With November 15th being National Recycling Day, we turned our focus more towards eco-friendly beauty brands, aka brands that are all about: sustainability, ethical sourcing, recycled materials, refillable product options, world water resources, fair trade, who are zero waste oriented and/or plastic-free and plastic-negative. This all means that they are also vegan and cruelty-free. The upside to these brands (other than the obvious)? A lot of them give back, and do it through, for instance, educational seminars or giving a part of their profits to be invested into the environment or communities, or using exclusively recycled or even plantable packaging. The new generation of environmentally conscious brands actually produces palpable results. And really good products.
Another upside? These makeup, hair and skincare products are made for our contemporary needs — we no longer have to give up product quality if we want eco-conscious manufacturers, so the makeup is high-performance, the skincare is healing and works, the hair care is restorative and beautifying. Do good, feel good and look good at the same time? Oh, yes, please, right this way! Meet some new players and get reminded of some long-time favorites.
What to love: Launched the first plantable packaging in beauty, made from 100% post-consumer molded fiber. Plastic-free mission with recyclable aluminum packaging. The bottles have little topographical maps on them for a reason: they show connection to the source of the farmers, ingredients, materials, and care provided in every product.
With matcha tea, 2 types of clay and botanical antioxidants, the purifying effect is enviable, but skin is left feeling comforted and calm at the same time. Plus, it comes with a tube key which can be used to squeeze out every precious drop of product (we shouldn't waste anything, especially not preciousness, don't you agree?).
What to love: Partnership with Pact Collective, a non-profit membership organization that collects hard-to-recycle beauty products via mail-in or bins, and diverts them from the landfill. Recyclable packaging. Pledges 1% of annual sales to environmental causes — member of the 1% for the Planet, a global network of businesses, individuals and nonprofit organizations tackling our planet's most pressing environmental issues.
This crystal-infused serum-like emulsion will soothe dehydrated, stressed and sensitive skin with concentrated moisture. You get to choose how to use it: before heavier night creams or oils, instead of a serum, as a moisturizer, or as an addition to your anti-age care, as it also has restorative properties.
What to love: 100% recyclable or compostable and renewable packaging. 1% of all their sales benefit a scholarship fund created in partnership with the Colorado Outward Bound School that provides young adults with outdoor leadership programs in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Utah, Alaska, and Wyoming.
Sustainably-sourced essential oil blend of fir and sage alone is enough to make you feel like you're showering in the middle of a forest (with all the comforts of modern plumbing, of course). Coconut and olive oil provide natural, organic care for the skin, leaving it refreshed and with that clean feel.
What to love: Partnered with the aforementioned Pact Collective to make recycling our empties as easy as sending a postcard. Their single eye shadows come in paperfoam packaging which you can compost, even at home. Well presented reports on their website on products' packaging recycled content, making it easy to get key info at first glance. Partnership with Beauty 2 the Streetz which supports the people without housing on Skid Row in Los Angeles.
For lovers of all things shimmer, great way to get to know this brand is by trying one of 4 fairy-like, buildable eye colors. They can be used as eye shadow or eyeliner for precise lines and details. You will find them long-lasting and smudge-proof. And gorgeous, of course!
