Authentic Beauty Concept Offers the 1st Vegan Refill Bar with Henkel

Whilst recycling remains an important factor within sustainability as a whole, refill and reusable systems are further changing things for the better. Taking the same notion as the ‘reusable coffee cup’, why not establish a similar routine in hair salons, encouraging a circular economy? The new Authentic Beauty Concept Refill Bar prolongs the life of a once “single-use” plastic bottle, cutting customer plastic consumption.

The aim is to gain experience during this first phase of use, so that refill solutions can be implemented in even more salons in the coming years. The new refill bars are available in selected hairdressing salons in Germany, Austria, Switzerland as well as in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Great Britain, and Portugal.

How does it work?
First the Stylist will provide a personal, professional consultation on the client’s hair routine and concerns to recommend the right Authentic Beauty Concept product. As a second step, the Stylist will fill a bottle made from 92% recycled plastic with the respective product by using the Refill Bar. Each bottle is finally labelled with an 85% bio-based PE label, a renewable alternative to polyethylene. Once they have used it all up, the bottle can be bought back to the salon to be refilled and the cycle starts again.

“As a brand, we believe that we can all make a difference, even with small actions. When
we put all of those individual efforts together, and come together as a community,
we can create real change and make bigger steps in the right direction”
–   Authentic Beauty Concept

Authentic Beauty Concept Sustainability path

In 2019, Authentic Beauty Concept paved the way forward as a brand with purpose, not always taking the easy established route to fulfil their sustainable vision:

• All bottles, jars and cans are recyclable
• Carefully-selected ingredients with free from vegan* formulas
• Supporting the Sustainable Guar initiative (since 2017)
• Ethical souring of Fairtrade violet rice extract
• Products registered by the Vegan Society™
• Shopping bags made of recycled paper with our salon materials printed on vegan, biodegradable, FSC-certified paper with mineral-oil free inks
• 100% Fairtrade, organic cotton in-salon towels

During 2020 Authentic Beauty Concept have also:

• Launched their first sustainable in-salon Refill Bar, with 92% recycled plastic bottles and 85% bio-based PE labels
• Started to rework all bottles & Over-The-Counter as well as Backwash jars out of 80% Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic, hitting the market as of 2021
• Produced a carefully crafted seminar, designed to give hairdressers a wider awareness and understanding of sustainability
• Started a journey together with Hairdressers Without Borders (for 3+ years)
• Launched a gift box campaign which supports 1% for the Planet – a global movement inspiring businesses and individuals to support environmental organisations

The Authentic Beauty Concept Refill Bars are available in carefully selected European #authenticbeautymovement salons. Goal is also to generate learnings, then take those to roll-out refilling solutions at even more salons in upcoming years.

_{* All formulas are vegan, except Gritty Wax Paste & Shaping Cream containing Beeswax and Amplify Mousse containing Chitosan. We aim to be vegan also in these three formulas still in 2020. All vegan products are registered by the Vegan Society™}