Carson Karlin’s sleek AES System imagines the sustainable future for makeup with striking bronze makeup containers consumers can refill with biodegrabable plastic. Hoping to improve the industry’s immense waste problem, Karlin created gorgeous containers we could easily imagine becoming prized heirlooms, much like the metal compacts and lipstick holders you can find at vintage or thrift stores.
While brands like Hourglass and Charlotte Tilbury are just a couple of brands attempting to put a high-end shine on this forgotten practice, the AES System is especially noteworthy for its consideration of the refills themselves. This graduate thesis project takes a step ahead of the competition with the suggestion of biodegradable Sulapac inserts, which would be a big help with reducing waste. Beyond the project’s intelligence, it also just looks really nice, with high-quality bichromatic boxes, on-trend sans serif, and the artful asymmetry of the bronze makeup containers.
