To be considered ‘biodegradable,’ a product must be able to be broken down by organisms such as bacteria and fungi into natural elements within a year after removal from the place where it was applied and must not pollute our environment. Glitters in the form of microplastics were a real problem in that regard. In terms of nail art, the popular French brand Manucurist has found a solution by now using fully biodegradable glitters made from regenerated and water-soluble plant cellulose derived from eucalyptus. These biodegradable glitters are a real trend in beauty in the mean time.
Text: Anja Van Der Borght
“Thinking about the life cycle of products means thinking about what they will become after use,” says Camille Teston, PR & Influence Manager at Manucurist, the French brand behind the now-iconic Green Flash (a 3-step routine with base-color-top as a real alternative to traditional semi-permanent nail polish that does not damage the nails). “To be considered ‘biodegradable,’ a product must be able to be broken down by organisms such as bacteria and fungi into natural elements within a year after removal from the place where it was applied and must not pollute our environment. Glitters in the form of microplastics were a real problem in that regard. In terms of nail art, Manucurist has found a solution by now using fully biodegradable glitters made from regenerated and water-soluble plant cellulose derived from eucalyptus. They have been tested according to ISO 14851 and OECD 301F standards over a period of 28 days and meet the environmental safety criteria and the OK Biodegradable Water standard.”
Labels, labels, labels
‘OK Biodegradable Water’ is a label for biodegradable products and raw materials. It is one of six OK environmental labels, three of which certify biodegradability. The label indicates products that do not contain harmful substances and are ninety percent biodegradable in fresh water within a period of less than two months (56 days). The goal of OK Biodegradable Water is for products to have no negative impact on the environment after they decompose. Biodegradability in fresh water is positive because products can be degraded on-site after use, thus contributing to the reduction of waste in rivers, lakes, or other freshwater bodies. However, this does not mean that the products will also be biodegradable in salt water, such as seawater. The label is managed and controlled by TUV AUSTRIA Belgium.
Limited in Color
“The new biodegradable glitters are not limited in glitter content, and there is no impact on durability,” says Teston. “However, we have specifically selected three different sizes of glitter to create the perfect mix for nail art that adds volume. The new biodegradable glitters are, however, limited in colors. To date, we have eight shades of glitter: black, copper, violet, blue, pink, gold, silver, and rose gold. In reality, all shades can be developed, but the limiting factor will mainly be the intensity and shine. Some shades are still very dull, such as red, orange, or brown. We also have not yet succeeded in developing glitters that are close to neon colors, which is not a big deal as it would deviate from our DNA. But today, we allow ourselves to select those shades that bring the most light, and we have beautiful launches planned for this year! We have also gone sustainable with our packaging. Our 100 percent corn starch packaging is water-soluble, and the Kraft packaging – nearly all of our packaging – and cardboard can be used as dry matter in compost. So, you can simply throw them on the compost heap. Very convenient.”
