Burt’s Bees: A Pioneer in Conscious Beauty

For over two decades now, Beauty Bar has grown to be the country’s beauty mecca — from makeup, skincare, bath and body, tools and accessories, hair care, fragrances, to men’s grooming. Naturally, consumer preferences evolve over time, resulting in today’s emerging demand for “sustainable beauty.” 

Beauty Bar puts the spotlight on its longstanding partner — a resident since 1999 — what’s widely known to be a well-loved, environmentally responsible brand: Burt’s Bees.

The rise of eco-responsibility among brands

The beauty industry has been keeping their ears on the ground, tuning in to the preference of their consumers. It all started with the “green beauty” trend in the year 2000s, highlighting products made from natural ingredients. Then it shifted to “clean beauty,’ choosing only non- toxic and ethically-sourced ingredients that do not harm both humans and the world we live in.

In the latter part of 2020, the beauty industry has become even more accountable for the decisions they make. Carefully choosing which ingredients go into production, this has paved the way for the ongoing “conscious beauty” movement.

Not only does social-responsibility come into play with its ethical choices from ingredients to packaging, products are also mindfully manufactured sans the toxins and animal cruelty. The idea behind conscious beauty became even more relevant when the pandemic started, with consumers pushing brands to be transparent with how they manufacture their products, from concept to packaging, even when it comes to their recycle, biodegradable, or renewable efforts.

Beauty brands have become more conscientious in making decisions that will benefit everyone and the world we live in. With conscious beauty, consumers get to do guilt-free purchases — be it for the environment or for their own personal health.

Ahead of its time

This concept isn’t new to Burt’s Bees. Created in the 1980s, Burt Shavitz and Roxanne Quimby bid goodbye to the city life, replacing it with a life in the wilderness. The serendipitous encounter with a stray beehive, coupled with his resourcefulness, led the duo to their very first product in 1991—the lip balm.

Their chosen lifestyle, a low-impact one that’s socially and environmentally conscious, is also reflected on how they operate Burt’s Bees. Roxanne has always believed that we should respect and preserve nature so that we can all live well.

The demand for conscious-beauty products has only strengthened the values of Burt’s Bees. Upgrades include adapting to the International Standards Organization (ISO) standards by including a more detailed list of ingredients with percentages of natural origins. Packaging is also equally important, and Burt’s Bees is not new to this. For one, its lip balms and lip shimmers are cellophane-free. Overall, it uses 52 percent post-consumer recycled plastics as part of their sustainability efforts.

Not just lip service

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Burt’s Bees was brought to the Philippines by Beauty Bar, a pioneer in beauty since the early 2000s, and it was one of the first brands to introduce the idea of conscious use of beauty even before it became a trend. Who doesn’t own and restock Burt’s Bees lip balms that are made with natural, responsibly sourced beeswax?

Burt’s Bees lip balms have become a big category in itself, introducing more product lines that target different needs. The Overnight Intensive Lip Treatment works on hydrating your puckers with 100 percent natural emollients, waxes, and oils while you sleep. It restores and repairs your lips with its ceramide-rich formula that supports your skin’s barrier, so you can wake up with soft, smooth, and supple lips. Supplement your lip care with the Conditioning Lip Scrub. Its honey crystals exfoliate rough and dry skin while the beeswax ingredient nourishes and smoothens. Lastly, the Tinted Lip Balm offers just the right amount of natural color on your lips while delivering eight-hour moisturization. Made from moisture-rich shea butter, there are eight wearable sheer shades that you can choose from. All three lip products are formulated without parabens, phthalates, petroleum, or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).

Staying true to its brand DNA, another extensive Burt’s Bees product range to check out is the Sensitive skin care line. This product range has gone through many stages of approvals, gaining the seal of acceptance from the National Eczema Society.

“We are honored that our natural Sensitive skin care line has been recognized with the NEA Seal of Acceptance,” saysa Matt Gregory, General Manager for Burt’s Bees. “We believe in nurturing skin with nature’s most powerful ingredients and are excited to provide innovative skin solutions for all skin types, including individuals with eczema and sensitive skin concerns.”

Products include Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Cleanser, Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes with Cotton Extracts, Burt’s Bees Sensitive Facial Towelettes with Aloe, Burt’s Bees Sensitive Eye Cream, Burt’s Bee Sensitive Daily Moisturizing Cream, and Burt’s Bees Sensitive Night Cream. All products are fragrance-free with key ingredients such as rice, aloe, and cotton extracts that soothe and moisturize. The cleanser is soap-free but does the job in removing dirt, oil, and makeup without leaving the skin red and irritated.

Beauty movement

Burt’s Bees continues to support the conscious beauty trend through a discussion of where beauty is now in the Philippines. Together with Beauty Bar, the two beauty companies are working together with a common philosophy in mind—choosing products that are good for everyone and for the planet.

Hosted by lifestyle maven Mia Borromeo, she is joined by lifestyle journalist and ANC anchor, Marie Lozano, and founder and medical director of SKIN 101, Dr. Jennie Francisco-Diaz. Marie considers a lot of things before purchasing a product, and Burt’s Bees is one of the brands she trusts. It sources responsibly, and doesn’t test on animals—two of the things she values the most.

Conscious beauty is a movement that has been gaining traction, because of the many benefits that everyone can reap, indirectly and directly. Burt’s Bees Brand Manager for Southeast Asia, Daye Delos Reyes shares more about the international brand’s vision, “Burt’s Bees has always led the way when it comes to Conscious Beauty, and this is embedded in our brand values ever since. Our values are founded on four principles: Ingredients from Nature, No Animal Testing, Responsible Sourcing, and Recyclable Packaging. In essence, Burt’s Bees has been making products that are kind to the skin and planet for a full-circle clean–from source to disposal — for over 30 years now.”

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Visit https://beautybar.com.ph/for Burt’s Bees products and more cult brands of cosmetics, skincare, and beauty products, or follow @beautybarph on Instagram and Facebook for more information.

In the Philippines, Beauty Bar is under Stores Specialists, Inc., with stores located at Alabang Town Center, Cebu, Greenbelt 5, Rockwell, Shangri-La, New Glorietta, Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central, Malate, Lucky Mall, Eastwood, Galleria, Podium, UP Town Center, Trinoma, Magnolia, and Marquee.