The Kind Collective eyes international expansions as organic beauty thrives

The beauty industry  is undergoing a rapid transformation – with many businesses expanding their focus to include sustainability and environmental objectives. Many brands tout their environmental and social credentials in an effort to drive customers to their products, but few put their mission in their name. The Kind Collective, launched in 2021 by Lynda Chapman and Pia Dwyer, does just that.“I thought, if we’re starting a cosmetics brand, we need a name that typifies what we’re trying to create,” Chapman told Inside FMCG. “Kind was one of our first selections, and as a word it encapsulates so much. It’s gracious and it makes people feel good without you doing anything.”The business currently sells a number of beauty products, such as primer, foundation, and mascara, as well as a ‘prep & protect mist’ that includes protection against ‘blue light’ damage: something that could become increasingly important as people spend more time in front of their phones, computers, and screens. The next step, Chapman explained, is a larger scale international rollout. Kind products are  already selling  in Australia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and the Philippines, with  plans to add more countries to its list in the second half of FY23. Chapman started as a cosmetic buyer in her 20s. With decades of experience in retail she has a strong  understanding of what beauty retailers want from their wholesale brands. This, she said, has given Kind an advantage in developing its international rollout. “We have a retailer focus, so we understand what they need,” Chapman said. “I think that’s an important part of our success, but I think the biggest thing is that we’re absolutely living our values.”It’s cool to be kindAs is the case with many, newer cosmetic brands, Kind started off with a sustainable mission at its heart: The business is already B Corp certified, PETA accredited 100 per cent vegan and cruelty free, uses 100 per cent compostable packaging, and has a strict ‘no nasties’ ingredients policy.Chapman and the Kind team started the B Corp certification process early on in the business’ life, and was officially certified at the end of 2022.“As a process, it really brought the team together. Everyone wanted to get the certification. It was really hard and took two solid years of work to pull it together, then another year of sitting on a waitlist waiting to be assigned an assessor, and then another nine months waiting to be assessed, but it was worth it,” Chapman said. “It’s given us something as a company to hang our hat on – it’s become very easy to explain our values to an internal team.”The changing face of beautyThe Kind Collective might be living its values, but it’s not the only beauty brand looking to capitalise on the growing trend of conscious consumption. New Zealand’s Emma Lewishman launched her eponymous beauty brand in 2019, touting itself as a ‘science-led natural skincare brand’. Irene Falcone announced last month that, roughly six years after selling her beauty marketplace Nourished Life to now collapsed beauty firm BWX, she would launch Sans World: a natural beauty marketplace that will include its own skincare range.Even grocers, such as Scoop Whole Foods, are getting in on the action: with Scoop launching School Whole Beauty into its grocery stores.And big beauty is beginning to get it. Last month, beauty giant L’Oreal paid an eye watering $3.7 billion for Aesop – one of the biggest organic skincare brands on the market. It is being driven by a changing consumer. According to a survey by Power Reviews, 76 per cent of beauty customers want products that are sustainably made. In fact, the clean beauty market is expected to be worth US$22 billion by 2024, according to Statista, as driven by a change in priorities for customers.