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I know that finding eco-friendly makeup alternatives is pretty difficult sometimes. Like for everything, you have to be careful what you buy and from where and makeup brushes are no different.
So if you’re stressing over where you can find ethically made and eco-friendly makeup brushes, don’t worry, cause I got you.
These 7 brands take great care in making sure their brushes and makeup products are sustainably made and ethically sourced and manufactured so that you’ll be looking flawless without having to give up on quality products!
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1. Bdellium Tools
Bdellium tools was first founded in 2009 in California. They specialize in makeup brushes and proudly make all their products cruelty-free.
Their Green Bambu, Yellow Bambu, Purple Bambu, and Pink Bambu Series are all eco-friendly makeup brushes. They’re made with soft synthetic bristles and the handles are made with bamboo.
2. INIKA
INIKA makeup brushes are 100% vegan and made from the softest synthetic fibers and their wood handles are sustainably sourced. Their professional vegan brush roll set also comes in a recyclable black canvas!
All their makeup ingredients are ethically sourced and their products even contain antioxidants to protect your skin from environmental stressors. They pride themselves in only using pure botanicals and earth-derived minerals, which are all organic and vegan.
3. 100% Pure
100% Pure’s makeup brushes are sustainable and vegan, made from recycled PBT plastic bottles.
All 100% Pure ingredients are from plant, mineral, and/or marine vegetation. They don’t contain toxic or harsh ingredients and are naturally pigmented from fruits, vegetables, tea, and cocoa. They are also certified cruelty-free and make sure their ingredients are never animal-derived.
4. EcoTools
EcoTools brushes are made with the best sustainable material such as recycled aluminum and plastic, renewable bamboo, and soft synthetic bristles.
Their packaging is made with 20% cotton and 80% bamboo fibers, making it 100% tree-free.
5. Elate Cosmetics
Who doesn’t love sustainable and ethically made brushes? This Brush Set and Canister are made with ethically sourced bamboo and Taklon bristles, for a cruelty-free alternative. The Taklon bristles are naturally non-porous, anti-bacterial, and hypoallergenic. It also comes with a 100% cotton roll-up carrying case! What’s not to love?
(Get 10% off with my code: farahaljallad)
6. The Body Shop
The Body Shop was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick with the intention of creating a brand that empowers women while helping sustain a beautiful world. They have their own line of eco-friendly and vegan makeup brushes that are made with synthetic bristles, aluminum, and sustainably sourced bamboo.
7. KVD Beauty
Kat Von D brushes are cruelty-free and made with the softest bristles. Their brand also makes non-toxic perfume and vegan makeup. They uphold strict ethical sourcing policies and only do business with companies that follow the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010.
Why You Should Choose Synthetic Makup Brushes
Most synthetic brushes are made from things like nylon, Taclon, and polyster. While these aren’t compostable and should be thrown away at the end of their life, I do believe that at the end of the day, animal welfare is most important.
This doesn’t mean I think you should be careless about your makeup brushes, but quite the opposite. I think it’s really important to get as much life from your brushes as possible, especially from brushes where the handles are not compostable.
If you want to learn more about the advantages of synthetic bristles over real hair, you can read more about it here.
Below I have some tips to help you keep your brushes as eco-friendly as possible, because the less waste, the better.
Tips for the Most Eco-Friendly Brushes
Buy Only What You Need – if you already have some brushes, then it’s not really necessary to buy more. When focusing on our environmental impact, it’s so important to remember that the less you consume, the less of an impact you have. And let’s be real, unless all your brushes are unusable, you probably don’t need anymore.
Take Care of Your Brushes – it’s important to take good care of your brushes so that they last as long as possible. You should wash them after every other use to avoid product buildup, which won’t be good for your skin either.
Reuse and Properly Dispose of Old Brushes – once you notice your brushes starting to wear out (bristles falling out and/or become misshapen), don’t throw them out. Instead, repurpose them in a different way, like for painting. If you can compost or recycle the handle at the end of their life (double-check this), make sure to cut the bristles off before doing so.
Buy Sustainable Makeup Brushes – this should be easier after reading this post! You now have 7 different options to choose from ;), but still, remember to only buy what you need because over-consuming isn’t sustainable even if you’re buying from sustainable brands.
Final Thoughts
I hope this helps you make more sustainable choices when it comes to your makeup products! These small decisions really add up to something big and impactful and I’m so proud of you for taking these steps to live a more sustainable and ethical life.
What you do matters! Never forget it.
Best wishes on your journey towards sustainability,
Farah 💚
