The cosmetics industry produces 120 billion pieces of cosmetics packaging* every year, most of which ends up in landfills because they are made of a mixture of materials (e.g. plastic and glass, or glass and metal) and cannot be recycled. Even plastic packaging that could be recycled often ends up in incineration or in the nature.
Plastics are widely used in packaging because they are cheap, have good properties and are widely available. However, plastic is problematic because it is often made from unsustainable materials such as crude oil and carbon. Plastics are also considered problematic because plastic packaging takes a long time to degrade and can therefore also harm nature and wildlife. Some plastics can be recycled, but recycling rates can be quite low and plastics end up in the environment.
Did you know that Finland is the worst country in Europe when it comes to recycling plastics**? Finland has the lowest recycling rate for plastic packaging, at only 26% in 2018. The average recycling rate for plastic packaging in EU countries is 42% (2018). Were you surprised?
Packaging is a tricky subject, but there is hope! In the EU, for example, plastic production has decreased slightly from 61.8 million tonnes in 2018 to 57.9 million tonnes in 2019, with biomaterials expected to grow rapidly**. We can't wait!
The black inner packaging is biodegradable PLA and the outer surface is wood. This allows HAVU lipsticks to be recycled entirely as bio-waste. PLA, or polylactide, is an industrially biodegradable and bio-based polymer. It is made from corn starch.
The darker side of HAVU's wooden packaging is alder and the lighter side is aspen. The containers are not coated and the colour comes from the wood itself. Depending on availability and season, the wood comes from Finland or Estonia.
HAVU's lip care packaging is made of Sulapac Premium, a biodegradable packaging material made of wood and plant-based binders. The packaging degrades in industrial composts and leaves no microplastics behind.
*(Source: Forbes, 2019)
**(Source: Plastics Europe, 2020)
We are excited to announce our collaboration with the Finnish brand Henua! We've fallen in love with their waterless skincare products, which come in perhaps the most beautiful packaging in the world.
We now have an absolutely fab giveaway on our Instagram account where you can win a product box containing products from Havu and Henua. Win a lovely Christmas gift for yourself or a loved one.
And that's not all, we decided with our friends at Henua to give you a little extra treat. Now you can get -20% off in Henua's online shop with the code havuxhenua. The code will be valid throughout December!
]]>Scandinavain MIND wrote a great article about HAVU, and mentioned us as one of the best sustainable innovations.
"After the huge K-beauty trend and its 10-step-routines, there’s a growing global buzz for Scandinavian S-beauty and its innovative products with sustainability at its very core. In the latest issue of our printed magazine, we highlight 13 innovative beauty launches. This is #2.
Disrupting an industry that has traditionally used so much plastics and single-use plastics can be challenging — especially as a new brand, according to HAVU Cosmetics’ co-founder Lumi Maunuvaara. ”When it comes to sustainability, you have to look at the whole lifecycle of the product,” she states."
Read the full article from here.
Read also: 13 launches that drive innovation in the beauty industry
]]>We are so happy for promoting the sustainable and beautiful products and values to Japanese audience.
]]>We are so exited to be part of Copenhagen Fashion Week with Migliorini Venue, which is showcasing a carefully selected portfolio of exclusive brands all having a sustainable and conscious mindset in common. This season Migliorini Venue will exclusively take place in Hasdorffs Hus in the centre of Copenhagen, where the following sustainable brands will be presented; Arild Links, A Day’s March, Betolaza, frankremme, Oleana, Yrolí Skincare, Tiphaine Guiran, [im]perfectionists, Bruns Products, Vild Nord, Hasla Jewelry, and Havu Cosmetics.
This is our first time landing to Denmark, the country of fashion and design. We are thrilled to see what the future brings!
RASPBERRY is the perfect summer shade. RASPBERRY really highlights your tanned skin and freshens up the face – it feels as fresh as eating raspberries. A cold pink that gives you a subtle shimmer when applied on your cheeks and lips. RASPBERRY is a sweet, edgy reddish pink.
"Raspberry is the perfect colour – a natural yet delicious pink. For sure a favourite for the summer!"
"A perfect light shade to use with some extra blusher. I put on just one light layer but you can create a whole other look by adding more.🌷”
HEATHER is a purple-leaning pink with a cold undertone and a dash of glow. It’s a perfect, neither light nor dark, fresh shade for every skin tone.
“The best thing about Heather is definitely its subtle glow. The purple-leaning pink can be used to add a purple glow to your lips or to create a colourful look!
“Wow, what a summer color💞. A bit of a deeper tone for summer days. I bet this looks even more marvellous with sun-kissed skin in the summer!"
A shade so delicious you can almost taste it. BLACKCURRANT is a cold pinkish purple with a dash of glow. The berry-inspired shade is subtle yet fresh – a perfect cold shade for a darker skin tone. For lighter skin – a dashing shade for summer parties.
“The stylishly dark shade of Blackcurrant is a number one choice for summer evenings. I adore the softness of Havu’s lipsticks and how the shades always look natural and beautiful. “
"I immediately wanted to use this colour with some linen-coloured clothes. I am already imagining a warm summer night and a garden party full of dance and laughter✨"
]]>We have made the refills as easy to use as possible. All you need is an empty lipstick container, a toothpick or another slim item, some paper and a HAVU refill. Clean the old lipstick container by digging and swirling the remnants of the old lipstick out of the container. Use a toothpick to get most of the product out and then clean it with a small piece of paper.
HAVU aims to create quality products with pure, simple ingredients. We take pride in our environmentally friendly products that are produced without harming nature. We believe in transparency in the production process: we want you to know what you’re putting on your lips and skin.
We are pretty impressed by the products ourselves, but of course we always want to hear what our customers think about them! We asked our customers Valpuri and Sandra to give a little review on the lip care products. We hope this helps you to figure out if the Lip Care Set is something you need in your life.
"I tried HAVU’s Lip Care set because my lips dry easily and I’m a heavy lip balm user. HAVU lip balm and lip mask are unscented, easy to spread and have a lovely consistency.
The lip balm also provides the lips with a gorgeous gloss. It does, however, feel a tad too light for my taste, since it doesn’t seem to work on crevices and I usually use a thicker balm. When I apply it throughout the day, though, it keeps my lips well moisturised.
The lip mask moisturises and softens the lips well when a thick layer of it is applied and left overnight. The scrub is very gentle and as such, it’s suitable for sensitive skin as well. It has a mildly fresh, foresty scent. I have also used the birch scrub to exfoliate my face!
The best thing about HAVU is that the products have been manufactured in an eco-friendly manner and even the packaging is 100% biodegradable. I’ll also give a bonus point for only using natural ingredients in the products."
"I use lip balm all the time! That’s why I was happy to test the HAVU lip set. I’ve used the mask in the evenings – I leave it on overnight and in the morning my lips are so nicely moisturised. I use the lip balm in the mornings under my lipstick and it seems like the lipstick stays on better because of it.
During the spring, I’ve had some issues with my skin, but my lips have stayed in great condition thanks to the lip mask and balm. My skin is really sensitive and the lip scrub in the set caused a bit of an allergic reaction so I left it out after trying it for a few times."
]]>Kalevala is a Finnish jewellery design company that upholds traditions. Even though cutting-edge technology is used in their product development and surface coating, creating a piece of jewellery is still largely handiwork – on average, every Kalevala piece travels through ten pairs of hands on its way from a blank into a finished product. At Kalevala’s factory, the latest modern technological innovations are combined with centuries of traditional Finnish goldsmiths’ craftsmanship
]]>
When it comes to choosing a lipstick, the most important things to keep in mind are your skin tone and your undertone. Undertones fall into three basic categories: warm, cool, and neutral. Everyone’s skin has undertones of either yellow or pink. Yellow is warmer, pink is cooler. As a rule of thumb, you want to wear a lipstick shade that has the same undertones as your skin. It means that if you have warm tones, wear warm shades, and if you have cool tones, wear cooler hues. Or if your undertone is neutral, you’ll look good in basically everything.
Cool pinks, such as HANAMI, fit perfectly on cool-toned skin, while darker complexions can carry burgundy shades with ease, such as LILY. When going for a red lip, veer more towards deep bluish-reds, such as CRANBERRY. When going for nude lips, you can enhance the natural flush of your lips with a rosy, pink nude or opt for a taupey beige, such as SAND, for a more subtle look.
Fiery reds and oranges pop beautifully on warm undertones. Choose a shade that leans towards orangey hues, like coral, gold, copper, and all the way to the siennas and browns. PEACHy pink shades, orange-toned REDs, and rosy pink shades will complement your skin tone best.
The fastest way to whiten your teeth is simply with a smart shade of lipstick. Lipsticks formulated with a blue base will help diminish any orange or yellow tones on your teeth. Why? It's all to do with the colour wheel. Blue and yellow sit across from each other on the wheel, so blue tones tend to cancel out orange or yellow tones when put together, and vice versa.
The perfect shades to whiten your teeth are blue-based reds, such as CRANBERRY, and raspberry tinted shades, like LILY. Darker pinks are the easiest shades to wear with little risk of making the teeth look yellow. Purple, plum and berry-like shades will also have the same effect. For example, VIOLET and COSMOS are the perfect cool purples. A dark purple shade is especially flattering for darker skin tones. Berries are normally a combination of pink and purple tints, so the blue tones are very strong.
The same goes with nude shades. In order to boost the brightness of your pearly whites, pick a pinky nude. Cool-toned pinks, such as ROSE and HANAMI, will complement your teeth the best.
Lighting is different indoor and outdoor, as indoor lighting is usually a bit more yellow and natural light outside is much cooler. Product pictures and ads are usually shot in natural light or in cool studio light.
If you are shopping at a store where the lighting is yellow, you should always give the shade a try in natural light too, if you have chance. In warm light, the shade looks warmer as well. Taking the tester outside or going by the window is how you know how the shade looks in both lightings. If you order from online store and the shade looks different than in a picture, try the same thing - going out and try it on again!
The EMA Beautiful Life Guide provides options far from quick pleasures that have a shiny exterior but are hollow on the inside. This year's guide highlights aspects and concepts that stand out with thought and care towards nature. This can mean sustainable production methods, honest attitudes, support for parents’ mental health, functionality, sustainability, health, quality, but also a family- and baby-friendly atmosphere.
EMA Beautiful Life Guide picked a few products from a couple of sustainable ventures in their article. HAVU lipstick made its way to the guide with biodegradable packaging as a fascinating, futuristic finding. We are so happy to get credit like that!
]]>Nordic Style Mag thinks that HAVU Lip Scrub ticks all the boxes, as our mission is to reduce the environmental pressure of the cosmetics industry on the environment.
Nordic Style Mag is an independent fashion, design and art magazine from the Nordics.
]]>Lips are metaphorically and literally like sponges – they absorb water to plump up. But they’re also one of the only parts of our body that can’t sweat or produce oil, which leaves them very vulnerable to dehydration. In a low humidity climate, your lips can become dry, rough or even start to peel.
That’s why we are sharing our best tips for keeping your lips beautiful, healthy and kissable during winter time!
Remove dry, dead skin flakes by gently brushing your lips with a lip scrub. We recommend doing this 1-2 times a week when your lips feel like they need it. Lips are a sensitive area, so make sure that the scrub is not too harsh or the exfoliators too big.
Unlike the rest of your skin, lips tend to dry out and become chapped easily since they do not contain oil glands. Drink lots of water to keep your lips from drying out, and avoid licking your lips which also saps moisture. Apply fatty and oily lip balm to soothe and nourish lips and to create a natural-looking sheen that helps protect your lips from the drying effects of the elements. Lip balms that contain shea butter, cocoa butter and coconut oil give your lips a natural barrier of protection.
While awake, you know when your lips dry out, but this could be a problem when you are asleep. The air around you tends to dry out your lips during the night. You might also breathe with your mouth open, which lets the moisture fade away. Apply a thick layer of lip mask before bed and your lips will have the whole night to soak up moisture and any oily nutrients they can’t generate themselves.
Some products claim to be moisturising but they contain a lot of water, which does not moisturise or nurse your lips – it might even do the opposite. Ingredients that contain lots of fatty acids are good for your lips, for example castor seed oil and shea butter. You should also pay attention to which scrub you are using, since some brands use microplastic as an exfoliator, and you don’t want to scrub your skin with plastic. Good ingredients you might want to prefer are natural-based ingredients like birch bark, sugar and peanut skin.
Use non-irritating lip balm, lipstick and other products that you use on your lips. Many people mistake discomfort, such as burning, stinging or tingling, as a sign that the active ingredients in a product are working. That’s not what’s happening. You’re actually irritating your lips, so you might want to stop using any product that do so. Ingredients to avoid while your lips are chapped are eucalyptus, any type of flavoring or fragrance and menthol, for example.
Yes, the good news is that it is good to use some lipstick before you step out. Since the lips have no natural protection, wearing lipstick will help you add an extra layer to them. Using lipstick protects your lips from the sun, dry air, dirt and other outside factors.
]]>
The main ingredient in our birch scrub is Finnish birch bark powder produced as by-product in wood processing. Birch bark has not been used in any cosmetics yet – at the moment, this super ingredient is only used at HAVU!
]]>At the moment, a large part of the side products of wood processing are not utilised, as they are burned for energy. HAVU’s mission is to reduce the environmental pressure of the cosmetics industry and it is important to us to develop products that support circular economy. HAVU’s new birch scrub gives Finnish ingredients a new life while reducing CO2 emissions. Moreover, birch bark powder is naturally biodegradable!
Birch bark has a natural mild birch odour, and there's no pollen-based allergens nor rosin acids, so it fits well for people with birch allergy as well!
In some products, the exfoliating ingredient may be plastic. That is not good for your skin neither the environment. HAVU products are always plastic and micro-plastic free, both the product and the packaging.
- Birch bark is from wood processing side streams
- Today, these side streams are mostly burnt for energy. We provide the waste products with a new life
- The trees are grown in certified forests in the Nordic region, and the land isn’t used to grow food for humans or livestock
- No need for further deforestation of rainforests
The product has a delicate and fresh, wooded scent. More than 60% of the ingredients in the exfoliating cream are soothing natural oils. Exfoliate your lips in the morning with gentle birch scrub. The scrub is also suitable for lip makeup removal.
]]>
Especially during Black Friday, we at HAVU want to encourage people to make thoughtful and sustainable purchasing decisions. We support quality, long-lasting items, which are purchased from real need and consideration. We encourage you to make purchases from brands that are willing to tell openly about their production. Every purchase is a meaningful act.
Remember: if you want to buy, buy sustainable, support local, small and responsible businesses.
]]>Nena Sofia, a student of beauty and cosmetics in her 20s, wrote a delightful review of HAVU's shade RED in her blog!
”I've been using Havu Cosmetics' lipstick in the shade of RED all throughout the year, and it has taken its place as ”the red" - a lipstick that has to be in my makeup bag at all times. The lipstick's waxy texture spreads softly on dry lips and stays in place with a half-matte finish.
The best thing about the lipstick is definitely its nourishing composition. It's time to admit that my lips just aren't made for matte lip lacquers. They need gentle caring and a product that does not absorb all moisture when it’s applied. HAVU's lipstick would work just as well as a lip balm, which is why I trust it even during the frosty winter months."
]]>
]]>
--
Plastic is a problem because it is not very efficiently recycled! According to the European Parliament (2018), less than a third of plastic waste in Europe was recycled in 2016. The rest of the plastics end up in landfills (31%) or they are incinerated i.e. burned for energy (29%) – both, of course, have a negative effect on the environment.
Properly recycled plastic might not be a problem but that is just not the reality we live in! On top of that, most plastic raw materials aren’t renewable. Every product and packaging should be valuated based on their whole life cycle. We don’t want our products to end up in landfills, be burned to CO2 or leave any trace of their existence behind. That’s why we only use bio-based and biodegradable materials in our packaging.
Reference: The European Parliament, 2018
Only at our online store havucosmetics.fi ! The shade can also be used as a highlighter to create a full, glowy look.
There are minimal or zero waste products with paper or cardboard packaging – great innovations, too! – and of course the ones with refill options. But in most cases, the packaging of lipsticks is made from plastic or recycled plastic. We haven’t found any competitors with fully biodegradable packaging like ours as of yet, let us know if you have!
Yes, we do! Our shade range is still small, however, and it will be expanded in the future! We always love messages that give us inspiration for new shades for different skin types, so keep them coming.
HAVU lipsticks are made from natural oils and waxes and because of this, the texture is very smooth and hydrating. It all depends on your lips, therefore. During autumn and winter, when the lips are usually more chapped, we recommend using a primer or balm. For getting the lipstick to last longer, the primers usually work efficiently but they are in no way mandatory. HAVU’s lipsticks have a medium wear time and they wear off evenly without leaving lines on the lips after drinking or eating.
Yes, they are! We have a small lab for our production.
]]>The black inner container is of biodegradable PLA and the exterior is made of wood. This enables you to recycle the whole package, as you can sort it into biowaste. PLA, i.e. polylactide, is an industrially biodegradable, biobased polymer. PLA does not endure high temperatures due to its biodegradability and it melts in temperatures of over 45°C. So please keep your lipstick out of too much direct sunlight! The darker side of HAVU’s wooden container is of alder and the lighter of aspen. The containers are covered with a light layer of wax and the colour comes from the wood itself. Depending on the availability and the season, the wood comes from either Finland or Estonia.
You can sort HAVU lipstick containers after use into biowaste. The paper sticker at the bottom of the lipstick can be placed into paper waste. The white cardboard package and the mailing board are recycled as cardboard waste.
Please do not dispose of HAVU products in nature! We do not support littering! The package does not decompose in nature, as the inner container (PLA) is industrially biodegradable. The right place for it is the housing association’s biowaste container.
]]>
“HAVU Cosmetics has a cute, simple and warm design that makes you feel the nature of Scandinavia.”
]]>We are really excited to tell you that HAVU has landed to Japan! You can get HAVU’s lipsticks from Stripe Department’s online shop with other design items. Japan - we can’t wait to see you wear HAVU lipsticks.
Remember that we have worldwide shipping in HAVU's online shop, so if HAVU lipsticks are not sold in your country yet, don't hesitate to order straight from our online shop! Check all the retailers from here.
]]>We’re thrilled to pair up with such a Finnish design classic and excited that they want to offer their customers natural cosmetics made of safe, environmentally friendly ingredients.
]]>Marimekko is opening their renewed flagship store Marimekko Esplanadi (previously Mikonkatu) at Pohjoisesplanadi 33 at the end of September. On the opening weekend (25.–27.9), you can get a free Marimekko logo bag and HAVU’s new autumn shade CRANBERRY to go with your new outfit with purchases over 100 euros. You can also spot the red lipstick on the staff’s lips and ask them for tips on what to style the autumnal shade with. In addition, HAVU’s lipsticks will be displayed in the renewed flagship store throughout the opening weekend.
HAVU and Marimekko are both brands that are all about timeless design, and we share the same core values of sustainable consumption. We’re thrilled to pair up with such a Finnish design classic and excited that they want to offer their customers natural cosmetics made of safe, environmentally friendly ingredients. And honestly, what better way to finish off a classic Marimekko look than with a bold red lip?
The opening weekend of Marimekko’s renewed flagship store on Pohjoisesplanadi 33 takes place on 25.-27.9. CRANBERRY lipsticks will be offered to new and existing loyal Marimekko customers with purchases over 100 euros only at the Marimekko Esplanadi flagship store. The number of lipsticks available is limited.
]]>Inspired by the starry night sky, COSMOS is a bright purple shade with a bit of a glow to it. The shade is perfect for creating a statement purple lip but can also be used to achieve a plum-tinted, glossy look by adding just a thin layer of colour onto the lip (with perhaps some lip balm or gloss on top!) Either way you choose to use it, COSMOS is great for moments when you want a little boost of courage or determination.
A daring shade for sure, COSMOS is the lipstick for every occasion, from daily life to nights out: “The colour is perfect for serious work mode as well as going out clubbing, just add a little eyeliner to go with it and voilà!”, Nooa tells us. While he notes that the shade pairs well with a dark outfit when you want to give out an aura of mystery and elegance, Nooa also recommends trying it on with some lighter-toned clothing if you want to go for a more natural, toned-down look.
HAVU lipsticks are designed with natural ingredients only to provide a comfortable feel on the lips. Nooa describes the feel of COSMOS as “moisturising, pleasant and not too sticky.” “A big plus for the environmentally conscious production process”, he adds.
If you’re looking for an eye-catcher lipstick, COSMOS is a sure choice. Adding a bright-toned lip into your look can be a fun way to play around with it, explore new things and highlight your natural beauty! To quote Nooa: “COSMOS brings out the confident, boss-like you and the sexy lips that you’ve got!”
]]>
Inspired by the autumn berry, CRANBERRY is an addition to HAVU’s classic red lipsticks. A full, juicy cherry-red with a cool undertone, CRANBERRY is a sure choice for those days when you need to compensate for the autumn weather by adding a bright red lip into your look.
For a dark skin tone, CRANBERRY works as a subtle pop of colour in an everyday look: “Let's be real, I don't feel comfortable wearing many lipstick shades on the regular, since the wrong shades do not compliment my dark complexion. This shade, being subtle yet very seasonal, has become my everyday lipstick”, Saba tells us. The shade leaves her lips beautifully plush and tinted with berry red “just as real cranberries would”.
On cold mornings, Saba creates her favourite look by combining CRANBERRY with a bright autumn sweater. The shade also goes well with a simple (yet always stylish) all-black outfit, with which a statement red lip is sure to stand out. She notes that the uses for a classic red shade are many: “From needing a quick, put together look after the gym to using Cranberry as my finishing touch to a glam look, it really does the trick for me. I wore it to my senior initiation day when I was dressed as an all-white goddess and it helped me stay in the element for the whole night”.
Whether you’re getting ready for an evening out, a day of work or just for fun, we want CRANBERRY to be a shade that makes you feel like your best, boldest self! Designed with natural ingredients for long-lasting wear and a comfortable feel on the lips, CRANBERRY is a shade you can wear to bring a pop of colour into every occasion. As Saba puts it: “Not once does CRANBERRY fall short of making me feel like my own goddess.”
(P. S. If you’re looking for a warmer shade of red to compliment your complexion, maybe you’d be interested in checking out our more orange-tinted lipstick, RED!)
]]>As September is here and many are returning to school and work, now’s the perfect time to give your makeup bag a little update. If you’re considering adding some eco-friendly cosmetics to your makeup arsenal, we’ve got some good news for you: HAVU Cosmetics has just added three new autumn shades to their lipstick collection! Today, we’re here to help you figure out if one of these new shades might be the perfect green choice for your autumn 2020 look!
In this post we’ll take a look at the new nude shade SAND. We asked our customer Kira to give a little review on the new lipstick.
HAVU’s newest addition to the nude lipstick collection, SAND, is a cool shade with hints of brown and mauve. Giving a semi-matte finish on the lips without feeling heavy, it’s the perfect choice for a daily nude look.
Inspired by the colours of the Finnish nature, HAVU aims to create simple, earthy-toned lipsticks that enhance the user’s natural beauty and fit multiple needs and situations. A versatile shade, SAND definitely ticks off these boxes: it can easily be styled up or down depending on your mood and the occasion.
Kira uses the latte shade to give a simple, trendy finish to her everyday look, as it goes well with her black and white wardrobe. Makeup-wise, she says the colour matches both cold and warm toned eyeshadows, which makes it an effortless choice for everyday use. “Pro tip, this thing works like a dream with a pink and nude eyeshadow palette and with a little lip gloss on top!“
HAVU lipsticks are made with natural ingredients only, which means you can wear them without worrying about dry lips. Kira says she’s happy with the pleasant feel of the lipstick: “My lips usually get very dry from wearing lipstick, but I’ve worn this every day since I got it and my lips still feel super soft.” The biodegradable wooden case also gets praise: “It creates a lovely Nordic luxury feel to my day.”
Whether you want to add some subtle elegance to an evening look or go with a simple, bold nude, SAND has got you covered. It is truly a shade you can use in any way that feels comfortable to you! “I wear this lipstick both when I take out the trash and when I want to feel like a newborn Kardashian sibling. It’s the perfect nude shade for that modern matte look.”
]]>"The idea for Nordic Natural Beauty Awards grew strong during the summer of 2019. A combination of three main thoughts built the foundation for the awards – frustration towards the ongoing toxic cosmetics market, the massive growth of natural beauty brands in the north, and the need world is expressing for magical, yet natural beauty products." Writes Satu Mäkinen, the founder of Nordic Beauty Awards.
"Nordic Natural Beauty Awards 2020 is the first edition of the awards, and I am so excited to see the impact we are making to the Nordic beauty producers’ businesses and in the world at large." Says Mäkinen.
"I believe that natural beauty is the ultimate beauty – and the ULTIMATE LUXURY – that the world is looking for in 2020.”
– Satu Mäkinen, the founder of Nordic Natural Beauty Awards.
More about the Awards here.
]]>Läs mera här.
]]>