just a routine, two-second affair each day.

We've all heard of sustainability. After all, barely a week goes by without news of activist movements' agendas, political and corporate pledges and celebrity campaigns on sustainability issues. Yet, do we really stop to ask ourselves how we as individuals can live more sustainably? For a start, do we know what sustainability is? Sustainability is made up of three pillars: economy, society, and the environment, which are informally and more memorably labeled: profit; people; and planet. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals comprise 17 areas in which sustainability must be a paramount consideration. These include not only the obvious ones such as climate action and sustainable and renewable energy, but also zero hunger and zero poverty and a right to quality education. As you can see, the three pillars were identified as they need to co-exist in equilibrium for the planet to be on a truly sustainable trajectory. These are huge questions that you may feel beyond the capabilities of indie beauty brands to address as they go about starting up and growing their businesses. The larger companies may have the cash to splash on reports and in publicising their sustainability credentials, which may not be all they seem either, but there are plenty of opportunities for indie beauty brands to make a difference. Even the small steps indie brands make can help their customers understand how individual actions deplete or sustain the world's finite natural resources. Listen to our CEO Lorraine Dallmeier, a chartered environmentalist, and our Membership Coordinator Ana Green who is also a long-time green beauty blogger, discuss why the beauty industry is perhaps tackling sustainability from the wrong perspective and where indie beauty brands can have an edge in playing their part. In this podcast, you will hear: Why the size and scale of a beauty business should not be a deciding factor when it comes to embedding sustainability into a business. Why sustainable practices are far more than about the manufacturing or use of resources. That on a positive note, the five, big-brand beauty companies we researched all had sustainability commitments and policies well publicised and easy to find on their websites. However, that some of these big beauty brands pledged themselves to long-term goals that had vague benchmarks against which to measure the success of their actions. About our survey of indie beauty brands in our community which showed their huge desire to operate sustainably, but that they faced overwhelm at how to go about that and stay profitable. Key take-aways on indie beauty brands and sustainability include: Examples of three indie beauty brands that have made significant progress in operating sustainably in three different areas of their business: refilling; upcycling; and circular beauty. How indie beauty brands can start their sustainability journey more easily by focusing on a single area of their business, such as plastic waste reduction, or sourcing ingredients from suppliers who support Fair Trade. Why indie brands have an enormous opportunity and edge over big beauty businesses by shifting the conversation to talk about slowing down our relentless consumption of beauty products. How indie beauty can educate its customers about the need to consume less in the first place by buying for example more multi-functional and longer-lasting products.

It's a first for this podcast to talk about green makeup, but rest assured we've been thinking about it for a long time. Behind the scenes at Formula Botanica, our R&D team is working on an organic makeup formulation course. A question we asked ourselves at the start was whether green makeup could take on mainstream colour cosmetics as a viable alternative? The natural beauty industry has been dominated by skincare. The global colour cosmetics market size though is expected to reach $9.9 billion by 2024 - rising at a market growth of 7.6% (CAGR) between 2018-2024. No doubt, the green colour cosmetics' segment will rise on this tide too. Key growth in the colour cosmetics market is forecast to come from Asia-Pacific and Latin America, which is interesting given our podcast discussion covers also green makeup's role in inclusivity. As we learned in conversation with our podcast panelists, consumers are demanding greater transparency on the ingredients in colour cosmetics and not just those in their skincare products. You may have come across the much-quoted factoid that women eat about 3kg (around 7lbs) of lipstick in a lifetime. Whether fact or myth, figures like this went viral and startled beauty consumers into taking a closer look at exactly which ingredients go into their colour cosmetic products. Meet Our Green Makeup Discussion Panel Today, the naturals' sector is occupied with more reality checks; this time on the efficacy of green makeup. Can natural colour cosmetics offer the same palette, applications, textures and performance of mainstream makeup? The answers to these questions lie not just in how green makeup is formulated in the lab, but also in our perceptions and expectations as consumers. Our two expert panelists in this episode - one a green makeup entrepreneur and brand owner; the other an accomplished makeup artist and blogger - respond to the criticisms leveled at green colour cosmetics. Their own paths and stories are encouraging as they show us just how far green makeup has come in a few years. Listen in to hear also how they feel green makeup can be a force too for inclusivity in the cosmetics' industry. Kim Roxie is the Founder & CEO of LAMIK Beauty, a clean beauty brand that caters to multicultural women. After opening her own bricks-and-mortar makeup shop at age 21, in Houston, Texas, on a $500 investment, Kim ran the store for 14 years. She was also the youngest African-American woman to have her products carried in a major department store. In 2019, Roxie pivoted her business and launched LAMIK as an e-commerce beauty company. Roxie was featured in CEW, CNBC, and MarthaStewart.com for her rapid growth since the launch of LAMIK 2.0 in March 2020. Canadian-born Samantha Kolk, aka 'hullosam', has been a content creator in the green beauty space for over five years and has a background in makeup artistry. Her goal is to make her clients feel as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside. Sammie has hosted makeup masterclasses and other fun beauty events where she educates on the brands and ingredients being used, as well as giving makeup 101 tips. She spent most of her life with sensitivities and intolerances. Her passion for all things 'green' arose when she realised that she not only wanted to put healthy, pure and safe things in her body – but also on her body. Sammie believes that if the health of our skin is nurtured, it will help promote full health to the body and mind. In this Podcast on Green Makeup, you will: Hear why our panelists believe that by swapping to green makeup, you needn't compromise on applications, colour ranges, textures and performance. Learn that formulating green makeup is liberating once you shift mindset and explore the exciting green, all-natural ingredients on offer. Discover how indie cosmetics' brands can be quicker and nimbler in responding to consumers' desire for natural, colour cosmetics as they are generally founder-led and more in touch with their customers. Hear how green makeup brands can lead by example and be a clear voice for inclusivity in the beauty industry. Hear some insightful predictions on where green makeup is going next. Key take-aways include: Our panelists point out that green makeup should not be another elite segment of beauty by excluding consumers on the basis of price, culture or choice. It would be a hypocrisy to have green colour cosmetics create more exclusivity. Green makeup actually looks to mainstream cosmetics to push itself to innovate as it aims to create products consumers desire but to formulate them as truly high-performing green alternatives. Women of colour spend up to 80% more on makeup than other beauty consumer segments so it is high time that cosmetics' brands see them as regular customers, not a segment, and formulate comprehensive colour palettes. Consumers these days are savvy researchers and are an indie, green beauty brand's best resource. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You've heard of green beauty, you've heard of clean beauty, but have you ever heard of blue beauty? In the last 12 months, the beauty industry has started to talk more about environmental sustainability and one of the new terms that has emerged during this period is blue beauty. Formula Botanica aims to bring you the latest topics and conversations in the beauty industry, so our Green Beauty Conversations podcast (or should we say 'blue' beauty conversations?) today brings you the low-down on blue beauty, how it differs to green beauty and why beauty brands should be thinking about their environmental footprint and giving back to the environment. In this latest podcast episode, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier interviews Jeannie Jarnot, who is on a mission to deliver beauty you can trust, one Hero product at a time and wants to make clean beauty the rule rather than the exception. The complexity of navigating cosmetic ingredients only fueled her passion to make it simple to discover safe, effective and luxurious skincare. Today, as the founder of Beauty Heroes, Jeannie brings a lifetime of beauty, wellness and ritual to her company and her customers, delivering healthy beauty through the thrill of discovery. What is Blue Beauty? As you'll learn in this podcast episode, Jeannie has defined blue beauty as "green beauty with benefits". Blue beauty brands are those who aim to have an environmental benefit - not simply offsetting their impacts, or donating to charities that align with their ethos, but actually doing the hard work and looking at how they themselves can put back resources into the environment. Of course achieving that lofty goal will be challenging for any beauty brand, because it will involve looking very closely at a brand’s ingredient sourcing strategy, packaging choices, manufacturing processes and the rest of their supply chain. The only way to have a positive environmental impact is either through putting back into the environment, perhaps by sequestering carbon through the ingredients farmed for your formulations, or through offsetting, which as we discussed in our recent podcast on whether beauty brands can ever be carbon neutral, is not a panacea as it is simply a component of your overall environmental strategy and it ultimately isn’t the answer. Nonetheless, regardless of whether we call it blue beauty, green beauty, teal beauty, or verdant beauty, we hope you’ll agree that it’s refreshing to hear tales of beauty brands around the world who aim to have an environmental benefit. Listen to Lorraine and Jeannie as they discuss the topic of blue beauty.  In this podcast, you will: Find out how Beauty Heroes and Jeannie Jarnot define blue beauty as part of their Project Blue Beauty Learn how the concept of blue beauty goes beyond brands who aim to make sustainable formulations that don't impact our oceans and waterways Hear examples of indie beauty brands around the world undertaking environmental initiatives Learn how indie beauty brands should incorporate sustainability reporting into their communications strategy Key takeaways include: Consumers are setting the bar higher now and expect beauty brands to embrace environmental sustainability. Being an environmentally sustainable indie beauty brand is challenging, as it involves small brands telling their story and delving deep into who they are and how they operate. Reporting on your sustainability initiatives involves having a two-way conversation and trying to change your customers' hearts and minds. Simply paying to offset your environmental impacts is not enough. Beauty brands need to go much deeper. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The latest industry buzzword to emerge as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is safe beauty. The thinking behind the term 'safe beauty' is that consumers are now more willing to accept preservatives and synthetic ingredients to ensure they don't experience product contamination and expiration. In fact, some industry players are now claiming that the arrival of COVID-19 will further push the notion that natural isn’t always better, especially when it comes to ingredient safety and shelf life. It's safe to say that the Formula Botanica team was fairly horrified to discover the emergence of the term safe beauty. After all, shouldn't all beauty be inherently safe to use? Why should a pandemic suddenly encourage the beauty industry to look for a new marketing term, when Good Manufacturing Practice should ensure that the billions of beauty products manufactured globally? Do you think that safe beauty is a credible term or are some industry players simply trying to play on people’s fears? Would you buy a formulation labelled as ‘safe’ or do we as consumers simply expect all beauty products to be safe? And do you agree with us that safe beauty is the latest industry buzzword we should all resolutely ignore and move on from?   In this podcast, you will: Hear the Formula Botanica team discuss how the term safe beauty has emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn why all cosmetics should be inherently safe for use and why this latest buzzword is trying to play on people's fears, when fear-based marketing has already created so many subsets of the beauty sector. Listen to Lorraine and Ana discuss why we should all ignore the term safe beauty in the latest marketing hype to come from several mainstream industry players and resolutely move on.   Key takeaways include: The beauty industry does not need any further buzzwords to cause confusion amongst consumers and polarisation amongst brands. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) exists to ensure that all cosmetics are manufactured to industry safety standards. As long as GMP is met and formulations are adequately tested, all cosmetics should be safe for sale. The terms clean beauty, natural beauty and safe beauty are not mutually exclusive. In fact, Formula Botanica redefined the term 'clean beauty' in a recent podcast to include formulations that are safely and hygienically made. The very meaning of the word 'clean' is hygienic, after all. Consumer opinions are not shifting towards enhanced safety in personal care formulations. If anything, consumer opinions are shifting towards enhanced sustainability of beauty products, as people emerge from lockdown aiming for a modified, greener society where beauty brands work as activists for change. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Indie beauty brands are taking over the beauty sector. With tens of thousands of small brands globally, there is simply no doubt that they are swallowing up a percentage of the global beauty sector which traditionally might have gone to the mainstream giants. Shoppers are increasingly looking to support small, local businesses and often place a greater degree of trust in a founder-led brand. However, this increase in consumer confidence and support has seen some of these indie beauty brands soar in terms of their revenues, reach, distribution, channels and size. If you follow the latest news in the beauty industry, then you cannot have missed the stories of founder-led brands being bought up by the mainstream giants who see enormous potential for growth and development by bringing these indie beauty brands into their portfolios. In the latest episode of the Green Beauty Conversations podcast, we’re joined by Wizz Selvey of Wizz&Co to discuss when an indie brand goes mainstream. What does it take? What defines the tipping point for an indie brand to go mainstream? And does everyone agree with this definition? But is an indie beauty brand still indie if it’s achieving global domination or has been bought up by a major multinational? What makes an indie beauty brand truly indie and at what point can you no longer really call yourself indie? If a business is selling millions in stock, can they still be indie? In this podcast, you will: Discover what the main difference is between mainstream beauty and indie beauty brands. Learn what it takes to grow an indie beauty brand to the stage that it can go mainstream (spoiler alert: it takes many years of blood, sweat and tears!). Hear how growing an indie brand to mainstream global domination requires input from distributors, retailers, investors and community. Discover how the mainstream beauty industry is starting to take indie beauty more seriously, which is of course why they're buying indie brands. Hear about the massive opportunities for indie beauty brands globally, as retailers, social media and technology make indie beauty far more accessible to customers. Key takeaways include: A true indie beauty brand has gone under the radar so far and not yet attracted any investment. They are waiting to be found by consumers and have lots of potential ahead of them. Once an indie brand scales and has the potential to be taken over by a larger corporation, their formulations might suddenly be discovered by a large part of the general public who had never heard of the brand before. The founder's heritage story is integral to the success of an indie brand. It creates an emotional connection between the brand and the customer and allows the customer to relate to the story and formulation. Large multinationals buying out indie brands will often try to keep that brand founder ethos in place. Beauty is emotive and personal. Consumers want to talk about brands that have made them feel different about themselves and this is where indie brands can capitalise on opportunities that the mainstream industry often misses. Wizz Selvey is the founder of Wizz&Co, a retail strategy consultancy in the UK. Wizz was formerly Head of Beauty at Selfridges and has worked in the beauty industry for fifteen years which has provided experience across brands at all stages of their development. Wizz also works with both indie and mainstream beauty brands so is well placed to discuss the transition from kitchen table to global multinational. Visit Wizz&Co's website, follow Wizz&Co on Instagram and sign up for Wizz' freebie on how to think like a CEO. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Is the cosmetics industry ready for disability friendly beauty? We've been pondering this question for a while and decided to convene an expert panel to discuss the topic of disability friendly beauty in our latest Green Beauty Conversations podcast episode. It feels as if disabled beauty shoppers are sometimes (often? mostly?) overlooked, but it's important to remember that 1 billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, experience some form of disability. Let’s not forget that all of these 1 billion people will buy personal care or beauty products, which is why it's so shocking that it's taken us this long as an industry to embrace disability friendly beauty. Luckily, the topic of accessible and inclusive beauty is one that is gaining traction in the industry. Furthermore, in the social media era, where shoppers can have a direct conversation with brands on a variety of topics, beauty businesses are receiving real time feedback on what we want and need - and they're hearing from customers who want them to do more. Recently, someone even filed a lawsuit against Fenty Beauty accusing them of engaging in intentional discrimination due to the current inaccessibility of its e-commerce site for customers who are visually impaired. Meet our Beauty and Disability Discussion Panel Disability friendly beauty is a topic that everyone in the beauty industry should be thinking about, which is why we invited a panel of experts on this topic to talk to us about their experience and work in the industry. Some people might think only about the packaging of a product when it comes to making accessible and inclusive beauty. But what are the different ways that people with disabilities might struggle with the beauty industry and the products it sells? Our fantastic panellists on this month's edition of Green Beauty Conversations discuss disability friendly beauty in more detail to help you understand the changes that need to happen for shoppers and brands. Emily Davison is a blogger and freelance journalist who, at birth, was diagnosed with a rare congenital condition called septo-optic dysplasia. She started her blog Fashioneyesta with the aim of challenging people's perceptions of sight loss through her love of fashion, beauty and style. Trishna Daswaney is the founder of Kohl Kreatives, an innovative make brush company who make adaptive equipment for applying making in the form of flexible brushes that bend both forwards and backwards, making them perfect for everyone, including those with motor disabilities. Victoria Watts is the founder of the natural beauty brand Victorialand Beauty, which as well as empowering women through their skincare range also has developed a beauty inclusive business model where products are made accessible for people who are visually impaired. Victorialand Beauty is one of the emerging disability friendly beauty brands on the market. In this podcast, you will: Hear the expert panel discuss whether they believe the beauty industry is disability friendly. Understand some of the key issues that may affect disabled people with regards to accessing and using personal care products. Hear about the amazing work being undertaken by several brands and advocates to speak up for people with disabilities. Learn the changes the beauty industry needs to make to become more inclusive and accessible. Key takeaways include: Whilst progress is being made, clearly the beauty industry has a way to go in terms of becoming more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities. We think the indie beauty sector can play a huge role in can play a huge role in improving accessibility, inclusivity and visibility for people with disabilities. Keeping this important conversation going is essential for the beauty industry to make further progress and we can all pay our roles in this as entrepreneurs and consumers. Disabled consumers can give constructive feedback to brands on their experiences with both products and the purchase experience. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Welcome to Green Beauty Conversations, the podcast that challenges you to think about how you buy, use, make and sell your natural beauty formulations. We tackle topics that will make you think and encourage debate about green beauty with your friends, followers or customers. In today’s In Conversation with Formula Botanica podcast episode, we are talking carbon neutral beauty and the environmental impacts of the beauty industry. This is a big topic, but with the rise of conscious consumerism it’s also a topic that we need to be talking about. We ask: Can a Beauty Brand ever be Carbon Neutral? Sustainability is a really key topic for many indie beauty brands, but how easy is it to be truly sustainable and what steps do brands need to take? In this podcast we answer the burning questions our community had on the topic of carbon neutral beauty and sustainability. Carbon Neutral Beauty vs Beauty Miles Carbon footprint is one aspect of overall sustainability. In our previous podcast episode we tackled the topic of Beauty Miles, which feeds in to the topic of carbon neutral beauty and covers how far your ingredients and finished product travel and how to calculate that environmental impact. Read more - Episode 48: Do you know your Beauty Miles? In this Podcast you will: Learn how carbon output for beauty products impacts their sustainability. Understand different ways that we can reduce or offset carbon emissions. Be challenged to think about some of the different ways you could tackle your carbon emissions if you run a beauty business. Key Takeaways Include: Brands often rely on offsetting carbon rather than reducing their carbon output. We believe both of these measures have an important role to play in reducing environmental impact. Brands of any size can take measures to assess and reduce their carbon footprints and aim for carbon neutrality. In the age of conscious consumerism, customers are keen to hear from brands about what they are doing to reduce their environmental impact. What do you think? Is it feasible for indie brands to be carbon neutral? How can smaller beauty brands stay ahead of the big players, who are now setting big sustainability targets and publicly declaring them? Can indie brands lead the whole beauty industry in terms of sustainability or is this too big a burden for small businesses? Whatever your views on this controversial topic, I want you to join the debate and leave us a comment on our social channels. The Formula Botanica team and I love hearing from you so come and tell us your views. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show.Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook. Twitter; and on Instagram.

Have you ever wondered how a cosmetic formulator innovates and creates new formulations? What is it like to formulate? How does the creative process work? In this episode of The Green Beauty Conversations podcast we delve in to the mind of a cosmetic formulator and explore the processes involved in creating new and innovative products. We speak to Timi Racz, Formula Botanica's Head of Research and Development about the formulation process. Whether you are a new or experienced formulator, this fascinating insight in to the formulation process can help you develop your own formulas and skills. More on this topic - Episode 37: Do you need to be a Cosmetic Chemist to Formulate Skincare? In this Podcast you will: Hear Lorraine Dallmeier Formula Botanica CEO and Timi Racz the Head of Research and development at Formula botanica discuss what a formulator does. Learn the three stage process for creating a formula: Preparation, Perfecting the formula, testing and feedback. Understand the most important aspects of the formulation and how to adapt your formulation process. Key Takeaways Include: Formulators are very creative people as is the process of creating new products. Preparation is a key phase in creating a formula which includes researching ingredients. Formulas require many different trials before they are ready for sale, it is not an instant process. Feedback on your formulations is key, ideally through focus groups to get a wide variety of opinions. Indie brands are leading the way in producing inspiring and creative products and the formulation process is a key aspect of this. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show.

You've probably heard of food miles, but have you ever heard of beauty miles? Food miles measure the distance that your food travels before it reaches your plate, while beauty miles measure the distance that our beauty products are transported from the time of harvesting, to processing, to manufacturing, to retail until that lotion finally ends up on your bathroom shelf. Similar to food miles, beauty miles are one factor that we can potentially use when testing and measuring the environmental impacts of our beauty formulations. But are they the right tool to use when determining the sustainability of our formulations? For this podcast episode the Formula Botanica team reached out to our community, to ask their burning questions on this topic and they were answered by Chartered Environmentalist and Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier. In this Podcast you will: Hear the Formula Botanica team discuss beauty miles and answer key questions on this topic. Learn some key questions that we should be asking as formulators and consumers about the cosmetic ingredients we use and their environmental impact. Key takeaways include: Knowing your supply chain and asking key questions is essential for formulators who want to calculate the overall carbon footprint of their formulations. Every formulator should be thinking about the carbon footprint of not only their ingredients but also their entire operation as a business. We expect to see more brands make claims about the carbon emissions of their products in the future, including claims for carbon neutral products achieved by carbon offsetting. Conscious consumerism is on the rise and customers are more interested than ever in all aspects of sustainability. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Found out more about our award winning courses at - formulabotanica.com

Should vegan beauty brands be run by vegans? That is the question we tackle in this episode of the Green Beauty Conversations podcast, the podcast that challenges you to change the way you think about the way you buy, use, make and sell your natural beauty formulations. Veganism is on the rise Interest in veganism has increased seven-fold in the last five years according to Google trends. And as part of that rise, cosmetics represents the fastest growing sector in brands gaining the vegan trademark, where the indie beauty sector sees a great opportunity to appeal to the ever-growing vegan community. But should beauty brand founders be vegan in order to make and sell vegan cosmetics? If you’re making and selling cosmetics, should you walk the walk as well as talking the talk?  In this episode we speak to three people with an interest in veganism. Firstly we speak to Louisa Sales, a Beauty Therapist currently working in the beauty industry training other professionals, who is also a passionate vegan. Louisa believes that brands using veganism in their marketing should be founded and run by people who live and support a vegan lifestyle. Next we speak to Abigail Stevens, Trademark manager at the Vegan Society who established the definition of veganism. The Vegan Society certifies individual products as vegan and enables brands to carry their trademark. Our last guest is Claire Michalski of the certification Vegan Founded, an organisation that certifies brands as vegan based on their ethical choices and those of their founders. Vegan Founded controversially posted on their Facebook page that supporting meat eating brand founders could be supporting the meat industry and prefers to give their support to brands who are founded and run by vegans.  In this Podcast you will: Hear different and sometimes controversial answers to the question: Do you need to be Vegan to make vegan cosmetics? Directly from experts in the field. Get an understanding of some of the complexities that exist when it comes to marketing or certifying your cosmetics as vegan. Explore the current vegan beauty market and how it is changing. Key takeaways include: The ethics of veganism can be complex and individual. Brands need to be aware of the claims they are making and what they might mean to their customers. Veganism isn't just about cutting out certain food groups, it is a lifestyle. Attention to detail and authenticity is key for brands making ethical claims for their products. Some vegan consumers feel disillusioned that brands are jumping on the vegan beauty bandwagon for money making, rather than ethical purposes. This has potential to impact brands, especially with the rise of call out culture on social media. The rise in choice in the vegan beauty market is viewed as a whole as a positive for people who have a vegan lifestyle and presents opportunities for brand founders whose ethics align with the vegan movement. Find out more about our Podcast guests: The Vegan Society Website Vegan Founded Website Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show.

Can Indie beauty brands ever partner successfully with large multinationals? Or are Indie brands who sell to large corporations, in fact selling out? In this episode of The Green Beauty Conversations Podcast, we tackle the tricky subject of Indie brand acquisitions and why all brand founders should have an exit strategy for their business. Recently, brands such as Dermalogica, Schmidt’s Naturals, TooFaced, Tatcha and many others, have all been snapped up by major multinationals such as Unilever, L’Oreal, Estee Lauder and Procter & Gamble. Over the last five years, these huge beauty corporations have spent billions on acquiring beauty brands from across the world – including many successful indies. Drunk Elephant’s recent $845 million dollar sale to Shiseido, is the latest acquisition to cause controversy and receive comments also within the Formula Botanica community. We interview two beauty entrepreneurs on the topic of selling your business, to hear their views. First we speak to Julie Longyear, the founder of independent natural beauty brand Blissoma based in the USA. Julie founded her brand in 2001 and creates raw, plant-based, skincare by hand, using herbs and essential oils, in her herbal studio in St. Louis, Missouri. Our second guest is Sian Sutherland, beauty brand founder and multi-award winning serial entrepreneur. In 2005, Sian created Mama Mio Skincare, a premium pregnancy range followed by Mio Skincare for active women. Sian sold her business in 2015 to The Hut Group, a global eCommerce company based in the UK. Sian now runs A Plastic Planet, a social impact non-profit with a single goal - to ignite and inspire the world to turn off the plastic tap. In this Podcast we explore: Indie Beauty brand attitudes to selling to multi-nationals How and why an Indie brand may want to sell to a large corporation The public perception of Indie brands that are sold and if the sale changes how they are run Key take-outs include: All business owners need to think of an exit strategy that suits their business There are many different options available to Indie beauty brands as an exit strategy There is no right or wrong choice as to what to do with your business and here at Formula Botanica we celebrate all entrepeneurs Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show.

This is Green Beauty Conversations, the podcast that challenges you to think about how you buy, use, make and sell your natural beauty formulations.  We tackle topics that that will make you think and encourage debate about Green Beauty with your friends, followers or customers. In this episode we delve in to the difficult topic of conscious consumerism and its effect on the beauty industry. What does it mean to be a modern consumer of beauty products?  A conscious consumer is someone who wants to encourage positive impact through their buying choices, encouraging brands to be more eco-friendly and sustainable overall. Anyone who spends any time in the natural beauty sector will know that there is a polarised debate around the way ingredients are chosen and used – on one side you have a hardcore group of naturalistas who reject synthetic ingredients and on the other side you have a group of frustrated chemists, who are upset about their ingredients being vilified without science.  In our previous podcast - Clean Beauty: A redefinition, we discussed some of the controversy surrounding the term Clean Beauty and what it means. In this podcast we build on that further by asking whether consumer trends should inform how brands formulate? Should brands shun ingredients with a proven safety record simply because they have become unpopular with the public? How can consumers who want genuinely natural products shop with confidence? To help us understand more on these issues we interviewed two key industry professionals.  Firstly we spoke to Sam Farmer, founder of a namesake range of unisex personal care products for young adults. Sam is passionate about science communication within the beauty industry and feels strongly that the industry should be leading with facts and an evidence based approach, rather than simply reacting to consumer trends when it comes to the complex topic of formulating and ingredients. Our second guest is Dr Mark Smith the Director General of NATRUE, an international private standard for natural and organic cosmetics. NATRUE sets standards for the ingredients, packaging and product formulations carrying the NATRUE label and also advocates on behalf of the natural and organic beauty industry. Mark is a chemist and has a long career in research, science and regulatory policy.  In this episode on the topic of conscious consumerism we explore:  What conscious consumerism means and how this applies to beauty. Whether our beauty choices are being led by populism and ask the important question: Is the consumer always right?  How we think the industry can move forward and start to join the contrasting view points.  Key take-outs include:  Although consumers are engaging more than ever with what is in their beauty products, product formulation and ingredient information isn't always easy to communicate or understand Formula Botanica believes that conscious consumerism has a role to play when it comes to the sustainability of the beauty industry and we feel strongly this is an area the industry needs to improve. Opinions are still split on whether consumers should be driving formulation choices. Although there is clearly a need for education, we also have to accept that not everyone will engage with that information or use it in their purchasing choices.  Learn more about our guests:  Find Sam Farmer on Twitter  Learn more about certification on the NATRUE Website  We want to hear what you think. Whatever your views on this controversial topic, we want you to join the debate and leave us a comment on our social channels. The Formula Botanica team love hearing from you so come and tell us your views. Find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

What is clean beauty? It is one of the current buzz words in the cosmetics industry with major brands such as Drunk Elephant adopting the term as a key part of their marketing message. Large retailers such as Sephora now stock a selection of brands they consider clean and have adopted their own clean standards.  Despite its rapid rise, clean beauty can also be controversial. There is an increasing backlash from many in the industry, who believe that clean beauty is driven by fear mongering and poor science. As there is no official standard of what is meant by 'clean', consumers need to be aware that individual brands and retailers all have their own definition, which can vary greatly.  In this episode of the Green Beauty Conversations podcast, we discuss the origins of the term clean beauty, why it has been driven by concern regarding certain cosmetic ingredients and is intertwined with a consumer search for products that will support their wellbeing. We also discuss the Formula Botanica Philosophy on clean beauty, where we redefine what the term means and talk about how it should evolve.  Ingredient safety data sheets (SDS) will contain key information about toxicity and environmental impact. A key tool for formulators to understand some of these issues further. Misunderstanding of data and an ingredients ability to do harm is fuelling the clean beauty debate online and maintaining the controversy. We also explore the legalities of cosmetic claims in Episode 3: How to Comply with Cosmetics Regulations. In this episode of the Green Beauty Conversations Podcast you will learn about: The origins of the word "Clean Beauty" in the cosmetics industry. We delve in to other current buzzwords such as "non-toxic" and talk about why when it comes to cosmetics, dose and exposure are so important to understanding toxicity. We also discuss the difference between acute and chronic toxicity. The Formula Botanica philosophy for the four points that we think should define Clean Beauty: 1) Bringing together the concepts of beauty and wellbeing 2) Transparency and Ethics 3) Clean for the planet as well as people 4) Clean products should be safe and hygienically made.  We also discuss why transparency is particularly key for natural and indie beauty brands.  "Transparency in the beauty industry isn't a trend, it is a movement" - Lorraine Dallmeier Director of Formula Botanica  Key take-outs include: Beauty products should be clean for the planet as well as people. Topics such as overall sustainability and pollution are becoming increasingly important for eco-conscious consumers. Formulators should also consider more complex issues such as their water and carbon footprints when creating their brands.  At Formula Botanica we would like to see the conversation focus on overall sustainability looking at the whole picture, rather than single ingredients or a natural vs synthetics approach. Impact can be measured in different ways, including community and supply chain impact.  Brands need to have a clear vision of their own philosophy and use this to connect with their consumer.  Terms like Clean Beauty should not be used to make people guilty about their personal choices. Customers should be choosing products based on their own preferences and to enhance their personal wellbeing.  Brands should be celebrating their ingredient choices rather than simply focusing on what isn't in their products. The term Clean beauty shouldn't be used as a way of denigrating mainstream or synthetic cosmetics.  Clean Beauty should be hygienically made following GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and safely and efficiently preserved. We believe formulators should be proud to use preservatives, as this ensures consumer safety.  If you enjoyed this podcast why not listen to Episode 1: What does Natural Beauty mean?  Please like, share and subscribe Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook, Twitter; and on Instagram.

If you're dreaming of launching an indie beauty brand you may wonder if you have the mindset to become a successful skincare entrepreneur. Even just a decade ago, we would tend to use the word entrepreneur to describe the personalities driving big conglomerates and reserve the epithet for figures like Richard Branson. Now though, entrepreneurs are just as likely to be individual makers and creatives launching businesses from kitchen tables. This wider use of the label entrepreneur can still be daunting for the small indie beauty brand founder. We may fall into comparisonitis and doubt ourselves capable of executing our plans and following through on our dreams. Our guest in this episode of Green Beauty Conversations removes the mystery of beauty entrepreneurship by taking us on her own business journey. Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao, founder of Malée Natural Science, says that the mindset of a beauty entrepreneur can most certainly be learned and is not something we are born with. Zeze's story is one of a young African woman in the UK who had to become entrepreneurial after a move to South Africa where she faced a period of unemployment. Creating an ethical, luxury fragrance, bath and body care range was furthest from Zeze's mind when she started her working life. Having gained two degrees at just age 24, Zeze was aiming for a corporate consulting career when life changed and set her on her entrepreneurial path. Zeze is a woman who discovered by chance almost her passion for the people, natural beauty and healing rituals of her home continent. She went on to harness those to create a brand that could change her life and others’ for the better. Her motto to any would-be beauty entrepreneur is to stay true to your beliefs even in times of failure: "My biggest successes have come when I was focused on my beliefs. It doesn’t matter if you fail, but don’t let your fears rule you. Focus on the people you want to solve problems for. That becomes more enriching. How you approach your journey is the most important point." In this episode on the mindset of a skincare entrepreneur, you'll hear about: The four types of entrepreneur around today and how the indie beautypreneur is likely to be a blend of all four; Why knowing your purpose - the reason why you started out - is the most important guiding factor in your journey; Why running an ethical business that is founded on beliefs will give you more joy and be able to sustain your passion for business; How not only adopting the mindset of a beauty entrepreneur but becoming a sustainable, successful business takes time; remember, Amazon took 19 years to become profitable! Be patient and give things time to work Key take-outs include: Setting business goals is fine, but what you really need to focus on is the purpose of those goals and understand them thoroughly. Your overriding goal should to be the best you can at what you do and what you offer. Every rejection or failure has its reason. For example, if a retailer turns your brand down then realise that it's probably not the right time in your business journey to be stocked with them. See the rejection or failure as a way to sharpen your tools and get back out there with a better offer, mindset and approach. Remember that work-life balance is not some idealised vision or version of your life. Just work on your own terms and own that balance, making it individual to your needs and lifestyle. Work smarter not harder. Document what you do and when so you can see where time is wasted on non-priority actions. Time is the only finite in our lives as entrepreneurs, so don't squander it. Find out more about Malée Natural Science and Zeze's story: Malée website. Malée on Instagram. Malée on Facebook Malée on Twitter. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook, Twitter and on Instagram.  

It seems that barely a week goes by without beauty industry headlines covering the latest Asian beauty trends or the meteoric growth of the cosmetics' spending in Asia, including also the rise of the natural beauty market. Cosmetics Business commented in early 2019 that online beauty sales were set to help Asia-Pacific outpace North America as global cosmetics' leader: "Growing e-commerce and online shopping will shift the country leading the biggest beauty spends and change the nation of 'beauty obsessed". While Cosmetics Design Asia noted that the demand for premium and prestige global beauty brands, particularly in China, is continuing apace in line with the growth of disposable income and the rise of a middle class traveling internationally. These headlines tend to focus on the success of mainstream, premium global cosmetics' giants like the Estee Lauders and L'Oréals of this world, but there are signs that the natural beauty market in Asia is gaining foothold. Our guest in this episode of Green Beauty Conversations gives us fascinating insider insights into the natural cosmetics' market in Asia and dispels the myth that the business opportunities are only for large multinational brands. Allie Rooke studied Chinese at university and then spent nearly a decade living and working in Asia for luxury brands Chanel, L'Oréal and Burberry before setting up her consultancy Clean Beauty Asia. Allie focuses on helping natural and indie beauty brands gain the know-how, confidence, strategies and cultural savviness to grasp the business opportunities this region offers. Her key message is not to be scared of setting your sights on selling in the Asian beauty market. "Don’t be scared of Asia and especially don't feel it’s all about big brands. Don't be put off because they are not English-speaking markets. There is absolutely an indie beauty market in Asia Pacific, and when a new beauty idea, trend or product does grow, it can grow fast and explode." If you have aspirations to retail your beauty brand in Asia, our interview with Allie will give you a good feel for what's required to succeed in the dynamic, vast and diverse beauty markets the region offers; and importantly, what is going on behind those headlines.   In this episode on the natural beauty market in Asia, you'll hear about: The diversity of markets and consumers across the Asia-Pacific region and how each market lends itself to different brand propositions and positioning. For example, China offers huge potential to prestige brand, while Singapore and Taiwan are more price sensitive; Why distributors in the region are key brand allies and can be powerful advocates for your brand but why you need to be actively involved in brand building in local Asian markets as well; The importance of being established and sufficiently known in your own home markets before expecting to make it in Asia. Typically, Asian consumers like to check out a new brand online and feel they can trust it, even if they are keen to embrace the new experiences and products international indie beauty brands can offer; Why you need to understand the social media scene in your chosen Asian market as both beauty brands and influencers are big on key Asian platforms and run sophisticated set-ups. Again, start out getting known on social media in your home markets as Asian consumers comb these platforms for 'the next big thing' as well. Key take-outs include: Asian consumers are often more interested in the safety of a product than whether it's sustainable or not. They need the information to judge whether they trust a new brand, and this is all the more so for indie, natural brands. Ensure transparency in all your communcations, media collateral, marketing and social media aimed at Asian markets. Don't leap into signing an exclusive distributorship that spans several Asian countries. The region's diversity means that few distributors will truly have the ability to support your brand sufficiently in multiple markets. You can sell to Chinese consumers and avoid the issue of animal testing. Hong Kong's Freeport status offers one route to gaining access to Chinese customers who flock to the autonomous territory which is a major shopping destination. In addition, you can sell online to the Chinese mainland using fulfillment warehouses in Hong Kong. To get to know more about Asia-Pacific customers and consumer habits, especially those of the Chinese, start by understanding Asian consumer behaviour in your home market. See if you can find out where, for example, Chinese tourists like to shop and what they seek out. Even a local Chinese community can be an ambassador for your products in Asian markets. Find out more about Clean Beauty Asia Allie’s Get Ready for Asia Masterclass is a comprehensive 9-module course. It is designed to provide all you need to know to get your Asia business dreams off the ground. It will save you hours of research and equip you for more effective and powerful conversations with potential distributors, retailers and other partners - you want to be fully prepared to avoid pitfalls. Use this special code ASIAN-SUCCESS to claim 15% off the Get Ready for Asia Masterclass if you sign up before the 20th of September, subject to availability of places. Clean Beauty Asia website. Clean Beauty Asia on Facebook. Clean Beauty Asia on Instagram. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook. Twitter; and on Instagram.  

When an emergency physician decides on a radical shift in life to choose natural skincare as a career over medicine, you begin to realise just how powerful a sector green beauty is becoming. However, as Dr Sarah Villafranco, founder of Osmia organics and our guest in this episode says, while her career change certainly raised some eyebrows back in 2012, it proved a logical move that had parallels with her role as a doctor. As as an emergency physician, I felt I was a fire fighter and I wasn't sure I was helping people prevent disease. I wanted to intervene sooner in people’s health and their daily choices and focus on the important pillars of good health that Western medicine had largely forgotten, such as diet, stress management, joy and fitness. The more medical research I did on effect of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, the more I realised what a big piece of medicine was involved in skincare. Sarah Villafranco launched Osmia Organics as a way to help people not only choose natural skincare, but also as a space to learn about a more holistic approach to health and self care. Osmia's blog and social media offers insights and advice on developing a health-focused, positive-living mindset to generate the conversation on what Sarah says traditional medicine sees as 'alternative' routes to health. Transitioning from a high-stress, emergency physician's role where split-second decisions can be life determining, to running a natural skincare business designed to impact our longer-term health and well-being is quite a leap to make. Sarah Villafranco says it can be scary to follow your dreams but adds that building a natural skincare business isn't about dreaming, but hard realities. "You can’t leave a career that makes money for one that won’t. You need to plan your dreams as it takes time to build a business." Dr Sarah Villafranco has a unique vantage point from which to assess the current shape of the green beauty movement. Her medical background and ability to interpret and filter the science enables her to cut through the scepticism and also the green washing that can surround green beauty. In this wide-ranging interview, Dr Sarah Villafranco gives invaluable advice to budding natural skincare entrepreneurs, from whatever walk of life. In this episode on choosing natural skincare as a career, you'll hear about: Why the natural, organic skincare sector is a rigorous, demanding yet rewarding a career choice for someone from any background; Why the green beauty sector needs more people involved in the industry who are prepared to train, hone their professional skills as formulators and dig deep into the science of skincare to tackle green washing and strengthen the industry as a whole; How becoming a skincare entrepreneur and running a business and a team is not something to be scared of but a role you grow into and make part of your lifelong learning; Why honesty and transparency in your business dealings with everyone from suppliers to customers and staff is paramount to your success; and How being courteous to other business leaders and brands in the naturals' sector and sharing the green space amicably will help your brand and others grow mutually: "A rising tide lifts all boats' should be your motto. Key take-outs include: As a product formulator, you will need the patience and resilience to persevere and to take formulation failures in your stride. See any failure as learning your trade. Think consciously about the environment in all aspects of your business. Realise that there is no such thing as 'eco friendly' but rather prefer to use the term eco conscious. Don't green wash - be prepared to answer consumers, trade and media queries about your products or business honestly and research before you reply. If you don't know something, admit it and say you will find out. Try to enjoy life's sensory moments and the ride that being an entrepreneur brings with it. Find out more about Dr Sarah Villafranco and her brand Osmia Organics: Osmia Organics website. Osmia Organics on Facebook. Osmia Organics Instagram. Osmia Organics Twitter. Osmia Organics Pinterest. Why not choose natural skincare as your next career move? If you are thinking of building a natural, organic cosmetics business and would like to develop your entrepreneurial skills in the beauty sector, enrol in our BRAND NEW Diploma in Beauty Brand Business Management - the ultimate online training programme in starting or growing your indie beauty brand. Our newest and biggest online course is a combination of award-winning teaching materials and a web summit with 30+ influential speakers drawn from the best in the beauty and business community. Sign up for news of our next term dates. Why wait to start your dream beauty business? Find out more now!. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook. Twitter; and on Instagram.

The thought of selling beauty products on Amazon either gets indie beauty brands excited or in a tailspin. The behemoth of e-tailing may be our go-to place to shop for everything these days, yet for all our familiarity with it as consumers, many new beauty brand entrepreneurs find Amazon an impenetrable platform and beyond their grasp. A few years ago, the mantra used to be 'if you're not on social media, you don't exist'. However, our guest in this episode of Green Beauty Conversations would be more likely to say 'if you're not on Amazon, you don't exist'. Marc Bonn, senior account manager at Expert Edge a London-based, digital consultancy focused on Amazon retailing, generously gives us a tip-packed hour of practical advice in this episode on the whys and wherefores of selling your beauty products on Amazon. If there is one single, valuable piece of advice to come away with from our interview with Marc, it is that it's never too early in your beauty brand's life to get selling on Amazon. If you don't stake your claim on your retail space on Amazon, the chances are that in time, middlemen will be selling your products and will probably not present them in line with your brand values and positioning. Marc admits that Amazon has its own particular e-tailing eco-system and that brands need to adopt a totally different approach to selling there compared to dealing with regular online, or off-line stores. However, he says that the benefits of potential reach and volumes can outweigh the costs involved in that initial learning curve. Even as we start to see Amazon selling its own brand beauty products on its platform, the opportunities are there for new brands. In many respects, Amazon presents smaller brands with a level playing field vis a vis established names, so long as indie brands learn how to work the Amazon system. Plus, beauty brands need to be on Amazon even if just for PR purposes, rather than ramping up sales. In this episode on selling your beauty products on Amazon, you'll hear about: Why getting on Amazon early in your brand's retail life is ideal as you will learn the ropes and also protect your brand from erosion by middlemen reselling your products on Amazon. Amazon's three selling options and learn which is best for you: seller accounts, which are ideal for new entrants and where you, the merchant, fulfill deliveries; seller status but where orders are fulfilled by Amazon (FBA); and vendor status, which Amazon itself fulfills and which includes the bonus of attracting Prime customers. How Amazon's lowest price-match mechanism works and why it isn't something to fear as a small or indie brand. The key aspects of your seller's page to focus on such as quality product imagery, optimised Amazon SEO and well-honed content. Key take-outs from our chat with Marc Bonn include: Details of how Amazon helps smaller, niche beauty brands on its platform with initiatives such as its 'Launchpad', and its Indie Beauty and Luxury Beauty zones. Why you may need expert help in listing your brand and products on Amazon successfully as even what seem like simple issues such as choosing relevant retail categories or keywords can be make or break. Why you need an advertising strategy and to promote branded adverts to ensure you make the most of the platform and counter the big, established names in beauty. Why Amazon is useful to have a presence on even if you don't have sales as a main aim; remember, consumers  will often search on Amazon to read about your brand and check prices even if completing a purchase in high-street stores. Amazon may be a PR tool for you instead. Find out more about Expert Edge consultancy and how it can help beauty brands sell on Amazon: Expert Edge website. Expert Edge on LinkedIn. Expert Edge on Twitter. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook. Twitter; and on Instagram.  

Is the beauty industry finally adopting the notion of ageless beauty rather than using the term 'anti-ageing'? The misnomer 'anti-ageing' has been viewed as politically incorrect for quite some time. If our guest in this episode of Green Beauty Conversations has her way, it will be a thing of the past sooner rather than later. Kari Gran, founder of Kari Gran skincare, which she runs with business partner Lisa Strain, has developed commonsense natural skincare products that talk about skin health and vitality as part of a more holistic way of living; with no mention of age groups or anti-ageing. Kari Gran says that many of us when faced with a constant barrage of talk about anti-ageing feel shamed into not doing our best to look younger, or at least holding back the visible signs of time on our skin. She counterpoints this beauty industry accepted norm by saying that the conversation should shift to focus on the fact that our lifestyles play a major role in how we look and feel at any age: "If there were a single miracle, time-defying product, there wouldn't be the thousands of other skincare products out there on the market. At Kari Gran, we talk about the bigger, holistic picture. I can’t sell something without being honest about it. Skincare products can't work in isolation on their own." Kari Gran knows all about skincare products hyping up promise and yet under delivering. Kari battled with autoimmune illnesses throughout her life until she started to really scrutinise food and personal care product labels and make significant changes to her diet and personal care routine. Kari Gran skincare was born out of real necessity when Kari needed to take control of her health and move to natural skincare as a way to alleviate the acute dryness of her skin and reduce her exposure to certain chemicals. She realised that talk of anti-ageing was irrelevant and that what mattered above all else was looking and feeling good in your own skin rather than be stressed about age. With Trust Pilot reviews from customers aged anywhere from their 40s to 70s saying how they love the way Kari Gran products make them feel - not just look - it's clear that people, if not the traditional beauty industry, are quite happy to embrace and live life to the full at every age. Podcast host Gemma and Kari Gran have a wide-ranging discussion about the need for transparency and honesty in the beauty industry and for commonsense language using terms like ageless beauty to replace the dominant discourse on women's ageing, menopause and beauty.   In this episode on ageless beauty, you'll hear about: Why honesty in your skincare brand and product messaging is vital especially these days when customers are more aware of the value of an all-round feeling of wellness and won't believe anti-ageing claims. How products aimed less at fads and so-called trends and more at promoting simple, easy-to-grasp beauty routines such as cleanse, hydrate and protect may be more appealing to consumers. How you can move the conversation and create a point of difference for your skincare brand not by disrupting necessarily, but by appealing to consumers' commonsense. Why not all your target customers are fixated about their beauty routine - nor their age - and how that impacts your beauty brand's positioning. Key take-outs include: Think about putting Trust Pilot or similar third-party review apps on your sales' website. They might seem a risk as you can't edit or block reviews, only reply to them, but consumers will value your level of honesty and in return, you gain a valuable, ongoing 'focus group' for your products. Realise that much of the higher echelons of the mainstream cosmetics' industry is dominated by men - in management and in the cosmetic labs. Their legacy, while valid and informed, has also created in part a normalised discourse about women's beauty, which suggests, among other things, that women should constantly seek products to 'turn back the clock' in order to feel good about themselves. Just like ageing, other times in women's lives such as childbirth and menopause aren't 'trends' to be addressed by cosmetics' products. There are of course products that have a place in helping issues such as dry skin or alleviate signs of stretch marks but they should be marketed not as products to 'fix' issues that are in fact all part of life's normal passage. Be aware we are still mostly presented with a stereotypical view of how we should look and feel at various stages in our life, whether when turning 40, having children or passing through menopause. Ageless beauty eschews this view. Kari took Formula Botanica's Skincare Expert Program whose courses were instructive in helping her not only formulate advanced products but also deep dive into the well-being that is possible using natural, organic skincare ingredients. It is vital to take a cue from Kari's approach and celebrate naturals for their unique benefits rather than use negative claims or scaremongering in your brand's marketing. For inspiration, see also some of our other graduates' brands. Find out more about Kari Gran, the brand and founder: Kari Gran website. Kari Gran on Facebook. Kari Gran on Instagram. Kari Gran on Youtube. Kari Gran on Twitter. Kari Gran on Pinterest. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook. Twitter; and on Instagram.  

We're all familiar with seeing the words probiotic on everyday foods like yoghurts, but in the past few years skincare products are sporting similar labels and the beauty industry is abuzz with talk of skin microbiome skincare. You may have seen pro-, pre- and even post-biotic skincare products and wondered what they are and what they do for our skin. We came across all three microbiome skincare products trending at the 2019 edition of industry fair In-Cosmetics Global. A microbiome is defined as the entire colony of micro-organisms that live inside or outside the human body. Our skin biome is composed of micro-organisms ranging from bacteria, fungi and viruses to mites. This gathering of micro-organisms doesn't sound too appealing. After all, cosmetics aren't manufactured (usually) with the intention of containing live, active bacteria, which is why they are regulated and must pass stringent microbial challenge tests to be placed legally on the market. In this podcast, we hear about how scientific research into the skin biome is revealing the important role a healthy, micro-organism colony plays in maintaining the overall wellness and balance of our skin. We hear also about how our overuse of traditional personal care products is partly to blame for disrupting the skin's balanced pH. Anti-bacterial cosmetic products contribute to stripping away our skin's microbiome - including the so-called friendly bacteria - which is a first line of defence for our largest organ, skin, and our body as a whole. Our podcast guest Jasmina Aganovic is a chemical and biological engineer, alumni of MIT and co-founder of Mother Dirt, a skincare company whose tagline is 'rethinking clean'. Mother Dirt, a spin-off from AO Biome, a world-leading, clinical-stage microbiome company, was born out of research aimed at finding a scientific answer to the question: "Why are we cleaner than ever, have more products than ever, and yet a growing number of us have sensitivities, allergies, and other skin issues?". Mother Dirt's hero product - AO+ Mist - contains a live culture of a specific bacteria that has been clinically proven to restore clarity and balance to skin within four weeks. Jasmina explains that even though their science showed that 'rethinking clean' was indeed the way to go, Mother Dirt faced almost insurmountable challenges in getting AO+ Mist to market. The beauty industry, from manufacturers to distribution networks and retailers, isn't geared up to handle cosmetic products with live cultures requiring refrigeration. It is used to dealing with long shelf-life products. Listening to Jasmina, you'll learn to sort the facts from the fiction in skin microbiome skincare. You'll also hear about never giving up if you have a sound, revolutionising beauty concept to bring to the market - even if it flies in the face of received industry wisdom!  In this episode on skin microbiome skincare, you'll hear about: How Mother Dirt is challenging the traditional, perceived notions of healthy skin and personal care products and what that means for the beauty industry; Why not all bacteria are bad and what damage the accepted norms of eradicating and sterilising bacteria can do to skin; How dirt, literally soil, contains bacteria that can in fact help alleviate skincare issues such as inflammation and hyper dryness; and Why skin microbiome skincare products need to be backed by sound science not hyperbole. Key take-outs include: If you are bringing a new cosmetic concept to market, be prepared to educate your market, including your partners such as potential retailers and distributors on the product, its needs and how to sell it to consumers. A totally new-concept skincare product might be best served selling direct to consumer to start with. Do your market research and, if you can, run your products through focus groups to hone your positioning and messaging. Being a first mover comes with a price but there are rewards. If your product is niche but has no specific consumer niche, you will need to work hard to think through how to position it in the market and about its branding and brand story. On the other hand, there are advantages to be had from cutting across traditional marketing silos. Get to understand your early-adopter customers and gauge their responses to help guide you in your marketing and retail choices. Find out more about Mother Dirt and the science behind its skin microbiome skincare: Mother Dirt website. Mother Dirt on Facebook. Mother Dirt on Instagram. Mother Dirt on Youtube. Mother Dirt on Twitter. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook. Twitter; and on Instagram.

At Formula Botanica, we receive a good many queries from prospective students wanting to know if they need to be a qualified cosmetic chemist to formulate skincare products.  The cosmetic chemist vs skincare formulator conundrum has gone higher up the agenda in recent years as we've seen ever more non chemists as formulators and founders of indie beauty businesses. At Formula Botanica, we teach diplomas and certificates in cosmetic product formulating. An increasing number of our graduates go on to formulate beautiful, high-performance products as well as run successful indie beauty businesses having been inspired and empowered by the courses they took with us. This is possible because in nearly all parts of the world, irrespective of whether the formulator is a cosmetic chemist or skincare formulator, the cosmetic products themselves must meet strict compliance regulations to be sold legally. What we teach at Formula Botanica are the key concepts of chemistry; a competent cosmetic product formulator would need to know to create products that are safe, stable and meet - and often exceed - consumer expectations. Some core components of cosmetic chemistry that we include in our Diplomas are pH measurement and monitoring, emulsification, methods of natural cosmetics' preservation, and the use of solubilisers and surfactants. Some Differences between a cosmetic chemist vs skincare formulator There are of course some fundamental differences between a cosmetic chemist and skincare formulator. A cosmetic chemist would be steeped in the science of how cosmetic ingredients work together and would know the likely outcome of any formula even without a practical lab trial. A cosmetic chemist would need formal, recognised, usually graduate-level qualifications in chemistry along with a specialist training (a post-graduate qualification) in cosmetic science. They may well end up working in the R&D lab of a large cosmetics' firm. A cosmetic product formulator would not necessarily know the in-depth science of how ingredients work but could, through applied study and practical application of their formulating skills coupled with detailed observation, build up a considerable knowledge bank about their ingredients and formulation outcomes. A cosmetic chemist working in a large lab might not be the one who dreams up the lovely new formulas as they might be more restricted in how much of the route from first creative idea to marketable product they get their hands on. However, they may be at the forefront of R&D bringing innovative cosmetic ingredients to market. It is inevitable that there is some overlap in roles and also a lot of grey areas and misconceptions about what both careers involve. In this podcast, Formula Botanica School Director, Lorraine Dallmeier and podcast host and Relationship Manager Gemma discuss the two roles and career paths along with their respective pros and cons. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone wondering about the training and career options in formulating cosmetics' products especially if looking to focus on natural, organic formulation. In this episode tackling the roles of a cosmetic chemist vs skincare formulator, you'll hear about: Why your decision to choose one training route over the other may be more down to personal circumstances such as lifestyle, finances, commitments and time, and your desired career in the cosmetics' industry; How a cosmetic chemist has the chance to work in world-leading beauty brand labs but conversely how a product formulator may enjoy more freedom and creativity in formulating products and in career options; Why a cosmetic product placed for sale in most parts of the world, whether it is formulated by a chemist or product formulator, will have had to undergone the safety, stability and microbial testing to be placed legally on the market for sale; Why it is imperative that any cosmetics' business founder is transparent about their own personal or their employees' cosmetic formulating qualifications and must be confident in explaining how and why their qualifications  - whichever route they choose - enable them to do their job professionally; Why building a successful cosmetics' brand requires a swathe of skills that are not inherent in either product formulation nor chemistry backgrounds and would require extra skill sets; Why the lack of formal, tertiary-level cosmetic chemistry courses worldwide and the costs entailed in continuing in higher education might make a shorter-term, distance-learning formulation course a more accessible option for some. Key take-outs include the three main steps to becoming a competent, natural cosmetics' skincare formulator: Step one: First, get to know your ingredients thoroughly and learn how to research their properties. This will give you a sound basis on which to build your formulating skills. Step two: Practice formulating and never stop testing out new combinations and ratios of ingredients. Only through practice can you create more advanced formulas that consumers demand. Step three: Learn how to test your formulations professionally (safety, stability and microbial tests are mandatory). Develop the patience to test and make understanding testing one of your most important learning goals as a cosmetics formulator. If you enjoy this podcast, you may also like our podcast on How to Comply with Cosmetics' Regulations and our post Why I love natural, by a Cosmetic Chemist. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook. Twitter; and on Instagram.

Did you know that one of the most effective ways to pitch your beauty products to a buyer is to formulate your cosmetics' range from the start with your ideal retailer in mind? Understanding what a retailer is looking for in your beauty brand and getting to know their retail space inside out is just some of the groundwork you need to do before approaching a buyer. After all, they get hundreds of email pitches every day and you need to grab their attention. In this near hour-long episode of Green Beauty Conversations, our guest Gemma Harling of Lumi Consultancy provides a goldmine of information for the beauty entrepreneur serious about getting stocked in top retailers. As a former senior buyer for one of the UK's largest beauty retailers, Gemma gives us insights into the role of the time-poor beauty buyer. She knows what gets buyers to sit up and take notice of a new beauty brand and has seen also just about every pitfall eager start-up founders make. As Gemma says, she has seen "the good, the bad and the ugly" of brand pitches, and is here to see your brand stands out and gains traction with your target retailers. Getting a reply to an email, let alone a foot in the door to pitch your beauty products to a buyer in person is tougher than ever in a fast-moving beauty retail world where brands can come and go off shelves in less than six months. Buyers are on the look out for the 'next big thing' and while they don't wish to miss the chance of discovering a truly innovative, exciting indie brand, they also need to keep their large, established cosmetics' brands happy. Your pitch needs to be strategic if you're to get noticed! Be prepared to take notes as Gemma walks us through her top 5 tips on how to pitch your beauty products effectively, from first email to buyer presentation.  Gemma has kindly prepared a workbook to download -  'Race to Retail' - which is a brilliant roadmap to follow in preparing to get retail ready. In this episode on how to pitch your beauty products, you'll hear about: Why it is important to be clear about who your  target customers are. Don't just think of an avatar but drill into any data you have to back up your brand's customer profile. Understand too the retailers' customers and see if yours match their customers' profile. How to select your target retailers with intention. For example, a luxury-end department store with one branch might not be appropriate for your brand even if it seems a glittering prize. Think laterally and do your homework on which retailers are more suited to your brand. Why you need a clear retailer USP: understand how your product range and brand give the retailer an edge, perhaps by filling a gap in their current offer. Why you need to know your target retailers inside out. Walk the walk by going into their stores and seeing which brands and trends they promote. How visiting some live beauty events or trade fairs can be a great way to meet your target retailers and buyers. They are also brilliant opportunities to understand retail trends. See our post on latest indie beauty trends in our round up of In-Cosmetics Global 2019. Key take-outs on your brand's pitch include: Find the right buyer to contact. Try using LinkedIn to research them and then follow them on social media. Many beauty buyers have their own accounts. You will pick up on what they are looking for in a brand and understand more about their approach to retailing. Include a 'power statement' about your brand in your initial email. You could use impressive sales statistics, testimonials or press coverage. Don't be woolly about your business projections in your pitch; present sales' forecasts for each retailer but don't pluck figures out of the air - do your homework! Include your pitch presentation in the first email, but ensure it's clear, concise and visually impressive. Some buyers might be curious about your power statement and want to see immediately whether your brand is worth following up on. Be persistent in following up any communications with prospective buyers, but don't pester them. If you enjoy this podcast, see also our post 10 Tips to Attract Retail Beauty Buyers to your Skincare Brand. Find out more about Gemma Harling and Lumi Consultancy's services to indie beauty brands here: Lumi Consultancy website. Lumi on Instagram. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook. Twitter; and on Instagram.

It is hard to imagine today with organic-certified beauty products readily available a time when launching a high-performance organic skincare brand would have required the founder to make the market, educating customers to the benefits of organic beauty. Now, barely a week passes without us hearing of a big brand in the personal care industry buying up clean, green, organic beauty brands as well as creating their own ranges on the naturals' spectrum. However, we might not know just how difficult it was for organic brands entering the market a couple of decades ago when their voices and valid claims would fall on deaf ears. Our guest in this episode, serial wellness entrepreneur Karen Behnke, took a leap of faith back in 2004 to start a high-performance organic skincare brand under the name 'Juice Beauty'. Now a highly-acclaimed international beauty brand, Juice Beauty offers award-winning skincare and make-up products that meet rigorous USA organic regulations. Karen's declared mission at the outset was to create high-performance organic skincare with scientifically-proven efficacy that was also backed by solid eco values. She found herself in the early noughties pitching Juice Beauty against an industry largely sceptical of natural and organic products' ability to match, let alone exceed the benefits of traditional personal care products whose formulas were composed largely of synthetic ingredients. As an exemplar for emerging, organic beauty brands, Karen talks us through the secrets of success in building and growing a truly high-performance organic skincare brand. She explains that it is as important as ever, if not more so, to stay true to your declared, transparent mission and ensure you create truly high-performance organic skincare products that do deliver on promise. In this episode on high-performance organic skincare, you'll find out about: Why it's best not to rush your products to market. Dedicating budget, time and effort to creating something innovative can be key to your brand's point of difference in the market. Why efficacy is the holy grail of high-performance organic skincare if you wish to grow your beauty business and gain loyal customers in the increasingly crowded naturals' sector. Why budgeting for scientific tests to prove any efficacy claims your formulations offer can be the most important decision you make in starting an organic skincare brand. Formulating high-performance skincare is also about creating the right emotional and sensual consumer experiences. How a cream, for example, glides on - the 'slip' - is just one criterion that customers will review your products' performance on. Why transparency in how and where you source ingredients - from field to supplier  - gives you more control over your supply chain, valuable insights into the provenance of your organic products and messages that can empower your brand. Key take-outs include: Science-led innovation helps you stay ahead in the organic beauty sector. Be aware that any organic, vegan, or other business claims will be investigated, so ensure you have a declared mission statement and principles guiding your business from the start. Decide which certification and/or claims are more important to your mission - whether vegan, sustainability, ethical business and so on - and be prepared to go the extra mile to ensure your brand adheres rigorously to your mission. Consumers are very demanding these days so understand the implications of any 'way of life' you or your brand project in your marketing messages. You might like to see some of our other podcasts and articles on aspects of sourcing and formulating with high-performance organic skincare ingredients, including: Sourcing sustainable organic skincare ingredients (podcast with Jem Skelding of Naissance) How to research cosmetic ingredients for organic skincare How to make a high-performance vitamin E serum The benefits of vitamin C in high-performance skincare Find out more about Juice Beauty, its range of high-performance organic skincare products and make-up and its commitment to sustainable, organic practices: Juice Beauty website. Juice Beauty on Facebook. Juice Beauty on Instagram. Juice Beauty on Twitter. Juice Beauty on Youtube. Juice Beauty on Pinterest. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This Green Beauty Conversations episode sees the Formula Botanica team report on the top beauty trends 2019 as seen at In-Cosmetics Global held this year in Paris in early April. In-Cosmetics is one of the beauty industry's key calendar events, and is a vast gathering of all branches of the cosmetics' sector and is open to both trade and the public. The Formula Botanica team comprising School Director Lorraine, Education Manager Timi and Business and Relationship Manager Gemma spread out among the vast exhibition halls to cover as many niche and sectoral beauty zones, workshops, supplier stands and talks as possible to give us a rounded and hot-off-the-press perspective on the top beauty trends for 2019. Formula Botanica also garnered a prestigious slot at the event; Lorraine was invited to give a keynote presentation and chose to tackle the traditional polarisation of synthetics vs naturals in a keynote entitled 'Challenging the assumptions of naturals in cosmetics'. Comparing notes and looking back to previous editions of In-Cosmetics, this podcast sees the team dive into some 10 top beauty trends; some evolving still; some contentious; some fascinating; and most all three at once! The trends we focus on include: formulation and ingredient innovations; the industry's focus on the skin's microbiome; water-reduced and waterless beauty; sustainability; greenwashing; food's influence on cosmetics; and bewildering and less than transparent new terms that cropped up such as 'sub-zero waste'. One theme that stood out throughout In-Cosmetics was how indie has gone mainstream; a fact acknowledged by In-Cosmetics 2019 as this was the first fair that included a dedicated Indie Beauty Trail. We came across around 50 Formula Botanica graduates and students at In-Cosmetics and would encourage more of you to attend next year's fair in Barcelona. Our team offer advice on how to make the most of In-Cosmetics, which can be an overwhelming experience. Listen in, be inspired and discover how to include the top beauty trends 2019 in your formulations and brands. In this episode, you'll find out about how: A new breed of emulsifiers is giving rise to innovative products with transformational textures and dual purposes. We discovered incredible 'jelly' textures that turn into powders and creams, as well as thick cleansers that turn to foaming products. Food-inspired cosmetics are hitting the market big time and catching attention with names borrowed from food products. Examples include: Body Vinegar, and Face Chutney. Cosmetic products aimed at helping protect and nurture the skin's microbiome are on the rise and forking into three branches of functional products using pre-, pro- and post-biotic ingredients. We're curious to discover more about the underlying science behind their claims. More suppliers are gaining certification (Ecocert, Cosmos etc) for their ingredients. This should make life easier for formulators and brands seeking certification of their end products. Simplicity is the new ace card for formulators. We saw a noticeable absence of suppliers and cosmetics' brands promoting the latest exotic ingredients and far more emphasis on 'less is more' and locally supplied is better; and How greenwashing is still rife but masquerading in different guises. For example, products claiming sustainable credentials not because of their inherent ingredients or recyclable packaging, but because they donate to green or ethical projects. Key take-outs on how to make the most of In-Cosmetics as an indie brand include: To avoid overwhelm at the vast In-Cosmetics fair over three days, plan well in advance which zones to visit and book workshops and talks before you go. You can do this on the In-Cosmetics' website. Register for free to get updates. Before you go, buddy up with fellow Formula Botanica graduates and students on our online classroom or Skincare Entrepreneur Mastermind Facebook groups. Together you can cover more bases and feel less intimidated especially if it's your first big beauty trade fair. Don't be worried about representing a small, indie beauty brand. We found suppliers this year far more willing and helpful to the indie sector than in the past. Suppliers were eager to talk about smaller MOQs (minimum order quantities) and seemed to have geared up to the indie sector's needs. Do try to attend some formulation workshops as you will learn a lot about how to work with new, innovative ingredients like emulsifiers. Do visit the Sensory Bar and any other innovation zones even if a lot of the products showcased are not natural. You can gain invaluable insights into upcoming trends from mainstream cosmetic brands which can open your eyes to possibilities in your natural formulating. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

At Formula Botanica, one of the most frequent questions our community asks is where to buy certain organic skincare ingredients. Our students have access to our resources list of recommended, trusted suppliers around the world. However, knowing more about how suppliers work behind the scenes can help you ask the right questions when sourcing ingredients to suit your formulating needs. Being a supplier of organic skincare ingredients isn't an easy business to be in. There are numerous challenges in getting specific ingredients to each and every customer when and where they want them. Ensuring availability of natural organic skincare ingredients isn't the only issue our suppliers have to contend with. As natural formulators, we ask them also about the sustainability of their organic skincare ingredients, as well as whether they were grown, harvested and supplied in line with ethical business practices. To help explain the supplier's viewpoint, we spoke to Jem Skelding, Founder and CEO of Naissance, a global supplier of natural organic skincare ingredients. As Jem explains, challenges in sourcing and supplying ingredients range from factoring in the 'usual' problems of accessing remote rural regions, and dealing with poor harvests and erratic weather affecting availability to acute situations such as war, famine and flood. For Naissance, a company whose business ethos is founded on ethical practices and which works in partnership with, rather than just buys from rural communities and collectives around the world farming natural ingredients, these challenges are 'all in a day's work'. In this podcast episode, host Gemma discovers the surprising lengths Naissance goes to in order to serve not only its end customers - the formulators - but also everyone in its supply chain from its own team to myriad small farming communities across the globe. Our aim in interviewing Jem is to sensitise us to just what goes on behind the scenes in supplying ethically- and sustainably-sourced organic skincare ingredients, and for us, as formulators to know what to ask of our suppliers as well. Jem also shares his insights into running and growing an ethical business, having founded Naissance some 20 years ago and building it from kitchen table to global brand. In this episode, on sourcing organic skincare ingredients and ethical business, you'll hear about: Why starting out in business from day one with a rock-solid commitment to ethical practices and dedication to providing high quality helps guide and and manage all your business relationships transparently; How going the extra mile spending time with your customers, listening to their needs and giving advice is not a waste of time at any stage in business, but rather a valuable investment in your future; Why it is worth working towards organic, or other ethical, sustainable or quality certification awards for your products and/or business. However, Jem also explains that your certification goals should not burden your own suppliers and partners; try to work with them and help them to help you so it's a win-win for all; How selling internationally is more than just about translating a website. You should seek to understand the countries and cultures you are trading in and put in some 'face time' visiting your trading partners to really grasp your international customers' needs. Key takeouts from this episode include: Ethical business is built on honest, open communications and being sensitive to your partners' needs and goals, whether they are those of your staff or of the numerous other entities that you rely on to do business. Don't underestimate the tax and legal side of growing a business, especially once you trade internationally. But do pay your dues in each country you operate to ensure you support people on the ground there. Help everyone in your business chain profit, improve and share in your success as your business grows. Be sensitive to the daily life and realities of the communities from which you source your organic skincare ingredients. A Shea butter collective, for example, might be eight hours from an airport or port and have to deal with all sorts of issues in delivering your product or raw material. Naissance-Formula Botanica Starter Kit Naissance has teamed up with us to create the Formula Botanica starter kit for students completing their award-winning online Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation. The diploma teaches you how to develop your own unique formulations so that you can start the skincare business of your dreams. It contains a good range of essential ingredients including carrier and essential oils, floral waters and functional ingredients like emulsifiers, exfoliants, gums, pH adjusters and surfactants. Find out more about Naissance, its range of organic skincare ingredients and its commitment to ethical business: Naissance website. Naissance on Facebook. Naissance on Instagram. Naissance on Twitter. Naissance on Youtube. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

If you have been hanging out in our Skincare Entrepreneur Mastermind Facebook group or other beautypreneur forums, you are likely to have come across our guest Rachel Whittaker of Indie Beauty Delivers, who is a tour de force in beauty logistics. She loves telling us why beauty logistics are not boring and why you should consider them as a really important part of how you set-up your business. Rachel has long experience in all aspects of logistics from warehousing to distribution and customer service, and some 17 years specifically in beauty brand logistics. She has worked with everyone from big name brands such as Coty Prestige and Proctor & Gamble (P&G) to indie start-ups launched from homes and garages. She was also a panel speaker at the Formula Botanica 2018 conference  and had some key insights to share about why beauty logistics are not boring. And you will find out just how not boring beauty logistics are in this fast-paced interview, "Logistics is a really important and exciting part of your brand", to quote Rachel, "as it's the first time your physical beauty products come into contact with your customers. It's a critical moment to get that encounter right, make a good impression and exceed their expectations." Whether you are intending to DIY fulfill your orders from home, already in business and wondering how to cope with fulfillment when upscaling and growing or need to work out how to distribute to retailers, our interview with Rachel is a must-listen.   In this episode on beauty logistics, you will hear about: Why the term logistics these days covers far more than the movement of goods from A to B and their storage. It's a very sophisticated industry with reach into every aspect of ecommerce and customer service; Why fulfillment is the most exciting part of your beauty business as it's about the customer receiving your products and how they delight in or otherwise react to their 'unboxing'; Why it's never too early in your entrepreneurial journey running and growing a beauty business to find out about logistics' options such as outsourcing even if you take them up only later on; and How some fulfillment centres and warehousing firms can act in effect as outreach staff, covering aspects of your business like customer service including running your site's live chat. Key takeouts from Rachel's interview include: The logistics industry runs on word-of-mouth referrals and testimonials as much as any other so ask around in various beauty entrepreneur groups online, as well as search social media and platforms like Linkedin, for recommendations of reliable, beauty-focused fulfillment centres and warehouses. View your warehouse or fulfillment firm as a business partner rather than just as an outsourced service. It is crucial to keep them informed on issues such as your growth plans, change of packaging or branding and other aspects that can help them assist you better. Visit any potential logistics partner; nothing beats having a face-to-face meeting to gauge their level of service, storage facilities and so on. Some logistics partners will have considerable expertise in the beauty retail industry and be able to help you in your approaches to key retailers and know what big name retailers expect from a beauty brand. Successful relations with your logistics partner are based on open, timely communications, which, even when things go wrong once in a while, can help you get back on track with your logistics. Logistics these days is about data and ecommerce tools so find out what kind of detailed insights your warehousing or fulfillment partner can provide you with to assist your business planning and strategy. In the episode, Rachel mentions her free Warehouse Match Service as well as her Indie Beauty Rockstars' Mentoring Programme which opens again for enrolment in the autumn. Find out more about beauty logistics on Rachel's active social media and site where she offers an amazing amount of free advice about all aspects of logistics and running an indie beauty business: Indie Beauty Delivers website Indie Beauty Delivers on Facebook. Indie Beauty on Instagram. Indie Beauty on Twitter. Indie Beauty on Pinterest. Rachel Whittaker on Linkedin. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Formula Botanica students and graduates are unsurprisingly mainly women, so we decided in this Green Beauty Conversation to focus unapologetically on women's health and well being; also because we're still in our designated Women's Month of March as we hit the airwaves. In this episode, we talk to Natasha Richardson, herbalist, women's health expert and founder of Forage Botanicals, a business aimed specifically at helping women alleviate and manage the stress and symptoms of period pain and other menstrual cycle issues through health coaching, education and herbal products. Host Gemma met Natasha at Stylist Live, one of the UK's main beauty events of the year, where Forage Botanicals had a stand and thought it would be fascinating to catch up with her for several reason relating both to women's health and building a small, niche business. This podcast gives us also another chance to celebrate women's achievements in business as we extend the tenets of International Women's Day throughout this month. Natasha started her herbalist coaching and product company straight out of university and explains how she refocused her business from pure coaching and custom services to an online course and multiple products so she could reach and help more women. She has some great insights into crowd funding which has been the main source of her funding. Expect some frank and open chat as Natasha and Gemma home in on the taboos women still face in discussing menstrual issues both with friends and medical experts. We tackle issues that are usually spoken about in hushed tones, dealt with alone and often meet a stonewalled silence from regular medical services. In this episode on women's health and small niche business, you'll hear about: How passion for a specific niche, such as in Natasha's case women's menstrual health, can be an incredible force and driver for a small business; Why it makes sense to shift the focus of your business from creating custom products and offering one-to-one services to including a product range to help you scale up faster and also serve a lot more customers; How products and services that address sensitive issues that people perhaps feel far more comfortable searching for answers to online can be a useful business niche to consider; And conversely, why you may come across some harsh critics in online fora and social media if you openly address issues that some feel uncomfortable being aired and discussed. Stay strong, be honest and transparent and serve your tribe who will look to you as an expert in your niche to guide them; and why Going to events to meet target customers face-to-face helps generate ideas and insights into which products to bring to market. Key take-outs from Natasha on crowdfunding your niche business include: Just do it rather than procrastinate! Not all advice on how to go about crowdfunding 'the right way' will fit your needs or necessarily work for you. Be guided by your own personality, passion and purpose; You don't necessarily need to have investors and offer products all lined up in advance of launching a crowdfunding campaign; Natasha used her regular products and even sold them for more on her crowdfunding pitch page than on her site (explaining the extra cash was for a donation); Work out a figure you need to raise crowdfunding, and then double it! You will always need more than the minimum viable amount as there will be hidden costs like PR and marketing you will have forgotten to factor in; and Make your campaign about one specific, identifiable goal as investors need clarity and transparency - Natasha raised funding for a new product - her Moon Time Belly Balm - that she wanted to bring to market. Find out more about Forage Botanicals and Natasha's Women's Health education, coaching and products: Forage Botanicals' website. Forage Botanicals on Facebook. Forage Botanicals on Instagram. Forage Botanicals on Twitter. Forage Botanicals podcast archives. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Most of us in the green beauty sector are familiar with long-established organic brands Weleda and Dr Haushka, but what we might not know is that they run their skincare businesses according to biodynamic principles. Biodynamic skincare is often described as 'organic plus' as it takes a caring, holistic approach that defines not only the farming of botanical ingredients for skincare products but also their entire life cycles from field to face. The Biodynamic Association defines biodynamics as a "holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming, gardening, food, and nutrition". That is a powerful statement combining as it does three prongs of business that generally don't feature in equal weight in the commercial realities of big name cosmetics' companies. However, this definition might still leave you wondering what exactly biodynamic skincare is. We felt we needed real-life examples of biodynamics in action and what it means in practice to the natural skincare formulator. Our Green Beauty Conversations guest for this episode is someone who has practically grown-up with the philosophy and practices of biodynamic farming. Sebastian Parsons of Liv, a biodynamic collaborative foundation based on a working farm in Worcestershire, UK, was introduced to biodynamics in his teens by a farmer uncle. He and his team run workshops, an online store retailing biodynamic skincare brands and also, of course, the farm itself. Sebastian says that biodynamics is all about consciousness; your deep desire to grow and use the best ingredients you can, working with the rhythms of nature. It isn't simply harking back to a traditional way of growing plants that our ancient forebears would have used as it is anchored in contemporary science. But, it does involve an emotional connection to place and a deep synergy with and understanding of the land. In this episode, you'll learn more about biodynamic skincare and practices, such as: Biodynamic practices are about a commitment to life and the living organism. It sees growers seeding, planting, nurturing and harvesting, and manufacturers creating products from biodynamic ingredients on the calendar days best suited to the plants' needs - not ours. Demeter Biodynamic Certification started in 1928 and is the largest worldwide biodynamic regulatory body. It certifies a large range of 'gold standards' in biodynamic farming and production ranging from biodiversity and ecosystem preservation to soil husbandry and the prohibition of genetically-engineered organisms. It guarantees consumers the ultimate in high quality products, whether personal care or food. Biodynamic skincare is considered more vibrant and 'alive' with beneficial ingredients thanks to the way the original botanical materials have been handled in tune with the rhythms of nature. The biodynamic calendar is one of the most known aspect of the practice. It is drawn up based on the influences of the moon, planets and constellations on plant growth and lays out what day is most propitious for doing various farming and growing jobs. Key take-outs from Sebastian include: As with any movement that requires a paradigm shift to become part of, the biodynamic community can seem overwhelming to the newcomer. Sebastian recommends dipping your toes in, reading and researching biodynamic practices and gradually getting involved. See the links below for some good places to start. Biodynamic practices aren't only about farming. They translate into ethical business practices. Biodynamic business will not be driven by the need to generate profits over all other concerns. In the skincare sector, biodynamic approaches don't stop at the cosmetic product in its pot. Therapists and other beauty practitioners can adopt biodynamic principles at the point of service delivery to the customer who will experience the therapy differently as a result. See the Liv workshop details below. If you are interested in following a biodynamic approach to formulating and selling your cosmetic products, try to embed some of its values from the start; it will then become second nature to work to biodynamic principles fully as your business grows. Conscious Connecting Workshops & Discount Offer Liv runs regular Conscious Connecting workshops throughout the year. Sebastian is offering the Formula Botanica community a discount on the early bird price. To find out more about upcoming courses see Skin & Soul Within: Conscious Connecting workshops. To gain the discount, just contact Liv quoting code: Formula Botanica. Discover more about Liv and biodynamic skincare over at: Liv website Liv on Facebook. Liv on Instagram. Liv on Twitter. Links Sebastian mentioned to useful resources on the biodynamic movement, ingredients and practices: Biodynamic Association, UK. Biodynamic Certification, UK. Demeter ingredients directory. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

If you thought solid shampoo bars were a recent trend, you should listen to our latest Green Beauty Conversation with Akua Wood who is the founder of Sheabutter Cottage, a pioneering business that supplies natural haircare ingredients as well as skincare and haircare products. Akua's solid shampoo bars have been best sellers in her online store almost since she started out in the early 2000s. Ghanaian-born Akua arrived in the UK in 1994 and it was while her daughters were very young that she launched her first business, Cioccolatina, after finding a lack of natural haircare and skincare products suited to her needs. Recalling her childhood, her father's kitchen remedies and her grandmother's cocoa farm, Akua realised that her native Ghana was a fantastic place to source the pure oils and butters she needed. Cioccolatina was rebranded as Sheabutter Cottage as the supply side of Akua's business grew fast out of the necessity of sourcing larger amounts of the natural ingredients she needed for her own products. The business grew fast but Akua kept the word 'cottage' in the name to reflect her origins as a founder-led business, and also to tally with her ethics which see her sourcing directly from small-scale Ghanaian farmers. Continuing our focus in February on organic, natural haircare formulation, we chat to Akua about the incredible properties of raw, unrefined natural haircare ingredients and bust the myth that natural haircare ingredients are more complex, and difficult to source and work with. Never was there a better time to explore the depth and breadth of haircare ingredients available to the natural formulator. In this episode, you'll gain insights into natural haircare ingredients and formulating, including: Be curious and adventurous in your haircare formulations as consumers are looking for innovative ingredient combinations - Sheabutter Cottage catches the eye with its use of black molasses in one of its best-selling shampoo bars. First, work out what haircare issue you are trying to resolve and then focus closely on ingredient properties to work out what best addresses your customers' needs; Don't for one minute think that natural haircare products take a back seat to skincare; there's a large untapped market waiting for customised haircare solutions; Haircare is a diverse market with myriad niches as products can tackle not just issues like oiliness or dry hair but can address also various hair textures and external factors affecting hair manageability. Essentially, formulating for haircare is parallel to formulating skincare products; the same formulating techniques are used. Key take-outs from this episode include advice on running an ethical business: Akua started her first business with two, pre-school age children at home and with no outside financing. She believes that it is possible to start small and grow organically if you work within your means and do what you can when you can. Running an ethical business sourcing direct from growers rather than from middlemen suppliers has its challenges but is a very powerful message to put out. Today, consumers are scrutinising the values and ethics of retail businesses they purchase from. Don't feel you need to run a huge business to contribute in some small way to charities that tally with your business ethics. Sheabutter Cottage contributed first by buying direct from farmers, and now helps in a very personal and life-changing way in Ghana by sponsoring teaching assistance for individual autistic children. Again, it's a case of doing what you can, and when you can afford it, and remembering also that even small steps towards running your business more ethically can make a difference to lives. If you are interested in learning more about starting and running an ethical natural organic skin or haircare business, listen also to our podcast with Anju Rupal of Abhati Suisse. You might also be interested in finding out about the Formula Botanica Diploma in Organic Haircare Formulation which is open for enrolment twice a year. Find out more about Sheabutter Cottage and its range of unrefined natural ingredients here: Sheabutter Cottage website. Sheabutter Cottage on Instagram. Sheabutter Cottage on Facebook. Sheabutter Cottage on Twitter. Sheabutter Cottage on YouTube. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We met Jo Chidley, beauty entrepreneur and founder of Beauty Kitchen, effective, natural, and sustainable beauty, almost a year ago and have been stalking her ever since to give us some airtime.  We are so excited to have caught up with her in her busy schedule running a multi-million turnover business from her native Scotland. Jo has won multiple industry awards, including the Natwest Everywoman Award in the Brand of the Future Category and was recognised as one of the 10 most influential people in Natural Beauty in the UK. She’s been featured in the likes of ELLE, Woman & Home magazine and BBC News and is a founding member of the Global Advisory Board for Sustainable & Natural Cosmetics. Jo was voted Nr 2 in the 2018 Who’s Who of Natural Beauty. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Jo takes us back to her early days in the beauty business, and talks us through her start-up strategies and how she grew from small beginnings to where Beauty Kitchen is today. We realised talking to Jo that while some connections and opportunities come through sheer luck, there are many others that are out there for the taking, if you know when and where to look for them.  These include free business advice and numerous sources of funding. Jo and her husband knew they wanted to start a sustainable beauty business and spotted a gap in the sustainable, natural beauty market between the "fun of Lush and the efficacy of Neal's Yard", as Jo describes their niche. However, even though hugely successful now, Beauty Kitchen started small and took its time to thrash out that market niche and point of difference.  Jo tells us that her big break came in a rushed, rather impromptu but nonetheless very cleverly pitched 10-minutes to a retail buyer over a coffee in Starbucks. The beauty entrepreneur has to know how to plan and yet be super calm and flexible at a moment's notice to make the most of golden opportunities. Listen to Jo's experience, infectious energy and sound advice and you'll gain invaluable inside tips from a seasoned beauty entrepreneur.   In this episode, you'll gain beauty entrepreneur tips including: Don't rush your market research and the ground work needed to map your business model. Early sales at markets and fairs might seem a time waste but realise that the feedback you get and the resilience you gain personally from these experiences can help you define a better business and products later on. You need to be curious and do your research and have your antenna tuned to funding and networking opportunities.  There are more funds out there for start-ups that you might think, from free business advice to grants. Use your gut feeling too. If you have a product ready for market, but your 6th sense and market research is telling you it's not quite the right time for it to be understood, hold back. Start slowly but surely educating your market first and then try again. If your product or business doesn't succeed in its early days, learn to "fail fast, fail cheaply and move on and learn from it".  A wise entrepreneur knows to cut their losses, be strengthened by the experience and save their energy to start again, differently. Key take-out from this episode on becoming a beauty entrepreneur are: One opportunity often leads to another. Once you've gained one pot of funding, won one small award or some seed funding, you start to get noticed and to notice other sources of business know-how and start-up funding available to you at low or even no cost. Retailers, bank managers, and other entities you might wish to approach as you build your business are generally time poor. Try scripting out standard one-, three- and five-minute pitches that say everything important for your audience to know. Edit these pitches for different audiences. Getting hands-on and showing how your products work and how they differentiate themselves can do more than words on Powerpoint slides sometimes. So, get creative with your approaches to third parties. Seek out networking events and communities with like-minded businesses; someone will no doubt have had your issues and be able to offer mutual help. Sustainable business is not a trend but a new way of doing business. See how you can implement sustainable business practices transparently and ethically into your processes and products, whether in terms of packaging or moves to zero waste. Do what you can when you can. Small transparent steps are better than rushing and then not being able to deliver on promise. In this episode, Jo mentions several funding entities and other resources: Entrepreneur Handbook - a complete list and guide to small business funding in the UK. Entrepreneurial Spark - accelerator, intrapreneur and mindset enabler organisation and network. Startup Grind - global community of entrepreneurs. Find out more about Jo Chidley and Beauty Kitchen, the brand and her story here: Beauty Kitchen website. Beauty Kitchen on Instagram. Beauty Kitchen on Facebook. Beauty Kitchen on Youtube. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on: Facebook. Twitter; and on Instagram.

There is no better time to take stock and review indie beauty trends and events than the start of a new year; nor is there a better time for a change. So, in this episode of Green Beauty Conversations podcast we see a role reversal with host Gemma in the hot seat as our interviewee, while school director Lorraine asks the questions. This is one of our longer podcasts as Gemma does an extensive, insider round-up of the value of attending, as a visitor and as trade, both Indie Beauty Expo, which had its inaugural European debut with its London show late last October, and Stylist Live which took place at Olympia, London, in November. Gemma describes Stylist Live as "indie brand heaven" as it combined beauty with a range of lifestyle, homes' style and wellness sectors to offer a really great day out. Just as exciting are the indie beauty trends that Gemma noticed emerging at these events which ranged from brands offering varying levels of product customisation to those promoting a more holistic, wellness view of outer beauty. What struck Gemma as she took on her roving reporter role was the number of Formula Botanica students and graduates whom she met at these two major UK events, both as brands exhibiting and as visitors doing market research and simply having a great day out and a meet-up. Above all, what we and everyone we know who attended both IBE and Stylist Live noticed was the overriding atmosphere of collaboration and genuine eagerness to move the global green beauty movement forward together. As Gemma says: "Both shows had a feeling of indie entrepreneur collaboration. Stall holders, though technically in many ways in competition, showed real kindness to each other." To conclude this episode, our duo focuses on two of last year's major achievements for the school: the Formula Botanica 2018 conference - our largest and most successful to date - which took place in London in early November; and the Cosmetic Executive Women Award Ceremony which saw Lorraine receive the Digital Achiever Award sponsored by Google. Both events were remarkable for bringing pioneering people in the beauty industry together to network and forge opportunities. In this episode, key indie beauty trends you'll hear about include: The noticeable growth of crystal-infused beauty products either made with or containing crystals in various forms and offering a holistic concept of beauty; Part-customisable skincare using pre-made bases which give consumers the option to choose their own active and other ingredients, such as fragrance, to tailor products; The boom in natural make-up brands keen to demonstrate that all-natural cosmetics can be high performance too; and Ingestible beauty and food supplements that work hand in hand with topical cosmetics to help provide a holistic approach to beauty and wellness. Our key take-outs about attending indie beauty events include: First, define your trade or consumer show objectives. Work out your goals in attending, whether market research, sales, networking or meeting prospective retail buyers. Do your homework on events and shows to see if they are a good fit for you. Indie Beauty Expo (IBE), which is set to expand further into Europe, is primarily a trade show aimed at getting your brand before retail buyers, distributors and so on. There is a consumer 'Shop Indie' evening, but otherwise it's mainly a trade opportunity. Stylist Live has a real buzz to it and is a three-day consumer show. It offers a great opportunity to get your brand before potential customers and gain all-important feedback. You will need stamina to exhibit at either event! If you exhibit, do ensure you have your marketing and brand collateral on point and in an easy format for customers to pick up and take away. You may be too busy to chat to everyone, so ensure your give-aways send out a clear message about your brand, products' differentials and so on. Both IBE and Stylist Live are annual events in London, with IBE set to appear in other European cities, such as IBE Berlin (22-23 March, 2019). You might be interested in listening to our podcast Why beauty tradeshows are good business with guest Paula Francis of SuperFoodLx. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

It takes one to know one, so the adage goes and never more so than when referring to the incredibly diverse and mysterious roles played by the green beauty influencer. To help shed light on how new indie and niche beauty brands can make the most of collaborating with green beauty influencers, we invited Callie Lions of The Green Beauty Mom fame to the podcast. Callie, a graduate of Formula Botanica, straddles the green beauty influencer world. She started out in 2011 blogging and running her social media as a way to indulge her passion for all things green beauty as she learned the practical formulation skills on our diploma course. Driven by a desire to share news and reviews of often lesser-known yet brilliant new green beauty products with other mums and mothers to be, Callie says her mission was and and still is to help them step-by-step transfer their beauty and personal care regime to green beauty. However, all along Callie knew she eventually wished to launch her own brand, which she did this year. Callie has therefore been on both sides of the green beauty influencer fence; working with brands but also being a brand needing her own social clout and help from influencers. She occupies a unique space in the green beauty influencer world as she still shares information on fellow green brands; coopetition and cooperation are her watchwords as Callie feels that the more that's out there on all green beauty trends and brands, the better for all involved in making a living from this sector of the beauty industry. In fact, a leitmotiv running through our fascinating interview with Callie is the need for constructive collaboration in which everyone gains. Listen in for Callie's highly practical advice and tips on just how to create, manage and benefit from meaningful relationships with green beauty influencers, in particular on the do's and don'ts of Instagram collaboration. In this episode, you'll learn: why it's imperative to work with influencers who are passionate about your space but that finding partnerships outside of your regular zone can be rewarding and mutually beneficial too; that polite persistence and perseverance in connecting with influencers pays off; don't be put off because you don't hear back immediately; why approaching accounts with less than stratospheric follower numbers can be the best way to dip your toes into working with green beauty influencers; why and how Instagram remains a preeminent social space for PR, marketing and potentially sales for any beauty brand with great visuals and prepared to work it hard; about how face-to-face networking at events such as trade fairs and green beauty shows can help you cement online connections with influencers; and why local connections with retailers, media and like-minded groups, are valuable to growing online influence too. Key takeouts on how to collaborate with green beauty influencers include: Do be prepared to talk legalities and deliverables up front. If things get formal with a green beauty influencer, it is best practice and advisable, especially if you are paying reasonable fees, to talk through the paperwork and even sign a contract. Ensure you and the influencer have good communication channels. Don't leave unanswered questions or any doubts lingering in your collaboration. Do try working with more than one influencer and don't put all your eggs in one basket. Review performance, research the influencer market and monitor the results you get from working with several. Watch our Meet the Entrepreneur webinar with Callie and join The Green Beauty Mom on social media: The Green Beauty Mom website. The Green Beauty Mom on Instagram. The Green Beauty Mom on Facebook. The Green Beauty Mom on Pinterest. The Green Beauty Mom on Twitter. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We are excited to welcome fragrance industry expert and practitioner Karen Gilbert to Green Beauty Conversations because Karen not only works actively as a perfumery trainer but also has a wealth of experience in the world of natural skincare. Karen, who is also a trained aromatherapist, started her perfume industry career with one of the large fragrance houses, IFF, as an evaluator of fragrance in products ranging from luxury brands to functional household cleaners. In the late 1990s, Karen joined Neal's Yard, a UK company that helped pioneer natural ingredients in skincare and retails essential and carrier oils. Karen developed their in-house training arm and was key in helping retail staff understand the therapeutic and holistic benefits of naturals, including fragrance, in Neal's Yard products. Who better then to pass on some practical advice to the Formula Botanica community about using fragrance in natural skincare? We learnt a lot from Karen in this packed interview which covered topics ranging from why fragrance can be contentious in the world of natural skincare formulation to scent having the power to create a direct intercession with our emotions and memories. As natural skincare formulators, we might think of fragrance oils primarily for their therapeutic benefits. However, as Karen points out, fragrance is usually a customer's first impression of a personal care product and can influence their purchasing decisions. Perfume, fragrance or scent, whichever term you like to use, has its own semiography. As natural skincare formulators, we'd be wise to understand how scent can sway our potential customers. In this expert series' interview on Green Beauty Conversations, Karen shares her deep industry knowledge and offers a host of practical examples and tips on how best to work with fragrance in natural skincare. [bctt tweet="Perfumery industry expert and trainer @karengilbert shares expertise and practical tips on using fragrance in natural skincare on the #greenbeautyconversations podcast. #fragrance #essentialoils" username="FormulaBotanica"] In this episode, you'll learn: about how our brain processes our sense of smell and why it's important to understand this in developing fragrance blends for our skincare formulations; how odours trigger emotions and memories which in turn can cause us to react to certain scents positively or negatively based on our individual experiences; why fragrance in natural skincare is as important for its aesthetic reasons as for any therapeutic benefits; why scent development needs to take place at the same time as product formulation and why you need to treat scent as an equal partner to other natural ingredients; about how consumers have certain expectations of how personal care products should smell and why you need to take that into consideration when formulating; and why going fragrance free or using unusual fragrances in natural skincare products might require you to educate your potential customers about your brand's ingredient choices. Key practical takeouts on working with fragrance in natural skincare include: Learn how to evaluate the smell of your product bases and raw natural ingredients such as carrier oils and natural extracts. In this way, you can make more informed choices about the right fragrance blends to work in harmony with, enhance or perhaps even mask your base product's aroma as well as provide any desired therapeutic benefits. Be aware that the same fragrance blend won't necessarily have the same odour profile nor be experienced the same way by a consumer across a range of different products. An emulsion, an oliogel, a micellar water, a balm, an exfoliator and so on all have different properties, viscosity and different consumer uses which influence how the scent is experienced. You may need to adjust your fragrance blends or even product formulae to ensure your target customers will enjoy the scent of your products before, during and after use on their skin. Learn to think like a consumer again - not a formulator! To understand how fragrance works in your product you must evaluate it using the product as a consumer would. Test your chosen fragrance blends as they perform in your products from first opening of the tube or pot, to application and evaporation or wash-off. Make detailed notes on the fragrance's performance to guide any reformulations needed. More on Karen Gilbert and her Online Perfume School: Karen runs her online perfumery school as well as some live classes during the year. One of her courses deals specifically with how to formulate fragrance in skincare products. Live classes: Perfume Business Bootcamp 21-22 January, 2019, central London, UK: two-day class on the business aspects of starting and creating a fragrance business. Bespoke Perfumery Masterclass, 23-25 January, 2019, central London, UK: three days of live practical perfumery creation teaching you to create custom perfumes and during which Karen can help you on your projects. Online courses: Online Perfumery School: various perfumery courses, including 'Creating Fragrance for Skincare Products'. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

What is CBD skincare? If we'd told you even a year or two ago that CBD skincare is related to cannabis, it's likely to have triggered an automatic association with scheduled drugs. However, today, certain bio-active compounds, or cannabinoids, found within both cannabis and its relative hemp are being used not only in medicine but also far more recently as legitimate, active ingredients in high-performance skincare. In brief, cannabis itself is scheduled as an illegal drug in most western countries although as recently as October 2018, it was legalised in Canada for recreational use. It has hit the news in the UK in particular this autumn with the case of a boy with epilepsy who was denied legal use of cannabis oil to ease his symptoms. It seems timely then to look into the rising trend of cannabinoids in skincare formulations. The main psychoactive part of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is one of just under 500 known compounds in the plant, including at least 65 other cannabinoids. Another group of cannabinoids however do not contain the psychoactive elements; these are cannabidiol (CBD) and it is these compounds that have been subject to cosmetic science research for their anti-ageing and other beneficial properties. The journey of how cannabinoids came to be regarded as botanical compounds of huge interest to the beauty industry is of course a complex one. To help unpack the virtues of hemp cannabinoids in CBD skincare, we invited Samir Juneja of CBD of London, the UK's first luxury CBD skincare brand to Green Beauty Conversations. Launched early in 2018, CBD of London is pioneering CBD ingredients in luxury skincare and has had coverage in major UK magazines such as Tatler, GQ and Vogue. But, as Samir says, there's a lot of education on CBD skincare to do yet for high street retailers to engage. This is why we invited CBD of London to the podcast to spread the true information on CBD skincare. In this episode, you'll hear about: The science behind CBD and its differences from THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid compounds; How the human body has its own cannabinoids, which act as receptors to topically-applied CBD; The powerful benefits of CBD in anti-ageing, anti-pollution and anti-inflammatory cosmetic products; How CBD is extracted from hemp and the pros of certain methods of extraction, like super-critical CO2; and Why CBD, while a trending new ingredient, is still misunderstood. Key take-outs from this episode include: It can take time to build a brand using new, unknown ingredients, especially those with connotations or a legacy of use in other ways. However, pioneering does bring its rewards as you have near-on first-mover advantage; Make time to educate your audiences and customers on the power of your ingredients, pointing out the positives and benefits; take every opportunity to speak to them using blog posts and social media to the maximum; Make the science behind your ingredients accessible and understandable. Remember people can research online but also find misinformation, so be transparent and helpful. Think carefully about your branding and brand positioning, as these are key to giving the right impression of your product offer. CBD overcame the cannabis connotations by creating a visually-appealing and high-end offer communicated consistently across its website, packaging and other collateral. Find out more about CBD of London, its story and about CBD skincare science here: CBD of London website. CBD of London on Instagram. CBD of London on Facebook. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

If you are creating natural, organic cosmetics with a view to selling them, the chances are you are also keen to run a sustainable, ethical skincare business too. Green beauty goes hand in hand with sustainability and transparency in all aspects of producing natural skincare, from field to face. We've talked a lot recently about the need to drill into the sustainable sourcing of botanical ingredients and also discussed the true meaning of formulating with green chemistry credentials. We've also reviewed some of the trending, top environmental and sustainability issues facing the green beauty industry. There is no end in sight to the challenges and market pressures facing the natural skincare formulator wishing to ensure their skincare products, at any point in their life cycle, don't harm our planet's resources and the people we rely on in our supply chains. Zero waste and damage limitation aren't the only concerns of an ethical skincare business. Many of us also wish to do good, actively, by supporting campaigns, charities and causes that align with our business mission and resonate with us personally. How do you go about factoring in all these concerns and at which point in your business plans? There are no easy answers, but our guest in this episode of our Green Beauty Conversations podcast has a wealth of experience on running a profitable, sustainable and ethical skincare true to its original mission and vision. Anju Rupal, founder, visionary, former social worker turned social activist, runs Abhati Suisse, a botanical organic skin and haircare business that makes a truly positive, measurable difference to the day-to-day lives of not just customers and employees but now also thousands of people and environments half way around the world from its offices in Switzerland. Abhati Suisse was conceived at the outset as an ethical business so much so that Anju says it was almost a by-product of her activism. Abhati's high-end, organic botanical products drawing on Anju's Ayurvedic roots in a British Indian family is a social enterprise spearheading several campaigns and causes from a reforestation charity and support for tribal farmers to education programmes for women and girls in India. While ethical, transparent business was the core of Abhati's mission from the start, Anju shares her experiences to inspire other formative brands to embrace ethical business not as an add-on, but as an integral part of their reason for being. Anju won a place on the Sephora Accelerate 2018 mentorship programme and also shares some invaluable insights on how this initiative works hard to help women, founder-led beauty companies gain traction and fulfill their missions.  In this episode, you'll hear about: How consumers are voting with their wallets these days and choosing brands that can demonstrate transparency and do more than pay lip service to ethical business. Why new skincare brands should look at the bigger picture beyond their industry to think not just about how they can minimise their negative footprint but also make a positive impact on the world. Why you don't need to go it alone in your mission building a social, ethical enterprise; be confident and ask for help even from celebrities and bigger players in the beauty industry. You may be surprised at the support you can receive and the pro bono offers to contribute to your ethical business. Why you should think about the kind of profits you wish to make and how you'd like to reinvest them and make your decision clear in your mission from the start. Why using natural botanical ingredients at all costs, without understanding how they are sourced, harvested, processed and sold may be doing more harm than good. How to balance your brand communication between mission and product benefits as consumers are discerning, even if they value being able to buy from ethical enterprises. Anju has some key insights on the Sephora Accelerate programme too, including: Don't be scared to apply! Sephora looks at nascent ideas as well as up and running businesses, so it's never too early in your business plans to apply so long as you have a clear mission and brand promise. The programme now extends to Europe and Asia so beauty entrepreneurs worldwide can apply. It extends to technology, and other innovations in beauty, not just cosmetics' product companies as Sephora wishes to be seen pushing the boundaries in every facet of the beauty industry. The year-long mentorship is like a fast-track MBA in the cosmetics industry and is there to help you grasp all facets of business, from branding and accounts, to packaging and retail distribution. It includes a kick-off week in Los Angeles, USA, where you meet your personal mentor for the year, and includes also a pitch session to investors. The initiative fosters a fabulous network of women founders and entrepreneurs who share expertise and experiences as well as offer support. Find out more about Sephora Accelerate. Based on previous years, the deadline for applications is 31 October. Sign up for their enews to keep updated. Abhati Suisse & Formula Botanica Give-away To celebrate the release of this podcast, Formula Botanica and Abhati Suisse are hosting a give-away. For your chance to win a Nomads Kit plus full-sized bottles of the Periya Body cleanser and Kanva Body Lotion simply: Follow the Formula Botanica and Abhati Suisse Instagram pages. Comment on the give-away post on the Abhati Suisse Instagram page and leave a #myabhati comment below about why you love Abhati Suisse. This give-away is open to European countries only (sorry, rest of world...we’ll get you next time!). The contest closes Wednesday 28 November, 18:00 GMT and the winner will be announced Thursday, November 29th by Abhati Suisse in their Instagram stories. Find out more about Abhati Suisse and its ethical business values here: Abhati Suisse website. Abhati Suisse on Instagram. Abhati Suisse on Facebook. Abhati Suisse on Twitter. Abhati Suisse on YouTube. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Isn't green chemistry always at work in our artisan labs when we're formulating natural organic skincare? Our answer would be, yes it is, but probably not to the extent it could be, nor in line with how we would define green cosmetic chemistry. Believe us when we say we're not trying to make your formulating lives harder! However, take a moment to think about how consumers are increasingly asking penetrating questions about the green credentials of skincare brands, both large and small. You'll realise that the artisan formulator with business aspirations needs to work to green chemistry principles to survive in today's ever more sophisticated green beauty market. To truly adhere to green chemistry, you need to go way beyond what is in the pot and think about the whole life cycle of your products. This includes knowing how they are harvested in field and forest to how they are finally flushed down the drain at the end of their lives. In this episode, Formula Botanica Director Lorraine Dallmeier, who is a biologist and environmental scientist, opens our eyes to the gamut of issues we need to be aware of and start to address in our efforts to formulate to green cosmetic chemistry principles. As Lorraine says, "No one ever said it would be easy being a green formulator". But by listening in to this podcast, you'll discover that what seems an overwhelming agenda of measures can be tackled in increments, as and when you can. Awareness is the first step on the green chemistry road. In this episode, you'll find out about: The definition of green cosmetic chemistry and how it breaks down into manageable areas to tackle in your own formulating careers; Why prevention is better than cure and how you can do this by devising formulae that reduce your carbon footprint from the start; How even natural botanical ingredients can be hazardous to plant and animal life; Why including fewer ingredients and choosing local ingredients is one easy, first step to adhering to green cosmetic chemistry principles; Why you need to think about the total life cycle of your products and think about how they wash off and out into the eco-system; and why you need to help customers dispose easily and safely of wasted product and packaging. During the podcast, host Gemma mentions some of our related blog posts and episodes which are ideal further reading, listening and references on green issues in natural organic skincare formulating. Take a look at the links below: Sustainable Beauty: discussing the top issues and concerns with Green Chemist & Consultant Barbara Olioso. Zeroing in on Zero Waste in Green Beauty 7 Tips on Sourcing Sustainable Botanical Ingredients. Key take-outs from this episode on green cosmetic chemistry include: Work on building excellent relations with your suppliers so you can find out as much as you can about the provenance of your ingredients, including whether they are harvested, produced and delivered sustainably and ethically. Design for degradation! By this we mean working out how your product will degrade and be disposed of.  Green cosmetic chemists don't focus only on how it will perform its skincare function but take a holistic look at its impact on the environment and human health and well being. Remember, that even so-called natural and organic ingredients can cause eco toxicity and be harmful to the plant. Learn more about how your chosen ingredients are produced and try to discover if any undesirable bi-products are either used in their processing and extraction or created as a result of their production. The fact that the ingredient doesn't contain harmful substances doesn't mean it hasn't caused them. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Knowing how to price your skincare products is one of the most important factors in getting a viable beauty business off the ground. You're passionate about natural skincare formulation, but are you guilty of shirking the numbers? It's all too easy to get our heads in the pot enjoying making skincare but forget the nuts and bolts of running and growing a business, such as profit, retail and wholesale margins. Spreadsheets not just formulae sheets should be your number one priority once you've decided to make a serious business out of your skincare products. To help talk you through the numbers and how to factor enough wiggle room into your margins, we welcome a familiar face in the skincare business world, Melinda Coss. A several times entrepreneur and pioneer in the natural beauty industry, and experienced skincare business mentor, Melinda walks us through the most important things to think about in pricing skincare products. She takes us from working out the unit cost of products to the percentages retailers and distributors might expect and which you have to factor in. We don't speak accounting jargon but we do recommend hitting replay so you can take down notes as Melinda packs in a lot of advice for new skincare entrepreneurs. This episode is a goldmine if you're currently doing back of the envelope or worse, finger in the wind accounting in working out how to price your skincare products. So get your notebook open, and dust off your ability to do percentages. However, don't worry as you're in good company; Melinda has run and sold several successful businesses and says that with some help, savvy and willingness to learn, the number crunching can become second nature. In this episode, you'll learn: Why working out your reasons for wanting to run a skincare business are key to understanding what profits you wish to make, or, simply put, why your mindset makes your market; How your branding and your brand's positioning in the market are critical to determining how to price your products at a level that meets consumer expectations; Why natural and organic skincare is rarely cheap; How a 'time and motion' analysis of every cost aspects of your activities in producing products will give you the insights on which to base pricing; and Find out how and when it makes sense to run discounts and other incentives like 'buy one, get on free', or to offer free shipping. Melinda doesn't talk in abstract terms. She runs through some ballpark percentages that you should be aiming for when working out how to price skincare products and gives examples of other key facts and figures you need to know to run a business. Key takeouts about how to price your skincare products include: Take time to work out what you wish or need to earn from your business in its first year. On that basis, you can make the financial and production forecasts required; Work out in minute detail your unit costs, not forgetting to factor in your hourly rate and everything relating to packaging down to the sellotape! Then, add on 70% and you'll arrive at your base trade costs. After that, add on 7% for contingencies so you ensure you have some leeway for costs you've not envisaged up front; and Remember that your figures are your most important tool. Business is about making money whatever the passion that lies behind it. More on Melinda Coss Find out more about Melinda Coss's Ultimate Skincare Business Masterclass, a six-month programme which starts in January 2019. It covers not only the financial aspects of your skincare business, but also takes you through an intensive training programme to get your business dream from paper to reality. Use the Formula Botanica affiliate link entering the code Hello Success to claim £500 off the Skincare Group Masterclass if you book before the 6th of November, subject to availability of places. Melinda Coss website. Melinda Coss Skincare Mastermind on Facebook. Melinda Coss on Twitter. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

A year ago, if you'd searched online for the term zero waste as it relates to the beauty industry you would most likely have found few search results returned. What a difference a year makes. These days, it is a buzzword in the cosmetics industry and nowhere more so than in green beauty. What might surprise you is that a body promoting zero waste was set up as long ago as 2002. The Zero Waste International Alliance drafted its first definition of the term in 2004. It is only relatively recently, due in part to the widespread publicity of key environmental issues such as the impact of ocean plastics - including the cosmetic industry's now vilified microbeads - that the term is taking centre stage as a concept. How to go from concept to practical action on zero waste is the dilemma facing large, let alone indie beauty brands. Unsurprisingly, the natural, green and indie segments of the beauty business strive to live up to consumer expectations that their products go from field to face adhering to production practices that are as sustainable and environmentally-friendly as possible. However, zero waste goes way beyond dealing with sourcing sustainably-harvested ingredients and recyclable packaging. It implies reducing your beauty brand's waste impact to zero. On the face of it, this is an impossible feat. Never ones to shy away from a great beauty debate, Green Beauty Conversations decided to put Formula Botanica Director Lorraine Dallmeier in the podcast hotseat. In this episode, Lorraine sheds light on zero waste goals and how to put them into action, feasibly and practically, in our day-to-day formulating and business building.   In this episode, you'll find out: Why zero waste is achieved best in small steps and starts with you defining it for your own business and circumstances. How setting yourself realistic goals can help you avoid overwhelm. Why you need to play zero waste detective to find out where waste is preventable across your entire business and its supply and retail chains. Why one of the first ways to tackle the issue is, counter intuitively for businesses, to perhaps produce less in the first place. Think of the mantra 'less is more'. Why understanding how your customers use and dispose of your products is a vital part of implementing zero waste policies. As moving nearer to zero waste requires buy-in from across the beauty industry, Lorraine also gives advice on how to get help from your partners, from suppliers to retailers and consumers. Key takeouts include: See zero waste as an opportunity for your brand rather than an onerous burden. It's a chance for you to talk openly about the less transparent side of the beauty business and to gather a like-minded tribe of customers. Talk to your current or prospective retailers about what your brand is doing to adhere to zero waste principles. In this way, you can 'educate' them and bring them on board about your choices, for example in areas such as outer packaging. Discover more about how your ingredients and packaging are used and recycled.  For instance, some localities or countries might not be equipped to recycle all colours of glass or be able to dispose of cosmetics. Be aware of how your ingredients can cause inadvertent environmental or infrastructural damage even if they are all natural or come without packaging.  Check suppliers' MSDS sheets carefully for each ingredient you buy. You might also like to read these related posts as you research zero waste: When to Choose Bio-based Packaging for Cosmetics Sustainable Beauty: Discussing the Top Challenges & Concerns 7 Tips on Sourcing Sustainable Botanical Ingredients How to Comply With Cosmetics Regulations (discussion on definitions of 'natural'). What Does Natural Skincare Mean? Is Zero Waste Beauty the Next Big Trend (Huffington Post) Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

With the sheer number of hair and beauty trade shows around the globe these days, you might feel intimidated by the prospect of exhibiting at one, especially if you're new to the beauty industry. You know the score; you sign up for the details months in advance but when the time comes, you feel you either can't afford it or that your business isn't at the right stage to benefit from attending. Beautypreneurs face overwhelm in terms of the sheer effort and financial outlay required to get prepared and ready to make the most of trade shows. But, as you'll find out in this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, there are innumerable spin-off benefits that go way beyond making sales. Our guest Paula Francis is co-founder, along with her mother Cherry, of SuperFoodLx, a vegan, natural hair and skincare brand offering personal care products as well as nutritional supplements. Podcast host Gemma met Paula earlier this year at a fair, as it happens; Beauty Exchange organised by Enterprise Nation. Paula's professionalism in managing her brand at the show prompted us to find out more about how beauty brands  make the most of these events and, in particular, learn her own secrets for success. We guarantee this is an episode no beauty entrepreneur should miss.   In this episode you'll hear about: Why starting small by taking a stand at a local farmers' market or school fair can be a great way to gain confidence and not break the bank; The invaluable customer and market research you gain into your products by doing live, face-to-face beauty trade shows; The networking opportunities in the spirit of cooperation - rather than competition - that trade fairs foster among new beauty brands; How beauty trade shows help you develop fast the skills you need in retail and sales to build a business; and How those first customers at beauty shows can turn into repeat business and help boost online sales. Paula however doesn't stop at discussing trade shows. She offers a wealth of insights into starting a beauty brand. The key takeouts of this episode on the value of attending beauty trade shows: Exhibitions and shows put you out there as a new beautypreneur and get you to scrutinise yourself and work out where your strengths lie. These situations put pressure on you and can be great self learning opportunities. Be personal in your approach to customers but don't take their honest feedback personally; they are seeing you as a brand, not a founder. Listen to their comments carefully. Use this customer feedback to drive your business forwards and to work out where and how to improve, for example, product formulas or branding. Meet, greet and treat your last trade show customer of the day as you would the first. Remember, they are finding out about you for the first time even if you've been on your feet saying the same thing for 6 hours. Research and ask fellow entrepreneurs which shows worked for them. But, don't see any beauty trade show as a complete waste of time or cash as there are lessons to learn and valuable feedback to gain from almost every face-to-face event. Find out more about SuperFoodsLx here: SuperFoodLx website. SuperFoodLx on Instagram. SuperFoodLx on Facebook. SuperFoodLx on Twitter. SuperFoodLx on Pinterest. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Our last three episodes of Green Beauty Conversations formed our Beauty Branding Week and gave you plenty of strategies and practical tactics to help you get under way on your branding journey. However, if you've already launched your brand but feel that it's looking tired or is not doing your business justice or perhaps you've simply fallen out of love with it, now might be the right time to consider rebranding your beauty business. If you are at this juncture, then our guest in this episode has plenty of insights to help you work out if a rebrand might be good for your beauty business. We chat to Formula Botanica alumni Heather Urquhart, founder of Huna Natural Apothecary about the gains and pains of a rebranding exercise. Huna Apothecary is based in Winnipeg, Canada, and creates 100% natural and organic high-performance skin nutrition. Although having launched her business only a few years ago, Heather realised that Huna needed to enhance its brand positioning to be able to attract more retailers and compete with well-known, larger names in the natural beauty industry. When Heather started out she wisely bootstrapped most of her business and branding, but when she started missing out on market opportunities, she decided it was time to invest seriously in Huna's branding. In this episode, Heather talks us through her rebranding journey with its highs and lows. In this episode, you'll find out about: Why investing in your branding as early as possible is essential not peripheral to growing your business; Why retailers are a great resource and can help give you a reality check and feedback when you face a rebrand; How working with creative professionals on rebranding your beauty business makes all the difference to its success; Why you need to allow a good six months, or more, from creative brief to finishing a rebranding exercise; What outcomes you can expect from taking the plunge to rebrand. As Heather moves Huna from its first years as a start-up beauty business to running a premium natural beauty brand stocked widely in her native Canada, and soon further afield, she has plenty of business advice too. Key takeaways from this episode on the reasons to rebrand your beauty business include: Communicate closely with your retail partners throughout your rebrand process. They have their finger on the pulse of consumers probably more than you do. Don't underestimate how much time and money can go into sourcing the right packaging. Note also that premium beauty may require a look and finish with high minimum order quantities. Don't forget about the website in your rebranding exercise. Hire web design and build experts with a proven track record in delivering on time and to brief. You will make mistakes in building your brand and business but remember, this is part of your growth and learning curve. Just remain agile and be prepared to change course. We're in the beauty business where image counts. Don't forget that in your quest to showcase its green, clean face. Find out more about Heather's journey from botanist to successful natural beauty brand by following Huna Natural Apothecary: Huna Natural Apothecary website. Huna Natural Apothecary on Instagram. Huna Natural Apothecary on Facebook. Huna Natural Apothecary on Twitter. Huna Natural Apothecary on Pinterest. Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

One of the questions we are most often asked at Formula Botanica is whether it's worth hiring a designer to help with branding your beauty business. With start-up beauty brands pressed for cash flow and with the proliferation of free or low-cost design apps and programs, it's tempting to think we can do it all ourselves. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, we answer most of those FAQs, and hope to clarify why and when you might wish to outsource to a designer. We go behind the scenes of a typical branding process to talk you through what you can expect from a graphic designer or branding agency, and how best to work with them in smooth collaboration. Our guest is Nancy Poller founder of Aligned Design Co, which is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs with their branding from initial discovery phases to fully-fledged visual interpretation. Nancy has a long-held passion for the beauty sector, having, as she admits, spent hours trawling the aisles of Space NK and top department store cosmetic counters. She has developed a keen eye for what's trending and shares some good advice on how to stand out from the pack of competitors. Nancy kindly shares her Workbook on Brand Discovery, which might prove food for thought before you hire a designer. It helps you dig deep into what your brand stands for and is a mini version of Aligned Design's Client Discovery process. In this episode, you'll hear about: The ingredients of brand identity; The latest trends in beauty branding and why it might not be a good idea to follow them; Why your competitors are a great resource in helping you define your brand; How to decide on which brand designer to hire, whether freelancer or an agency; and What to expect when collaborating with a designer in branding your beauty business. Key take-aways from this episode on branding your beauty business include: What part of the branding process you can do yourself, and what is best outsourced; Why you need to budget for a professionally-designed logo, even if they look simple and easy to do yourself; Why and how your branding contributes to defining your tribe and your business vibe; and Understanding that your branding is meant first and foremost to resonate with your customers and retail partners. For more gems from Nancy on how to go about branding your beauty business, find Aligned Design Co here: Aligned Design Co website Aligned Design Co on Instagram Aligned Design Co on Facebook Aligned Design Co on Twitter Nancy Poller on Pinterest Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

As we watch indie beauty brands crushing it on Instagram with amazing eye candy images and gathering tribes into the tens of thousands, we may think that kind of brand visibility is an impossible dream for our own beauty businesses. While it does, of course, take hard graft to get that kind of brand awareness, you can go far if you know from the start how to define, style and build your brand on strong foundations. Our guest in this episode of Green Beauty Conversations offers some invaluable advice and practical to-do's on branding a beauty business for success. Joining us is professional photographer and branding guru Briena Sash, founder of Wellness Stock Shop, which is an extensive resource of stock photos tailored to the needs of the natural beauty and wellness industry. Briena has joined us for a branding webinar in the past at Formula Botanica, but here, for the first time, she shares three key branding exercises to work through before you rush out to hire a graphic designer or talk logos! Listen in and then download the workbook Briena has kindly shared with us and put your new insights to work. Even if your brand is up and running, there is plenty here to help you hone your beauty branding strategies for greater success. In this episode, you'll hear: How both visual and emotional elements combine to form the essential building blocks for branding a beauty business. Why you need to invest up front, as early as you can, in defining and styling your brand. But why you need also to dig deep and map your brand voice yourself before hiring a graphic or brand designer. About how branding is never static, and why you need to revise, refresh and rethink your branding periodically. Briena shares three practical exercises in the Branding Workbook accompanying this episode.  We recommend you take your time working through it. Key take-aways from this podcast include: Successful beauty brands are those that connect with their customers and audiences on an emotional level. Visual branding - from the fonts you use to your Instagram images and packaging - derive from and support your brand voice. They are powerful, but they aren't the first things to start with in a branding exercise. Branding a beauty business is more about developing a lifestyle people enjoy or aspire to! Think of your brand as a personality: what kind of person is it, and what kind of people would be attracted to chatting with it? Above all, think of your customers and potential customers. What are their needs and how do your products solve their issues, light their fire and inspire them? Find the Wellness Stock Shop: Wellness Stock Shop website Wellness Stock Shop on Instagram Wellness Stock Shop on Facebook Wellness Stock Shop on Pinterest Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We kick off a series of podcasts on branding indie beauty businesses with a marathon interview packed with actionable advice. You've no doubt heard the one about your brand being more than your logo, but have you worked out what this means in reality? Here, at Formula Botanica, we thought we knew all about branding, and how it applies to indie beauty businesses, but our chat with Rob Moore of The Design Co certainly opened our eyes. We'll give you a clue to just how much more there is to branding: it's only by Tip 8, that we start talking about logos and visual design. The eye-catching visual elements that we tend to think of as branding are only the tip of the brand iceberg. A truly strong, successful brand is one that creates touch points with its audiences from the very start and pays attention to fine-tuning the little details that go into running a business day to day. Rob is an energetic, inspirational designer who went through this self-same checklist when he set up his own branding agency just a couple of years ago and needed to define what he wanted for his business. Since then, he has been key in branding several start-ups turned successful indie beauty businesses such as Pink's Boutique and Proverb Skin whose founders were guest speakers at the Formula Botanica 2017 Conference. As he admits, it's not an easy task to brand, or rebrand, but he hand-holds us through his top 10 tips giving us a clear action plan to follow. If you're thinking of turning your passion for natural cosmetics into a business, or even if you're already running one, Rob's advice will revolutionise how you've thought about branding or growing your brand. Rob is offering us his Essential Guide to a Strong Brand, which we suggest you download and use as a checklist once you've listened in. In this episode on branding indie beauty businesses, you'll hear about:   Why your brand name is a big deal and needs as much planning as your entire branding exercise; What to look out for when buying domain names and applying for trademarks; Why your brand's reputation is built from the very start, and from those little everyday interactions with your audiences; Why your product is not your brand; How your customer service and your employees are critical brand ambassadors; and How your own story and journey to starting your business is key to captivating customers and making an emotional connection with them. Key take-aways include: Each product sale can take as many as 12 brand touch points with your customer. Bear this in mind when designing your website, your daily customer service touch points and post-sales follow-up.  Leave nothing to chance. Don't talk up your products nor use hyperbole in how you portray your brand. In some ways, it's best to undersell and then over deliver in order to gain happy, loyal customers. Remember that customers are key in branding indie beauty businesses.  They build your brand reputation, not you. They are highly influential in marketing your brand on social media and through word of mouth. Think of the bigger picture: don't make every single action sales related. Get out there and do good in your local community or for example by donating a percentage of some sales to charities or causes that are in line with your brand mission. You can find The Design Co here: The Design Co website The Design Co on Facebook The Design Co on Twitter The Design Co on Instagram Listen, Download and Subscribe to Green Beauty Conversations Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

In our very first Green Beauty Conversations podcast, we discussed what natural means in skincare and this week's topic about sustainable beauty is another of those hotly-debated issues that has no clear-cut definition. We'd go so far as to say there are even more interpretations of the term 'sustainable' as used in the natural beauty world than there are shades of green. To help us unravel sustainable beauty and shed light on the top concerns, we spoke to Dr Barbara Olioso, a cosmetic chemist with a long-standing fascination for the traditions of herbalists and formulating with natural ingredients. With over 20 years in both  the beauty and food science industries, Barbara now runs her own business, The Green Chemist Consultancy. In this episode, Barbara talks us through the perennial dilemmas about sustainability that face us in our everyday formulating, let alone when we start a beauty brand. From bio-based packaging to sourcing sustainable ingredients and from child labour issues to cruelty-free claims, we touch on just about every elephant lurking in the offices of green beauty businesses. We admit that you might come away from listening to this episode with more questions raised than answered! We hope it helps you make your own conscious choices in deciding what sustainable beauty means to you, whether you are home formulating, buying green beauty or running a cosmetics' business. In this episode, you'll hear about: Why the label 'green' or 'natural' does not mean a cosmetic product or brand is a sustainable beauty entity; Benchmarking your own formulations and green beauty business against 17 UN sustainable development goals; How unsustainable practices can lurk in the most unlikely corners of the green cosmetics industry; How the food industry is influencing and helping drive sustainability in beauty; Why there is no 100% sustainable natural or synthetic ingredient; and Why there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to implementing sustainable practices.  Barbara gives us plenty of pointers on what to think through as we map our own path in sustainable beauty and articulate our mission and ethics. Key take-aways from this podcast include: Don't assume that a naturally-sourced, botanical ingredient is a more sustainable raw material; do thorough homework on its provenance, in particular on the supplier and grower. Zero waste is desirable but the cosmetics' industry needs to use packaging that protects both product life and consumer health and safety. New developments in how we formulate cosmetic products - for example, solid shampoos that reduce plastic consumption - are pioneering sustainable beauty; this is a trend to watch. Barbara Olioso's consultancy offers a range of services to natural beauty businesses, including skincare formulation and certification advice as well as short webinars on areas such as Cosmos certification and natural alternatives to synthetics. You can find Barbara online here: The Green Chemist Consultancy Website. Dr Barbara Olioso on LinkedIn. Dr Barbara Olioso on Twitter. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Making sense of beauty industry trends can be daunting if you're an aspiring skincare entrepreneur. How do you interpret the daily flow of opinion on social media?  Isn't trend forecasting just finger in the wind anyway? On top of this, there is also the lingering worry that by the time you've grasped the next big beauty industry trend, consumers will have moved on. However, as our interviewee in this episode of Green Beauty Conversations explains, market research is an incredibly powerful tool for businesses of any size if they truly listen to what consumers are saying about their needs. We are excited to lift the lid on interpreting beauty industry trends in this hard-hitting and in-depth podcast with market insider Imogen Matthews. A long-time researcher, journalist and commentator, Imogen set up her own beauty industry research and consultancy business in 1993 after many years working in-house with large cosmetic brands and research firms. Imogen Matthews Associates produces highly-regarded trend reports on various aspects of the premium beauty market. We tackle two example market niches - anti-ageing and male grooming - that are frequently misunderstood and yet present a range of opportunities to new beauty entrepreneurs. Chatting to Imogen, we realised that there are certainly riches in niches if you know how to empathise with your customers and talk to them rather than just sell. Even if these two niches are not on your radar, do listen in as Imogen gives us an invaluable overview of some 30 years of the beauty industry and where it's heading today. In this episode, you'll hear about beauty industry trends in 2018 and issues such as: Why maturer women care far less about the term 'anti-ageing' or any of its recent replacements than brands might think; Why traditional beauty industry segments such as 'male grooming' or 'women 50+' aren't homogenous groups; What older women really want for their skin, and why wrinkles aren't their sole focus; Why men have been notoriously difficult to market to and how and why this final frontier in the beauty industry might be overcome; The rise and impact of gender-neutral skincare and how it is upsetting stereotypical consumer profiling and habits. Imogen gives us plenty of examples of beauty firms building, and also misreading markets. There's a lot we can learn from their experiences. Some of the key takeouts from this episode include: When building your cosmetic product range, think first about how your products resolve customers' skincare issues rather than solely in terms of how they address age or gender-related issues. The male grooming market is growing slowly but is set to rise. It is likely to be driven more by gender-neutral products than those focused on promoting the usual marketing images of masculinity.  Note that for decades retailers have typically considered men's self care products as being just deodorant and after shave. Women over 50 have considerable financial clout and are living life to the full, perhaps changing careers and also launching businesses in their empty-nester years; but don't assume 50 year olds have the same needs as 65 year olds. Mature skincare is a nuanced market. Your product story, your brand's authenticity and your awareness of issues such as sustainability are important to consumers who are far more critical and informed than 30 years ago.  Imogen Matthews shares regular beauty industry trends' analysis and commentary both on the company website and in her enews. Find out more about Imogen Matthews Associates here: Imogen Matthews Associates Website Imogen Matthews Associates on Twitter Imogen Matthews Associates on LinkedIn Imogen Matthews Associates on Pinterest Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

Gender-neutral skincare is a buzz term right now, but it wasn't four years ago when Grigore Madikians started making skincare in his kitchen in California. We're all familiar with this US State's pioneering environmental protection. California and green credentials go hand in hand. However, even in a place as eco-friendly as California, it still takes hard graft to enter the market with a sustainable, organic, vegan and gender-neutral skincare brand. When Grigore Madikians first started spending most of his spare time away from his day job making natural skincare, even those close to him were sceptical. Many didn't consider skincare a 'manly' enough business. Now, they are among his most loyal and supportive customers and his brand Gaffer & Child is retailing in one of Los Angeles' hippest stores. Grigore's vision wasn't for a men-only range; he wanted to create a gender-neutral skincare brand that works for every age group and is kind to the planet. With the slogan 'Conscious skincare for mindful living', it was quite some mission! In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, we chat to Grigore about his Californian dream and discover a new breed of heritage brand. In this episode, you'll hear about: The fascinating back story of a green-living founder and brand. How a natural skincare brand can buck niches and appeal across genders and generations. Why multipurpose products could be the most environmentally-friendly skincare options. Why we don't need to wash our faces every day! The rise of the new heritage brand. Grigore gives us invaluable insights into building a skincare brand that bucks the trend. The key take-aways from this episode: Don't be afraid to follow your dream for a new life or business; just do it if you believe it. Being brave enough to buck trends.  Going against the grain can be truly liberating. Self care is not about vanity, but is part of your general approach to health and wellness. Real men take care of themselves too. Just start doing what you can to make your brand and business sustainable. Take the steps you can when you can. Don't be afraid to change your brand messages to ensure you attract your target audience and customers. You can discover Gaffer & Child retailing in the United States and join it online here: Gaffer & Child Website Gaffer & Child on Instagram Gaffer & Child on Twitter Gaffer & Child on Facebook Gaffer and Child are offer the exclusive opportunity to purchase their products with 40% discount. Simple the enter the code FB40 at the checkout to claim your discount. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We decided it was high time to take stock of the natural beauty market now that it has matured and is going mainstream. Immediately, we thought of our graduates Elsie and Dominika from BYBI Beauty as the ideal interviewees to discuss a raft of perennial issues such as greenwashing and the use of those vague terms we see liberally and often erroneously used in the beauty business, such as sustainable, cruelty free, and even the word natural. Entrepreneurs, beauty bloggers and Formula Botanica graduates Elsie and Dominika of BYBI Beauty more than have their fingers on the pulse of the natural beauty market. In the space of three years, they have launched not only a successful beauty blog Clean Beauty Co, but also in the summer of 2017, their own high-performance natural skincare range BYBI Beauty. Their blog has developed into a major content platform tackling natural beauty market issues head on, while their brand, which stands for 'By Beauty Insiders', has raised serious start-up funding and is now retailing in some leading retailers. As natural beauty consumers, formulators, pundits and entrepreneurs, Elsie and Dominika know the natural beauty market inside out and raise more than food for thought in this Green Beauty Conversation.  In this episode, you'll hear about: The numerous shades of green that exist in the natural beauty market today. How greenwashing is alive and well and confusing consumers more than ever. Why bashing the use of synthetics and scaremongering about 'chemicals' is not helping anyone. Why consumers are focusing first on efficacy when choosing skincare. The next big thing in natural beauty - clean, green, vegan make-up. Elsie and Dominika also shared valuable insights that can help anyone thinking of starting a natural skincare brand today. Key take-aways include: Consumers are asking more these days about brands' ethical values such as Fair Trade and labour issues not just about their impact on the physical environment. There are many shades of natural that can be acceptable to the green consumer; just be honest in how you explain your brand values and product ingredients. Don't use vague or trending terms for the sake of it. The natural make-up market is trailing green skincare, so might be a good niche to investigate if you're thinking of starting a brand. Don't underestimate the power of social media to make or break a new skincare brand. Lever its potential strategically and wisely. Don't assume beauty consumers understand the true meaning of organic, nor organic certification. They often use it interchangeably with 'natural'. You can find Elsie and Dominika over at Clean Beauty Co and BYBI Beauty: Clean Beauty Co website. Clean Beauty Co on Instagram. Clean Beauty Co on Facebook. Clean Beauty Co on Twitter. Clean Beauty Co on Pinterest. BYBI Beauty website BYBI Beauty on Instagram BYBI Beauty on Facebook. BYBI Beauty on Twitter. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Working with beauty bloggers is easy; you just send them a few products and they will review them. After all, beauty bloggers typically spend their days leisurely indulging in trying out products or heading to the spa for some pampering. This might be the glamorous image we have of the life of a typical beauty blogger, but for successful bloggers who have made it big time, it's far from the truth. We needed some great insider tips on working with beauty bloggers from someone in the know. To rise through the ranks of thousands of beauty blogs in just three years, Ailish Lucas, founder of natural beauty, health and wellness blog The Glow Getter puts in a solid 12-hour working day. Surprisingly, very little of it is spent reviewing unsolicited natural products that arrive in the mail. In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, we posed Ailish a dozen burning questions gathered from our Formula Botanica student community on the hot topic of working with beauty bloggers. Ailish gave us the raw and uncut truth about what beauty bloggers actually do and what they expect from brands. If you're an indie or start-up beauty brand keen to collaborate with bloggers or are thinking of starting your own personal or brand beauty blog, this interview is an invaluable listen as it cuts to the chase about the business of beauty blogging. In this episode, you'll hear: Top, insider tips on working with beauty bloggers. The surprising, creative and hard-working ways a beauty blogger earns a living. The big difference between collaboration and sponsored & paid-for content, and why it matters. Why the beauty blogosphere is all about relationship building. Why beauty bloggers love brand packaging not just product performance. With Ailish a powerhouse on social media platforms and now growing a holistic, 'Glow Getter' wellness movement from her blog, she gave us insider insight into how to present yourself and your brand online. Key take-aways on Working with Beauty Bloggers include: Do your homework on beauty bloggers and comment on their work before approaching them. The natural beauty industry is a people business, so relax and don't be scared of being personal and approachable. Top beauty bloggers aren't your PR agents even if they charge for product reviews and mentions. Don't scaremonger about chemicals, toxins and 'nasties' when you're posting on social media or your blog; instead, celebrate the good that's within the natural beauty movement to gather loyal fans and followers. Ailish Lucas does more than run The Glow Getter blog. Look out for her Glow Getter Summit series of interviews with leading lights in the wellness, health and natural beauty movement.  Ailish also runs a Green Smoothie Challenge leading to her 'Glow Life' online course. The Glow Getter blog The Glow Getter on Instagram The Glow Getter on Facebook The Glow Getter on Twitter The Glow Getter on Pinterest Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Men's grooming products and male grooming in general consist simply of a bit of hair gel, some deodorant and perhaps a quick trip to the barbers? That's what we thought until we discovered in this Green Beauty Conversation that men have their fair share of bad hair days too. Rarely, however, are they a catalyst for starting a business. But for two 20-something lads from London, that’s exactly what happened. In this episode, we talk to Josh Blackburn who along with best friend Liam Jennings founded Regal Gentleman in 2014 as an online retailer of men's grooming products. Starting out at the height of the beard boom, Josh and Liam went on to build an impressively loyal and large community of customers. Today, four years on, the entrepreneurial duo are about to launch their own men's grooming products under the Regal Gentleman label. Talking to Josh, we discovered that male grooming means a whole lot more to men than about creating image. With Regal Gentleman making men’s health and well-being central to their brand’s ethos, we feel they are capable of fulfilling their company's mission to ‘Redefine the Modern Man’. Men's Grooming Products: Podcast Insights In this episode, you’ll hear about: The trends defining men's grooming products. How men's grooming brands are helping challenge age-old stereotypes of manhood. Why we may see men buying make-up within five years. What men think about natural grooming and skincare products (for now, anyway). Josh also gave us valuable insights into what it takes to build an online business, and had some key take-aways for anyone thinking of launching their own brand: Entrepreneurs are the average guy or girl and learn on the job - so don’t believe the hype! Value your customers first and foremost as a community of individuals with incredible stories and insights that can help your product development. Focus on creating great content that addresses your customers’ questions. Get yourself on camera! Don’t wait to use video such as live streaming, Youtube and Instagram stories. Just do it! As you'll hear, we’re not just talking men's grooming! Regal Gentleman launches this summer, so check it out on the links below, where Josh and Liam loom large. The duo are great examples of how to use social media to its best. Regal Gentleman website Regal Gentleman on Instagram Regal Gentleman on Youtube Regal Gentleman on Facebook Loved this episode on Men's Grooming Products? Then, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We recently came across a New York Times article on the risks of making 100% natural claims in food and beauty. The article in question drew attention to the fact that there has been a spate of lawsuits against natural and organic skincare brands and retailers (particularly in the US). These lawsuits came about largely as a result of there being no legal definition of the word natural.  They specifically targeted brands who made claims about being 100% natural, all natural or having ‘all-natural ingredients’. The reason why we found this topic so thought-provoking, is because it showcases how much confusion there is around the term natural and the problems it causes in the green beauty sector. We discussed this topic in our podcast on What does natural skincare mean? and addressed the fact that the definition of natural can take on very different meanings depending on who you talk to. This confusion and lack of clarity over the word natural is ripe for exploitation as well as misrepresentation. Now imagine expanding that term further to include 'all-natural' or 100% natural, and you see why so many consumers are confused.   In this podcast you will learn: What the recent spate of lawsuits against natural brands and retailers could mean for the green beauty industry moving forward. Some examples of recent lawsuits and what the issues were with their claims. Why some of the 100% natural claims made by natural skincare brands are problematic Key takeaways: Recent lawsuits that targeted brands for using synthetic preservatives are fuelling fear around the safe use of preservatives. Always make sure you examine the marketing terminology you are using when you sell your products. Before you start selling or marketing, define what natural means to you. Some law firms are ‘robo-filing’ almost identical lawsuits, which may start to spill over to the green beauty sector.   We felt that it was important to openly discuss this issue within our community and talk about what steps a green beauty brand can take to protect its business. We have seen lawsuits start to spill over from the food industry into the natural beauty industry, so we feel this is an important topic that indie formulators need to discuss openly and honestly. Unfortunately, there are quite a few misnomers and myths that circulate within the green beauty sector (Listen to: Are you looking for chemical-free cosmetics?). It is important for us as a community to work at questioning what they are, to determine if they are misleading and to assess if they open up the industry to further litigation. We hope that you find this episode interesting and thought provoking and please do get in touch if you have any feedback. Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This year Lorraine and Gemma attended the In-Cosmetics Global 2018 exhibition in Amsterdam. In-Cosmetics is now in its 27th year and is billed as the leading event for personal care ingredients. The exhibition aims to bring together ingredients suppliers with product manufacturers with a focus on networking and building relationships. With around 780 exhibitors and 9000 visitors, to say that In-Cosmetics was jam-packed, busy and a tad overwhelming at times would be an understatement. However, the weather in Amsterdam was glorious, Lorraine and Gemma got to hang out and speak to loads of people in the industry and most importantly we got to see our students and graduates and hear what they had to say about their experiences at In-Cosmetics. The event is typically dominated by the mainstream cosmetics industry with little focus on the green and natural beauty movement, but we were pleasantly surprised at what we learnt during our two days at In-Cosmetics. Lorraine came up with the idea of creating a trend report summarising what we saw at the In-Cosmetics exhibition and how these trends tie into what we are doing with the green beauty industry so obviously Gemma thought ‘let’s do a podcast about it’. In this podcast you will learn about the top ten trends that we saw at In-Cosmetics Global exhibition.   In this podcast you will learn: Lorraine & Gemma's top 10 beauty trends for 2018 (and beyond), based on what's happening in the mainstream cosmetics industry, as well as our discussions with Mintel. How indie beauty brands can use this information to storm ahead in the industry by making their formulations with natural ingredients while still hitting all the latest trends. Our thoughts on In-Cosmetics Global 2018 in Amsterdam and why you should attend, if you're interested in where the green beauty industry is headed.   Our Top 10 Beauty Trends for 2018: The Unicorn trend is influencing ingredients suppliers to design ingredients that work for people wanting to formulate with glittery, sparkly and holographic style products. Gels are becoming a massive formulation trend. There were so many different sorts of gels at In-Cosmetics, such as gel emulsions and gel balms. Gels can be hard to make for natural formulators but they are in high demand and were a major trend. Skin yoghurts such as after-sun, cooling and moisturising yoghurts were a massive theme and we saw many examples of interesting and innovative formulations based on the concept of a yoghurt for the skin. The continued search for the elusive, natural, botanical extract: there were loads and loads of botanical extracts around with a key trend being on locally sourced botanical extracts. These were all touted as the new ‘wow’ ingredients and we provide plenty of examples in the podcast. Sustainability and how ingredients suppliers are keen to embrace the concept in their business but in reality, they could not back up their claims of sustainability in a real way. We feel that indie brands are really leading the way in this area. Athleisure is taking off as the cosmetics industry is copying what's happening in wellness trends. We see a great opportunity to develop some very innovative niches for indie brands using the Athleisure trend. Genderless products and ranges are on the rise and we saw numerous ranges formulating and designing ranges that are not driven by the rigid gender binaries but embrace the concept of gender fluidity. Anti-blue light pollution: the market is developing actives that can cater for anti-blue light pollution and there are some great suppliers who are designing ingredients for this trend which is getting bigger and is here to stay. DIY skincare: Consumers are driving the desire for beauty regimes that can be personalized and put together by the consumer to address unique individual skincare needs. Skin microbiome: This is a hot topic in the industry right now and Mintel had it listed as a key trend. There are brands that are formulating skincare that is sensitive to the skin microbiome.   The brands, speakers and blog posts we refer to throughout this podcast can be found here: Honest Beauty Talks - DIY Unicorn Balm Herbal Earth Malee Natural Science The Soap Co Anti-pollution skincare Zero-waste beauty Content Beauty & Wellbeing Old Faithful We hope you enjoyed our latest podcast on the top 10 beauty trends for 2018 (and beyond), based on our recent visit to In-Cosmetics Global 2018 in Amsterdam. If you have any feedback or suggestions for us please don’t hesitate to get in contact. Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

‘Robert Tisserand has just joined our Facebook group’, Lorraine messaged me excitedly. ‘The Robert Tisserand?’ I replied. ‘YES, THE Robert Tisserand’. This was an exciting moment for us at Formula Botanica. As organic cosmetic formulators, Robert Tisserand’s seminal work on essential oil safety had been a staple resource for Formula Botanica for years and his research into essential oils are highly regarded and respected within our wider community. Last year Lorraine and I were able to arrange a meeting with Robert in London and we kept a steady dialogue flowing since then.  When he agreed to be a guest on the podcast we were thrilled and we were determined to make the most out of this opportunity and share it with as many of you as possible. Robert Tisserand is an expert in aromatherapy and essential oil research.    In this podcast you will learn: Why essential oil safety is an issue and why he decided to write his book ‘Essential Oil Safety’ back in 1995. Some of the issues with the EU guidelines and what the current research on essential oils shows in terms of allergens in citrus oils and why his safety guidance differs. Some examples of why safety guidelines are necessary and why essential oil safety is still such an important topic and worthy of our attention. The benefits of using essential oils in cosmetic formulation. Key takeaways: Get Robert’s opinion on the recent lavender and tea tree oil controversy where recent research suggested that both oils were hormone disruptors. Why you should research essential oils carefully when using them in skincare or haircare formulations and why some research can be considered scare-mongering. Why legislation continues to be a challenge, why it is likely that it will increase in the coming years and how this relates to safety.   To help people make informed decisions about essential oil usage, The Tisserand Institute has launched a six-part, certified Essential Oil Safety Masterclass with Robert Tisserand. Follow the link to register. Registration is only open until the 12th of April so make sure you act quickly to take advantage of this great course. You can find out more about Robert and The Tisserand Institute by following the links below: Tisserand Institute website Tisserand Institute on Facebook Tisserand Institute on Instagram Tisserand Institute on Twitter We hope you enjoyed hearing Robert talk about essential oil safety and what it means to him. As usual if you have any feedback or suggestions for us please don’t hesitate to get in contact. Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

I was sitting quietly at my desk, head-down, getting on with my work (as all good working-from-home employees should do) when I received a message from Formula Botanica's Director Lorraine: ‘Two of our graduates from Daughter of the Soil are on Dragons' Den right now! You need to watch it.’ I stopped what I was doing right away, tuned in and watched Hellen Lawuo-Meena and Maria Magembe from Daughter of the Soil pitch to the Dragons. (For our readers/listeners who aren't in the UK - Dragons' Den is the UK's version of Shark Tank where entrepreneurs pitch to a panel of 'dragons' to raise funding for their business). It was nail biting and the entire Formula Botanica team was rooting for them. After watching their epic performance, I said to Lorraine: "we need to interview these two very inspiring women". We were so proud of them and what they had achieved so far and we really wanted to share their story with the rest of our community. Daughter of the Soil is a UK-based African Heritage natural beauty brand with a simple philosophy – to give back to the earth and communities celebrating the natural treasures within our rich soils. Their pledge is to make a real difference to the lives and future of African rural women in Africa – providing them with an ability to earn a sustainable and protected income. Hellen and Maria's brand goes full circle - it showcases some of Africa’s most unique and treasured ingredients so that women can look supremely beautiful on the outside – and it helps them to support the communities who give those treasures to us, so that they can harness their power and beauty from the inside too, and give something back. In this podcast you will: Hear how Maria and Hellen came up with the name and inspiration for their brand (SPOILER: it’s a great story. Like, really great). Find out how they started working together. Hear what REALLY happened on Dragon’s Den and how they supported each other through the entire process. Learn the ethos and values behind the Daughter of the Soil brand. Find out what it's like growing a natural African Heritage brand and why Hellen and Maria see such a huge gap in the market.   Visit Daughter of the Soil online: Daughter of the Soil website Daughter of the Soil on Facebook Daughter of the Soil on Instagram Daughter of the Soil on Twitter We hope you enjoyed listening to the interview with Daughter of the Soil founders Hellen and Maria as much as we did. Maybe you now feel brave enough to dare Dragon’s Den or a similar programme in your country? We hope that you enjoyed listening to this episode and please get in touch with us if you have any question or comments. Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

When we met two of the sisters from Le Prunier Plum Beauty Oil at the In Cosmetics conference in 2017, we immediately fell in love with their plum beauty oil. Once we heard more about their story and the development of the plum beauty oil we knew that we wanted to interview them and find out more. At Formula Botanica we love oils. We also love meeting skincare entrepreneurs and finding out more about what they are making, their processes and how they find inspiration.  In September 2016, siblings Jacqueline, Allison and Elaine Taylor co-founded Le Prunier, an innovative and organic beauty line based on the Power of Plum.  The sister's story begins in 1916, when their great grandfather, Earl Taylor, began farming the rich soils of Sutter County, 30 miles north of Sacramento. Their grandfather, George Taylor, continued the family tradition, followed by their father and uncle. The sisters spent much of their youth on the farm, helping with harvest, working farmers markets and attending trade shows to promote their product.   In 2014, they made the decision to explore alternative uses of the plum by partnering with two world-renowned labs. Their goal was to uncover the hidden benefits of this powerful fruit, while maintaining sustainable, organic farming practices. Among one of the areas they explored was utilizing the overlooked byproducts of the plum. What they discovered—the most precious and powerful oil—is now Le Prunier. Today, the sisters carry on the farm’s legacy with a 4th generation perspective—tradition meets innovation.   In this podcast you will: Learn the story of how they developed a skincare range from waste on their farm. Be introduced to the science behind their plum beauty oil and why it makes a great choice for all types of skin. Find out how Le Prunier secured retail deals with Neiman Marcus and other routes to market. Learn what it’s like to launch with one product and then work on diversifying your range. Find out they work together as sisters and play to each other’s strengths.  You can have a look at the benefits of plum beauty oil as well as the heritage and sustainability behind Le Prunier by visiting www.leprunier.com or by following them on social media:  Follow Le Prunier on Facebook Follow Le Prunier on Instagram Follow Le Prunier on Twitter To claim your 10% discount on the LePrunier Plum Beauty Oil - which won best facial serum oil at the Indie Beauty Expo 2017 - enter the code FB2018 at checkout. We hope that you enjoyed listening to this episode and please get in touch with us if you have any question or comments.     Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Stitcher so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

We recently hosted a chat in our online classroom to find out what people’s biggest fears were about starting their business. We had many varied and interesting responses but there was one issue that kept coming up - formulators are scared of non-compliance with cosmetics regulations. In this podcast episode Gemma and Lorraine discuss what global cosmetic regulations are, what they mean to cosmetic formulators, how important they are and the steps that you can take to make sure you comply with cosmetics regulations in your region of the world.

If you are part of the natural, green, clean and organic beauty movement then you would have noticed the term 'chemical free' But what do people mean when they use that term or when cosmetic products are labelled as ‘chemical free’? It has been rightly pointed out that from a scientific point of view the term quite simply does not make sense as all matter is a chemical. All matter is made of chemicals. So that begs the questions "are the people that use this term ignorant?", "are they misleading me when they label their product with a term that actually does not exist?" but also more importantly "what are they trying to convey to me about their product?". Listen to our latest podcast on the meaning of chemical free cosmetics.

In this first ever Formula Botanica: Green Beauty Conversations podcast, our Business & Relationship Manager Gemma interviews our Director Lorraine to run through the 4 shades of natural that we compiled in order to try and clarify some of the confusion around the use of the term ‘natural’. Listen to our podcast to answer the question “what does natural skincare mean?”