If you’re a fan of Dragon’s Den then some of you may recognise these two as the brother and sister duo who took the Den by storm.
That was in 2018, so let’s back track a bit. Will and Anna Brightman quit their day jobs and went full steam ahead with their new sustainable cosmetics company in 2016. After exceeding a £200,000 crowdfunding target to get their business off the ground by a whopping £17,000, they were ready to take their business idea to the Dragons. After an incredibly successful pitch in the Den, the siblings went home with an investment from 2 Dragons and at the end of 2018 a fresh new look and name was unveiled, UpCircle was born.
So why were the Dragons so impressed by this revolutionary brand? UpCircle is a pioneering skincare brand whose products source and rescue by-products from other industries, in particular the food and drink industry. So, what does this mean in simple terms? Here are a few examples: the night cream is made with the extract of repurposed blueberries, a by-product of the blueberry juicing industry, the eye cream is made with maple bark extract, a by-product of the wood industry and the face toner is made with chamomile stem extract, a by-product of the tea industry. Very clever!
It will come as no surprise that Will and Anna are passionate about saving our planet, their sense of environmental responsibility oozes through their business. Take the name for example, the circular economy is central to UpCircle, as is the idea of upcycling, the process of creating something from something that already exists. All their products are made using upcycled ingredients, in fact, UpCircle is currently the UKs no 1 upcycled brand. As of 2022, UpCircle removed more ocean-bound plastic than its packaging uses, making them plastic negative certified, and that’s not all. The packaging across the UpCircle range is 99% plastic-free and all their product packaging is now refillable using their refill scheme. This scheme operates by offering a 20% discount on refill products, a freepost return label is then automatically emailed to you once you’ve made a purchase on their website, simple. All of this is fantastic and such good news for our planet, but can we also just take a minute to admire how pretty the packaging is!
I know what you’re thinking, these products are good for the planet, and they look great so do they cost the earth? Well to answer your question quite literally, no. UpCircle believe that sustainability shouldn’t be an elite privilege and price point shouldn’t be a barrier to planet-friendly purchasing. So even though as a rule, ethical, sustainable, fair-trade ingredients usually cost more, UpCircle are committed to remaining a brand accessible for all. Their products won’t cost you the earth, in fact, UpCircle is working on saving it.
It seems it’s not just us who are cheerleading the UpCircle team and commending the pioneering work they’re doing, Anna was named on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for 2021, in the same year she was also winner of the Consumer Goods Businesswoman of the Year award. UpCircle was also recognised in British Vogue as the beauty brand doing its part for you and the planet in 2021. Their winning streak didn’t stop there, the UpCircle team received the CEW UK Responsible Beauty Award for Innovation for its Fruit Stones Range at the CEW UK 2022 Beauty Awards, and in the same year UpCircle received its B Corp certificate demonstrating high social and environmental performance. Bravo UpCircle, keep up the good work.
In 2020, UpCircle launched in the US and is now available to buy in Whole Foods and Credo Beauty stores across the US. Will and Anna have set their sights on expanding UpCircle throughout Europe as well as in Albania and the Philippines.
I absolutely love the fact that two young entrepreneurs with a passion for sustainability have created such incredible products and brand to match. I am now a very proud UpCircle customer, as a woman fighting (very hard) the aging process I love my caffeinated skincare UpCircle products. Not only is the product fabulous made from upcycled coffee oil from leftover coffee grounds and upcycled maple bark but made in the UK and the packaging is great too. If you are looking for affordable skincare products that are also sustainable, please give UpCircle a go – you won’t be disappointed.
If this is what this young sibling duo can achieve in just six short years (with Covid also thrown into the mix), I for one can’t wait to see what they’ll do next. They believe that circular/by-product beauty will be the next big movement, and I for one totally agree!
Key takeouts:
- Hand in Hand: You can create quality products at reasonable prices and help save the planet
- Think circular: There is opportunity everywhere to reuse materials and products
- Ethics and sustainability: Go hand in hand and should be at the heart of every business
- Be brave: Don’t be afraid to pioneer an idea you believe in
- Self-belief: If you believe in yourself others will too