Nowadays it has become more accessible than ever to find cosmetics that are made with safe, non-toxic ingredients, however, it's proving much more difficult to find those brands offered in eco-friendly packaging. Plastics persistently dominate the cosmetics & wellness industry, despite a few innovators highlighting that it's not necessary. We caught up with the experts behind the brand at Kjaer Weis for an in-depth insight into why they place the utmost importance on their packaging, as well as their ingredients. With its unique system of refills, our makeup cases are just as good for the planet as it is for your skin. It’s easy to spot our products: The distinct silver packaging has an architectural beauty that’s impossible to miss, designed as a thoughtful act of beauty for the beholder and intentional kindness to our planet. Each piece of the collection, from our beauty oil right down to our mascara, has been created to be refilled and re-loved. “I didn’t want this line to be about throw-away beauty, that’s for sure”, says founder Kirsten Kjaer Weis. Already a veteran makeup artist when she launched our namesake brand, she was keenly aware of the industry’s waste level. “So much of high-end makeup is about beautiful packaging, it really is part of a luxury experience. But then you just throw away these perfectly good, beautiful objects once the makeup is gone, and that doesn’t make sense to me.” That thinking stayed with her throughout the early development of the brand. She decided what would hold the makeup needed to be given just as much consideration as the makeup itself, a choice that would lead her to partner with award-winning designer Marc Atlan. An internationally recognized creative director, he not only masterminded our packaging but the overall architecture of the refill system. It was something that was - and still is - disruptive of the industry norm. Without any such precedents, both Atlan and Kjaer Weis had the freedom to consider every type of detail, from the immediately recognizable, like the white enamel logo, to the subtle, like the sound of the compact closing. "This much attention had to go into our packaging because it is something you’ll ideally keep for a long time”, said Kjaer Weis. And her efforts with Atlan have paid off - there are no obvious visual cues on the makeup that screams “refillable”, like clunky levers or unsightly edges. Instead, there are discreet pin-holes for removing empty makeup tins, or precise shapes that snap into each other with ease and security, like our lip gloss or mascara. Knowing the products could’ve been on shelves sooner if we'd gone the traditional route of disposable packaging was surely a tempting thought, but Kjaer Weis’ commitment to sustainability in the luxury market wasn’t negotiable, and won’t be anytime soon. “It’s a core piece of our brand’s DNA”, she says. “Every future product in development will remain refillable. It’s just who we are." Shop here for Kjaer Weis
