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Finding zero-or-low-waste makeup options can be challenging sometimes, especially if you’re new to reducing your waste. We don’t often realize how much waste comes with the little things we use every day, like makeup products. That’s why I compiled this list of seven different sustainable and natural makeup brands to make your journey easier!
Side note: You probably know that you can’t recycle most makeup packaging that you get from the store. Luckily, L’Occitane has partnered with TerraCycle to help limit the amount of waste that beauty products make. Check if you have one near you!
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1. 100% Pure
100% PURE is committed to being, well… 100 percent pure! All of their pigments are sourced from vegetables, fruit, tea, and cocoa, containing zero toxic ingredients or heavy metals. Their products are all completely vegan and cruelty-free, meaning they don’t test on animals or source any of their ingredients from animals.
They have an in-store recycling program, so you can take any of their packagings to the store for recycling and they’ll give you a free item after recycling 10 items. They also encourage reusing their packaging for things like jewelry trays and vitamin holders.
More of their sustainability initiatives include:
- Powering their headquarters primarily with solar panels
- They use recycled or recyclable packaging for all their products
- All their formulas are biodegradable
- Print with non-toxic soy ink for all their packaging
- Planting 389,714 trees with Trees for the Future
They also have a really great charity program that donates one bowl of vegan dog food to local shelters for every purchase!
2. Elate Cosmetics
Elate Cosmetics is B Corp certified and donated $27,000 in 2020 to social and environmental organizations. Their products are packaged bamboo containers that are also refillable. The refills come in seed paper, which can be planted after its use! Plus, their products are 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
3. Antonym Cosmetics
Antonym Cosmetics is Ecocert certified, which means they only use certified natural and organic ingredients. They believe in using gentle and healthy ingredients without having to compromise on the quality of their products. Their other certifications include:
- Using FSC Certified paper for packaging and marketing material, ensuring they only source paper from responsibly managed forests.
- Leaping Bunny Certified: their makeup is 100% cruelty-free.
- Their brushes are all certified vegan by The Vegan Awareness Foundation.
4. Kjaer Weis
Kjaer Weis is the first luxury makeup brand to introduce refillable packaging for its products. They use certified-organic ingredients for all their products and their packaging is FSC-Certified. Their iconic edition is packaged with metal and is 100% refillable until the end of its life. Unfortunately, their iconic edition is made with ZAMAK which is not recyclable. However, their red edition is made with paper and is 100% refillable, recyclable, and compostable! They have directions on how to recycle it here.
One thing to note is that they’re not vegan as they contain beeswax in many of their products, so double-check the ingredients if that’s something you’d like to avoid!
5. Axiology
Axiology Beauty is dedicated to producing quality items sourced only with clean, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients. They’re also palm-oil-free! They take great care to ensure their packaging doesn’t end up as waste and made all their packages from 100% recycled waste making them recyclable and compostable.
6. River Organics
When you buy River Organics, you have the opportunity to donate to help offset carbon emissions. When you donate, River Organics matches your donation! They’re also 100% vegan, cruelty-free, certified organic, and all their makeup is packaged in paper with a biodegradable sugar cane label.
7. Izzy Zero Waste Mascara
Izzy Zero Waste Mascara uses reusable and recyclable stainless steel metal tubes instead of the regular plastic that mascara usually comes in. You can send back your mascara tubes for refills and recycling and they even send you a reminder after 90 days of your initial purchase. If you see yourself as a long-term customer, they also offer a subscription to refill your mascara tubes, saving you $20 per refill. Izzy is also certified carbon neutral.
