Effective, Natural and Sustainable. Is it possible to achieve all three in a beauty brand? R+B believes it is. Ong Chin Huat finds out more about this Malaysian beauty brand that is great for the skin and the planet.
As an acronym for Repurpose + Beauty, R+B is a newly launched Malaysian beauty brand which caters to a well-informed and eco-conscious consumer who is just as concerned about what goes into their body as what is placed on it.
Putting the purpose in Repurpose, R+B products – consisting of just five products and it is natural, effective and eco-friendly at the same time.
R+B was founded in 2021, and its ethos is centred around practicality and common sense – the company believes that it’s not impossible to achieve beautiful skin without compromising the planet’s health while contributing to the community.
According to co-founder Irene Lim, R+B aims to empower their customers to make informed and sustainable decisions regarding their skincare. “Our products are natural and reasonably priced and accessible to all,” Lim says. “We believe that beauty should not come at a cost to the environment or your wallet.”
With an aim to achieve circular beauty by building sustainability into everything they do – R+B upcycle or repurpose by-products and transform them into beauty products – sustainability is incorporated throughout their value chain. Being plant-based, vegan, and cruelty-free also adds to R+B’s allure as a holistic and eco brand.
What’s circular beauty?
It is a green business model that reuses and repurposes by-products that ultimately extend the life cycle of ingredients and thus prevent it from ending up in landfills. Natural ingredients from repurposed and upcycled by-products, such as spent coffee grounds, fruit waste, seeds, and shells, all at the end of their product lifecycle, are used again.
R+B ticks all the boxes in this definition by using coffee grounds as its main ingredient in all of its five face and body products. Coffee grounds are rich in antioxidants and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron.
Apart from the coffee grounds made from Arabica Seed Extract and Powder, other ingredients in R+B skincare products include Myrothamnus Flabellifolia, also known as the Resurrection Plant, which originates from South Africa and is extracted in Switzerland and helps strengthen the skin barrier and protects the cells from environmental damage from the sun, UV light, smoke, pollution, stress, toxins and pesticides all which can lead to premature ageing.
It also contains Star Anise, a popular herb in Asian cooking which has whitening and moisturising properties; Meadowfoam Seed Oil which acts as an emollient, sealing in moisture while keeping skin soft and supple while balancing the skin’s natural sebum production.
Other key ingredients are Lemongrass, with its anti-inflammatory properties which help calm and soothe sensitive skin; Turmeric, which adds a nice glow to the skin; Grapefruit, which contains proteolytic enzymes such as bromelain and orange that help in the production of collagen.
R+B’s range includes three facial products, namely the Deep Cleansing Face Gel, Exfoliating Face Scrub and Revitalising Face Moisturiser and two body products, namely the Anti-Cellulite Body Cream and the Anti-Cellulite Body Scrub.
As an environmentally conscious company, R+B has a return, refill, reuse and repeat policy to reduce wastage. Once the products are finished, consumers can return the empty jars and bottles using the same package they received during their initial purchase, and RM20 will be credited to their registered account.
Staying true to its philosophy of being kind to the planet and one another, R+B donates 10 per cent of every purchase to a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) such as 4X4 Relief Malaysia and Animal Projects & Environmental Education (APE Malaysia).
“R+B is committed to creating a positive impact on the community that we exist in and has partnered with NGOs to preserve the environment and support local communities,” says co-founder Adrian Peh.
4X4 Relief is an entirely volunteer-run NGO comprised of individuals who provide time and resources to provide for the indigenous natives of Malaysia. Proceeds donated to APE Malaysia are channelled to their Restore Our Amazing Rainforest (ROAR) project that supports landscapes degraded through deforestation in Malaysia.
With all products proudly made in Malaysia, all R+B products have a certificate of analysis in accordance with NPRA Guidelines and are produced in ISO, Ecocert, Halal and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified facilities.
For further information on R+B, please visit www.rnbgbeauty.com.
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