Founder and chairman of Comfort Zone on making beauty sustainable
Founder and chairman of Comfort Zone on making beauty sustainable
When founder and chairman of Comfort Zone Davide Bollati took over his parents’ company 10 years after its inauguration, he became aware of the global competition he was up against. But rather than flaunting superfluous marketingspeak, he reverted back to basics by keeping his products natural and in harmony with Mother Earth. In 2014 for example, the skincare brand removed silicone from all its formulas following the removal of mineral oil and synthetic colourants.
“We have chosen to have a conscious sustainable ingredient selection for the skin and for the environment. All our formulas have always been rich in natural-origin active ingredients,” he says, adding that oils and butters substitute man-made chemicals to “intensively nourish and preserve the skin’s balance”. But Bollati’s definition of green doesn’t stop with what’s on his shelves: for years, his factory has exclusively used renewable energy, investing in CO2 emission compensation with more than 20 ongoing sustainable beauty projects.
His brand is in the process of becoming a B-Corp – a community of for-profit companies that meet the rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. Davines Group headquarters – which heads Comfort Zone – has been under construction since January 2016 and aims to be “the home of sustainable beauty”.
Spreading the brand’s green gospel is ‘I Sustain Beauty’, an initiative that funds projects that express beauty, do good for mankind and mirror Davines and Comfort Zone’s brand values. In the past, they’ve seen submissions from the Riccio Capriccio Eco-Parrucchieri Salon, who help women in financial difficulty cut and style their hair for merely eight euros; a violinmaker who passed on his craft to passionate children; as well as a mangrove-planting project in Costa Rica.
Adhering to the brand mantra, ‘Peace of Mind, Joy of Skin’, Bollati said the final stage in building a successful brand is delivery. “Our formulas are results driven, and scientific evidence is an absolute must when we create or upgrade our product ranges. We always care how people feel during the treatments and while using our products, not only about how they look,” he says, adding that Comfort Zone not only works closely with partner therapists to craft the best conditions for their guests, but has also established a multidisciplinary scientific committee in 2012 to provide the best solutions for vibrant, beautiful skin.
“My mantra is ‘never compromise on quality’,’’ he says. “Being competitive in the spa market requires a wide range of products to respond to different skin types and beauty routines which implies a constant level of innovation and a long testing phase. Costs can be a challenge too, but if quality is there then consumers understand and appreciate it, and are ready to pay for what is valuable to them.” www.comfortzone.it
“We have chosen to have a conscious sustainable ingredient selection for the skin and for the environment”
