In the early 2000's, I read War Paint, a book about Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein. The most striking takeaway for me was that since the 50s, nothing much has changed in beauty, just marketing. And most notably, how conditioned we are to a use-and-dispose mentality.
In 2012, walking through a raw materials library, I noticed many ingredients were already in concentrated form. Powders, wax pellets, waterless. Potent, efficient. This struck me as interesting, posing huge potential for solving some fundamental sustainability conundrums.
In the ensuing years we've learnt that true innovation takes a phenomenal amount of time. It takes the willingness to invest in roads that may lead nowhere, and the optimism to try again.
There were dead ends. Late nights with Emma Fox, our design partner. Refinements with Dean Hewetson from Forward Plastics. And constant problem-solving with Kyra Elliot, a graduate in chemistry and biomolecular research.
Each detail mattered. Not only in form, but in principle. The canisters had to be minimalist, elegant, and able to withstand a wet, humid environment. And zero waste too. While the formulations had to perform at the highest level.
We brought manufacturing back to New Zealand so we could close the loop. Every canister can be re-ground into another. Every piece of packaging is made from waste: canisters from old bottles, refill kits from sugarcane leaves once destined for incineration.
It was a long road, but we arrived. We created Perpetual with the support of our community, our friends, and our collaborators. To each one of you, I am completely grateful.
I hope you delight in what we've created. We are proud to deliver it to you.
— Lucy