The brand rescues undesirable agricultural waste that’s unattractive in appearance, making it less marketable despite retaining a high nutrient content. Five products are included in the launch – two wash-off masks, one sleeping mask and two sheet masks – each with a natural derivative index exceeding 90%, based on ISO16128 standards, and certified as vegan by Korea Vegan Certification Agency. For example, the Fig Mask is a sugar scrub containing extracts from pesticide-free ugly figs grown in South Jeolla Province and ground food by-products, such as walnut shells and apricot seeds. Meanwhile, the Yuja Mask is formulated with yuzu extract obtained from the Goheung County in South Jeolla Province, which accounts for about 40% of the country’s citron production.
Additionally, the brand’s box packaging is created from 100% recycled paper, while the mask pack uses 100% waste-plastic pyrolysis oil as a raw material for its container, cap and spatula. And the sheet mask is an upcycled coated sheet, made using sugar cane and packed in a pouch that’s 48% recycled plastic.
Ugly Lovely joins the rising number of Asian beauty brands celebrating waste materials to formulate cosmetic ingredients, infusing it with a cheerful and witty approach and inviting more consumers to engage with waste-derived beauty products.
For more on how brands are valuing waste, see Beauty Sustainability Round-Up: September 2023.