The warm days of summer offer the perfect opportunity to switch up your beauty routine and try something new. Eco-friendly beauty brands provide excellent choices when thinking about conscious consumption.
As environmental awareness increases, the number of eco-friendly beauty brands continues to rise. These sustainable brands do not lose any of the quality by letting go of harmful ingredients and practices. In fact, many of these conscious brands have excellent products for any beauty regimen.
While it may feel natural to defer to your go-to brands for top-ups, eco-friendly beauty brands are great choices that can also help keep the plant healthy.
Why Are Eco-Friendly Products Important?
There is a growing need to minimize single-use plastic waste and cut back on non-conscious buying. A quick shift in your essential makeup products may go a longer way than you think.
The Guardian reports that much of the waste in the beauty industry comes from cosmetic packaging, which people cannot recycle. According to Forbes, almost 7.9 billion units of rigid plastic are created in the U.S. for beauty and personal care products. The publication also reports, 552 million plastic shampoo bottles are sold each year.
To celebrate Earth Day, uncover some new brands to add to your eco-friendly beauty collection and help cut down on worldwide waste.
- Best Moisturizer: Liha Beauty Shea Butter
- Best Shampoo: OurX Nutrient Cleanse Complex
- Best Conditioner: OurX Conditioning Hair Mask
- Best Primer: e.l.f. Power Grip
- Best Lipstick: Axiology Crayon
- Best Lip Gloss: Ami Colé Lip Treatment Oil
- Best Bronzer: Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Bronzer
- Best Beauty Cream: Ere Perez Moringa All-Beauty Créme
- Best Eyeshadow: Pacifica Cocoa Nudes
- Best Blush: Antonym Baked Blush
- Best Mascara: Kjaer Weis Im-possible Mascara
- Best Brow Balm: Elate Brow Balm
- Best Deodorant: Evolve Together Tulum Deodorant
Best Moisturizer
Liha Beauty Shea Butter
This Black-owned eco-friendly beauty brand offers products that, like its founders, are a mix of natural African roots and a quintessentially British attitude. Liha Beauty always uses glass, paper or aluminum packaging, which people can easily recycle and reuse. The company also has a “buy less, buy well” mantra that focuses on minimalism. They vow to never release unnecessary products, use unnecessary materials or take up unnecessary space.
Liha Beauty offers a variety of skin products, including this multi-purpose gold shea butter for all skin types. It can be used on dry areas, stretch marks, scars, or as a base for making your own natural cosmetics.
Best Shampoo
OurX Nutrient Cleanse Complex
OurX is a fairly new Black-owned hair company with the goal of revolutionizing how Black people maintain their tresses. The brand has a sustainability promise that includes sending out free refillable bottles with each customers first OurX purchase. When a customer buys again, they receive recyclable refill pouches.
The Nutrient Cleanse Complex is a shampoo that offers a high dose of moisture with cleansing benefits. It replenishs moisture, balances the scalp and preps hair to receive better moisture penetration and longer-lasting styling.
Best Conditioner
OurX Conditioning Hair Mask
OurX also offers a conditioner that delivers long lasting moisture to your locks. The mask’s formula includes squalane, humectants, and peptides. Consistent use of this product will deliver better results, such as reduced breakage and a healthy scalp for even the tightest 4C textures.
Best Primer
e.l.f. Power Grip Primer
With a commitment to sustainability, e.l.f. is actively working to improve packaging to make it more environmentally friendly. The companies, “Project Unicorn” started in 2019. Since then, it has eliminated 1 million pounds of excess waste. The beauty brand also has removed the faux metal finish and matte varnish on its primer packaging. The company says this effort helps reduce waste and establish a more sustainable process.
The power grip primer is a fan favorite from the brand. The gel-based product is both affordable and highly effective. The sticky formula locks makeup in place and leaves skin ultra-hydrated.
Best Lipstick
Axiology Crayon
Axiology founder, Erika Rodriguez, says when she learned that the beauty industry creates billions of units of packaging waste every year, she knew her company could no longer continue being part of the problem. That’s when the brand made a shift and stopped using plastic packaging. Now, the eco-friendly beauty brands makes their boxes from recycled island trash, which is 100 percent eco-friendly.
The lip-to-lid set is a a duo of eco-friendly multipurpose crayons in warm tones for eyes, lips and cheeks. While it works for a variety of uses, the combination of hemp, elderberry and plum oils make these crayons a great option to upgrade your pout.
Best Lip Gloss
Ami Colé Lip Treatment Oil
Black-owned beauty brand Ami Colé strives to use less plastic and packaging materials that are either recyclable, reusable or biodegradable. On its website, the brand also points out that women of color disproportionately are exposed to harmful chemicals, with 1 in 12 beauty products marketed toward this group being considered toxic. To fight back against that trend, Ami Colé produces products formulated without endocrine-disruptors, which are chemicals that trick the hormonal system by mimicking, blocking or interfering with normal hormones.
Ami Colé’s Lip Treatment Oil is a 3-in-1 multitasker for your lips. The conditioning lip oil-to-gloss nourishes and protects the lips, while adding shine and sheer color. Choose from one of six flattering shades.
Best Bronzer
Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Bronzer
Fenty Beauty has committed to the three R’s: reduce, reuse, recyle. The brand eliminated boxes where possible and have made using recyclable materials a priority. The brand also has a refill system and has incorporated PCR material—post-consumer recycled material—into bottles, tubes and jars whenever possible.
The Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer is a long-wearing, transfer resistant powder in a range of shades. Try one to bring your skin tone to life!
Best Beauty Cream
Ere Perez Moringa All-Beauty Créme
This woman-owned beauty brand promises eco-friendly packaging, ethical ingredients and a commitment to a more beautiful, balanced Earth. Over the years, Ere Perez has worked to create more earth friendly packaging. The eco-friendly beauty brand has created innovative, refillable makeup compacts, transitioned to post-consumer recycled plastic, and developed the award-winning zero-waste Coco Crayons.
The brand’s Moringa All-Beauty Créme is a multi-purpose moisturizer that is perfect for dry, sensitive skin. It’s ultra-hydrating and leaves skin plump and glowing.
Best Eyeshadow
Pacifica Cocoa Nudes
Pacifica touts its climate conscious focus. The brand uses post-consumer recycled plastic, glass and aluminum in its packaging. All of its outer cartons are made from sustainably sourced paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Pacifica also provides funding to support the development of plastic recycling social enterprises and address plastic waste in territories with high environmental leakage.
Pacifica’s Cocoa Nudes eyeshadow is a purchase you can feel good about. The talc-free eyeshadows are infused with natural cocoa butter to add softness. It also provides an extra smooth application and longevity. The earth-toned palette is perfect for melanated skin. Try out these highly pigmented blends of creamy praline, chocolate and cinnamon hues.
Best Blush
Antonym Baked Blush
This mostly vegan cosmetic company produces compacts from sustainable bamboo. The paper Antonym uses is either recycled or sustainable forest paper.
If you’re looking for a blush with less of an environmental impact, give Antonyms Baked Blush a try. It gives your cheeks an instant, youthful glow. The blush uses an innovative baking process that transforms a creme into a finely textured powder.
Best Mascara
Kjaer Weis Im-possible Mascara
Kjaer Weis launched in 2010. Since then, the company has been a pioneer in sustainable luxury beauty. The brand’s efforts have included introducing refillable packaging that reduced landfill waste. Kjaer Weis’ packaging also includes sustainable materials, like recycled paper and recyclable metals.
The brand’s Im-possible Mascara comes in two shades. According to the company, it is the world’s first certified-organic, refillable mascara, formulated with only the cleanest ingredient. The refill has 50 percent post consumer recycled plastic. The inner tube and mascara wand have recycled plastic and nylon.
Best Brow Balm
Elate Brow Balm
Elate believes that every person and brand is responsible for the waste it creates. The company partnered with PACT to ensure all of its packaging is recycled responsibly. Elate customers can recycle clean, empty packages by returning them by mail or at participating store locations.
Elate’s brow Balm comes in three shades that give a natural tint to brows. The balm features a waxy texture that keeps unruly hairs in place. It’s also vegan, non-toxic and cruelty-free.
Best Deodorant
Evolve Together Tulum Deodorant
Evolve Together believes that while they can’t solve the issue of plastics on Earth, they can be responsible for their small part. The brand’s Gone Today collection uses 100 percent dissolvable, septic-safe paper that disappears under running water for a zero waste experience. The brand also uses glass and aluminum when possible and designs products for re-use and durability.
Evolve Together’s Tulum is a plant-powered deodorant option that actually works. The clear deodorant has advanced enzymes, tapioca starch, glycerin and pro-vitamin B5. The ingredients work together to absorb sweat, neutralize odors and soothe sensitive skin.