Yes, solid serums are now a thing. Here's the brand pioneering the new beauty bar trend.

You Beauty's Better Beauty is a monthly initiative in which Mamamia highlights a brand, product or launch that is making positive changes in the sustainability space. 

ICYMI, beauty bars are having a serious moment. They're popping up everywhere on our beauty shelves – and for good reason. 

With their impressive sustainability cred, there's now a solid option that caters to *literally* every beauty need: from shampoo to exfoliators and fragrances to moisturisers.

Not only is its packaging often recyclable, but the ingredients also tend to be more concentrated, meaning these products tend to last longer (yay for saving money!) and as a result, there's less waste (yay for saving the environment!).

Watch: Nat talks us through eyebrows, from shape to makeup. Post continues below.

The first brand to jump on the plastic-free beauty bar wagon? Ethique. 

Heard of it?

Founded in 2012, it's a lady startup (we love to see it) created by New Zealander Brianne West.

After studying biology at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, Brianne started Ethique out of frustration for the amount of waste created by the cosmetics industry (read: a LOT) - in particular, the amount of plastic that ended up in landfill. 

After learning that up to 95 per cent of your bottle of conditioner is made up of water, Brianne figured that switching to a solid product would be the answer not only to the water waste issue but also plastic waste.

Image: Ethique beauty bars (supplied by brand)

In an interview with Mamamia, Brianne said: "I have always had a passion for experimentation and science in general as well a desire to protect our environment. I never really grew out of that really annoying ‘but why’ stage kids go through (ask my colleagues!)."

Nine years later and Ethique is now an international, 100 per cent plastic-free beauty brand that has prevented over 20 million plastic bottles from ending up in landfills across the globe. 

Pretty dingin' impressive.

Below, we take a closer look at Ethique and how it's making waves in the sustainability space. 

What sets the brand apart from other sustainable brands?

"We’re the first in the world to develop an entirely plastic-free range, from shampoo and conditioner, to lipsticks, face care and body products," said Brianne.

All Ethique products are certified palm oil free, cruelty-free, vegan, made with sustainably sourced, fairly traded ingredients, with home-compostable packaging. 

"Ethique is climate positive, a living wage employer and donates two per cent of sales to charity."

Their point of difference? Ethique prides itself as being not a sustainable business – surprising, we know – but rather, a 'regenerative business'.

Sooo... what does that mean?

"A sustainable business' primary focus is to not make ‘things’ any worse. It’s about maintaining status quo. Doing ‘less bad,’ not ‘more good.’ Ethique, on the other hand, is raising the bar as a regenerative business, which by contrast, means giving back much more than we take."

"Being regenerative extends throughout the entire lifecycle of our products and business. Starting with our supply chain and our direct and fair-trading initiatives, to our products and packaging, to the logistics," said Brianne.

"We prioritise sea freight over air (air freight has as much as 47x more greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) than sea freight) and double offset both international freight and staff travel, the energy we use to power our offices and factories are renewable and always offset as well."

Rethinking sustainability.

When you think of Ethique products, you probably think of their shampoo and conditioner bars. They're best-sellers for a reason.

Not only are these products hugely beneficial for your hair (all of Ethique’s hair bars are soap-free and pH balanced) but they also help to cut down on plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles that end up in landfill. 

To put into perspective just how much difference these bars actually make, one Ethique Shampoo bar has just eight per cent of the carbon footprint of a liquid product. It's also equivalent in concentration to three full bottles, which means it’ll last longer too, (you can get up to 80 washes out of them!). 

Huge.

"They really are salon-quality shampoo without the water waste and unnecessary plastic. Switching to solid shampoo and conditioner will save up to 12 plastic bottles from ending up in landfill and 33 litres of water from being wasted! Imagine the difference we could make if everyone committed to ditching the bottle long term."

While you might be across Ethique's solid haircare bars, chances are you have heard of the solid skincare bars.

Yes! Solid serums! 

While the thought of using a solid serum might seem weird, it not only reduces the need for bottled products but solid skincare bars are often more affordable and concentrated in its ingredients. 

Image: Ethique Skincare range

Ethique's signature moisturisers are packaged in home-compostable tubes that can literally be thrown in the garden when it runs out, helping to promote new plant growth. 

How cool is that?

From cleansers to serums and moisturisers, the entire solid skincare range is plastic-free, and made from sustainably and ethically sourced naturally derived ingredients - so you know you're doing your bit for the planet.

And before you ask – yes, they're just as effective as your usual liquid-based skincare products.

"Our solid skincare products include skin super-ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid and are just as easy to use in your routine than any liquid product. Not to mention they are worlds better for the environment than bottled products."

Solid products just ain't your thing? That's okay – we get it! It takes some time to get used to using bars, and not everyone is on board with it.

That's why Ethique created an innovative 'Concentrates' range.

Launched in 2020, the line was intended for the customer who wants to reduce their plastic waste but wants to stick with liquid products. 

Basically, this means the little bars are broken down with hot water to create liquid shampoos, conditioners, body washes and household cleaners. 

The Concentrates are designed to be added to existing bottles around the house, while also cutting down how much water is used in each product. 

Clever!

"We are currently in the process of refreshing and expanding this range based on valuable feedback from our customers and partners."

"It is so important to the Ethique brand to always adapt and grow as more innovative solutions are uncovered. Concentrates were a major game changer in terms of innovative approaches to low-waste beauty."

In 2022, Ethique also launched their first ever colour cosmetics line – lipsticks. They're 100 per cent plastic free and available in seven shades.

"These were made to reduce the mass waste of the estimated one billion plastic lipstick tubes sold annually that inevitably end up in landfill. Ethique lipsticks are made in our signature plastic-free and home-compostable packaging to tackle this."

"While I am not necessarily surprised by this, many people do not believe that solid beauty products are effective. In the past few years, solid beauty products have come a long way, and the days when bar = soap are long gone."

"So far, we’ve saved 20 million plastic bottles from landfill with the help of our customers and are on track to save half a billion by 2030."

Have you used Ethique beauty products before? What are your thoughts on the brand? Share what you think in the comment section below.

Did you miss The Skin Summit presented by Mamamia? Get on-demand access to the best skin experts in the world. Whether you love nerding out over a 12-step skincare routine or still use a bar of soap, the summit is the secret to the best skin of your life. Streaming directly to your couch.  Catch up on-demand here →

Feature image: Supplied by brand.