WHY LESS IS MORE

In today’s society, people are continually looking to simplify their lives in this increasingly busy and complicated world. The concept of less is more is based on the value of simplicity, and that by having less, you can actually create and achieve more. Viva La Gentil was partly founded on the value of simplicity, aiming to create products that simplify and enhance one’s beauty routine, so that makeup can be used and enjoyed to its full potential, and is never complicated.  

The use of cosmetics has become a norm in our everyday routines, and so too has the waste that comes with it. Although it is inevitable that makeup expires, millions of items of makeup and their packaging are thrown out every year, and the impacts of cosmetic waste on environments has become significant. The cosmetic industry, and the plastic that comes with it, is increasingly becoming a substantial contributor to the overall plastic crisis that the world is facing, particularly because most plastic packaging used for makeup is non-recyclable, and commonly non-reusable.

What it means to simplify your beauty collection

Today more than ever however, consumers are realising that less is more when it comes to purchasing and using many items in our day to day lives, including makeup products. Not only does simplifying and minimising your beauty routine save time and money, it also significantly reduces product waste, and makes life a lot easier when you can easily find the products that you’re looking for.

More and more people are beginning to pay attention to the quality and quantity of the products they’re purchasing, as well as the products they use on a daily basis. Whether for travel, or the products used to get ready in the morning or for a night out, these items are generally used time and time again, and are usually separated from other makeup products on your vanity or in your makeup bag. This usually means that the handful or drawer full of brand new (and totally unnecessary) products will sit, barely be used, until they are expired and thrown away, only to end up in landfill, or even worse, in our oceans.

It’s no secret that the beauty industry manipulates us into feeling like we need all these variations of products, telling us they’ll ‘fix’ whatever we see wrong. It’s false hope, and makeup should be used to enhance our natural features, then attempt to make us look entirely different. Additionally, cheaply made products with little thought or attention to detail are being released left, right and centre that claim to do different things, however are essentially the same product, which people are buying and the brand is benefitting from. This creates an ongoing cycle of mass production, purchasing and waste.

The first step to a minimalist makeup collection is to buy less and buy better. A high-quality brush can last a lifetime if you take proper care of it, and that makes every penny you invest worth the price. Makeup products that are refillable and are made out of sustainable materials are worth making a decision on. This is because a lot of craft goes into creating products, packaging and ultimately recycling at end of the products life. Using refills means the original lipstick holder or cosmetics pan that only needs to be created once, significantly reducing mass production and waste.

How to simplify your beauty routine:

Reducing the number of products you own will cut down how long it takes you to get ready, the amount of money you spend over the years, and will also significantly reduce the waste that your beauty routine creates.

The key to cutting waste and creating a simplified routine/collection is focusing on multi-use, versatile products.Investing in products that are made of quality and sustainable materials, are versatile, and make you feel good when purchasing and using the products is far more rewarding than feeling pressured to purchase every new product that is available in the market, or purchasing products and letting them go to waste/not getting their full use out of them.

This is why we created a minimalist collection of 10 multi-purpose brushes that have thoughtfully been designed to cover all of your makeup needs, from a fresh and natural face to more dramatic, glamourous looks. Viva La Gentil brushes are versatile for the face and body, and have been made with the highest quality materials and crafted using handmade synthetic fibres. Brushes that use natural hairs such as squirrel, goat, mink, weasel, goat, and pony hair are considerably more expensive, and are more likely to dry out and break, creating ‘shedding’. Most importantly, we are against animal cruelty.

The use of plastic has been avoided whenever possible, to ensure we are being as sustainable as possible. The wooden handle of the brushes is sustainably sourced and harvested. Our aim for the future is to continue to produce products that are made with high quality sustainable materials and ingredients, that cannot harm our skin or the environment.

Our commitment is to really carefully consider and create a specific product, from every stage of our product development process—product design, process design, longevity, and manufacturing. It also means working closely with our labs, suppliers and manufacturers to ensure quality and being ethical with our production. We are proud to craft our products and packaging at the most minimal quantity.

Tip: If you own unused makeup products that are still in date, and you know that you know you won’t use them to their full potential, instead of throwing them away, offer them to friends and family for others to enjoy.