Sunday Diaries with Erika Gerarts

We’re always in search of ways to make our beauty routines more sustainable.

Beauty is an area rife with single-use products: too much packaging, too many chemicals, and way too much waste!
So when we find a brand that we all agree offers awesome solutions – we can’t wait to tell you about it.

 

Good for the planet on so many levels, Fluff creates vegan, cruelty-free, palm oil-free, refillable products delivered in compostable, recyclable packaging.
Fluff Casual Cosmetics on the blog at Arnhem Refillable Lip Oils and Tints

Refillable gets a big green tick from us – as it's such an easy step on the journey to living minimal waste.
It's also helping to reduce our carbon footprint and helping to reduce landfill, which is a major culprit of greenhouse gas emissions.

We’ve just tried the Clear Lip Oil and Lip Oil Tint in #2. It comes in a mini weighted refillable compact and velvet pouch.
And this natural lip oil was super moisturising, plus its environmentally friendly, cruelty-free and sustainable.
Packed with natural ingredients like sweet almond oil, argan kernel oil, jojoba seed oil, olive oil, and aloe vera, and many other yummy things – we’re big fans!

 

We love being able to shop beauty products that have such a feel-good factor, which is why we decided to talk to the amazing woman behind the brand, Erika Gerarts.

Sunday Diaries with Erika Geraerts of Fluff Casual Cosmetics on the blog at Arnhem

 

WHAT DOES A SUNDAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
I talk a lot about my preference towards flux over balance. Which means that (and especially due to COVID) my days blend into one. I might take a break on a Tuesday, and then spend all of Sunday working. Or not. It is perhaps, the one day I feel happy to sleep in (which is 8am for me). If I can, I’ll be down the Peninsula, where one day can feel like 10. Time seems to go very slow by the water.

DESCRIBE THAT SUNDAY FEELING.
I am looking forward to work tomorrow.
But seriously, if there’s any kind of ‘Sunday feeling’, perhaps it’s one where I don’t have plans. Where I can spend the whole day reading, or staring at a wall, or walking, or seeing as many or as little people as I want, with no sense of obligation.

WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF CONSTANT CHANGE, THAT’S ALWAYS CONNECTED, RAPID AND COMPLEX. HOWEVER, YOUR INSTAGRAM BIO STATES, SLOWER IS FASTER – WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?
I have to give my boyfriend, Nick credit for this – he introduced me to this idea and has been extremely patient in my understanding and application of it. The idea is that a system performs worse as its components try to do better, faster. Thus, a moderate (slower) individual efficiency actually leads to a better systemic performance. The more time I take, personally, and in business, the more considered, fulfilling, and rewarding the outcome proves to be.

FLUFF IS A CASUAL COSMETICS COMPANY: REFILLABLE, 100% VEGAN, CRUELTY-FREE, PALM-OIL FREE, GOOD FOR THE SKIN, GOOD FOR THE MIND, GOOD FOR THE PLANET, NOT AFRAID TO VOICE ITS OPINION – BUT WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO?
One of my favourites quotes from E.B White is: “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” Fluff makes me feel like I can do both: find joy in making an impact, and in addition, achieve profit with purpose; which reminds me of another quote, by Adam Grant, author of Originals: “Becoming original is not the easiest path in the pursuit of happiness, but it leaves us perfectly poised for the happiness of pursuit.”

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST DISCOVERY ON THE SEARCH FOR TRUE BEAUTY?
That it can’t be applied.

IN A PREVIOUS INTERVIEW YOU’RE QUOTED AS SAYING, ‘I’M PRETTIER NOW THAT I DON’T CARE’ – TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS.
This statement has resonated the most with our audience. It’s an awareness that once we stop investing unnecessarily in our exterior, we start developing a greater interior narrative or acceptance. We believe that it’s ok to feel more with makeup, so long as you don’t feel less without it. Once we focus on being ourselves, instead of everybody else, we can explore what really makes us feel – and that’s real beauty.

FLUFF AS A BRAND IS TRULY ENGAGED WITH ITS AUDIENCE:
WHAT’S BEEN THE MOST UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY IN BEING HONESTLY CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY?
How accepting and encouraging our audience is of our journey and pace – they’re happy for us to not have all the solutions straight away, so long as we’re aware of and talking about what needs to happen and what plans we have in place. Our transparency and humility allows us to be received by consumers in a way that bigger companies cant.


WHAT ARE YOUR RITUALS TO CALM AND NURTURE YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM?
I once said that the key to fixing me is 1 tall glass of water + one substantial walk. In addition to this: writing in the morning with 1 black coffee, classical music or white noise, going for a long drive, sunrises and sunsets (laughs), incense, meditation, and reading children’s books, specifically, classic Winnie the Pooh.

YOU KNOW IT’S NOT 100% GOOD FOR YOU, BUT YOU’RE NOT GIVING IT UP – WHAT IS IT?
Wine.


WHAT’S THE SOUNDTRACK TO YOUR SUNDAY?
Old: Miles Davis, Some Kind of Blue. New: John Hayes, The Last Best Place.

 


 
For more Sunday vibes shop Sunday Somewhere while stocks last.
Live in dreams Sunday girls 💕