“I miss Singapore so much,” South Korean entertainer, Siwon Choi, confesses over Instagram live. “Good friends, bright weather and sunshine.” Virtually ‘in town’ to launch Kiehl’s‘ month-long digital Future Made Better initiative, Siwon Choi hopped on a livestream from Seoul to chat with fans about recycling, sustainable living, and his ultimate beauty hacks. Partnering with the beloved New York apothecary skincare brand, Siwon challenged Singaporeans to turn in 100,000 empties from any brand to Kiehl’s stores by 14 July 2021.
There are just seven days left before Kiehl’s’ recycled empties challenge ends with the movement encouraging locals to consider all facets of sustainable beauty, from recycling packaging to purchasing from brands with responsibly-sourced ingredients.
“Since 1851, Kiehl’s has been committed to making a future made better—from recycling plastic waste in the store via the store’s recycling program to responsible formulations, packaging and manufacturing to supporting communities and helping to reducing it environmental impact,” says Siwon Choi. “Small efforts to become more sustainable has a bigger impact in creating a future made better. And indeed, better has no end.”
“Kiehl’s has made sustainability more engaging and relatable with so many games and prizes,” Choi shared on the Future Made Better website. The digital festival is a chance for locals to be more mindful in recycling, consuming product, as well as selecting items that are not only safe for skin but for the planet too. With the dermatologist-developed Kiehl’s Instant Skin Reader, visitors to the site also receive an instant skin analysis and personalised skincare routine, which they can add to cart seamlessly. Guests simply have to upload a snapshot of their face and the Kiehl’s Instant Skin Reader technology will scan their face to measure it against 10,000 data points to identify their unique strengths and areas for improvement.
But sustainable living and sustainable beauty go deeper than just recycling for Kiehl’s, who pay careful attention to the sourcing of raw materials in their formulas. There’s at least one sustainably sourced ingredient found in 50 per cent of Kiehl’s formulas, such as the Rare Earth Masque which uses fair trade Amazonian White Clay which helps to provide economic support for local communities. 82 per cent of Kiehl’s bottles are made of post-consumer recycled plastic; recycled paper forms 100 per cent of its paper bags and newsletters; and tote bags take on a second life, being made from 100 per cent of recycled plastics to name a few.
The rap sheet doesn’t stop there: Since 2005, Kiehl’s has reduced its CO2 emissions by 82 per cent, water consumption is down by 21 per cent and waste generation by 36 per cent. Impressively, since 2009, Kiehl’s clients have recycled a whopping 11 million products globally. Kiehl’s Singapore alone, recycled more than 132,000 empties or the equivalent of 1,700 kilograms of materials in 2020.
“Hopefully, this type of recycling will becomes a habit for people in the long run,” says the singer, UNICEF ambassador, and actor, who is currently filming a new drama role in Seoul. “We hope you’ll make the first step to returning any beauty empties at home to your nearest Kiehl’s Singapore store.”
And if you’re wondering what Siwon’s beauty hacks and tips are, sadly, there are none as he shared with Vogue Singapore.
“There are no tips,” laughs the beloved actor and UNICEF ambassador, who later revealed he drinks two litres of water a day, with a lack of water showing up in his skin as dehydration. “Make-up artists always ‘ask are you tired or unwell’ if I don’t. Wake up earlier, drink a lot of water and use Kiehl’s Calendula Toner and Calendula Serum-Infused Water Cream.”
Without water, Siwon’s skin gets “very dry and make-up doesn’t last as long or look as good.”
Siwon Choi’s recycling tips
Siwon recycles by composting everything, using his weekends to efficiently sort everything into specific categories.
“Be sure to wash and thoroughly clean your empties to avoid contamination and make it easier to recycle,” says Siwon.
“In learning about sustainability, we can take steps to make a better future for the next generation. And Kiehl’s have created this really engaging festival page to educate people on sustainability,” says Choi. ” I hope everyone will be able to take a look at the page and experience it for yourself.”
