An ultra-marathon runner who grew frustrated over the price and quality of beard and hair conditioners has created his own zero-waste wax products.
Alex Heron, a quality manager from Clifton, now hopes his By Bravery creation will soon be in homes across the country as he begins to sell the products to stockists in Nottingham.
The recipe for the wax remains a closely-guarded secret but Mr Heron says it includes beeswax from his mother's apiary in Lincolnshire.
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On his decision to make By Bravery, the 32 year old said: "I’m an ultra-marathon runner so I spend a lot of time muddy and sweaty, so I need something that really moisturises my skin as well as blocking out the bad stuff.
"However, most products I tried either irritated my skin, or did nothing for my beard despite the premium price tag. Which lead me to learning to make my own.
"Through lots of experimenting with different natural ingredients and I’m really proud of the final product."
The wax itself is made from all-natural products and is sold in re-fillable tins or beeswax fabric wraps. The wraps are also recycled from Mr Heron's wife's sewing business.
It is now available in plastic-free shops, including Shop Zero in St James's Street, as well as his website. There are plans to place it in more shops in the coming months.
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Mr Heron said: "So many beard balms and men’s cosmetics are packaged in plastic bottles and tins that are not recyclable. If you find a balm you like you use it, throw away the packaging and buy again and the cycle never ends.
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"I wanted to find a solution to this problem, which is why By Bravery conditioning wax is moulded into single-use buttons. The buttons are sent in a tin and once empty, we send a refill or they can go to one our stockists."
on his hopes for the future of his products, Mr Heron added: "I don't want it to be a niche zero waste product. This is a product that can be in everyone's homes and they don't have to be an advocate of sustainability.
"Bringing it into the open market would be incredible - and that is the aim."