Stella McCartney
Courtesy of STELLA by Stella McCartney
Sustainability in fashion would not be the same without Stella McCartney. Since the launch of her eponymous line, she has pushed the industry forward with her embrace of choosing synthetic materials over leather and feathers and the use of organic cotton. Now she’s about to do the same in the beauty world with the debut of Stella by Stella McCartney, her new skincare line in partnership with LVMH. Since it’s all about minimalism in every sense, the line is made up of three refillable products to cover the essentials: Reset Cleanser, Alter-Care Serum, and Restore Cream. McCartney shares in an email interview how Scotland inspired the collection and why what’s good for the planet is good for our skin.
Celia Shatzman: Why did you want to launch a skincare line?
Stella McCartney: Skin care has always been one of my passions. I launched my first skincare line in 2006, and to be honest, it was almost too far ahead of its time. It had to be pulled due to regulatory challenges in the US with organic labeling, which was pretty heartbreaking at the time. Since then, I have always wanted to re-enter the world of beauty. When I started this project a few years ago, I knew a change was needed in the industry – I was hoping to create an alternative range of luxury skincare that I couldn’t find on the market.
Similar to my vision for my fashion house, my goal was to find another way to create a skincare line, a way that was better for both people and the planet. Partnering with LVMH gave me the opportunity and the support network to make my vision a reality. I was able to create a range that works in harmony with nature without compromising efficacy.
Shatzman: How is Stella by Stella McCartney different from other eco-conscious beauty brands?
McCartney: I love to innovate and find alternative ways to create that don’t harm animals and reduce the impact on the planet, and this commitment really guided the creation of my range of skin care products. The ambition behind Stella’s skincare was to create a responsible alternative to luxury skincare that cares for ourselves and Mother Earth alike.
I wanted to create desirable products that were effective and reflected my values and commitment to living in harmony with nature. I am proud that the ingredients in the formulas are 99% naturally derived. Our products promote long-term skin beauty and vitality, which we call Skin Sustainability. Supports the regeneration and protection functions of the skin. I also didn’t want to compromise the results. Our clinical results are truly impressive, and now I wouldn’t use anything else on my skin.
Although there are many established skin care brands, there are new developments in the industry and there is still much room for improvement. For example, a new learning for me is that one of the biggest impacts of a luxury cosmetic product is its packaging. My goal was to reinvent refills, which I have done through the creation of reusable bottles made from recycled glass and super light and soft refills that are sourced from certified renewable sources and are recyclable. If you recharge once, you reduce your impact on climate change by a third, if you recharge twice it is half, and you can also use the recharge alone, reducing the impact by two thirds.
Shatzman: What is your personal beauty and skincare routine?
McCartney: As a working mother of four, I always look for products that are multifunctional and simple. I don’t have time to apply a wide variety of different products. In creating this range, I sought to reflect my own routine around essentials. Each product works hard for your skin, but the formulas and use of ingredients are responsibly sourced to ensure they don’t strip the planet of its resources.
Within the range I have a 2-in-1 cleanser that dissolves makeup and also cleanses the skin of impurities. A high performance serum that totally transformed my skin. Honestly, I was so impressed with the results that I don’t even need to use an eye cream now. My third product is a lightweight restorative moisturizer with the most amazing texture. If you are like me and hate anything greasy but still need that moisture boost then this is for you.
Stella McCartney’s STELLA collection
Courtesy of STELLA by Stella McCartney
Shatzman: What is your beauty philosophy?
McCartney: I truly believe in our Alter-Care philosophy, which is focused on creating a responsible alternative to luxury skincare and taking care of ourselves and Mother Earth alike. Our skin is very good at taking care of itself. It has a built-in ecosystem, just like nature. I think it is necessary to simplify our routines, reduce them to the essentials.
Each of our products has been formulated to work in harmony with this ecosystem, supporting its key functions of regeneration and protection, and ensuring the sustainability of the skin. Our collection takes a longer-term view, focusing on health and vitality over the years rather than the short term. All of these principles have informed my own beauty philosophy.
Shatzman: How did you choose the ingredients?
McCartney: We really wanted to make sure our products were as harmonious as possible with your skin and the planet, and we’ve worked tirelessly over the last three years to make this possible. I am proud that the ingredients in the formulas are ingredients of natural origin. The formulas focus on active ingredients of natural origin to offer clinically proven results:
· Organic Rock Samphire offers an action similar to retinol. It is rich in saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols to smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
· Biotech Cranberry Extract is a skincare superfood with polyphenols that helps restore an even complexion and promotes elasticity and visible firmness.
· Wild organic birch sap helps moisturize and restore visible firmness with minerals, sugars and vitamin C.
· Wild-harvested Dulse Algae Extract is rich in polysaccharides and helps reduce the appearance of dark circles and restore an even skin tone.
· Olive squalane is of natural origin and helps to reinforce the protective barrier of the skin. It is made of olive.
· Naturally derived hyaluronic acid is a renowned hydrator that locks in moisture for softer, smoother-looking skin. Ours is made from wheat.
· Cherry blossom extract is packed with polyphenols and glycosides, which help restore even skin while strengthening the skin barrier.
Shatzman: How does packaging have minimal impact on the planet?
McCartney: The truth is that everything we create has an impact; the choice we have is how much. It is our responsibility to minimize this as much as possible and as an industry to be honest and transparent about it. We have worked with a third-party eco-design partner to minimize our impact and look at each stage of the product life cycle. This includes banning ingredients whose production or extraction process is considered polluting, minimizing the amount of virgin materials, developing recyclable packaging, and using a one-time refill. We have also maximized ocean freight for transcontinental shipping. By shipping products instead of flying them to the US, Stella’s carbon footprint is reduced by more than a third.
Also, since we will borrow from nature, we want to give back. Nearly 80% of the peatlands covering Scotland’s land area are in a degraded state. We have partnered with Wetlands International to fund restoration programs by devoting a percentage of our net sales to restoring Stella’s protected areas.
Shatzman: Why was Scotland your muse for Stella by Stella McCartney, and in particular for the High Cliff fragrance?
McCartney: Scotland has always been a source of inspiration for me. As children growing up on our farm in Scotland, my siblings and I learned to smell nature, listen to it, learn from it, and most importantly, respect it. For this release, I worked with Francis Kurkdjian to create a scent inspired by the scent of Scotland in April. I love this scent! We had rounds of tests over the course of two years to test the sensory quality. Francis really understood the vision and considered our principle of sustainability when designing it. He developed an exclusive fragrance in harmony with the skin and the planet that uses 89.6% ingredients of natural origin. It is suitable for all skin types and tones, even the most sensitive.
STELLA by Stella McCartney Restoring Cleanser
Courtesy of STELLA by Stella McCartney
Shatzman: You have paved the way for eco-fashion and set an example for many other brands to follow. How do you hope to have a similar impact for the beauty industry?
McCartney: I am used to challenging norms and conventional ways of doing things to push sustainable and ethical fashion through my brand. I have adapted this mindset to my range of skin care products. We work with an eco-design partner to guide and challenge us. I always say that there is no magic solution when it comes to sustainability: we must be aware and consider our options at every step of the process to minimize our impact. At each stage I have challenged myself to make the most responsible decisions; ranging from the mode of transport (maximizing ocean freight over air freight), to banning single-use products (my products have an innovative refill system).
I have also transferred key principles from my fashion house to my skincare line. It was important that the brand and products were vegan and cruelty-free. I am proud to say that we have been approved by the Cruelty-Free International Leaping Bunny Program and the Vegan Society.
Sustainability in the world of fashion and beauty is a never-ending adventure. I have always said that I am not 100% perfect, because that is impossible to achieve. I do my best in all areas of my business to make sure I stay aware and create as little impact as possible…something is always better than nothing.
Shatzman: How does Stella by Stella McCartney reflect your personal values?
McCartney: I really wanted to create desirable products that are effective and environmentally conscious. He had high expectations; the formulas had to align with my core beliefs: being vegan, cruelty-free, natural, essential, effective, working in balance with the skin and in harmony with nature to minimize our impact. I am proud that the ingredients in the formulas are 99% naturally derived. It was quite an exploratory journey to create these products: It took three years in the making and we banned nearly 2,000 ingredients. It is my desire to create desirable products that really work for families and communities that share my same passion for a conscious alternative in beauty.
Shatzman: Why was LVMH’s beauty division the right partner for Stella by Stella McCartney?
McCartney: I have been working in partnership with LVMH Beauty for the last three years and it has been an incredible journey! Your association provided me with the opportunity and support network to make my vision a reality. Throughout the creation process, to ensure the naturalness and sustainability of the formula, LVMH laboratories evaluated the sustainability of each active ingredient before considering them. In partnership, we work to create another way of doing luxury beauty that’s better for people and better for the planet.
Source: www.forbes.com