Plenaire: the vegan beauty brand promoting positivity
Throughout the 2010s, a whole host of new words have popped up in our lexicon, emerging to describe the changing world around us. As we enter 2020, one of the terms we wish could leave behind in this decade is “greenwashing,” a term denoting when brands hide less-than-ideal environmental track records with eco-friendly buzzwords.
One company that shares this distaste for greenwashing is Plenaire, an emerging Gen Z-focussed skincare brand that isn’t just vegan, cruelty-free and genuinely sustainable, but urges its customers to reconsider their wider purchasing patterns. With a capsule collection of eight products at launch (our favourite is the Rose Jelly Makeup Remover — the perfect alternative to wasteful face wipes), it offers versatile skincare heroes that aren’t just skin-deep solutions. The company ties its products to rituals of self-care that sustain good mental health, allowing individuals to forge a much more valuable relationship with the contents of their bathroom cabinet.
Its founder, Namrata Kamdar, was kind enough to break it down for us: “With Plenaire we could see white space where beauty is no longer just about vanity, but about self-expression; not always about a desire for affirmation, but playing a central role in self-care”. Whilst this might sound like a novel concept — particularly in the beauty industry, which a sceptic might claim profits off our collective insecurities — the Plenaire formula is a direct response to Gen Z’s ethos and prioritisation of inner and outer well-being.
“We chose to simply observe the bigger sociological and cultural shifts within young women and men today by simply listening to them,” Namrata explains. “What we have created is as a direct result of talking to them about their daily lives, anxieties and of course, their relationship with skincare and beauty. Plenaire never underestimates how closely skincare and the rituals associated with it are tied to their sense of identity both on and offline.”
When it comes to making a greener, more sustainable business, Namrata’s approach is driven at a basic level by the fundamentals of positivity and kindness. “Our business is built on a desire to do as little harm to the environment, animals or the planet as we can,” she sums up succinctly. However, the Plenaire approach goes deeper and encourages “conscious consumption” in all of its fans. “It’s about really questioning our everyday consumption in a non-judgemental way,” Namrata says, explaining the concept. “It’s also about being fully present in the process of consumption to deliver emotional benefits of wellbeing.— sustainability doesn’t come from packaging alone.”
As Plenaire gears up to expand its collection with more carefully curated, emotion-driven products all we can say is “bring on the beauty revolution.”
Browse the Plenaire collection (and its feed-worthy packaging) via their official site.
