Featured image for Bottles Are OUT & Bars Are In, According To Holland & Barrett’s New Beauty Line, Ethique

Bottles Are OUT & Bars Are In, According To Holland & Barrett’s New Beauty Line, Ethique

by Shawn Binder on 07/23/2019 | 2 Minute Read

“Bars not bottles” is the tagline for Holland & Barrett’s new plastic-free beauty range that is selling out at astonishing rates. 

Ethique, a line of vegan and and cruelty-free soaps—which run the gamut from body bars, hair bars, face bars, and sustainable storage solutions—marks a first for Holland & Barrett, although with the July 7th launch marking a 300% increase in search results, and over 13,000 brand page visits, the sign from consumers is clear; sustainable beauty brands are in.

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The bars come in paper boxes adorned with a playful, hand-lettered style script in vibrant jewel-tones that reflect the main ingredients and scents. They’re also ideal for those looking for cruelty-free products with a price-conscious budget, given that the soaps range from  £5.49 to £26.99. 

“By creating solid bars of beauty products without the water that makes up to 90% of a traditional liquid product, we hope to help combat the plastic pollution problem by providing consumers with a zero-waste alternative,” said founder Brianne West in Mirror. “After all, there’s water in your shower—why would you need more in your shampoo?”

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By offering the beauty products in bars instead of bottles, Ethique boasts they’re savings consumers three plastic bottles for every shampoo bar purchased and five plastic bottles for every conditioner bar purchased. 

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According to National Geographic, “most shampoos are 80-percent water, and conditioners can be even more—up to 95-percent water. Why pay for water when you can add it in yourself?” Brands like Ethique could eventually remove plastic from the equation when it comes to bathing. The brand is striving to help save consumers a massive 10 million plastic bottles by 2020, no small feat, but given current sales trends entirely possible. 

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And if you’re looking for a fun way to extend the life of your bars even further,  Ethique offers bar containers in striking colors, and they're made with bamboo and cornstarch, rendering them compostable and eco-friendly. 

From start-to-finish Ethique emerges as a spirited solution to plastic bottle alternative shampoos and conditioners, and with scents like Pinkalicious, the future for the brand looks bright. 

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