Although shopping for sustainable clothes can be challenging, it’s often easy to determine whether a garment is environmentally friendly or not simply by looking at the label. With make-up brands, however, it’s not always clear how they’ve been sourced and if animals have been used during testing. That’s why we’ve done some research into the top 20 sustainable and vegan make-up brands that you should get to know, read on for the list:
1. Axiology
Axiology specialises in lipstick and make-up crayons, spending the majority of their time developing these cosmetics into high-quality and sustainable products. The production process is entirely cruelty-free and vegan, they even have a certification from PETA to prove it. They also avoid using palm oil in their products and all packaging is responsibly sourced from a recycled-paper boutique in Indonesia. It’s no surprise that this brand is a favourite of many eco-warriors due to the luxury feel of the product and the wide range of colours.
2. RMS beauty
RMS prides itself on ‘clean ingredients’, focusing on developing lightweight make-up that is ideal for someone who wants great coverage while still looking natural. RMS is very transparent, all ingredients that are used in their make-up products can be easily discovered and they proudly avoid using any harmful chemicals that can negatively affect humans and the environment. The brand goes further with their packaging too, all boxes are made from 80% recycled fibre and manufactured using wind power.
3. Inika Organic
If you’re searching for a long lash mascara that’s 100% vegan and sustainable, Inika should be your brand of choice. All of the ingredients in this product are 100% plant-based and natural and have been developed to maximise on eyelash length and volume. Other ingredients include the anti-inflammatory extract of Magnolia Bark and the nourishing and softening advantages of Vitamin E. For sufferers of sensitive eyes, this product is ideal due to the natural products and organic properties.
4. Dab Herb Makeup
Currently operating as an Etsy store, Dab Herb Makeup is based in California and offers organic, plant-based make-up products. Dab Herb offers a refill option which is encouraged as the product costs less if you decide to do this. You can purchase a range of products including mascara, eye shadow, tinted moisturiser and lip tint. They also offer make-up sets which would be a great gift for a fellow eco-warrior and make-up tools such as vegan brushes. All of the ingredients that they use are sourced from fair trade certified farmers and suppliers, making it a brand that you can truly trust.
5. BareFaced Beauty
Silver winner of The Green Parent Natural Beauty Awards 2019, BareFaced beauty positions themselves as ‘cosmetics with ethics’. All products are 100% free from chemicals, parabens, ethanol alcohol and perfume. It’s perfect for those who are wanting to help the environment with their make-up choices but also for those who suffer from sensitive skin. Choose one of their ‘try me first’ kits to find a mineral foundation that matches your skins and make-up requirements.
6. Beauty Without Cruelty
The Beauty Without Cruelty brand began over 60 years ago, following a failed campaign for leaders of the cosmetics industry to change their animal ingredient policy. New ingredients are constantly being developed in order to deliver products that are 100% cruelty-free, natural and free from harmful chemicals. The brand uses recycled materials where possible and the organic ingredients used in the collections are hypoallergenic and fragrance-free.
7. Elate Beauty
Elate believe that ‘no animal or person should ever be harmed to make beauty products’. Elate take responsibility for their products all the way down to their supply chain, they take care in choosing the companies that they partner with, the ingredients that go into their collections and the way that their products are presented to the customer. Many of their cosmetics use bamboo in production, this is an eco-alternative to plastic or timber for example as it is a self-regenerating and sustainable plant. One cool thing about this brand is their seed paper packaging, if you wet the paper and plant it in the soil it will grow into something beautiful!
8. Eco Glitter Fun
Whether it’s for a festival, fancy-dress party or another celebratory occasion, sometimes our make-up collection requires some glitter! Unlike other glitter brands which use microplastics that can negatively impact the oceans and food chain, Eco Glitter Fun is responsible and organic. They have developed a biodegradable alternative to plastic glitter which is produced mainly from eucalyptus trees. It is compostable which means that it will break down when in soil or the ocean and it isn’t too expensive neither.
9. Meow Meow Tweet
A moisturising lip balm is a must-have in anyone’s cosmetics bag, but of course, you want it to be responsible. Meow Meow Tweet’s vegan lip balm is made from organic plant oils and butter and has been carefully developed to prevent and repair dry skin. You can choose from a range of scents, all of which are made with natural products and sold in biodegradable packaging. The brand also sells other cool skin-care products to complete your collection.
10. Fat and the Moon
Fat and the Moon focus on creating natural healing and herbalistic products. Not all of their products are entirely organic, but it is clearly stated which cosmetics are not included so you can make up your mind. The ingredients in their products are ‘potions’ that can heal and empower the body. Many of their make-up products are delivered in reusable tins, making it easy to manage your waste.
11. PHB Ethical Beauty
Benefits of PHB Ethical Beauty include; cruelty-free supply chain, ethical sourcing, free of palm oil and thoughtful packaging. PHB understand the importance of colour in make-up but use mineral colours that are rich in pigment to create their products rather than any harmful ingredients. Other added enhancements include organic oils, vitamins and plant waxes which are all very friendly on your skin.
12. NUI Cosmetics
NUI Cosmetics’ products are 100% natural, vegan and more than 70% organically grown. There is an extensive testing stage before launch to ensure that only the highest quality ingredients are used. Extra elements are added to improve the nourishing benefit of the products on the skin. You can also rest assured that there are no nasty parabens or harmful chemicals used in the making of any of their products.
13. 100% PURE
“100% PURE isn’t just in our name. Or just our ingredient list.” This is the beginning of their mission statement which goes on to outline all of the other reasons that this brand is so great. They promise that all products are naturally pigmented, completely cruelty-free and that all ingredients are organically sourced. Through fermentation, distillation and cold-processing, great make-up products are created including their Fruit Pigmented range which includes concealer and mascara.
14. Juice Beauty
The Juice Beauty name is derived from the ingredients in their cosmetic collections. Each make-up product is started with a base of organic botanical juice which is packed with antioxidants and nourishing skin benefits. They also practice sustainable manufacturing through using solar power, wind power and locally sourced products. You’ll also be pleased to hear that any packaging is created from recycled or FSC certified paper, printed with non-toxic ink.
15. Lawless Beauty
Lawless Beauty shouts about being “Clean AF”. AF stands for ALWAYS FREE; free of carcinogenic, toxic, hormone and endocrine-disrupting ingredients. Lawless Beauty points out that our bodies ingest up to five pounds of cosmetic chemicals every year, therefore it’s important that your make-up is not harmful. Choose from their sleek range of lipgloss, bronzers, eyeshadow pallets and more.
16. Vapour Beauty
Vapour Beauty is not only focused on using organic and cruelty-free processes, but they also pride themselves on the performance of their make-up. The silky and lightweight textures of their products make them a favourite for many, and their inclusive complexion range means that they’re a strong alternative to the mainstream brands that are available in stores today. They’re natural ingredients mean that all products are packed with antioxidants, essential fatty acids and vitamins – a treat for the skin!
17. Au Naturale
Au Naturale cosmetics was started by Ashley Prange who was looking for bold and long-lasting products that didn’t contain any harmful chemicals which were affecting her skin. She used her coffee grinder to mix minerals, only using products that were healthy, natural and ethically sourced. The brand grew from strength to strength and it is now a global business loved by many. Ashley has built valuable relationships with fair-trade farmers and continues to run a responsible business that we can all get behind.
18. W3LL People
W3LL People also looks to reduce the number of harmful chemicals that our bodies can absorb when regularly applying conventional make-up. This brand focuses on premium non-toxic formulas that have been carefully crafted to create the ideal product. Their niche is natural-looking make-up for people who enjoy applying foundation and bronzer but do not want anything too bold. You can also purchase make-up brushes and bags from their website.
19. Hiro Cosmetics
HIRO is used by many make-up artists around the world and it focuses on creating products that improve skin texture and tone, hence their popular highlighter collection. The natural ingredients have conditioning components that provide even and weightless coverage. These benefits make this brand a go-to for foundation, correctors and bronzers – all packaged in cool and simplistic packaging.
20. Milk Makeup
Aside from their cool marketing and branding, Milk Makeup can be proud of their products too. “It’s clean, cool beauty” is how the company describes themselves and this is because they blacklist any sulfates, formaldehyde, mineral oil, and many more ingredients. They’re also 100% vegan and cruelty-free, which makes their products even more appealing.
ELLISS knows that it’s important to consider the contents of our cosmetics bag as well as our wardrobe when we try to be more sustainable. Which responsible makeup brands do you want to try?