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Sustainable look - natural men's styling
· 4 min read
The trend towards a more sustainable lifestyle is growing steadily and has now become an integral part of our society. From meat-free kebabs and vegan clothing to cappuccinos made with oat milk and natural cosmetics: products free from animal-derived ingredients and the lifestyle that goes with them are now a part of our everyday lives in almost every area. Eric:Barbier’s customers, too, are experiencing the benefits of vegan and sustainable grooming and styling products, which have long since ceased to be of interest only to ‘eco-warriors’ and die-hard environmentalists.
And yet, for many men in particular, ‘vegan’ is a term they cannot or do not wish to identify with: they associate it with compromises in their daily lives, passions and habits. But don’t worry – we have no intention of stopping you from enjoying your steak or giving up other beloved products. Rather, we want to show you just how positively vegan and sustainable products impact nature, animals and, of course, yourselves – after all, the modern gentleman shouldn’t have to compromise on either proper grooming or a contemporary, conscious lifestyle.
If vegan production is not possible, the team at Eric:Barbier ensures fair and animal-friendly husbandry when developing new products. “For us, sustainability is a matter of common sense. Our hair and beard wax, for example, isn’t vegan, but is based on beeswax that’s sourced locally. This allows us to avoid the use of crude oil and synthetic preservatives. And, of course, the bees aren’t harmed in the production process,” explains Anthony.
However, it is not just nature that benefits from avoiding silicones, but your body too! This is because silicones have no nourishing effect – on the contrary, as the master barber explains: “Silicones seal the hair structure and stick to the skin.” They form a sort of plastic-like film on the epidermis and hair, preventing important nourishing ingredients from penetrating. In the short term, this plastic-like seal created by silicones produces a very pleasant feeling of care – the hair shines and also appears smooth. In the long term, however, it leads to dry, brittle hair as well as itching and unpleasant dandruff.
Plant-based alternatives for styling
Although more and more men are coming to appreciate eco-friendly products and sustainability is playing a greater role in shaving and everyday life, this aspect is often overlooked in the bathroom at home. Many people are unaware, for example, that most men’s grooming products rely on animal-derived ingredients and that animal husbandry is also practised for cosmetics – with significant impacts on the climate. Awareness of this has only emerged in recent years: “Back when we were developing our first products, it wasn’t at all easy to find a manufacturer who could meet our requirements,” explains master barber Anthony. Nevertheless, it was important to the master barber and his team that neither animals nor nature should suffer for the sake of the products – especially when there are plenty of plant-based alternatives that can easily replace animal-derived or chemical ingredients. For example, argan oil, which is extracted from the argan fruit, is a high-quality and natural ingredient in beard oil or shampoo. The cold-pressed oil moisturises the skin and hair and provides a natural shine. It cleanses intensively whilst nourishing the skin and hair, and has therefore been an important ingredient in natural cosmetics for centuries.
If vegan production is not possible, the team at Eric:Barbier ensures fair and animal-friendly husbandry when developing new products. “For us, sustainability is a matter of common sense. Our hair and beard wax, for example, isn’t vegan, but is based on beeswax that’s sourced locally. This allows us to avoid the use of crude oil and synthetic preservatives. And, of course, the bees aren’t harmed in the production process,” explains Anthony.
How silicones harm people and nature
However, it is not only the animal-derived ingredients in cosmetic products that harm the environment. Silicones, which are found in almost all conventional care products, also have a negative impact on the ecosystem: they end up in our wastewater every day and cannot be completely filtered out by sewage treatment plants. This leads to them accumulating in groundwater and soil.
However, it is not just nature that benefits from avoiding silicones, but your body too! This is because silicones have no nourishing effect – on the contrary, as the master barber explains: “Silicones seal the hair structure and stick to the skin.” They form a sort of plastic-like film on the epidermis and hair, preventing important nourishing ingredients from penetrating. In the short term, this plastic-like seal created by silicones produces a very pleasant feeling of care – the hair shines and also appears smooth. In the long term, however, it leads to dry, brittle hair as well as itching and unpleasant dandruff.
