Bill Gates-funded non-toxic beauty company Biossance takes activism on the road

By

Cassidy Mantor

Published
May 17, 2018

Amyris, Inc.'s clean beauty brand Biossance has a new mobile activation introducing consumers to the non-toxic beauty movement through its Clean Beauty Bus, which will travel from New York to Toronto.

Biossance's Clean Beauty Bus is scheduled to stop in high traffic areas in the two cities. The immersive brand experience will include product samplings, giveaways, and a photobooth to encourage consumers to share their clean beauty stories.

Biossance manufactures and markets a 100% plant-based skincare line free of toxic ingredients and those deemed potentially harmful. It was founded in 2015 by Amyris, a biotech company funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Biossance first launched in the US at Sephora and has become one of the cosmetics retailer's top brands, seeing 600% sales growth between 2016 and 2017. Earlier this year it launched at all Sephora locations across Canada and Brazil, and was the first Environmental Working Group (EWG) Verified brand to be sold by the retailer.

"Biossance's international expansion and reception from Sephora customers has proven that there is a step-change happening with consumers eager for more information and cleaner beauty options," said Artemis Patrick, chief merchandising officer at Sephora.

Biossance has played an active role as an activist in the US skincare and cosmetics industry, having lobbied in Washington DC for increased legislation regulating standards for consumer-facing personal care products. The company also maintains a blacklist of 2,000 potentially harmful and toxic ingredients.

"The laws that regulate cosmetics in the United States have not had any significant updates since 1938 and the standards for ingredients are still shockingly low," said Caroline Hadfield, president of Biossance in a statement.

"At Biossance, our goal is to set the bar higher for both the safety and performance of our products, so consumers don't have to compromise on results while using products that are both safe for them and the planet," she continued.

The Clean Beauty Bus begins its journey in NYC on May 18th. It heads to a second NY location on May 19th and 20th, and then drives up to Toronto for two two-day activations beginning May 24th.