What does slow made mean for beauty?

Slow beauty is the new clean beauty and it’s a movement that’s here to stay!

By Jana Leonard, Homeware Brand Founder & Content Creator

We breathe and think in a world of fast-paced living, working and instant gratification, but 2020 has taught us to slow down in various aspects of our lives. It has also allowed us some time to research, understand and in turn expect brands to be better, do better and deliver better products.

The fashion and beauty industries had to adapt to the newfound demand and expectation from customers seeking ingredient lists, earth-friendly packaging and slow made products. Enter the beauty industry and we welcome a movement so precious, an entirely new category has been allocated to it - Slow Beauty! Pretty self-explanatory, Slow Beauty moves away from “quick fixes”. Slow beauty not only touches on actual products or treatments but focuses on a holistic approach such as getting a good night’s sleep, fueling your body with nutrient-dense foods, drinking enough water and an overall mindful and intentional life.

Similar to that of slow fashion, slow beauty has seen a huge interest spike from beauty and fashion experts, who, not only expect an exceptional product but one that has been lovingly crafted using sustainable methods such as using recyclable packaging and offering refill options to clients, using renewable energy and putting the environment first. In addition, we seek brands using consciously sourced ingredients such as Marula and Baobab oil, moving away from palm oil due to its deforestation in Indonesia and effects on climate control.

It’s also incredibly important to understand that natural ingredients like botanical oils should always be sourced from a supplier with documentation that either speaks to fair trade principles or is involved in community outreach projects or plant rehabilitation. It is about using fewer, better and cleaner products with less unnecessary waste, overproduction and overconsumption. Less is more.

Cape Town based and internationally renowned floral designer and entrepreneur, Heike Hayward, from Fleur le Cordeur shares her take on slow beauty, “It means slowly made, given thought and intention to every step...most probably delivering on handmade products. To me, it means enjoying the process as much as the outcome”.

Women are investing in themselves more than ever before and slow beauty has reiterated this for us. Beauty writer and influencer, Liezel Malherbe from 9lives.co.za adds, “Slow beauty means investing in healthy choices for your body, and the best regimen for your skin. Forget quick fixes and aim for long-term results.”

So, how does one start incorporating slow beauty into your life?

A great tip to identify slow beauty products is to keep an eye on brands offering environmentally conscious practices - from sourcing the ingredients to offering recyclable packaging. Keywords such as ‘vegan’, ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ will also point you in the right direction. Always try and support small-batch local businesses, you’ll know their footprint is favourable.

Slow made doesn’t only apply to the beauty and fashion industries, but rather to a new way of life. One that is filled with meaning, mindfulness, creating a better world for the next generation and focussing on being better ourselves - whatever that may mean for each and every one of us.

We should all aspire to a slower life - one where we expect big and small brands to lead the way in consciousness. It starts with one person, the rest will follow suit.