This new beauty brand – Bolt Beauty – is seriously ticking all my boxes. A sustainable, travel brand – based around skincare capsules – each of their single-dose formulas are wrapped in a biodegradable, seaweed drop. So clever! It means the end of the endless array of bottles of toiletries when going away, weighing down luggage and damaging the environment.
On a personal level, these are life-changing products for me. In ‘normal’ times, I travel at least once a month, and have to consistently stock up on travel-sized toiletries or ponder exactly what I can fit in my case for any given trip. These drops are made-to-measure for one use, so it means you can literally take exactly what you need without any of the bulging toiletry bags or having to work out what you are going to have to leave at home.
Best of all, of course, is the sustainable credentials: the brand is refillable, as well as carbon neutral and make for a pretty alternative to the 103 million plastic minis that we dispose of each year. The zero waste ethos also comes from the fact that the pearlescent seaweed capsules, once used, can simply be dissolved in water or thrown in your compost bin.
Founder Lisa Sexton, reveals more about the launch: “I believe beauty should be zero compromise. This means beautiful products made from safe and effective ingredients, that can easily be taken wherever you need them, without any hassle. We also can’t compromise on the bigger picture: the things we buy shouldn’t harm the planet and must be easy for the consumer to sustainably use and dispose of. You should be able to maintain a great skincare regime without your life revolving around your bathroom cabinet.”
The Bolt Beauty collection consists of four innovative products. Filthy Clean, £35 for 100 capsules, is – as the name suggests – a cleanser. With a gentle formula, it removes makeup, dirt and pollution, without stripping it. The formula contains Margosa, an extract from the seeds of the exotic Neem Tree, which has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine for its antibacterial properties. You simply massage it in and rinse off to leave a smooth, super-clean complexion. Simple, and true.
Mad about Moisture, £35 for 100 capsules, feels amazing on the skin, drenching it with hydration. Packed with antioxidants, you notice the difference after using just one capsule. Skin feels plump and velvety, due to two molecular weights of hyaluronic acid to give the ultimate hydration hit. It also contains Dongbaek Oil, a beauty ‘secret’ of Eastern skincare, that acts as an emollient and provides anti-irritation propertie.s Bisabolol is also in the mix. This is taken from the calming chamomile plant and it promotes healing and soothes the skin.
The Vitamin A Game, £50 for 100 capsules, is a game-changer – a capsule of pure Retinol at 0.15% concentration. It helps create brighter, firmer, and smoother skin. It also incorporates Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant which helps repair damage. I’ve been using this as a first-step serum, whenever I feel that my skin needs an extra boost. Retinol is used in skincare to make the skin brighter, smoother and firmer. It also reduces pigmentation and helps to eradicate fine lines and this carefully measured dose, does the trick.
“The benefits of Vitamin A in skincare has long been acknowledged, and this clever formula lets us bring this powerful ingredient wherever we need our skincare,” says the brand. “The encapsulation process is extremely beneficial when dealing with a fragile active ingredient like retinol. By housing the serum in a single-dose, air-tight capsule, the active ingredient is not exposed to any light or oxygen degradation and so extends the shelf life of the product to 30 months.”
Finally, Glow Don’t Shine, £50 for 100 capsules, is packed with blemish-fighting, oil-reducing ingredients to target imperfections and reduce the appearance of pores. It is designed to reduce excess oils while simultaneously boosting your glow. Just it after Mad About Moisture to add radiance and vibrancy. Pumpkin Seed Oil has used for its ability to trap in moisture, while other natural ingredients, such Rosemary, Peppermint and Clary Sage Oil, act as natural anti-inflammatory agents to reduce redness and even out the complexion.
The brand has also focused on product waste – with each coming in refillable has, made from fully-compostable refill bags. All excessive outer packaging has been eliminated and any packaging which is needed, such as postage and packaging, is made with FSC certified and fully recyclable paper and tissue. You can also buy a clever, stackable system which holds up to ten capsules in each part so that a weekend away doesn’t mean leaving your skincare routine behind.
The capsule are also made of Carrageenan, which has some incredible sustainable credentials, including acting as a carbon sink, countering the acidification and deoxygenation of oceans caused by global warming, and offering new economic opportunities for poor coastal inhabitants in The Philippines, Indonesia, and Tanzania.
In short, Bolt Beauty is a brand for the modern women at little cost to the environment. As well as being entirely practical and usable, offering an easier way for beauty lovers to travel, it is zero waste, Leaping Bunny-certified, Peta-certified as vegan and cruelty-free, and carbon neutral across its operations, manufacture and distribution. What’s not to love?
*This review is based on press samples
