Meet the brand on a mission to make sustainable skincare affordable for everyone
Determined to help save the planet, BYBI boasts a whole range of sustainable (and effective!) skincare products.
We spoke to the founders – Elsie and Dominika – who gave us the inside scoop and explained why you definitely need this brand in your life.
What inspired you to create BYBI?
“BYBI was born from Clean Beauty Insiders (formerly Clean Beauty Co!), which started off as a series of DIY beauty workshops, a natural beauty blog and also a DIY beauty book, Clean Beauty, published by Penguin,” say Elsie and Dominika. “Clean Beauty Insiders is now a podcast and platform run by us, Elsie and Dominika, natural skincare experts, entrepreneurs and authors.
“The inspiration for BYBI came from our clean beauty blog, It gave us a chance to immerse ourselves in the market and really understand where the gaps were. For us, after trying many other natural skincare brands and also making our own products, there was a clear gap for a beauty brand that upheld great ethics around sustainability and ingredients, but that was marketed in a way that spoke to us, a mainstream beauty consumer. BYBI, which stands for By Beauty Insiders, was founded in 2017.”
What's sustainable skincare?
“To us, it means skincare that has the lowest possible impact on the Earth – at any point in the supply chain. From transparent ingredient sourcing and biodegradability to manufacturing, packaging and recyclability. Ideally this would mean using upcycled, local, highly renewable ingredients, manufacturing with green energy and operating with a closed loop packaging system.”
Why do you think it's important to be more sustainable with beauty products?
“Because typically beauty products have not been created with sustainability in mind. Packaging can be excessive, non-recyclable and single-use, yet consuming these products has a direct impact on our planet. We’re already experiencing a climate crisis, so it’s important that we take a more sustainable approach to all aspects of our everyday lives.”
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to be more sustainable with their beauty products?
“Start by switching a product you use daily for a more sustainable alternative. For example, our Strawberry Booster is made from upcycled cold-pressed strawberry seeds, a by-product of the juicing industry. It’s housed in a glass Booster bottle, which can be returned to us free of charge and reused as another BYBI Booster.
“ReBYBI is our circular recycling scheme that helps us reduce the use of virgin materials – you can find out more and print your free returns label here.”
Talk us through some of the range, what do those products do?
“Mega Mist is our hydrating facial mist. It’s made with hyaluronic acid and floral waters, so it intensely hydrates skin and acts as a skin-plumping toner, pre serum, facial oil or moisturiser. With Mega Mist you can visibly see a difference instantly. Spritz under or over make-up to refresh skin towards the end of the day.
“Our Bakuchiol Skin Restore is a natural and vegan alternative to retinol. It boosts collagen production, improving the appearance of skin texture and fine lines with continued use. Our Bakuchiol Skin Restore contains 1% bakuchiol. We’ve paired it with olive squalane for super soft skin. One study has shown that bakuchiol is just as effective (if not, more) at reducing the frequency of blemishes over time versus salicylic acid.
“Our CBD Booster is our calming and soothing skin booster, featuring 100mg of cannabidiol in hemp seed oil. Mix with another booster and apply directly to skin or use it as an overnight mask.”
Where do you want to take BYBI in the next few years?
“We want BYBI to be at the forefront of effective, accessible, sustainable beauty here in the UK and beyond!”
What are your typical daily skincare routines?
“To be honest, they’re dominated by BYBI (no surprises there!). We like to keep things simple, with increased hydration when travelling, a thorough cleanse every day and a nourishing facial oil.”
Elsie, can you tell us more about your skincare regime?
“I love to ‘take the day off’ with Swipe Clean – our facial cleansing oil and make-up remover,” says Elsie. “It’s great at dissolving make-up, SPF and general city grime, leaving skin feeling clean and ready for a second cleanse. The Bakuchiol Skin Restore is my nightly staple and our hero product for a reason. Our retinol alternative visibly makes skin look fresher and more radiant after use. Then I like to apply a small amount of Babe Balm to dry areas such as lips and cuticles for glossy, nourishing moisture.”
How about you Dominika? What are your skincare regime top tips?
“I’m obsessed with Crystal Clear, our gel cleanser made with prebiotics and white willow bark extract (soon to be launching at Boots),” explains Dominika. “It foams into a creamy lather, leaving skin feeling so clean, without a hint of feeling stripped or unbalanced. I then give my skin a generous drink of Mega Mist, our hydrating facial spray made with hyaluronic acid, for plumper, refreshed skin – brilliant for travel as it’s under 100ml. I finish off my morning routine with a couple of drops of the Buriti Booster. It’s a powerful antioxidant and the richest natural source of beta carotene. It’s perfect for those who commute or live in the city, as it helps keep skin bright and protects it against pollution and environmental aggressors.”
Where would you like to see the future of sustainable beauty go?
“We hope that sustainable, carbon conscious beauty becomes the norm, not the exception. That smaller brands lead by example, driving larger brands to change, becoming more transparent and adopting better sustainable practices for the planet. The consumer demand is there and it’s only going to continue to grow.”
