Check any shampoo bottle, and you'll see water listed as the first ingredient. That's because most shampoos and conditioners are over 70% water, which is wasteful when it comes to packaging and transportation. Everist, a new Canadian brand, has found a solution in waterless shampoo and conditioner concentrates. By removing water, a tube of Everist is one-third the size of a normal bottle of shampoo. The formulas are created with plant-based and biodegradable ingredients, and consistency is a creamy paste that's activated with wet hands and hair.
Aiming to be a zero-waste brand — or as close as possible — products are packaged in aluminum tubes, with recycled cardboard and paper tape for shipping. (Aluminum was chosen because it can be easily and endlessly recycled.) The only wasteful piece left is a small plastic tube cap, so Everist created a cap-back program and will collect them for upcycling. The Toronto-based brand's two female founders previously worked for large CPG brands like L'Oréal, The Body Shop and Revlon, and aim to expand to body and skincare products in the future. Everist starts shipping within Canada and to the US next month and is now available for pre-order.
Of course, a waterless product for washing hair already exists: the shampoo bar. But bars can be messy and the experience of a cream is closer to that of liquid products that people are familiar with. Since many consumers aren't ready to switch to solids, it makes sense to formulate pastes and other concentrates, and they'll likely reach a wider audience. The shift to waterless products is definitely one we see accelerating in the coming years, so jump in now!
