Joel Danziger sat down with Marijke Adderley, co-founder of Big. in Hackney, to discuss what it means to open and run the UK’s first responsible luxury beauty retailer
At the end of October, Big. in Hackney hosted the first in a series of ‘Skin School’ events. Open to everyone, and coinciding with the changing seasons, the ‘Barrier Builder’ class explored how to maintain a strong skin barrier as the colder winter months approach. These intimate community events are at the heart of what Big. strives to be as a beauty retailer. In bringing together like-minded people from the Hackney community, to chat and to learn from the founders of skincare and wellness brands, to holding masterclasses with specialist facialists and masseurs, Big. is like an after-school club for skincare enthusiasts, or as Marijke Adderley describes to me, offers an education in self-care akin to that from a big sister or brother.
Big. was founded together by long-time friends Marijke and Lisa Targett Bolding after spotting a (big) gap in the London market for a beauty retailer whose commitment to sustainability and waste reduction is at the forefront of every decision made. Every product’s ingredient list, packaging, and traceability has been deliberately considered. Having grown tired of an industry that preys on peoples’ insecurities, Marijke and Lisa knew that an alternative perspective was overdue. That’s not to mention that the beauty and cosmetics industry has long been a significant contributor to the global climate crisis. Each year, roughly 120 billion pieces of beauty packaging is discarded as waste, with only 14% of plastic waste being sent to recycling, and as little as 9% actually being recycled.
Nestled right in the centre of Victoria Park Village, Big. is as much a community hub as it is a beauty retailer. Marijke describes that often locals will come into store just to chat, to enjoy a cup of herbal tea and recline on the inviting squishy sofas. “I wanted it to feel like stepping into a place of calm,” Marijke tells me, a place where individuals from all walks of life feel welcome. “There’s definitely a stereotype, when it comes to beauty retailers,” Marijke suggests, “shops with thousands and thousands of different products,” when you don’t know where to start, or what to look for, it can ultimately leave you feeling worse about yourself when the aim should be the opposite.
The shop itself should conjure feelings of tranquillity and curiosity; an organic, tactile space that reflects the natural ingredients found in many of the products. Something which unites all the brands stocked, is their shared commitment in not using any virgin plastic in their pumps, lids and packaging. Marijke details how the products should work “harmoniously” in the context of a treatment setting. Hidden behind the curve of a glass wall, lies a treatment room which is booked-out seven days a week, offering “other-worldly” acupuncture, reflexology and a plethora of facial and bodywork treatments.
“Going against the grain,” as Marijke states, has been instrumental in how Big. has carved out its own space within London’s saturated beauty market. I ask whether she could choose some of her favourite products, “we can barely keep AKT deodorant on our shelves,” she says of the natural deodorant brand founded by West End performers. She praises REOME’s Skin Ceremony Kit, a brand which is pioneering a scientific approach to developing skincare, molecularly replicating ingredients as opposed to obtaining them from rapidly depleting natural resources. Next is the Activist Raw Manuka Honey Mask: “All it is, is honey!” she laughs, but at an 850+ MGO concentrate, a medical grade anti-inflammatory which can help treat skin concerns from acne to eczema and dry, sensitive skin. True to her background as a nutritionist, she also champions a range of supplements from Advanced Nutrition Programme. “Our skin, it isn’t just our face, but from the top of our head to the bottom of our toes,” she explains. “People are always asking about make-up too, what colours would suit them, what brands should I be trying?” she continues. The trust customers have in Marijke and Lisa’s discerning eye for sustainable beauty is evident, and the upcoming introduction of make-up feels like an organic development in Big’s curation of some of the most cutting-edge brands in the worlds of sustainable beauty and wellness.
Images courtesy of big.Beauty
