Blond designs refillable deodorant
The Fussy deodorant, designed by Blond (image: Blond).
“For me, many obstacles preventing the broader adoption of refillable cosmetics are non-design related, such as purchasing convenience or purchasing habits,” says James Melia, the creative director of London-based design agency Blond. “Although, that is not to say that there are no hurdles that design can help overcome!”
Melia and Blond had the opportunity to put this stance into action with Fussy, a new refillable deodorant launched on the UK market after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Inspired by the soft, rounded form of beach pebbles, the deodorant’s case is made from ocean-bound recycled plastic, with a top-loading mechanism to insert refills.
The deodorant’s case broken down, with a compostable refill (image: Blond).
“Firstly, we focused our efforts on promoting re-use by creating a design that encourages user engagement through its tactile and aesthetically pleasing form (to challenge the typical format - users need to desire to use the product),” says Melia. “Secondly, we spent a lot of time considering the refill system - and how to make it as intuitive as possible. Technically speaking, the design solution would be a bottom-loading system. However, we didn't think this felt particularly natural to use, so we spent a lot of time devising a convenient top-loading mechanism.”
The decision to use ocean-bound plastic (OBP) was made to avoid single-use plastics, and was selected over bio-composites or bioplastics for its ease of recyclability. “There are suppliers all over the world that have collected the easily recyclable plastics, such as PET, PP and PE, and processed them into pellets which can be used in the injection-moulding process again,” says Melia. “These suppliers should have a OBP certification, which, via independent audit, verifies the origin of the plastic, as well as the process in which it has been processed.”
The deodorant’s matching “Deo Dish”, which is used to store refills (image: Blond).
Fussy operates according to a subscription model, meaning that Blond’s design for the case, its refills, and matching “Deo Dish” to store refills in, needed to fit UK letterboxes. In contrast to deodorants bought in shops, which tend to stand upright to attract attention on shelves, the design for Fussy was intended to lie flat to suit its delivery model – echoing the form of a bar of soap in a dish.
“Supermarkets and large retailers are starting to sell refillable products, but while they catch up, consumers need to familiarise themselves with the subscription model,” says Melia. “I don't think this is a big issue, though, as many of us are comfortable with online shopping - particularly due to the pandemic - where we have all had to rethink how we do our shopping.”