Makeup should be vegan, paraben free, and now zero waste. We found a full face’s worth of almost all biodegradable makeup.
Zero waste is the concept that everything should be sustainable. The idea is to reduce the use of plastic to lessen waste and help deal with the excess of plastic garbage in the oceans. This raises an ethical dilemma, because to be vegan you have to use synthetic materials. But most of those are made from polymers. Now you need a vegan, paraben free and zero waste beauty routine.
We were able to find an almost zero waste makeup routine. The exceptions are the makeup brushes and applicators. Most of these have synthetic nylon fibers that are used to apply makeup. The majority of companies don’t even say what their brush bristles are made of for makeup tools. And a lot of them come in plastic packaging. However it is kept to a minimum.
Click on the links to learn more about each product and shop the collection in store.
Eye Makeup
The Aether Beauty Rose Quartz Crystal Gemstone Palette ($58) is 100% sustainably designed in California and comes in zero waste packaging. The Napoleon Bee Natural Linen Bag ($26) holds your ecological makeup. Blinking Beauté Premier Silk Lashes are 100% cotton thread band silk, so no minks were hurt in the production process. Tarte Gifted™ Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara ($23) comes in a bamboo tube. The Antonym Certified Natural Waterproof Eye Pencil ($19) comes in a traditional wood tube. Keep eyes and brows on point with the Tarte Frame Worker Double-Ended Brow Powder Brush ($21) and Etch & Sketch Double-Ended Bamboo Liner Brush ($15).
Face Makeup
Antonym Certified Organic Baked Blush ($36) comes in a matte finish and a shimmer finish. The case is made of wood instead of plastic. The Tarte Swirl Power Contour & Bronzer Brush ($34) and the Airbuki Bamboo Powder Foundation Brush ($28) are good for makeup application, although it is more sustainable to use your hands. Lush Cosmetics offers the Charisma Skin Tint ($14.95), Emotional Brilliance Face Powder ($14.95), and Feeling Younger Luminizer ($14.95).
Lip Makeup
Look for lip products that come in sustainable packaging made from metal, glass or wood. These materials are biodegradable. A plastic tube will be on Earth hundreds of years after you throw it away. We found the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask ($26). Shown above in Champagne it comes in five shades, and a metal tube like paint does. Keep it in the lines with a Bite Lip Pencil ($18). Or go almost all natural with Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve ($7) that comes in a little tin.
The choices you make in your everyday beauty routine could have far reaching consequences beyond your wildest imaginings. You can make the world a slightly better place by reducing waste and using beauty products made from sustainable, biodegradable, zero waste materials that are also vegan, cruelty and paraben free. Because being beautiful on the inside is just as important.