Leading a cosmetic revolution to leave the world “lusher than we found it”
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This article is part of the 'Celebrating Circular` initiative and story collection that spotlights trailblazer Irish businesses making strides towards a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.
From skincare to haircare, beauty products are part of our everyday lives, and the industry has significant environmental and social implications ranging from ethical production to animal rights or the use of natural resources and chemicals, besides adding to the global waste crisis through packaging.
With a radical approach to going against mainstream wasteful and harmful beauty industry practices, Lush has become a trailblazer in sustainable and fair beauty since its launch in the UK in 1995.
Their mission is driven by innovation and ethics to create beauty products for every need and lead a cosmetic revolution to save the planet with the ultimate goal of leaving the world ‘Lusher than we found it’.
The ‘Naked’ approach
Niamh Doyle, Lush Store Manager at Henry Street in Dublin, says that one of the most revolutionary things customers appreciate is the company's ‘naked approach’, which transcends every aspect of the business, from product development to communication and packaging.
Considering that 95% of cosmetic packaging is thrown away, the ‘naked’ approach makes a real difference in avoiding unnecessary waste, but it goes beyond that.
“Community is at the heart of everything we do, and by becoming a manager, it is my role to consistently understand and nurture our community, including our team, partners and customers.”
Making sustainability fun and exciting for people to get involved
When she started working here, Niamh was impressed by the brand’s values and communication.
She says, “Although the Lush is very serious about its impact and the challenges we face, it makes it more fun and less scary for people to get involved and make better choices.”
She emphasises the importance of having conversations with customers besides putting out communication materials and running campaigns.
Niamh thinks that plays a vital role in helping them better understand the impact they can have by choosing Lush and having their staff listen to them and understand what matters to them.
“The support we get from the company in communication is great, but we need to find ways to find what matters locally. For instance, we are just about to launch a new climate change campaign where we will invite Irish organisations to host community events at our store and talk about climate action in a local context.”
The Bring It Back recycling scheme
One of the most popular action-oriented initiatives Niamh highlights is their Bring It Back recycling scheme, where customers can return clean plastic bottles and pots for a discount or free product in exchange for their efforts.
“Although we try to avoid packaging as much as possible, with this initiative, we aim to recycle what we use at the Lush Green Hub in the UK.”
In addition to products, Niamh adds that running the store with sustainability in mind is also part of their goals, which inspired her to join the MODOS sustainability course and learn more about circular and sustainable practices.
Addressing sustainability challenges locally
“We have sustainability challenges like managing water consumption, cardboard, or waste. As a shop located in the city centre, there are waste management issues we can't overcome at the moment, such as not being able to have a compost bin, which we would normally have at other stores.”
Although Niamh knew about the circular economy, she realised that she could always learn something new, and joining MODOS helped her explore areas that challenged her thinking.
“The course was designed in a way that made you think. Nothing was good or bad, which allowed you to rethink and question practices or assumptions.
I particularly liked the concept of how businesses could learn from nature in terms of strategy or having a regenerative approach to how they operate.”
On a practical level, the MODOS training was a real booster for looking at the store’s carbon footprint and integrating this thinking into managing her team by taking an everyday approach.
Creating a blueprint for a more holistic, nature-focused business approach
Lush has created a blueprint for implementing a more holistic, nature-focused approach as a company, and Niamh feels that other businesses can capitalise on that.
“We think about the entire journey with a customer in mind and how they will use and discard products. For instance, we don`t use anything that would release microplastics in addition to other sustainability considerations.”
Today, Lush has over 850 shops and operates in 50 countries, working to create a company culture that inspires them.
Nurturing a motivational environment
“I really appreciate the motivational atmosphere and positive attitude here, which helps make challenging situations more manageable without too much anxiety.
The mindset of ‘What can I do today to make it better?’ keeps you more grounded.”
She shares that one of her favourite innovations at Lush is the Cork Pot, a product container made out of cork.
This carbon-positive piece of packaging can help customers enjoy their products longer while being 100% natural, reusable, and biodegradable.
Explore other inspirational stories as part of the Celebrating Circular initiative supported by the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices and Dublin City Council.
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