In February 2020, a new liquid-plastic free, natural, vegan and ethical haircare range launched into the UK market containing British sourced ingredients that have never been used in haircare products before… introducing Shrub.
Shrub is a new type of beauty brand that wants to speak to a new type of consumer – one who makes a conscious choice about what they buy and wants to know their beauty is in good hands whilst caring for the world around them. We’re a brand with a moral compass and a philosophy centred around the natural environment, which results in an ambition to create outstanding products that are sustainable, efficacious and ethically sourced.
Shrub stands for three core brand values – honesty, no use of liquid plastics and using ingredients locally sourced from British farms.
- Honesty: With our ethics and values at the heart of what we do, we’ll strive to always be completely transparent with our consumers. From the science and story behind the brand to how we’re working towards our recycling goals, we want our consumers to feel empowered that they’re making the right purchase decisions for them. Our bottles and lids are fully recyclable but our pumps currently aren’t. We’re working on it!
- British sourced ingredients: With our pledge to be one of the most authentic and genuine beauty brands in the UK market, it made sense to reflect this with the ingredients carefully selected for our products. We’re very pleased to announce that Shrub will be the first haircare brand to use the remarkable oil from the lunaria plant, more commonly known as the Honesty plant. Lunaria is an indigenous plant grown along the East coast of England. The oil is converted within 200 miles of Northstar Lipids farm, therefore meaning the carbon footprint production is very low. As our core ingredient, we know it creates a healthy environment for hair to grow, as well as improving the shine of the hair. Other key ingredients, sourced from Blue Sky Botanics in Herefordshire, include nettle, elderflower and white willow
- Liquid Plastic-Free: Liquid plastics are the smallest form of plastic as they are invisible to the naked eye and therefore non-retrievable from the ocean. We literally wash them out to sea in our haircare which are ingested by fish and in turn ingested by us. Liquid plastics are commonly used to make products more ‘spreadable’ and can be found in all sorts of beauty products from face cream and sunscreen to shampoo and shower gels, and even lipsticks too. Haircare (and styling products in particular) are big culprits as they use these liquid plastic polymers to give hold to the hair. The rate of transfer of these synthetic liquid polymers to the environment is steadily increasing. As we stand today (other than microbeads) there have been no restrictions on using micro or liquid plastics in personal care products, but we want to change this. Shrub is using natural materials to achieve the same effect as a regular styling product, without the cost to the environment associated with liquid plastic. Only carefully chosen, high performance, plant-derived polymers, cellulose and protein, naturally biodegradable thickeners and film-formers have been used in our products
There’s a common assumption with styling products that a natural, vegan formula equals a compromise in their effectiveness. The seven products in our launch range are developed by industry-leading experts to deliver efficacious formulas with incredible results:
Heat Protection Spray: Protector against heat styling and colour fading. Spray all over hair before blowdrying or styling to keep the hair safe from the damaging effects of heat. Plant derived polysaccharides and natural oils of rapeseed, tung, and lunaria combine to tame frizz and add strength, whilst nettle, white willow and baobab protein helps to keep the colour in top condition.
Instant Detangling Spray: This detangling spray quickly helps to detangle hair before styling whilst adding instant hydration. Naturally derived, biodegradable conditioners help to quickly remove knots whilst polysaccharides help retain moisture. Can also be used as a refresher.
Sea Salt Texturising Spray: Create beach-ready hair all year round with this softening, texturising spray for the ultimate waves and volumes.
Curl Defining Cream: Defines and smoothes curly, kinky and difficult to manage hair to create a soft hold and nourished cuticles. The hair becomes more elastic, easier to style and hair breakages are reduced.
Prepare & Protect Hair Primer: Can be used on wet or dry hair, before or after styling, to make the hair smooth, shiny and more manageable. Infused with essential oils of bergamot, sweet orange and nourishing lunaria oil helps protect your hair without weighing it down.
Texturising Clay Putty: 100% naturally derived styling putty, free from all synthetic polymers and petrochemical derivatives. Gives a matte texture to hair that needs hold, whilst protecting hair from the damaging effects of urban pollution.
The Wonder Oil: The finishing touch your hair deserves. Naturally enriched to nourish and enhance shine and formulated with celery extract to soothe and help with a flaky scalp.
