Local makeup business uses environmentally safe practices

Reese Thornton

Livy Layman and Reese Thornton

Downtown Harrisonburg business, WithSimplicity, took a substantial approach to the makeup industry by the use of reusable glass containers to not only improve status in the community, but also give new life to old products.

Reese Thornton
WithSimplicity features cruelty free, gluten free, toxin free, and vegan nail polish in the shade Girl Boss.

While the company cannot reuse the containers because of health concerns, they are recycled for local events, as well as provide 20 points toward discount rewards to the customer.Recently, the company hosted an event called ‘You Grow Girl’  where they took containers customers brought in, and used them to pot plants.

“People could just come in all day and make their own plant for free, then take it with them,” said Mary McMahan, marketing director. “We save them for different ideas that just pop up in our minds.”

Additionally, WithSimplicity, founded by Irina Dovganetskiy in January 2015, creates a variety of beauty products, such as blush, foundation, eyeliner, nail polish, and more, that all consist of cruelty free, gluten free, toxin free, and vegan materials.

“They’re all natural, the ingredients are really easy to find, we have to make sure it’s ethnically sourced so we’re not getting (things) where there’s child labor… so all of our skin care and body care is made in here. Makeup is made with a lab that we collaborate with, but we make sure the lab, that all the ingredients are ethically sourced,” McMahan said.

The in-store lab consists of ingredients like rose, jasmine, hibiscus, and calendula that act as scent agents for a majority of products in place of extracts and chemicals. As well, clays are used to help absorb excess oils, dirt, and harmful toxins from the skin.

“It’s definitely easier than your mass cosmetic companies, since they’re all natural (and) the ingredients are really easy to find,” McMahan said. 

For some customers, such as Jordan Mongold with a gluten allergy, the store is able to cater to their needs.

“(They) cover everyone who has special needs with makeup, and even if you just want to be good to the environment,” Mongold said.