Despite having studied architecture, Paola Gugliotta has been dedicated to the world of cosmetics for more than 21 years, most of them as an entrepreneur. After the sale of her cosmetics laboratory Sepai, specialized in luxury facial and body cosmetics, she joined Lab Noma, a laboratory founded in 2021 by her husband, Ricardo Chang Santamaría. Within the framework of Lab Noma, Gugliotta has announced the launch of The Today Project, a natural luxury cosmetics brand that “was born with the idea of eradicating plastic in cosmetic products,” in the words of the founder.
“We have spent a year carrying out a pilot project with the Palace Hotel in Barcelona, analyzing the plastic waste that is generated, studying how to reduce it and calculating the savings that are achieved,” explains the entrepreneur. The final proposal after this experience is bottles that are refilled with returnable bags that reduce the volume of plastic generated by conventional plastic bottles by 99%.
The contents of the containers are a soap for hair, body and hands, a hair conditioner and a body cream. All made with concentrated, biodegradable formulas and with more than 98% natural ingredients. “We currently have three references, soon we will reach 12 and we want to create a line of personalized products for hotels,” advances the founder. In addition, the company also sells bath salts.
The first clients of The Today Project are eight hotels, five in Catalonia and three in Andalusia, but for a couple of months the brand's products have already been available to individuals, through the company's website. Later, in about three years, Gugliotta plans to create “a non-profit foundation that reinvests the profits of The Today Project to help hotels that cannot afford our service,” she says.
Based in Sant Cugat del Vallès, the emerging company has involved an investment of 150,000 euros to date and the entrepreneur anticipates an investment of 100,000 euros more in the next two years. At the same time, the Waste Agency of Catalonia has granted a subsidy of 65,0000 euros to The Today Project within the framework of a circular economy and eco-design project. The objective of the aid is to ensure that the refill bags, in addition to being returnable, are also recyclable.
Lab Noma employs four people, plus another four employees in the process of joining to cope with the growth of The Today Project.
