GOOD IS GREAT

As we hurtle towards the end of 2019 (where did this year go?), more beauty brands are abiding by “less is more” — less in terms of the amount of packaging, impact on the environment around us, and amount of nasties you are exposed to. Sephora knew this was important to them and they launched the new Sephora Collection Good Skincare range; this was something three years in development as Sephora wanted to make it right, and make it good. #TeamCLEO met Albane Durin, Senior Brand Manager for Sephora Collection during the launch and she said that they wanted it to be more than just another skincare range. Find out what’s new, what they’re doing right, and why the Sephora Collection Good Skincare range feels so good. 

The name of the collection sums it all up... “The word ‘good’ is really something that is important to us, it was the starting point of the collection,” says Albane. “We wanted to do something good — good for your skin, but also good for you and the environment.” It covers everything from the packaging to the formula.

Transparency plays a big role... “We write and declare every single thing on the packaging. For example, it explains where the plastic comes from,” she said. “All our formulas include at least 90% natural ingredients. Even though we don’t achieve 100% all the time, it’s because for us at Sephora, sensoriality is still important to us, so we keep the fragrance.” 

Everything is recycled and recyclable... “There are so many components of packaging — the plastic slip, the box, and so on. The first thing we said: this all has to go. Then we thought of all the materials that we wanted to use. The transparent plastics use recycled plastic, and the tubes and jars use bio-sourced plastic made from sugar cane residuals,” she explains.

Weight also matters... When you reduce the weight of your packaging it becomes lighter, takes up less room, and is easier to transport which saves energy. “Our paper for the packaging comes from sustainably-managed forests. We also reduced the thickness of the paper which reduces the impact on transportation,” she says. 

Lina with Albane Durin 

Efficacy and product origin is still important... “We don’t want to compromise the efficacy for being ‘natural’, and this is something we want to reassure. Each product has the results of testing which are done by independent laboratories,” she explains. You’ll also see self-satisfaction test results. And where are the products made? “All of them are made in France! At Sephora (being a French brand), when we developed the range, a lot of the suppliers that were advanced in eco-conception in packaging, materials and ingredients were in France, and France is known for the quality of their skincare products,” she explains.

Expect to see more... “The idea is that we’re launching the ‘main’ products in the range and every season we’ll fill in the products in the range,” explains Albane. And it won’t hurt your wallet — all the newly-launched products are under $40!