Sarah Paiji Yoo was already an experienced entrepreneur when she started Blueland. The difference this time, was that she had become a mom. Something about that redirected her focus toward creating a product that would leave a better world for her children and future generations. Yoo’s motivation went beyond focusing on the product (which she knew had to be effective and made with safe ingredients). Additionally, she wanted Blueland’s products to be contained in and delivered to consumers in a way that would eliminate single-use plastic and water waste.
This parental problem-solving journey rings true here at MADE SAFE! We know firsthand how becoming a parent can alter how you look at the world, especially the intimate environment of your home, as you try to cultivate a safe and sustainable way of life for your family.
We applaud Blueland’s commitment to provide game-changing products that not only help reduce the chemical burden but deliver the goods without single-use plastics! We are pleased to announce Blueland’s newly Certified MADE SAFE® Facial Cleanser and the base formula for their Body Washes.*
*The fragrances for Blueland’s body washes are currently undergoing MADE SAFE screening.
Why is it important to have third-party validation for your products?
All of our products at Blueland are vetted by independent third-parties and we are excited to add MADE SAFE! We believe that certifications help provide consumers with additional information about product claims and provide legitimacy for those claims. In the consumer packaged-goods world, it is easy for ingredient labels and environmental claims to be confusing or misleading. We believe that certifications can help make all these claims clearer and more transparent for our customers.
Why are you proud of your MADE SAFE Certification?
At Blueland, all of our products are designed as reusable, refillable systems to be good for you and the planet. We rely on certifications like MADE SAFE to ensure our products are optimized for human and planet health. Every MADE SAFE Certified product’s ingredients are thoroughly screened and vetted by researchers and/or scientists to ensure they are made without known behavioral toxins, carcinogens, developmental toxins, endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, reproductive toxins, harmful VOCs and other potentially harmful chemicals. MADE SAFE also reviews ingredients for general ecosystem harm and toxicity for aquatic and terrestrial life. MADE SAFE helps us continue to hold our products to the highest standards and ensure that we are using great ingredients for people and planet.
Why did you start your company?
I started Blueland when I became a new mom and wanted to create a cleaner future for my son and future generations. I was focused on cutting back my own personal consumption of single-use plastics, and quickly realized that despite being well-intentioned, plastic was everywhere. The products I seemed to be using the most – cleaning products, hand soap, and personal care products – were all packaged in single-use plastic and generating a ton of waste. As a serial entrepreneur, I saw this as an opportunity to find a better way to create the products we use the most and eliminate single-use plastic packaging.
Since our launch, with 40 patents and patents pending, we’ve already helped divert over one billion single-use plastic bottles from landfills and oceans with our innovative, planet- and people-friendly products.
Why are your products different from other, more conventional, products in the space?
Blueland is reimagining our everyday essentials to eliminate single-use plastic packaging and provide consumers with better and more sustainable options. All products are designed in tablet or powder formats, to be mixed with household tap water or used directly – saving consumers money and space while helping to save the planet.
Blueland Facial Cleanser is no exception. The facial cleanser and our body washes are designed as first-of-their-kind powder-to-gel formats. The facial cleanser powder transforms into a full bottle of smooth, non-foaming gel, designed for all skin types with a skin-balanced pH! The body wash powder transforms into a full bottle of smooth, moisturizing body wash gel, formulated with ingredients that leave the skin feeling nourished and hydrated. Simply fill the Forever Bottles with water, pour the powder into the bottle, give the bottle a quick shake and let the mixture sit for an hour to activate – then they are ready to go.
What’s the one product in your line you can’t live without, and why?
I use all of our products almost every day! As a mom of two kids, I’m constantly cleaning up, doing laundry, washing hands etc. But my current favorites are our Body Wash and Facial Cleanser. Packaging is the largest generator (46%) of all plastic waste, and the personal care industry is among the largest producers – creating more than 120 billion units of packaging every year globally.
Our Body Wash and Facial Cleanser can make an enormous impact on eliminating single-use plastic. The powder-to-gel formats allow customers to have the same body wash and facial cleanser formats they know and love, without any single-use plastic.
What’s your favorite beauty or healthy living hack?
The easiest healthy living hack I have is my reusable water bottle. I’ve found that I feel (and look) refreshed and healthy when I constantly hydrate. I always keep my water bottle with me to make sure I’m hydrating during the day!
Thank you, Sarah, for starting Blueland with such an important mission. We appreciate your dedication to eliminating single-use plastics while reducing unneeded chemicals in our daily-living products! It is a thrill to introduce the MADE SAFE community to Blueland!
► For a current list of MADE SAFE® Certified products from Blueland, visit this page.