Lessons from Japanese Kintsugi

Dear reader,

"Business as usual is no longer a viable option."

When UN Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua spoke these words at the SDG Summit of 2023, they carried special weight for the cosmetics industry. While many talk about sustainability as a future concern, his words confront a stark present reality: humanity is already consuming triple what Earth can provide. It's sobering, isn't it?

In cosmetics, “progress” often looks like endless launches, ingredient swaps, and trend-chasing. It’s a race to innovate while keeping business as usual intact. But let’s be honest—this approach is running out of road.

Consider this: the cosmetics industry produces 120 billion packaging units every year. Most end up in landfills or oceans. Our ingredient choices ripple across ecosystems. The reality is clear—continuing on this path isn’t just environmentally unsustainable. It’s economically reckless.

I’ve been reflecting on what business as usual really means for our industry—and for our planet. It’s not just a concept; it’s a way of operating that’s clearly unsustainable. In my latest note, I unpack the concept, Business as Usual.

And here's what inspires me to see beauty in this necessary transformation: Kintsugi. This Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with golden seams shows us how breaking from business as usual can create something more valuable than before.

Two-thirds of consumers now expect environmental leadership from brands. Yet this isn't merely about meeting market demands. It's about fundamentally reimagining our relationship with beauty and the planet.

The future will bring change. Our choice lies in whether we'll embrace the golden opportunity to repair and strengthen our industry, following Kintsugi's path of transforming broken pieces into something more valuable.

I'm considering adding a new section to these newsletters: “Better Alternative” Each week, I would share a practical example of how we can replace unsustainable ingredients or practices with better alternatives. For instance, I could explain why fermentation-derived Bisabolol is a more sustainable choice than Candeia tree-sourced Bisabolol.

Would this kind of practical information be valuable to you? Hit reply and let me know if you'd find this helpful in your work.

With determination,

Priscilla