Young, hip and... thoughtful? Meet evolve beauty eco smart skincare

There's been a shift in the beauty landscape in recent years with the widespread greening (and greenwashing) of the industry. Virtually all brands have jumped aboard the organic/natural beauty bandwagon, but how many have truly embraced the idea that it's good business to be a good business?

Innocent and Method both work to the hum of this mantra, but, by and large, there are a select few in beauty who do as well. And so many that do are niche players. Neal's Yard Remedies, nude, InLight or Saaf, among others, are all brilliant, holistic brands I readily use... but they're just left of center on price point and youth appeal for consumption by the beautiful-but-broke up-and-comers who simply can't pony up that sort of dosh but still want a quality product. Simply put, so much design-led, good organic beauty has been pricey to this point. There's been a gap where this accessible, cool, ethical beauty market should be, and it's swiftly starting to close with the help of brands like evolve beauty, the latest addition to the ethical skincare scene. The market needs an asos.com equivalent in the ethical beauty realm. We have the NET-A-PORTERS (and we quite like them) but there is room for more!

Recently, I spoke to evolve brand founder Laura Rudoe to figure out just what exactly is this eco smart beauty thing, and why the world needs yet another range of skincare and here's what I have to report back...

evolve, Rudoe's new eco smart organic beauty brand, began with her eternal search for the right beauty product. Growing up, Rudoe says she had quite acneic skin and it was only after years and years of homeopathy, good nutrition and significantly simplifying her skincare routine (using gentler brands like REN) that her skin started to look like it was on the mend, leaving the harsh products of yesteryear far behind. However, it wasn't until post-MBA that ex-consultant Rudoe truly honed her interest in ethical business and returned to the working world a changed woman as one of the original brains behind nude skincare.

With the help of fellow HBS alumnus Brian Meehan, she consulted for Whole Foods (owners of Fresh and Wild) by day while moonlighting with Meehan to create and launch nude. Rudoe recognised a gap in the skincare market for glamorous organic brands and speedily wrote the business plan. With financial backing and endless resources, Rudoe began her ethical business career in a fledgling entrepreneur's dream role as Director of Operations and Product Development at nude, learning first hand how to set up a company and becoming an expert on ethical beauty. By 2007 (and the launch of nude) she amicably parted ways with the brand, found herself working for an ethical venture capital firm and started the business plan for evolve (while concurrently brainstorming an idea to write a book on ethical businesses, which eventually became Good Ventures, the ethical product development company behind evolve... does this woman sleep!?).

What is evolve beauty eco smart skincare?

It's a range of twelve skin, hair and body products with squeaky clean wrap sheets. No nasties here. From formulation to the factory floor and in your door. Packaged in cool, pastel 100 per cent recycled milk bottles, these certified organic products are priced for the masses with an attention to detail that's usually reserved for high-end department store products. The ingredients are certified organic and food-based and the bottles are beautiful enough to display on your bathroom shelf with pride (very Scandinavian-minimalist looking, I must say), the ingredients are good for you (and the bunnies they don't test on) and the brand is doing its best to make both the beauty-scape and environment better.

Rudoe says she wants the brand to help everyone live a little better with high-quality yet accessible organic beauty products that can help us all make little changes. After all, those efforts add up to a sea change in collective behaviour if enough people do it. Welcome to the the world of ethical beauty, where brands practice what they preach... really. 

I personally have yet to trial the products but I am in awe of all good female entrepreneurs (and she is one of them) and am also truly intrigued by beauty brands that are evolving (no pun intended) in this direction. Follow this space for full product reviews in the coming weeks.

What is eco smart skincare?

Good question. Since it's a phrase unfamiliar to me until now, I did a bit of research and the loose definition I can cobble together is that eco smart skincare is a phrase that can be applied to products that are healthier and possibly greener with less environmental impact that help you live a bit better while also not compromising on quality simply to make bigger profit margins.

In a sentence, eco smart skincare is skincare that's environmentally friendly and human-friendly, generally speaking.

Personally, I believe the most environmentally thing one can do is simply use less of everything, but within the realm of reality, where we do have to use products everyday, evolve beauty is attempting to give you a smarter choice in what you buy and use to make your beauty consumption just that much better. And they're not sacrificing your product ingredients, brand integrity or the environment to increase margins. It's about making a good product and understanding there's a balance between making money and creating a valuable brand.

Peek inside the evolve beauty founder's bathroom cabinet:

She uses as little on her complexion as possible. Keep it simple, especially if you have sensitive skin. Laura swears by her Clarisonic, with or without evolve’s daily detox cleanser ('it works well with water too.'). Her simplified skincare routine includes cleansing after wearing makeup only, now with evolve's gentle cleansing melt. She uses a hand-blended facial oil now and again (she used a mix of wheatgerm and rosa mosqueta on her face and stretchmarks during pregnancy), and confesses to moisturising less-than regularly.

Hot products from the range

Gentle Cleansing Melt (£ 9.99 for 100ml)

Soap-free, fragrance-free and moisturising, this product is 100 per cent natural and contains only five ingredients. With warm water, it emulsifies and rinses clean away without the need for a muslin cloth. It was created because while Rudoe loved cleansing balms she loathed muslin cloths.

Mega Omega Moisture Cream (£ 10.99 for 200ml)

This body lotion uses organic Peruvian sacha Inchi Oil, the richest known source of Omega 3, 6, and 9, with Almond Peptides and Shea Butter to moisturise and soften.

evolve is available at evolvebeauty.co.uk, Content Beauty/Wellbeing, Lovelula.com and in stores at John Lewis and Planet Organic this month.

Beauty addict Nadine Haobsh confesses (almost) all ...

This weekend, beauty editor/blogger/successful novelist Nadine Haobsh shared a few beauty secrets with us before prepping for the latest stop on the book tour for her second tome, Confessions of a Beauty Addict at LA's famed Studio Fred Segal. Her first novel, Beauty Confidential was a huge hit and she's given us a sneak peek at her third book, her favourite products, what she thinks of plastic surgery and the best part of being a beauty editor...

What are your top 5 favourite products?
Bare Minerals foundation, NARS blush in Orgasm, Living Proof No Frizz styling cream, Nude facial cleansing oil, Envision Beauty The Solution serum.

What's in your travel make up kit?
I have a variety of Bare Escentuals powders in there (foundation, concealer, bronzer and illuminiser!) as well as Bare Escentuals lipglosses. Then I have a Prescriptives eyeshadow palette, NARS blush, Lancome mascaras, my beloved Shiseido eyelash curler (it’s better than the Shu Uemura for rounded eyes, like mine) and countless brushes.

What's the best part about being a beauty editor?
Getting comped services like haircuts and colour (not to mention occasional massages) is truly the best perk. But helping steer women toward the best products is just a bonus!

And the worst part?
Feeling obligated to write about beauty even if my head is just not in that space. I had a real problem with that during the Presidential Election – I couldn’t have cared less about lipgloss at the time.

Which spa is your favourite?
The Claremont Spa at the Claremont Resort in Berkeley, California is just heaven to me.

What is your favourite beauty trend for S/S 09 and A/W 09?
Excellent skincare and make up at mass-market prices! Target (which is kind of like Boots) is carrying Jemma Kidd, Pixi and Napoleon Perdis. And Olay is really proving itself to be among the world’s true leaders in skincare/anti-ageing. It’s nice that women are realizing you don’t have to spend a ton of money for great products.

What do you think is the strangest new trend in make up?
I don’t get all these Barbie Collections that Stila is doing. It’s just weird to me. In general, I also don’t understand the MAC obsessions. Good on them for figuring out a way to make consumers rabid about purchasing every single new thing you do, but it occasionally feels gimmicky and like a waste of money to me.

What's the best new product on the market?
Living Proof No Frizz – it’s an anti-frizz hair cream that works like magic, and thoroughly coats the hair without weighing it down. Use it with a FHI hairdryer and flat iron and your hair will be sleek and shiny!

And the most interesting science/tech advancement in beauty this year?
Again, it’s the new polymers they developed in Living Proof No Frizz. I am all about this product – it’s genius. [Editor's note: It is genius. I've been using both the spray and cream for one week and even on my limp, thin, fine hair, it works... my hair looks better with it.]

What is your top beauty advice?
The Beauty Editor Commandments.

What is your worst beauty foible ever?
I recently tried to cut my own bangs, and ended up with a short, shapeless, weird fringe framing my forehead; it looked truly horrible. But my all-time worst was when I burned off all my hair (in a hotel on Park Lane!) while using a travel converter with my flat iron. My hair just started falling off. It was disastrous… and 20 minutes before a date with a cute English boy, too!

Do you ever leave the house sans make up?
Oh, God, I go without make up all the time! On the weekends, I often can’t be bothered. I won’t go on a date without make up, but I definitely don’t feel the need to wear it everyday. I have a great 5-minute make up routine (Bare Escentuals, bronzer as blush, eyeshadow, quick swipes of mascara and lip gloss) that I use before work.

Are there new cool product/brand launches you're looking forward to this year?
I can’t talk a lot about it, but I’m actually working on a skincare line right now with the two doctors for whom I work, and I’m super excited about it. We’re shooting for the stars, and are tackling a *big* skincare concern that’s often not properly addressed without spending a ton of money.

Where is your favourite beauty destination in NYC?
Henri Bendel! The make up counters there are to die for, and have some hidden gems. I love wandering the beauty aisles at Bloomingdales on 57th and Lexington (my old neighborhood!), too. Both the Upper East Side and the Village have some great beauty emporiums, meanwhile, like C.O. Bigelow, Zitomer and Lafco NY.

Where is your favourite beauty destination in London?
Liberty just kills me – everytime I’m there, I end up spending way too much money on fancy candles. I also love the old standbys: Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nics, and I especially like searching for UK-only finds in the big Boots on Oxford Street. We need a Boots in the US!

What was the best haircut you've ever had?
I have been lucky enough to have had a few amazing haircuts. The best stylists I’ve ever seen are Ted Gibson and Sally Hershberger in NYC, Paul-Jean Jouve in LA and either Charles Worthington or Daniel Hersheson in London. I also love Neil Weisberg of the Neil George salon. He's English but has a salon in LA with the famous haircolorist (also English!) Amanda George. They’re fabulous. And Ted Gibson’s co-owner Jason Backe is hands-down one of the best colorists in New York. I also love the Louis Licari salon in New York for color; Kristen Vincelli and Kathy Galotti brilliantly saw me through a lot of tricky color changes back in the day!

What was the best facial you've ever had?
I can’t stand facials; it’s just not for me. But I did have an amazing one at Sally Hershberger Face Place in New York that practically put me to sleep, and I had a tough, but good extraction in the spa at the Meurice in Paris. But, seriously… shudder! I’d take a massage over a facial any day. Use retinol or retinoids daily and you really won’t need a facial.

Where is your favourite beauty destination in LA and what is your favourite LA beauty find?
Studio Fred Segal is the best beauty emporium in LA. I’m especially excited to have had my LA book launch party there, because Studio is chocka with products that make my heart flutter. Last time I was there, a perfumer from the Memoire Liquide custom perfume bar made me my own scent: it has Indian sandalwood, vanilla, musk, amber, patchouli, and jasmine. Heaven!

Can you give us a sneak preview of your next book? Just a peek!
My third book is set in England! It’s about two glamorous American sisters from Palm Beach who move to West Sussex during their parents’ divorce to live with their posh English grandmother, and they become fabulous socialite, Tatler Little Black Book types. When the economy tanks, however, they have to pull their family together and learn what’s really important to them. It’s fun, and I think girls on both sides of the pond will love it!

Plastic surgery... for or against? Do you think injections count as surgery?
I don’t think injections count as surgery… Surgery involves an anesthesiologist, after-care facilities, weeks of downtime, thousands of dollars… you get the picture. Injections, to my mind, are the same as hair coloring – it’s cheating nature, but it’s also using the technology available to make the most of your looks. I am, personally, not a huge fan of plastic surgery, but I feel much more lax about injection maintenance. Botox, when done properly, is a wonder. I don’t, however, condone lip plumping injections or face plumping injections, because they make people look fake and like aliens! To each his/her own, though… but it’s just not for me. Perhaps I will change my mind later in life – I hope not!

Watch this space for a review of Nadine's lovely Confessions of a Beauty Addict.

Meet Kate Moss's BFF, James Brown

BFF with supermodel Kate Moss (and apparently the man who guides her on most of what she wears. Who knew?), James Brown is the hair stylist to some of London's coolest clientele and styled Kate on her 1992 Vogue cover. He's a session stylist, and now brand creator, who is responsible for the lust-worthy looks of Agent Provocateur and beautiful manes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst, Johnny Depp, Amber Valetta, Julianne Moore and Gisele Bundchen. Without further ado, see what our succinct stylist has to say in our interview with him:

HOW DID YOU START DOING HAIR?
My sister used to come home from the hairdressers and immediately wash and restyle her hair the way she liked it and I eventually persuaded her to let me have a go and was eventually doing hair for the entire street. I landed my first job in a salon in Croydon at the age of 15, although they thought I was 18!

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Friends and family.

WHY DID YOU CREATE YOUR OWN RANGE?
Working on shoots, I was always mixing products to get what I needed, so I decided to create my own range that was simple and effective.

HOW DID YOU DO IT? Working on shoots, I was always mixing products to get what I needed, so I decided to create my own range that was simple and effective.

WHAT'S THE SINGLE BEST TIP FOR HAIR CARE YOU'VE HEARD? Rinse your hair in cold water to get it smoother and shinier.

WHAT'S YOUR SINGLE BEST HAIR CARE TIP? Keep it simple and work with your hair, not against it.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST HAIR TRENDS FOR FALL 2008 AND SPRING 2009? Strong colour.

WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD SEE MORE OF IN THE HAIR INDUSTRY? Compassion and patience!

IS LONDON THE HAIR CAPITAL OF THE WORLD? Yes!

WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO GET AWAY FROM IT ALL? My house in Ireland.

WORST HAIR TREND YOU'VE SEEN? Extensions.

BEST HAIR TREND YOU'VE SEEN? Plaits – simple and sexy!

FAVOURITE HAIR COLOUR?
Dark brown.

DO YOU HAVE ANY CELEB CLIENTS WITH WHOM YOU LOVE WORKING? Kate Moss and Sarah Jessica Parker.

WHAT'S THE WORST HAIR STYLE/TREND YOU'VE EVER WORN? Extensions – when I was about 17!

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE LONDON WATERING HOLE? The Clifton, St Johns Wood.

FAVOURITE MOVIE STAR HAIR? 1950s glamour.

BEST INNOVATION IN THE INDUSTRY? Straightening irons!

WHAT NEW PRODUCTS WILL WE SOON SEE IN YOUR RANGE? I have a range of 5 new exciting styling products in the James Brown Range which just went into Boots store at the start of October. I'm most excited about the Shine & Fragrance Mist although everyone seems to be going mad for the larger size Hair Reviving Dry Shampoo. Daisy Lowe says she wouldn't have survived Glastonbury without it.

WHOSE HAIR WOULD YOU LOVE TO DO? Cate Blanchett

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN IF YOU COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ELSE? A jockey.