Fast beauty: the urgency of making the right choice
In the wake of fast fashion, there is another, less talked-about phenomenon: fast beauty. Low-cost products, constantly renewed collections, flashy promises, relentless marketing, non-recyclable packaging, cheap inert materials, dyes, low-end fragrances... Cosmetics are consumed continuously, to the detriment of the planet and often our health.
The alarming temperatures of recent weeks remind me of the primary motivation behind the La Canopée project: a committed company offering an alternative to overconsumption and poor consumption. Since that decision was made, several battles have been fought, and our business is above all about guidance and education.
It is about making people understand the roots of our profession, the importance of expertise such as 100% naturally-derived formulation (which few master), and the kindness behind every piece of advice to provide a healthy and effective solution to skin issues, while deconstructing everything cosmetic marketing has established over the last century. It is urgent to take a step back and re-examine our consumption habits.
Why trust us:
We have been at the heart of green chemistry innovation for nearly 10 years.
More than 50,000 customers have trusted us since the beginning on this site and demonstrate their loyalty to us.
As enthusiasts, we closely follow all advances in botany, cosmetics, and also dermatology.
Just a marketing position or a deep conviction?
I know well that this statement might be frowned upon because it comes from a brand, a company. But, fortunately, there are companies that have made it their mission to do better than the old ones.
We are not here to lecture, but to create the company we dream of, with current knowledge in dermatology, ecology, and green chemistry. It is simply criminal today to start a business that has only profit as its goal. Yes, a company must grow, pay its employees, and be profitable, but at what cost?
We, the founders of La Canopée, dream of a prosperous company where it is pleasant to work and where everyone is proud to offer the products we manufacture, because we know that at every stage of creation, we have asked ourselves the right questions and that at every step, we have done our best.
It is not perfect, because the best product remains the one we do not create. But it seems to me that one must know how to position oneself as an alternative!
If we give up by saying "what's the point," it is always the unscrupulous companies that are offered to consumers, and that is unacceptable.
Fast beauty and fast fashion: the same fight
The parallels between fast fashion and fast beauty are obvious. In both cases, it is about producing quickly, in large quantities, and cheaply, by generating a feeling of constant need in the consumer. Every week, new products appear, riding on TikTok trends, the seasons, or fleeting collaborations. We multiply impulsive purchases, we overconsume, we waste.
But behind these low-priced products often hide poor-quality, processed ingredients, which have sometimes traveled around the world several times; monocultures that are devastating for humans and the surrounding wildlife; formulas that are not respectful of the skin, with inert texture agents, materials derived from petrochemicals, and manufacturing processes with disastrous environmental impacts. The cycle is well-known: we buy, we test, we abandon... to buy again.
Since 2017, La Canopée has taken the opposite path
La Canopée exists because we wish to propose an alternative to conventional cosmetics. And, over the years, this desire has only strengthened when we see the waves of greenwashing and veganwashing in cosmetics.
In 2021, the French Beauty Federation (FEBEA) recorded two new cosmetic brands per day. An overwhelming majority of these companies have no knowledge of chemistry, no knowledge of skin biology. They are content with buying a product and slapping a label on it. The core of their business remains marketing and commercial strategy.
Fortunately, resilient, committed companies have made a path for themselves, and La Canopée has been among them since its commercial launch in 2017.
We have conceived a brand that offers 100% naturally-derived, 100% vegan products, and manufactured by us in our workshop in Grasse. Not just one or two products from the brand, but all of our skincare must respect this base! And of course, we go further.
Each project, each formula, each label, each packaging developed is guided by this desire to offer the best solution for us and for the planet. This implies long research (sometimes several years for certain formulas), demanding partnerships to obtain beautiful, effective, and healthy materials, and a firm refusal to give in to ease or the trend of the moment.
Our desire is clear: to stand against an industry that harms human beings and the planet. We deeply believe that it is possible to offer effective, sensory, health-respecting skincare, while defending a sustainable vision of beauty.
Rethinking our consumption habits
Fighting against fast beauty also means reviewing our relationship with purchasing. We do not need a new skincare product every week. We do not need to accumulate three cleansers, two mists, five serums, and as many creams. Multiplying products does not bring more effectiveness, nor more pleasure. It burdens our routines, tires our skin, and weighs heavily on natural resources.
On the contrary, we encourage thoughtful, coherent beauty that aims for the essential and technicality to be effective. We choose quality skincare, with noble, well-formulated ingredients, and we use it until the last drop. We only replace it when we need to. This approach is not a sacrifice. On the contrary, it reconnects to a true pleasure of skincare, one that is deeper and more conscious.
Taking back control of your feminine beauty
I will go further by talking about our commitment to women. Far be it from me to exclude men from this discourse, but women are such victims of injunctions regarding beauty and youth that one can only feel a desire to revolt. It is generational. As I approach my 38th birthday, I have personally evolved a lot regarding my femininity, what it meant, and above all, what we offer to other women as a cosmetics brand.
I am thinking of the very young women who grow up with TikTok in their hands. I am thinking of women whom time is naturally beginning to mark, and who are offered Botox injections to "stop" aging. Yes, sometimes, when you are feeling down, it can be tempting. It is not easy every day to embrace the little marks on your face and body, whatever they may be. It is also our role, as a brand, to remind everyone that magic, the fountain of youth, does not exist, but that the right ingredients and the right gestures can help support our skin concerns. We help build self-confidence, so we always feel beautiful and radiant in the mirror.
Cosmetics, true cosmetics—the kind we defend—are far from superficial. It is a transparent cosmetic, which speaks about its formulas and explains the "why and how" of each of its materials. None of them are there for no reason or just to look nice; they are all selected for their excellent origins and properties. It is a cosmetic that provides solutions to skin issues that can sometimes be disabling or sources of complexes, such as acne, scars, atopic skin, rosacea, eczema, etc.
We have decided to always explain the reason behind our choices, because knowledge is power. When we explain to our customers why a certain gesture should be avoided, and why a certain habit should be adopted, we share knowledge about the mechanisms of the skin and the chemical interactions between ingredients. Our customers thus gain power over their consumption and the products they choose, making those choices with full knowledge of the facts.
A price, a value:
It must also be stated clearly: a natural skincare product (I'm not even talking about conventional cosmetics) at 5 euros cannot be of the same quality as a natural skincare product at 40 euros. Behind a fair price lies a rich formula, meticulous work, carefully selected raw materials, and responsible production. Low-cost comes at a cost, and it is often the environment, health, or ethics that pay the price. This is another element very close to the issues found in fast fashion.
Consume less, but better. That is where it all begins. Before buying, we should ask ourselves: is this truly useful? Do I need it? Am I ready to support a committed company rather than an opportunistic industrial giant? Because choosing a French, transparent, and activist brand is also a political act. It is these small actions that, when added together, shape deep change.
We sometimes tend to think that our individual choices do not carry much weight. But that is false. Every action counts. Every purchase counts. And every awareness, every refusal to give in to convenience, forces brands to rethink their priorities. If the general public turns away from fast fashion and fast beauty, then manufacturers will have no choice but to follow this movement. They will do so because you will show them another path.
Beauty that makes sense:
The good news is that this other path already exists. Everywhere, in France and elsewhere, responsible, passionate, and demanding brands are working to offer coherent, respectful, and intelligent alternatives. In all areas (clothing, cosmetics, food, hygiene, etc.) it is now possible to do better, to consume differently. Consuming them is supporting them!
Like you, since my adolescence, I have heard the frightening warnings from scientists and experts about climate change, the extinction of species… but, unfortunately, here we are. We are witnessing them; they were right. We must act, profoundly and for the long term.
So, it is up to all of us. Let's make the right consumption choices.
Juliette Munoz,
Co-founder, in charge of communication at La Canopée.
✔️ Holds a Master's degree in design and environments.
✔️ Certified in aromatherapy.
✔️ Trained in facialist massage and facial yoga.
Passionate about skin biology, botany, and holistic beauty, Juliette founded La Canopée in 2017 alongside her sister Cécile, an expert in green chemistry. Driven by a commitment to her customers, Juliette tirelessly pursues excellence in all aspects of La Canopée, aiming to offer the best possible experience with the brand.
