There are many initiatives across the board from fashion to design where sustainability is paramount. One of the areas that I feel has to catch up is the beauty industry. Today I am excited to be talking with R+Co President Dan Langer on what inspired the launch of the BLEU line, the sustainable aspect— the bottles, tubes and cartons are made from 100% recycled materials—and the cool design.

Photography & Styling by Alison Engstrom

Thank you for creating the R+Co BLEU line. Like so many, I have been really being intentional with my environmental footprint and found that with the beauty industry it is challenging. Can you share what personally inspired you to launch the line?

We wanted to launch a collection that was best-in-class in every aspect – a line that had the highest levels of performance, industry leading levels of sustainability and unmatched packaging design.This year people have been more focused on self-care and wellness than ever before. We also realized how small the world is and how important our individual roles in protecting that world is. The little things matter. So more than ever, the new luxury is about not needing to compromise but about blending the highest efficacy with the highest levels of consciousness. Plus, it’s great to have something beautiful in both use and to look at – making each morning that much brighter and more fun.

Being the first hair care brand to include 100% recyclable packaging, what were some non-negotiables when developing the line?

When developing the line we weren’t willing to make compromises on sustainability. We pushed the limits on packaging to levels that had never been done – whether that was 100% PCR for our bottles, or sustainable bioresins in our tubes or our partnership with One Tree Planted. Our focus was on leading the industry in what was possible – to create a virtuous cycle of both recycled and recyclable packaging.

I love how it’s good for the environment, but you don’t compromise on the design. Can you share the inspiration behind that?

Product performance is paramount for us. However, design is an integral part of the experience. For BLEU we wanted to have form meet function and develop products that were as beautiful to use as they were to look at. The colors were inspired by YSL in the 70’s and the silhouettes based on the bodies of violins. On the functional side, a couple of examples are the textured, angular caps that make them easy to open with wet hands and having shampoos and conditioners of different shapes that let you quickly tell what you are using in the shower.

Can you share any details about the formulations?

BLEU at its core is a treatment line. Beautiful hair starts with healthy hair. The BLEU Molecule is all about hair strength and shine and is in every product. Whether you’re using a shampoo, conditioner or hair spray, you’re treating your hair at the same time.

What do you think that the beauty industry needs to do to help offset its environmental footprint?

There are so many areas that the beauty industry can offset its environmental impact and I believe that many brands are already making great inroads. The first step is awareness and understanding what levers are available – whether that is through sustainable packaging, clean ingredients, partnerships or education – it is really just about starting and creating momentum.

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R+Co's BLEU - Making Haircare More Sustainable