Vegan and microplastic-free beauty brand La Bouche rouge launches the world’s fi rst
sustainable lipstick. Founder Nicolas Gerlier reveals why his lip line is the one every woman
should be using
BY annie darLinG
Lip Service
STYLE / Beauty
THATTHERE’S
MICROPLASTICIN
NEARLYEVERYLIPSTICK?
WHENTHEYWERE
FIRSTINTRODUCED 50
YEARSAGO,INDUSTRY
EXPERTSTHOUGHT
MICROPLASTICS
WEREA MIRACLE,
BUTNOWWE
KNOWTHEYAREA
HUGEMISTAKE.
WhYIsItA
MIstAKe?
Theaverage
womanconsumes
10 kilosof
lipstickinher
lifetime—
that’salotof
microplastic!
WhoWouLDYouMostLIKeto
DesIGNALIPstICKfor?
“Ihavethisdreamtocreatealipstickcolour
thatmatchestheFrenchflagdepictedina
EugèneDelacroixpaintingcalledLiberty
LeadingthePeople.It’sondisplayatthe
LouvreandIhopeonedaytospeakwith
themaboutwhetherit’sapossibility.”
What’s harmful about
microplastic?
Microplastics are some of the biggest causes of water
pollution affecting Earth today—83 per cent of water
is contaminated with plastic, and cosmetics is one of
the most polluting industries. More than one billion
lipsticks are thrown away each year, and we can’t
recycle the microplastic that goes into making them; it’s
far too small.
teLLusABoutLA
BouCherouGe
“Launchedin2016,we
producetheveryfirstvegan
andcruelty-freelipstick.
Ourrefillable,engraveable,
French-madeleathercasesand
eco-refillsdon’tcontainany
beeswaxormicroplastics.”
WhYLIPstICK?
“Becauseeverywoman
hasahandbagand,within
it,everywomancarriesa
lipstick.Lipstickismorethan
justaluxury;itallowsusto
showcaseourpersonality.”
IS BEAUTY
BECOMING
MORE
SUSTAINABLE?
“I hope other brands follow
in our footsteps. It’s in our
planet’s best interest.”
DID You
KNoW...
138 philippine tatler. august 2019