Green Beauty Conversations by Formula Botanica

Latest Episodes:

EP192. Sustainable beauty gifting for the holidays Dec 21, 2023

Show notes

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.

EP191. The rise and impact of beauty advent calendars Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

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.

EP190. Industrial vs artisan beauty Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

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.

EP189. The biotech ingredient wars Nov 30, 2023

Show notes

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.

EP188. The great plastic recycling myth Nov 23, 2023

Show notes

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.

EP187. A plastic-free future for beauty Nov 16, 2023

Show notes

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.

EP186. Taking indie beauty entrepreneurship global Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

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.

EP185. Secrets of a self-made beauty entrepreneur Nov 02, 2023

Show notes

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.

EP184. I asked ChatGPT to formulate for me Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

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.

EP183. AI in beauty - friend or foe? Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

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.

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