Introducing Disruptor London, a beauty brand on a mission to use less, so that there would be more. With this goal, they want to offer innovative multifunctional beauty products with concentrated formulas that work hard and in a green way.
Their 5-1 concentrated solid bars are waterless, they serve as a shampoo, conditioner, face cleanser, beard wash & pre-shave bar. Each product ensures you use less resources while making sense of your everyday routine with sustainability at heart.
Their strict ingredient philosophy ensures that only naturally-derived, vegan, organic and cruelty-free raw materials are used in their products.
Here, the co-founder Sira Dheshan Naidu shares the story of the brand so far.
Can you tell us the backstory of the brand? How and why it was started..
I have a background in chemical engineering and have worked in the beauty industry for nearly 20 years with names like LVMH and Estee Lauder companies. I then moved to independent brands and helped them to move into international markets. Then Covid-19 hit, I reflected at the beginning of the pandemic and realised I could do so much more with my skills. At the same time, I was beginning to suffer from scalp issues, probably brought on by stress. Commercial products failed me so I decided to start formulating my own haircare focussing a lot on scalp health. These products really improved my condition.
My co-founder is a software engineer so we put our heads together and launched a company in Jan 2021.
After months of formulating, testing and successfully being shortlisted and accepted into a 6-month business accelerator with Central Research Laboratory we launched our brand. We wanted to bring to market a brand that truly puts people and our planet first. For us, the solution was zero-waste, clean formulas, green and upcycled ingredients, and plastic-free packaging that circumvents our failing recycling infrastructure.
What is unique about your products?
On top of skin sensitivity, plastic waste, water scarcity and responsible consumption are the key drivers of the Disruptor London brand. Hence, we offer customers multi-tasking solid concentrated formulas that are genderless, vegan, waterless and plastic-free using naturally derived, organic and upo-cycled ingredients, where possible.
In line with this, we are working with product designers and engineers to reimagine cosmetics packaging to be home compostable. According to Greenpeace, less than 12% of plastic waste ends up being recycled in the UK. Disruptor London wants to be part of the solution, not the problem, where we can provide personal care products in home compostable packaging.
What are some of the ingredients and why did you choose them to use in your products?
Transparency is honesty. So, a traceable supply chain is non-negotiable. All our formulas are proprietary. We carefully select COSMOS and ECOCERT certified organic and natural ingredients as well as more upcycled ingredients in our formulas. Ingredients are selected for their functional properties and no fillers are used.
We use nourishing and soothing Upcycled Hemp Necta®, made from upcycled hemp seeds leftover from the food industry. This active oil nourishes, soothes and rapidly reduces redness in skin after 30 minutes.
Another ingredient we use is Upcycled Charcoal CRUSH™ unique range of exfoliants and skin-smoothing polishes made from sustainable charcoal – derived from upcycled fencing offcuts. Also it includes a detoxifying active powder for skincare and makeup formulations.
Can you describe the multi-usage and flexibility of your product?
Our pH balanced solid conditioning, shampoo and shave bars which could replace up to 5 plastic bottles – shampoo + conditioner + shave foam+ cleanser+ beard wash. We use so much water when in the shower, anyway, so why do we need multiple personal care products, most of which contain up to 80% water, in large plastic containers sitting in our bathrooms? Disruptor London provides clean, green solutions that don’t cost the earth.
Any plans for this year?
Yes, so many. We just launched a 50g version of our solid conditioning, shampoo and shave bars and increased the size of the large format from 90g to 100g, but we still maintained the same £17 RRP. Not only is this in response to the cost-of-living crisis but we wanted to offer consumers options and great value. Our mantra is ‘Use less so that there will be more’.
In the next few months, we are launching travel cases made from biomaterials, solid moisturisers that have therapeutic properties and water activated cleansing powders for face and body. Watch this space.
Disruptor London details:
For more information about Disruptor London products, please visit their website.
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