The Best Vegan, Cruelty-Free and Zero-Waste Beauty Brands

It can be a lot of fun to experiment with eyeshadow colors, or to paint a wing on your lashline, add a glow to your cheeks, or color your lips the perfect shade. It can be difficult to feel confident and expressive when many cosmetics brands are not known for protecting the environment or the people who live on it. Learn which brands are cruelty-free and vegan to avoid these problems.

What is ZERO WASTE MAKEUP and why does it matter?

Around the world, 120 million units cosmetic packaging was produced in 2018. The majority of beauty packaging is made from virgin polymer, which is derived from fossil-fuels. It’s also largely non-recyclable. The details that are printed or embossed on other plastics to aid in recycling are not found on most cosmetics.

It’s a huge problem. 275 millions tonnes plastic are wasted every year. This is the equivalent of 4.3 million commercial aircraft. 100,000 tons of plastic could have found their way to the oceans, polluting and killing marine life.

As a response to the crisis, an increasing number of beauty brands have made changes. They now package their lipsticks and mascaras as well as contouring palettes and sticks, and other makeup in recyclable, compostable and reusable packaging.

What do these terms actually mean?

Recycled beauty packaging:

Some beauty brands use’recyclable packaging’, but this should not be confused with a’recycled packaging’. If not stated otherwise, the former refers to plastic that has the potential to recycle (even if the brand hasn’t implemented a system for this), whereas the latter refers to plastic that has been recycled from another plastic product. This is much better.

When looking for zero waste beauty products, look for materials like glass or metals such as aluminum. These are more valuable and likely to be recyclable than plastics.

Compostable Beauty Packaging:

Packaging that can biodegrade completely and turn into non-toxic materials like water, biomass and carbon, and return to the Earth in the form of ‘food’. Composting food scraps is a common practice, but other materials such as cotton, cardboard, and wood, or some of the newly developed plant-based packaging used in the beauty sector, can also be composted under the right conditions.

Compostable materials at home can help to reduce the energy required for recycling.

Reusable Beauty Packaging:

Reusable packaging reduces the need for plastic-filled products. Some brands claim that their packaging is “reusable” because a glass bottle of foundation could be cleaned and used to hold flowers. It’s good to encourage this type of ‘upcycling,’ but it is misleading to call their packaging’reusable’, unless it can be used again in the same context, such as a glass foundation bottle that can hold foundation.

The LCA Centre, based in the Netherlands, found that by making all cosmetics containers refillable in the industry, 70 percent of the carbon emissions associated with the beauty industry would be reduced.

What is cruelty-free makeup, and why should you look out for it?

In relation to cosmetics, the term “cruelty free” specifically means that animal testing is not allowed. Despite the fact that many cosmetics brands have stopped testing their products on animals for cruelty, others haven’t. Although the progress is to be celebrated, we shouldn’t let our guards down and assume that all makeup is cruelty-free.

Animals like rabbits, rats, and guinea-pigs are still cruelly tested. They are forced to consume cosmetics until they die in order to test their toxicity. Others are left with red, bleeding, blinded eyes from eye irritation tests. Some have their skin shaved to test for inflammation and ulcers. Around the world, an estimated 192 million animals including dogs, cats, and monkeys are still being tested.

Animal tests can be ineffective because our bodies are different from other animals. Numerous superior and scientifically advanced testing methods are available that do not use animals. Nevertheless, certain ingredients cannot be tested with these methods. Some brands that are dedicated to protecting animals against testing use ingredients already approved, which don’t require any further testing or ingredients that can be legally tested using non-animal methods.

What is vegan makeup? Is it different from ‘cruelty-free’?

Labels that say ‘cruelty free’ are misleading. They imply that there was no animal cruelty in the making of that lipstick, concealer, or eyebrow gel. Animal testing is not the only thing that harms the furry animals in the cosmetics business. The use of animal-derived products also causes them to suffer.

If you’re not careful, there are likely to be animal-based ingredients in your beauty bag: You may be using animal-based products in your cosmetics.

Tallow : A hardened animal fat, usually from cows or sheep. It is used in lipsticks, foundations, and other cosmetic products.

Lanolin is a type of grease that’s extracted from Wool. It’s produced by an industry that unfortunately slaughters and mutilates sheep. It’s found in many products, including eyeshadows and lip liners.

Guanine is a glittering highlighter, lip gloss, and other makeup that’s made from the fish scales.

Shellac This ingredient is secreted from female lac bugs that are killed during the scraping procedure. The resulting’resin-like’ substance can be used for nail polish, eyeliner, and mascara.

The Best Brands to Buy Ethical and Sustainable Beauty Products

Some brands offer a greater variety of products, but still use less wasteful packaging. Others go all the way. These brands all do much better than industry standards, and should be commended.

1. Axiology

Axiology is your new favorite lipstick. It comes in shimmery, creamy and rich textures as well as sheer and soft ones. The lipstick tubes come in recyclable cardboard boxes that you can either recycle or compost. This brand does not use animal products or ingredients. It also uses natural ingredients whenever possible.

2. Ilia

This brand, which is not completely vegan, but has a large vegan collection, offers a range of products including serum highlighters and lipsticks. It also sells foundations, cheek and lips tints, eyeshadow palettes as well as brow gels and lip liners. The label does not test on animals and has a recycling program to ensure that the empty containers never end up in landfills. Ilia allows you to send empty bottles from other brands. They don’t complicate their formulas by using many different ingredients and use recyclable packaging like aluminum or glass.

4. Alleyoop Stack The Odds Refillable

This refillable blush, highlighter, and bronzer compact is a great way to save space! This compact is not only convenient for traveling, but it also reduces plastic waste. We are so excited to see more and more vegan brands embrace the refilling concept!

5. Elate

Elate is a brand that does not use animal products and sells refillable eyeshadow and blush compacts. The refills come in cute seed paper envelopes which grow flowers if planted. The brand offers lipsticks, other makeup and packaging made of bamboo and glass that is Forest Stewardship Certified. The packaging can be returned to be recycled, which is not possible with cosmetics when using home recycling systems.