BRAND WE LOVE: SBTRCT
BEAUTY ESSENTIALS, AS MINIMAL AS IT GETS
words BEN GRACE editor Julia Restoin Roitfeld IMAGES SBTRCT
Ben Grace founded SBTRCT on one guiding principle; less is more. By stripping out the things we don’t need in life, we are more able to love the things we have made a conscious choice to keep.
SHORT ANSWERS FROM BEN
LESS IS MORE: FOR ME IT’S THIS IDEA THAT IF YOU STRIP OUT EVERYTHING YOU DON’T NEED IN LIFE, YOU ARE MORE ABLE TO LOVE AND VALUE THAT WHICH YOU HAVE MADE A CONSCIOUS CHOICE TO KEEP. I REALLY BELIEVE THIS IS THE FUTURE OF OUR SOCIETY AND IT’S SURPRISING JUST HOW MANY PARTS OF YOUR LIFE YOU CAN APPLY IT TO AND THE IMPACT FOLLOWING SUCH A PHILOSOPHY CAN HAVE ON YOUR WELL-BEING. BETH KEMPTON SUMS IT UP PERFECTLY IN HER BOOK WABI SABI…
LESS STUFF, MORE SOUL.
LESS HUSTLE, MORE EASE. LESS CHAOS, MORE CALM.
LESS MASS CONSUMPTION, MORE UNIQUE CREATION.
LESS COMPLEXITY, MORE CLARITY.
LESS JUDGEMENT, MORE FORGIVENESS.
LESS BRAVADO, MORE TRUTH.
LESS RESISTANCE, MORE RESILIENCE.
LESS CONTROL, MORE SURRENDER.
LESS HEAD, MORE HEART.
BETH IS A FRIEND AND YOU CAN FIND HER INCREDIBLE WORDS ON OUR PACKAGING. I HOPE IT GIVES OUR CUSTOMERS A LITTLE SURPRISE AND DELIGHT WHEN THEY OPEN THEM.
LAST ITEM I PURCHASED: A PAIR OF BIRKENSTOCK CLOGS FOR WEARING AROUND THE HOUSE DURING LOCKDOWN.
LAST ITEM I RECYCLED IS: A LARGE ORNATE MIRROR; WE HAD A CARPENTER FIXING A FEW THINGS IN THE HOUSE. THE MIRROR HAD BEEN LEANING IN THE HALLWAY FOR AGES (BECAUSE I HATE TO JUST THROW STUFF). HE COMMENTED ON IT AND SO I OFFERED IT TO HIM AND HE WAS REALLY GRATEFUL. IT’S NICE TO THINK IT’S HANGING ON SOMEONE ELSE’S WALL BEING APPRECIATED.
MOST IMPORTANT ITEM TO YOU: I DON’T TEND TO BE PARTICULARLY MATERIALISTIC TO BE HONEST. THINGS HANDED DOWN THROUGH THE GENERATIONS TEND TO HAVE THE MOST VALUE TO ME. I HAVE A RING MY GRANDMOTHER MADE ME. IT’S A SILVER VERSION OF A RUSSIAN WEDDING RING. I NEVER TAKE IT OFF.
FAVORITE VINTAGE PIECE OF CLOTHING: AN OLD JACKET MY FATHER WAS GIVEN FOR HIS 21ST. IT HANGS IN MY WARDROBE MOST OF THE YEAR, BUT EVERY SO OFTEN IT COMES OUT IF THE WEATHER IS JUST RIGHT, USUALLY IN THE SPRING. THANKS FOR REMINDING ME!
LAST THRIFTY FIND: A WEAVED LEATHER BELT FROM A LOCAL CHARITY SHOP. IT WAS MADE IN IBIZA AND HAS A METAL CHAIN WOVEN INTO IT WHICH GIVES IT A UNIQUE FEEL. I LOVE IT.
Sustainable Packaging
WHAT LED YOU TO CREATE SBTRCT? WHAT LED YOU TO WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE?
HAVING SOLD THE PREVIOUS SKINCARE VENTURE I WAS INVOLVED WITH A FEW YEARS AGO, I TOOK SOME TIME OFF TO REEVALUATE MY LIFE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO NEXT.
I AM NATURALLY FRUGAL AND I WASN’T EARNING SO I BOUGHT LESS AND FOCUSED MORE ON WHAT REALLY MATTERED TO ME. I FOUND MYSELF HAPPIER AND MORE CONTENT. IT WAS THIS CHANGE IN APPROACH AND LIFESTYLE THAT WAS THE GENESIS OF SBTRCT AND PERHAPS MORE TELLINGLY OUR ONE GUIDING PRINCIPAL; LESS IS MORE.
HAVING DECIDED TO LAUNCH A NEW SKINCARE BRAND IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT AS A GENERATION WE ARE WAKING UP. EVERYTHING FROM THE MILK WE DRINK TO THE TRAINERS WE WEAR TO THE WAY WE CARRY OUR SHOPPING, WATER AND OUR COFFEE IS CHANGING FOR THE BETTER. BUT THE WORLD OF PREMIUM SKINCARE HAS BEEN SLOW TO SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE.
I BELIEVE OUR INDUSTRY FACES THREE KEY ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES…
PLASTIC POLLUTION
WATER SCARCITY (UP TO 70% OF TRADITIONAL CREAMS AND LOTIONS CAN BE WATER)
OVER RELIANCE ON PALM OIL
THE DESIRE TO CREATE INCREDIBLE PRODUCTS THAT ALSO HELP TACKLE THESE THREE ISSUES IS WAS BROUGHT BE TO DEVELOPING SOLID STATE PRODUCTS.
THE PACKAGING IS MINIMAL, AND RE-USABLE, ARE THE CONTENT COMPONENTS ALL NATURAL AND PRODUCED SUSTAINABLY AS WELL?
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME RESEARCHING BEFORE WE DEVELOPED OUR ACCESSORIES AND HAVE DELIBERATELY CHOSEN MATERIALS THAT ARE SUSTAINABLE AND PRODUCT DESIGNS THAT NOW ONLY ENHANCE THE AESTHETIC OF THE PRODUCTS BUT ALL IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE AND LONGEVITY.
OUR POT FOR OUR MOISTURISER FACIAL BALM IS MADE FROM BAMBOO AND HELPS KEEP THE PRODUCT COOL AND OUR OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT, WHILST OUR CLEANSER DISH IS MADE FROM DIATOMITE, A FORM OF FOSSILISED ALGAE, THAT IS BOTH ANTIBACTERIAL, BUT ALSO POROUS SO IT SUCKS THE WATER AWAY FROM THE BAR, KEEPING IT IN GREAT CONDITION.
SBTRCT IS ALSO UNISEX. DO YOU BELIEVE MEN AND WOMEN CAN/SHOULD HAVE THE SAME SKINCARE REGIMEN?
FOR ME GENDER IS NO LONGER A FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKINCARE PRODUCTS. EVERYONE’S SKIN IS UNIQUE IN SOME WAY AND IT’S ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS FOR YOU, REGARDLESS OF GENDER. THERE IS NO REASON WHY YOUR GENDER SHOULD GOVERN YOUR APPROACH TO YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE AND FOR ME CREATING PRODUCTS “FOR MEN” OR “FOR WOMEN” IS JUST RESTRICTIVE.
YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE MARKETING SIDE OF THE SKINCARE INDUSTRY FOR OVER 2 DECADES. WE ARE OFFERED SO MANY OPTIONS OF PRODUCTS THESE DAYS, WHICH CAN BE OVERWHELMING. I AM PERSONALLY HAPPIER USING AS LITTLE PRODUCTS, AND JUST FOCUSING ON HYGIENE RATHER THAN TRYING AS MANY PRODUCTS AS POSSIBLE. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THE WAY WE CONSUME?
FIRSTLY, I THINK YOU ARE VERY WISE IN YOUR APPROACH. THE REASON WE LAUNCHED WITH ONLY TWO PRODUCTS (A CLEANSER AND A MOISTURISER) IS BECAUSE WE SEE THESE ARE THE BOOKENDS OF ANY GOOD SKINCARE REGIME. WHETHER YOU THEN CHOOSE TO ADD OTHER PRODUCTS AROUND THIS IS OF COURSE YOUR CHOICE, BUT FOR ME IT WAS IMPORTANT TO START WITH PRODUCTS THAT HAD INTENTION AND FULFIL A VERY SPECIFIC ROLE. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT LIKE YOU AND I, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO SIMPLIFY MANY THINGS IN THEIR LIFE. I HOPE SBTRCT HELPS WITH THAT AND PROVIDES A WAY OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PRODUCTS YOU USE, THE WASTE YOU CREATE AND A MEANS OF NO LONGER HAVING TO LEAVE YOUR ETHICS AT THE BATHROOM DOOR.
THE OTHER THING WE’VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW PEOPLE USE OUR PRODUCTS IS THAT THEY WILL TYPICALLY USE THEM AT THE END OF A DAY. IN THE MORNING THINGS ARE OFTEN A RUSH AND (PRE-LOCKDOWN AT LEAST) YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN OFF TO THE GYM OR YOGA CLASS AND THEN GRAB A SHOWER THERE OR WHATEVER. WHEN YOU GET HOME THOUGH YOU OFTEN HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME. WE RECOGNISED EARLY ON THOUGH THAT THE BATHROOM IS A SPECIAL SPACE IN THE HOUSE. WHEN WE RESEARCHED THIS PEOPLE SPOKE OF IT BEING SOMEWHERE THEY GO TO ABLE CHANGE THEIR STATE OF MIND, BEFORE UNWINDING FOR THE EVENING. SOMEWHERE THEY LIKE TO CREATE ALMOST A SPA LIKE ENVIRONMENT.
WE REALLY EMPATHISED WITH THIS, AND IT WAS THE REASON WE CHOSE OUR AMAZING FRAGRANCE OF GERANIUM, ROSE AND TONKA BEAN AS WELL AS DEVELOPING OUR BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED SUSTAINABLE ACCESSORIES.
SO FAR YOU HAVE CREATED A BALM, AND A CLEANSER, WHICH ARE THE BASE OF A GOOD SKIN, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR SBTRCT? CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE ESSENTIAL SKINCARE PRODUCTS? IF SO, WHATS NEXT?
INCREDIBLY ENCOURAGING HAS BEEN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONTACTED US WANTING TO TRY OR SAMPLE SOLID SKINCARE BEFORE BUYING THE FULL SIZE PRODUCTS.
OUR NEXT LAUNCH HAS FALLEN STRAIGHT OUT OF THESE REQUESTS. OUR DISCOVERY SET IS A MINI OF BOTH OUR PRODUCTS IN A CUTE MATCHBOX STYLE BOX PERFECT FOR TRIAL AND FOR TRAVEL (IF YOU CAN REMEMBER TRAVEL) AND WITH AN RRP OF £15.
OF COURSE, PRODUCT IS AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP MORE EXCEPTIONAL SOLID SKINCARE, TAKING OUR TIME AND DOING SO WITH INTENTION. WE HAVE A FEW PRODUCTS IN THE PIPELINE AND ARE TARGETING A MAY LAUNCH, ONE OF WHICH TO MY KNOWLEDGE IS A WORLD FIRST, SO WATCH THIS SPACE!
“There is no reason why your gender should govern your approach to your skincare routine and for me creating products “for men” or “for women” is just restrictive.”
