7 Low-Waste Beauty Brands To Try Out
The makeup and beauty industry is one of the worst culprits when it comes to single-use plastic waste. According to the British Beauty Council, 70% of the beauty industry’s waste comes from its packaging. If you think about all of the skincare products, lotions, and makeup you’ve ever used in your life, all of that packaging still exists somewhere in a landfill. In 2018, 7.9 billion units of rigid plastic were created for the cosmetics industry in the United States alone. The global beauty industry is one of the biggest financers of petroleum-based plastics, using over 120 million units of plastic packaging every year. If you’re a person who uses a lot of beauty products, it’s important to 1) simplify your beauty routine (because much of the stuff marketed to us is useless anyways) and 2) support companies who believe in a plastic-free future. All of the brands below I’ve personally tried and continue to support because I love them so much. They’re not only low-waste, but they actually work and look beautiful on the skin. I also use them because they don’t contain harmful ingredients for my health, which the beauty industry is notoriously known for. Let me know if there are any other low-waste beauty brands that you’ve tried and loved!
Axiology has been in the low-waste beauty game for a long time and they make the most beautiful plastic-free lipsticks and 3-in-1 balms! All of their boxes are made from island trash that they collect in Bali, and they also provide stable work and fair wages for Balinese women.
Saie is pretty much the only tinted sunscreen and foundation I wear at this point! Their formulas are incredible. All of their packaging is either made of glass, sugarcane tubes, or 100% recycled plastic, and they’ve partnered up with Pact Collective so you can ship your empties back to them where they will be responsibly recycled for you.
Typology
I recently discovered this Parisian brand this year and their products have quickly made it into my daily routine! Typology is clean and non-toxic, and they only use the finest ingredients. I love that the tinted moisturizer comes in glass packaging instead of plastic, and the concealer (my favorite product of theirs) comes in an easily-recyclable aluminum tube.
La Bouche Rouge
I’ve included the French brand La Bouche Rouge on other lists of mine because they will always be one of my favorite beauty brands. They make the most beautiful refillable makeup packaged in upcycled leather cases that you can keep forever. You can also customize the cases like I did here with your initials. It’s honestly a dream of mine to do a collaboration with them (going to speak it into existence)!
Kindred Black
Kindred Black is also another favorite of mine. Everything they do is with so much intention; sustainability and beauty are integrated into every aspect of their business. They make stunning plastic-free blushes, lip products, and skincare packaged in hand-blown glass bottles. I’ve been using this Phantasm blush non-stop and I love that it’s compostable.
Osea
Osea is one of my favorites for body-care - I’ve been using their Undaria Collagen Body Lotion every day this summer. Their products are packaged in glass, and they have a recycling program to take back your empties. They’re also Climate Neutral certified and Ocean Positive certified, and they fund coastal restoration efforts in California, Cambodia, and Indonesia.
Caliray Beauty
Caliray is another brand I’ve been using a lot lately - I love their palettes because they’re made out of bamboo instead of plastic, meaning you can compost them when you’re done with them, or just refill them. Their mascara is one of my favorites too, which is packaged in 100% recycled plastic.