Courtesy of Beautycounter
Beautycounter Founder Gregg Renfrew on How She Launched the Brand and Her Passion for Safe Cosmetics
If you're into natural beauty, then you've probably heard the buzz about Beautycounter, a California-based start-up selling non-toxic makeup, hair, baby and skincare products. Ever since the brand launched in 2013, it's been on my radar (and I've been periodically clicking around their website, wishing I had a US shipping address).
But not anymore, because as of last week, Beautycounter is available in Canada. It just got a lot easier to implement a safer personal care regimen!
I caught up with founder Gregg Renfrew to find out what Beautycounter is all about. A little background on Gregg: she's a mother of three, a serial entrepreneur (she sold her bridal registry company to Martha Stewart Living and has consulted for Intermix and Jessica Alba) and is extremely passionate about cosmetic safety. Prepare to be inspired...
Beautycounter founder Gregg Renfrew.
Courtesy of Beautycounter
What is Beautycounter all about?
Beautycounter launched three years ago in the US. Our goal was to create a business that got products into the marketplace that are high-performing and significantly safer for your health. We believe that we are the leader in safe personal care, beauty and now baby products as well.
The assumption is always that because it's safer, it doesn’t perform. I think we are a true testament that you can have beautiful, luxurious products. We set out feeling that women were always being asked to compromise on either efficacy or safety, and we're saying it doesn't need to be that way.
Beautycounter Sugar Body Scrub in Lemongrass.
Was there a personal "aha" moment that inspired you to start a beauty company?
There was an "aha" moment for me in terms of becoming aware of our exposure to toxic chemicals. The beginning started when I watched the documentary film called 'An Inconvenient Truth'. That was about global warming, obviously, not specifically about skincare or beauty products. But it started this journey to remove toxins from my home, from my body, from my family. Over a period of time, as I learned more and more, I realized that one of the ways in which we're exposed to toxic chemicals is through our skincare and cosmetics.
The 2006 film 'An Inconvenient Truth'.
The traditional department store brands that we've all known and loved are highly effective, chic, sexy, on-trend—and they are filled with all these chemicals that are banned elsewhere. When I say "elsewhere," I mean the EU, for example, has banned 1,400 ingredients from all personal care products. The United States has only banned 11. And Canada has banned somewhere between 600 and 700. While you're much further ahead than the US, you're still behind where the EU is.
So I could find all these products that had all those ingredients in them, and I really didn't want those—but I loved them because they worked, and I really thought they looked good. At the other end of the spectrum was a bunch of products that were natural, very eco and green, but they didn't work very well, they didn't smell very good and they weren't packaged in a way that I thought was interesting and aspirational.
From 2011 to 2013, I spent a little over two years really putting together our business strategy, helping to formulate products and partnering with other people. I've been working on this full-time for more than five years, but we've been in business for three. It all really began from watching 'An Inconvenient Truth' back in 2006.
Beautycounter's chic packaging.
What is unique about Beautycounter's mission?
First and foremost, Beautycounter is a company that is dedicated to educating and increasing awareness around an issue we think is incredibly important: the exposure to toxic chemicals through skincare and cosmetic products. Of course, we're in the business of selling products, but we're also in the business of educating. If people have access to information, they're going to make better and more informed choices.
Secondly, we aim to provide solutions through the line of products we've created. In the US, we've shipped out almost 2.5 million products over the last three years and have won "best of beauty" awards. Christy Coleman [Beautycounter's head of innovation] is an absolute perfectionist and felt strongly that if she couldn't use our products in her day job as a leading celebrity makeup artist, they wouldn't be good enough. Performance was really important to us, but equally important was safety.
The reason why I say "significantly safer" is because we don't have all the answers. We are about progress, not perfection. We are doing the best job we can with the information that is available today, the 25 years of research that has been compiled through non-profit organizations, doctors and leading researchers. There are a lot of data gaps out there.
We are advocates for cosmetic reform—hoping that not only our country, the United States, but all countries will have health-protective laws governing all citizens so they will have access to safe products.
How are your products safer?
We believe we've created the most health-protective ingredient screening process in the United States. Although we can't prove it, we would argue that it is the most health-protective screening process in the world.
We started with the approximately 1,400 ingredients that have either been banned or restricted in the EU, and we banned all of those. Then we took another 100 ingredients that we knew were either linked to health issues or could potentially be linked to health issues, and we added those on top. So we have banned 1,500 ingredients from all of our products. Those are any ingredients that we think can be linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity or endocrine disruption.
In terms of how we make our products, we work with an internal product development team and we have had chemists and other scientific researchers in our offices. But we also work with outside contract manufacturers and chemists.
Do you use all-natural ingredients?
To be clear, we're not 100% natural. We are about 80% natural or naturally-derived. We are very focused on safety. We know that there are some man-made ingredients that are safe for your health, and there are some naturally-occurring ingredients, like lead and arsenic, that are not safe for your health. Safety is our platform, rather than natural or organic.
What impact do you think you've made so far?
We've already been able to move the market, just from the sheer volume of products we've sold. But I think it's also our work in Washington, knowing that we've been instrumental in helping pass legislation in the States. For example, last fall, we helped ban 56 of the most toxic chemicals from all children's products—not just personal care and cosmetics products, but all products. We've been working tirelessly in Washington to effect change, and I think they are listening to us. Over the weekend, we sent 15,000 plus emails to Congress demanding cosmetic reform.
Many companies are following our lead. We've inspired other companies to take our Never List [ingredients you will never find in Beautycounter products] and formulate around it. Some larger companies are working with us to understand how we've been able to achieve the results we've had.
Beautycounter makeup.
Will anything be different about Beautycounter in Canada?
Our intent is to be respectful of the Canadian marketplace; to work with non-profit organizations that are focused on Canada, not the US; and to increase awareness and mobilize a large group of women and men around our cause. We are launching in both French and English, which is really important to us—to be for all Canadians, and not just a segment of the population.
Beautycounter Nourishing Rosewater Mist.
How many products will be available here?
We are launching with 42 products, including about 17 of our 20 bestsellers, with a whole bunch more coming. We have not been able to launch sunscreen yet, because you have more restrictions around sunscreen, so it's going to take us longer to get that product into the market in Canada.
Where can people buy the products?
We call ourselves direct retail, which means we sell direct to consumers through multiple channels. The largest channel is our network of independent consultants. We also have our products on Beautycounter.com and through specific retail partnerships, which have included J. Crew in the US. While we have not yet announced the launch of a retail partnership in Canada, you can rest assured that we will.
Beautycounter Mattifying Powder.
Why do you use independent consultants, similar to Avon?
Our story is best told person to person. If you think about traditional department stores and specialty stores, the story of safe ingredients was not going to be told perfectly well at the point of sale in those stores. Because one, you've got the leading cosmetic manufacturers who control the shelf space, and two, most of the people are focused on selling products. We see ourselves as educators more than anything, so we really wanted the opportunity to share our story person to person. As women, we share information that we think is relevant with the people we love and care about—whether it's about getting married or having a baby or going through health issues—and we turn to our friends, not companies or stores.
We also saw what was happening on a macro level. If you look at the world today, we are all sharing information. You know this very well—bloggers and other influencers are able to use their belief systems, networks and personal influence to drive content and commerce.
We are also allowing people to build businesses on a platform that's been created to allow entrepreneurism without all the risks—women who are looking for an economic opportunity, but want flexibility in their lives. Whether that's the youngest generation, who don't want nine-to-five jobs, or stay-at-home moms who want to make an independent income, we believe it's an incredible opportunity to share a message and build a successful business. We believe it is the way of the future.
Can you also bypass talking to a consultant and just buy direct through the website?
Yes, you can absolutely just go to Beautycounter.com and we'll be thrilled.
Beautycounter Rejuvenating Night Cream.
Which products do you think will be a hit in Canada?
In the US, our daily products, like our daily cleanser, body lotion, face oil and cleansing balm, have been extremely successful for us. My guess is that Canadians will probably buy similar products. From the times I've been in Canada, it feels like a natural look is more prevalent, and our colour cosmetics really lend themselves well to that type of look.
What are your personal favourite products?
I am addicted to using our cleansing balm. I'm in a business where I have to travel all the time and I love that it's solid, so you can take it in your carry-on. It leaves your skin feeling very dewy. When your skin is exceptionally dry, you can use it as a treatment at night. It's a multi-purpose cleaning balm and treatment.
Beautycounter Cleansing Balm.
I love our lip sheer. I wear it every single day of my life; day and night.