Dieux Forever Eye Mask

Dieux Forever Eye Masks are designed to be applied with the user’s own skincare products / Source: Dieux

AluminiumBeautyEuropeGlassMoulded FibreMyceliumNorth America

4 MINUTE READ

Sophie Benson

WHAT WE SAY:

Single-use sheet masks are an environmental burden. Discarded at a rate of one million per day, their plastic-based, flimsy nature makes them all but impossible to recycle. 1,000 years of decomposition for a few minutes of pampering is not a balanced trade in our opinion, which is why Dieux’s perma-eye masks offer an alternative solution.

Made from silicone and used with a consumer’s existing range of skincare, they can technically tackle your crow’s feet for a lifetime. But what really happens when we inevitably lose them and they end up in nature? That is our only question.

KEY FACTS:

Dieux’s Forever Eye Masks are made from 100% medical-grade, non-porous silicone and are designed to replace single-use eye masks typically made from plastic.
The eye mask can be used with any type of face cream, serum and gel, unlike traditional sheet masks, which are infused with product. This allows for easy inclusion into an existing skincare routine, as well as customisation.
The silicone acts as an occlusive layer to hold product under the eye and is easily cleaned with soap and warm water. It has become a popular material choice for brands and hygiene-focused consumers post-Covid, and while there are concerns around the impact of silicone within rinse-off products due to potential bioaccumulation, solid, reusable products do not carry the same risks.
The masks are delivered in a reusable, Aluminium storage case and in-house tests found that it took one year, with daily use, before the brand’s logo started to fade, although the presence of the logo does not impact the efficacy of the product.

Special edition styles are available / Source: Dieux

A guide on placement helps users tackle different concerns / Source: Dieux

DIVE DEEPER:

Consumers are set to spend GBP 369 million (USD 443 million) on sheet masks by 2025 and the market volume is projected to grow to 332 million units by 2026, according to Statista. But as they are not “cost effective for conventional recyclers to clean and process,” single-use masks will enter the environment in increasing numbers.
Dieux focuses on reduce and reuse over recycle to try and negate this issue, and does not propose any management for end-of-life, as the masks are designed to be used for a lifetime. However, use-related damage or faults are unavoidable and when they come to be discarded, silicone cannot be recycled kerbside in the US, which is where the product is sold. It can be recycled by speciality recyclers, although options are limited for consumers.
When effectively recycled, silicone is often down-cycled into a different product, such as oil or lubricant. If it does end up in the environment it takes hundreds of years to degrade, meaning its use for reusable and durable products is key.
Priced at USD 25, the masks are sold in the US and Canada via the brand’s website, and in Europe via Cult Beauty. Dieux has a price transparency policy and lists its cost breakdown as USD 5 for formula, packaging and testing, USD 2.02 for payment processing, and USD 7.50 for shipping, picking and packing. A markup of 2.4 brings the price to USD 25.
The carry case is made from aluminium, but includes a plastic insert, which users are encouraged to keep to extend the longevity of the tin. Aluminium is a long-lasting material and plastic could be sidestepped with care guidance, such as drying the product before storage. Forever Eye masks have been periodically sold out, suggesting manufacturing cannot currently meet demand. However, in March 2022, True Beauty Ventures added Dieux to its portfolio, which could accelerate scaling of the business and its products.

"Figuring out...where we can make something a one-time purchase versus single-use...was important to us. We wanted to tweak...our packaging to reduce our impact, in addition to making it recyclable and...better recycling facilities."

Charlotte Palermino - Co-Founder and CEO, Dieux - as quoted in W Magazine

Key Design Considerations:

Branding a reusable product

Dieux’s on-product branding has been key to the organic marketing of the product. What adjustments, such as embossing, could you make to ensure logos do not fade overtime?

End-of-life is still important

Silicone, while durable, is not easily recycled or disposed of in a way which avoids landfill. Consider whether you can facilitate end-of-life logistics and how you might frame it, so that its availability does not undermine the promise of lifelong use.

Final plastic swaps

A plastic tray insert is not a noteworthy reason for a missed opportunity to create a plastic-free product. Weigh up the impact of incidental plastics against the protective purpose they serve, before deciding upon wholesale removal or an alternative. Alternative solutions could include: Glass, Moulded fibre and Mycelium.