We are thrilled to be introducing Canadian brand, Elate Cosmetics, to the Australian market. This refillable, cruelty free and vegan make up brand is not only high quality but it's environmentally conscious too. Let's look behind the brand.
We caught up with Elate's Founder, Melodie Reynolds to ask her a few questions about the mission and purpose of Elate.
1. What was the catalyst that initially sparked your interest in natural beauty and what was the inspiration behind the brand?
I've been in the beauty industry for around 20 years and I've always been really affected by the amount of cruelty in the industry. That includes testing on animals, cruelty to the planet in terms of waste we produce and also cruelty to ourselves. In the beauty industry there is a lot of fear and shame based marketing which I've never been able to identify with. When I started Elate I wanted my company to be truly cruelty free in terms of ingredients and how we prepare them e.g. fair trade and no animal testing, and we refuse to use packaging that is wasteful. We also don't use shame based marketing and don't photoshop any images. Elate doesn't just not harm the world but we help the world too and help individuals using Elate's products.
2. How does Elate Cosmetics differentiate itself from other natural beauty brands?
I'm actually really excited by the number of natural beauty brands that are embracing cruelty free; it's great to see. Something that does differentiate us is our ingredients. We use high quality plant based pigments and this will be introduced into more of our products. We want all of our products to be used in more than one way and, along with the bamboo capsule system, means customers can create a beauty range that is completely waste free.
3. To us, you're leading the way with your commitment to sustainable practices and zero waste (your bamboo packaging is incredibly beautiful and unique!) How important is it to you that your range respects the environment too?
This is the most important thing to me. I had an experience a few years ago before founding Elate. I purchased a lipstick from a brand I admired and it was quite an expensive purchase. I got it home and unpacked it from the plastic bag, unpacked the plastic box and unpacked more plastic and ended up with a plastic product. I realised that when I was finished with it I was left with a pile of waste. This stuck in my head for years and years so when I was creating the packaging for Elate this was the number one thing I was thinking about and it's still the number one thing I think about today. Are we able to create a company that only leaves behind lipstick marks and that's it. We are on our way to becoming the World's First Waste Free Cosmetics Company. We want to do that by year 10 and we are in year 4 and on track. We are also working to create packaging solutions for other companies too because we want all companies to make the world a better place.
4. If we were going to try one product from the range what would be your must-have product?
I have two. The mascara is my favourite and that is my desert island product but that might be because I have really blond eyelashes. If I were to say one for everyone else on the planet it's Elate's Universal Cremes. They are a waste free product with refills. The refills come in a seed paper package so you can plant the paper and grow flowers. The refill goes in the bamboo compact or the bamboo capsule so you can build a make up set. They are for eyes, cheeks and lips so they have lots of uses and they are so easy to use and the texture is beautiful.
5. Winter is fast approaching here in Australia, what makeup tips would you recommend for us?
Don't forget about your fresh tint foundations. They have a natural SPF (note: not recognised here in Australia) so it's good to have some protection on your face. Fresh Tint and Full Tint Foundations are beautiful foundations. Also in Winter don't forget about Bronzer; they are fantastic to add a subtle glow all year round. The Universal Creme can add a flush to cheeks and lips. For darker skin they add a gorgeous highlight.
My number one product for Winter is Tantric lipstick. It's a beautiful lipstick that looks great on almost everyone. It's great for a bit of pop.
6. If you had to give one piece of advice for an up and coming business with a dream to see change, what would it be?
Set your goals and work towards them every single day. If you have a lofty goal around legislation, the way you do business or how the beauty industry operates , you have to wake up with that goal and do everything that meets that goal. You can't lose sight of the goal and bigger picture and work towards it everyday with intention.
Elate have just signed Canada's Environmental Defence Just Beautiful Pledge. This exists so that consumers can make informed decisions about the products they buy and to promote the good work of manufacturers and retailers making and/or selling products that are free of the Toxic Ten ingredients including parabens and phthalates.
You can find Elate Cosmetics exclusively in Australia at Flora & Fauna. See the Elate Range.
