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Plastic Free July can be a whole lot easier thanks to this sustainable beauty brand
You may not have heard of Sbtrct before, but it’s sure to impress any eco-conscious beauty lovers
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Since starting in 2011, plastic-free July has become a global movement, encouraging more than 100 million people across 190 countries to ditch the polluting material through sharing resources and product recommendations for everything from sanitary items to food.
We’ve regularly reported on the devastating current plastic pollution situation, with the world producing around 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year with at least 10 million tonnes ending up in our oceans (the equivalent to a truckload every minute). And this is only expected to get worse with plastic production said to increase by 60 per cent by 2030 and triple by 2050.
The issues of our plastic-filled lifestyles couldn’t be clearer, but making the swap to a plastic-free life can be much harder than it first seems as practically all of our core beauty buys – from cleansers and fake tan to sunscreen and moisturisers – come packaged in the stuff.
So, with plastic-free beauty day coming up on 17 June, we started looking for more sustainable solutions, and discovered Sbtrct (pronounced “subtract”), a brand fully committed to the clean beauty movement while also being better for the environment. Founded only two years ago, it’s still very young, with only six products on offer. Even so, sometimes it’s these newcomers who can teach the rest of the industry a thing or two, and we’re certainly paying attention to what the brand stands for.
Sbtrct does make some rather big claims, stating it’s 100 per cent plastic-free, palm oil-free and with nominal water content. So, of course, we had to check all of these statements out first to rid any suspicions of greenwashing. And, spoiler alert, we were pleasantly surprised.
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Starting with the plastic-free claim, all Sbtrct products come wrapped in card that can easily be flattened for quick recycling, but we did think we might have caught them out with a plastic-looking sticker and wrapping around each individual bar. However, we can now confirm our doubts were unfounded: the sticker is made from domestically compostable film that’s made using wood pulp from sustainable plantations, while the oil-resistant wrap is actually glassine paper, which is also made from wood pulp, making it compostable and recyclable, too.
Being palm oil-free was the next statement on our list to check – particularly as it’s a lead cause in global deforestation, destroying species habitats and attributing to rapid climate change. But, if not palm oil, what ingredient is Sbtrct using instead? Brassica alcohol is the answer. While the word “alcohol” may raise eyebrows, it doesn’t act like other alcohols at all – it comes from plant cells derived from vegetables such as cabbage, kale and broccoli. As a fatty alcohol, it works as a natural structuring agent as well as an emulsifier to improve the stability and texture of each product. It’s also non-drying on the skin and helps to increase softness.
Finally, we looked at the “no added water” claim, and found that each product comes in a solid bar form, with oil-based formulas keeping the bar’s rigid shape (when in cool conditions). The fact that no product is made up of more than 0.5 per cent water means they’re seen as being more potent, with a higher concentration of non-diluted nourishing oils and botanicals.
How we tested:
Being a young brand, the range is still quite small, focusing only on skincare, with a cleanser, exfoliator, moisturiser, vitamin C booster and overnight balm making up the majority of the product list. But, for everyday skincare essentials, this is definitely enough to get you started on a clean and green regime. You can also buy their rather gorgeous reusable plastic-free containers, such as a bamboo pots or ceramic trays, for your products.
Testing out core parts of the range along with their matching holders, we wanted to see how well these products worked, how sustainable they really were, and how easily we could slot them into our daily routine in place of our usual essentials. Here’s how they stacked up…
Bamboo pot (for night balm): £10, Sbtrct.co.uk
Rating: 8/10
The first thing we’d recommend buying is one or two of these travel pots. Of course, you don’t absolutely need them, but as you’ll see from the products below, everything comes in a solid bar-style form, and while it’s fine to keep them on a small dish in your bathroom cabinet, these pots do make it much easier to store, travel and keep everything clean. They’ll also look rather nice on your bathroom shelf.
Made from bamboo (one of the world’s most sustainable materials), with a swivel lid, magnetic closure and ribbon to easily flick the block balm back out again, we couldn’t fault the pot design-wise. And, once the product’s run out, this can then be re-used for decades – or even longer – for easy, economical and gorgeous refills. The pots come in different shapes for each product, so be sure to get the right fit.
Rejuvenating night balm: £32, Sbtrct.co.uk
Rating: 9/10
Starting with the night balm (the product that fits into the bamboo pot shown above), this was probably our favourite product in the range. It has the consistency of a solid lip balm, meaning it does need a good few rubs of your finger to get it onto the hands and onto the face. Although it has quite a greasy feeling initially, after five minutes, it’s absorbed into the skin with no shiny or oily residue, and feels nourishing and hydrating.
Hydrogenated olive oil, shea butter and rosa canina fruit oil all add to this moisturising effect, while two per cent granactive retinoid delivers all the benefits of retinoid – reducing fine lines and wrinkles, encouraging blood flow and fading age spots – with less risk of irritation (though this product isn’t recommended for pregnant women). Our tester loved the citrusy scent and did start to see signs of improved skin tone and a small reduction of fine lines, which they’re sure will increase with continued long-term use.
Gentle foaming cleanser: £22, Sbtract.co.uk
Rating: 8/10
Swapping to a facial cleansing bar can seem strange at first – a bit like you’re washing your face with a bar of soap rather than a skincare product. But it’s worth persevering with, as cleansers can be one of the most plastic-heavy products, with bottles and pumps all made out of the stuff. Plus, we usually replace cleansers more than most other products.
Once making the swap, we promise it’s quite easy. You use it in the same way you would a bar of soap – simply wet the face and hands, rub the bar between the palms, then apply the lather to the face. OK, it’s not as faff-free as swiping micellar water across in the mornings, but for a full plastic-free swap, it’s worth the extra effort, especially as the bar should last you at least 10 weeks when using daily.
Vegetable-derived emollients, coconut-based surfactants and a blend of essential oils led to a gentle clean, which didn’t strip the face of any moisture. While it wasn’t quite strong enough to fully remove foundation and mascara (there’s another cleanser for that below), it was a great option for morning cleansing or make-up free days.
You can also opt to buy a diatomite dish for it to sit on, which is anti-microbial and moisture absorbing (£10, Sbtrct.co.uk). But, if looking to keep costs down, a small regular dish will also do the trick – just be sure to regularly pat it down with a paper towel.
Makeup melt: £22, Sbtrct.co.uk
Rating: 9/10
For more stubborn make-up or a deeper clean, the makeup melt is the answer. Again, brassica alcohol is the core ingredient, while a blend of oils – including olive, rosa canina fruit and orbignya oleifera – work to lift make-up and grime while moisturising and softening skin.
To put the melt to the test, we attempted to remove a full face of foundation, contour and highlighter, topped off with mascara and the dreaded glitter eyeshadow, which is notoriously difficult to remove. As the directions suggested, we warmed the product between our hands and massaged the residue onto dry skin in circular motions across the face, eyes and neck. Then, dampening a face halo (£14.40, Lookfantastic.com), we swept it across the oil, turning it into a milky cleanser. We did need to add some extra cleanser to the eyes to get rid of every last flake of glitter, but after around one minute of massaging, everything was removed, leaving us with soft yet clean skin. Again, if using daily this product should last for a good 10 weeks or more.
Vitamin C booster bundle: £36, Sbtrct.co.uk
Rating: 9/10
As we mentioned, you don’t need to buy the bamboo holders, but they really do help to store the products nicely and you only need to buy them once and refill. So, buying this Vitamin C booster as a bundle for the first time seems like a good idea to us and can save you a bit of money.
This product worked in a similar way to the night balm, with a similar consistency, scent and texture. Again, it felt a little greasy to apply due to the amount of powerful oils in it, but within a few minutes, the booster was fully absorbed with no visible oiliness left on the skin.
Core ingredients include rosehip oil, sea buckthorn oil and a vitamin C active that works to provide anti-oxidant support and cell regeneration – it’s even been known to reduce acne breakouts. Plus, at 32g, it’s a generous-sized bar that should last for a good few weeks of daily use. Our tester loved the luxurious feel of massaging this product into her skin every evening.
The verdict: Sbtrct
A lot of brands like to over-emphasise their sustainability credentials, but starting small with just a handful of products, it looks like Sbtrct really is doing everything it claims to be doing. The products impressed our tester in their own right too, even without the eco-friendly creds. The one slight downside is that they all revolve around adding your fingers to the pots, which can lead to bacteria transfer, but the chances of this can be greatly reduced by washing your hands thoroughly before using.
We loved the re-usable bamboo pots, but as each product is a different shape, requiring their own unique container, there’s no way to mix and match these products to the pots, meaning if you did want to travel with the whole set, it could be rather bulky. We’d recommend opting for just one or two of your favourite products and adding the rest to a beeswax wrap when travelling.
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