Sustainable beauty is an important shopping category, with so many of us looking to make planet-conscious purchases. While it can often be tricky to tell which brands are showcasing environmentally friendly credentials, there are some that stand out for offering reusable and recyclable packaging and sustainably sourced ingredients.

Natural brand UpCircle is a strong contender in this arena, with clear sustainable benefits. Its vegan-friendly ingredients originate from by-products sourced throughout different industries, to minimise waste. Examples include coffee grounds, date seeds and olive stones.

Last year, UpCircle became a B Corp certified brand too, which means it’s met the strict social and environment standards as set out by the global non-profit organisation B Lab.

The range encompasses skincare buys, including moisturiser, toner and night cream, while we reviewed the UpCircle SPF in 2022 as well. We also included UpCircle in our round-up of the best circular beauty brands.

So, we were excited to hear about UpCircle’s first ever haircare product – a shampoo crème. Billed as being soothing and strengthening, its concentrated formula serves up triple the washes of a standard liquid shampoo.

Plus, there’s a new cleansing face milk made from upcycled oat powder and aloe vera – said to help repair the skin’s barrier.

Both products come with bold claims, so we got our hands on the shampoo crème and face cleanser to trial ahead of their launch.

How we tested

We spent several weeks testing the shampoo crème and cleansing face milk and looked at the product formulas, ease of use and results. We incorporated each product into our daily routine, while considering scent, consistency and price point. Keep scrolling to see our verdict.

UpCircle shampoo crème

Size: 100ml

Upcycled ingredients: Pink berry extract

This shampoo is presented in a refillable glass pot, and we found its formula to be somewhere between a paste and a creamy consistency. We instantly noticed the invigorating scent, and that’s thanks to ingredients such as peppermint, clove, lavender and grapefruit. It is awakening and brisk, with the minty herbal elements offering the strongest fragrance notes. The shampoo also includes pink berry extract, which is a repurposed by-product from the natural perfume industry.

After wetting our hair, we added the crème to our scalp and strands and noticed how easily it lathered. We also found rubbing the shampoo between our hands before applying it to our hair worked well. A little bit went a long way to cleanse our mid-length hair, and we really enjoyed how unusual the formula’s consistency is. It’s suitable for all hair types too.

After washing and drying our ’do, we were impressed to see smooth strands that felt soft and smelt pretty good too. If you’re looking for a refillable alternative to regular shampoo, in a chic holder, we think this could be the buy for you.

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UpCircle cleansing face milk

Size: 120ml

Upcycled ingredient: Oat powder

This cleansing milk is presented in a glass bottle with a pump nozzle applicator. Ingredients include upcycled oat powder, as well as aloe vera, jojoba, geranium and almond oil, and the complex felt gentle and calming on our irritation-prone skin. The formula is that of a lightweight cream cleanser, and it comfortably glides onto skin while feeling smoothing and soothing. Its scent is subtle, sweet and creamy, which we enjoyed while washing our face.

After rinsing off the cleanser with warm water, we saw fresh skin that felt soft to the touch. The cleanser removed a light layer of make-up, and we found using this product comforting from start to finish. Our teenage daughter lapped up this cleanser too, as it is non-drying. Like the shampoo, a small amount goes a long way and, as such, we can see this little bottle lasting a while too.

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The verdict: UpCircle shampoo crème and cleansing face milk

We really enjoyed using the shampoo crème and cleansing face milk formulas. Each product has an appealing scent, and a little product goes way when using them. We saw softened locks after using the shampoo, and soothed skin after washing our face with the cleansing milk. If you’re in the market for some sustainably focused haircare and skincare buys, we’d recommend trying UpCircle’s brand-new products.

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