Are you searching for a glamorous New Year’s Eve look or making a resolution to switch to a more natural beauty routine? Consider these earth friendly makeup suggestions.
I have a complicated relationship with makeup. Sometimes I wake up in the morning, take one look at my baggy eyes, and reach right for the concealer. On the other hand, I look forward to those makeup-free, stay-at-home days where my face gets to breathe. But then I bounce right back since makeup allows me the chance to showcase creativity and individuality. It’s a delicate balance cultivating inner beauty while embracing natural outer beauty.
It seems that I’m not the only one who enjoys makeup. In 2019, researchers estimated that the cosmetics and skin care industry was worth $532 billion dollars. Not surprisingly and contrary to its name, there is an ugly side to the beauty industry. In fact, I recently learned that the United States government requires very little regulation when it comes to personal care products.
You might be surprised what’s actually in your “natural” products (like I was!). Unfortunately, the harsh and toxic chemicals often found in cosmetics can easily make their way from sinks to polluting waterways. And then there’s the problem of how makeup ingredients are harvested. We see this with the child labor scandal and the mining of mica, a common mineral found in makeup. Finally, the plastic packaging of most makeup products contributes to the ever-growing problem of waste.
I’m not suggesting foregoing makeup all together. Rather, it’s time to take a look at some cosmetic companies that seek to beautify both the environment and your face. I promise to have you sporting earth friendly makeup with all the glitz and glam before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve!
Earth Friendly Makeup: Zero Waste, Organic, or Both?
As an actor and someone with a busy lifestyle, I value makeup products that are long-lasting and more traditional in application. Therefore, this list prioritizes natural & organic products over zero waste. Of course, I do my best to support companies that value sustainability. However, I struggle if the makeup is fussy, messy, or too lightweight for the stage.
If you are determined to be as zero waste as possible, I would highly recommend 14 Brands for Glamming Up and Going Green, a blog post by Sustainable Jungle. My post will focus on companies that value sustainability while producing earth friendly makeup better for zero waste beginners.
My Top Five
There are a number of cosmetic companies looking to change the beauty industry for the better. Alongside their environmental efforts and focus on skin health, the reason I’ve chosen to highlight these five brands is due to affordability and accessibility. They may not be as inexpensive as what you are used to, but I believe strongly in less is more.
Many of us have makeup bags stuffed full of $5 or less products that don’t really work. So, they get stashed away before being finished. What if you had products that you loved? Finished to the last drop? Products that were both skincare and makeup? Wouldn’t the few extra dollars be worth it?
W3LL People
I want to start with W3LL People because this is where I began my natural makeup journey. Though I don’t currently use any of their products, I think they are worth a mention due to accessibility. W3LL People products are easily found at your local Target or Whole Foods and are not overpriced. So, bear with me, as my personal experience may differ from what they may be able to offer you!
People want to know:
- Free from talc, phthalates, and parabens
- Cruelty-free
- EWG (Environmental Working Group) Certified
- Gluten-free
- A few vegan offerings
- Affordable and accessible
Having sampled both their Bio Tint Multi-Action Moisturizer and the Narcissist Foundation Stick, I can say that their foundation options provide solid coverage. As someone with dry skin, the tinted moisturizer settled nicely into my skin. However, I did find that both of these products did rub off on my clothing, which I am not a fan of. In addition, they offer too limited of a color selection, particularly for those with darker skin.
If you are looking for a mascara that stays and lengthens lashes well, the Expressionist Mascara will be your friend. If you want mascara that easily comes off with face wash, you might look for a different friend. Personally, my eyes reacted to this formula and stung, so I would not recommend for sensitive eyes!
I couldn’t find any information on their website about sustainability efforts, but you could easily recycle through Terracycle or another similar organization. Overall, W3LL People is the most affordable out of this list and won’t break your bank. If you find colors that suit you and the formulas don’t irritate, I recommend this as a starting point for your earth-friendly makeup journey.
Juice Beauty
Juice Beauty is known for their skincare products, but did you know they also have wonderful organic makeup? Makeup should be skincare too, right? If you’ve never heard of Juice Beauty or need a “brush-up,” you can read up on their skincare offerings in my personal care blog post.
Juice Beauty is another good starting place for changing up your cosmetics game. While they have their own website, both Ulta and Whole Foods also carry their products if you prefer to purchase in person.
Juicy Details:
- Most ingredients are sourced from their West Coast USDA Certified Organic farms
- No artificial fragrances, synthetic dyes, or conventional chemical ingredients (You can read more about their clean beauty practices here)
- Cruelty-free and vegan
- Sustainable Packaging (Including using recycled Ocean Waste Plastic)
I have yet to sample any of Juice Beauty’s foundations, but I do love their Phyto-Pigments Flawless Finishing Powder. It has a soft and glow-y finish that really covers any imperfections and stays throughout the day. My only complaint is that it’s pretty pricey for the amount of powder that you end up getting. Another product I adore from Juice Beauty is their cream blush. I received a sample with an order and will definitely be repurchasing. It rubs in so perfectly to my cheeks and provides the perfect amount of color. Healthy for my skin and the environment. It makes me glow with happiness! Or maybe that’s just the makeup…
100% Pure
Similar to Juice Beauty, 100% Pure likes to use fruit to power their cosmetics line. It truly is earth friendly makeup if the ingredients are coming right from the ground! Like their name, they are committed to an ingredient list that is 100% pure. Why? Because they care about the health of the earth, animals, and people, so they know that the quality and sustainability of their products matters.
Pure Particulars:
- Cruelty-free and vegan
- Naturally pigmented (no dyes!)
- No harsh or toxic ingredients
- They provide a transparent ingredient glossary
- Products are biodegradable, packaging is recycled or recyclable, eco-friendly ink for printing
- Biodegradable packing peanuts (disintegrate in water)
- 10% student discount!
While my only experience with 100% Pure so far has been with a mascara, I look forward to trying more of their products. The Fruit Pigmented Ultra Lengthening Mascara is a smudge-free, natural-looking mascara made from black tea, berries, and cocoa! It certainly smells nice and works well for a daily mascara.
The biggest drawback is that their products are only available online for a majority of people. Considering everything the company stands for and gives back to the environment, I am 100% happy to pay for shipping.
ILIA
Ok, this may be the third time I’ve talked about ILIA, but you can’t blame me. Their products are my absolute favorite! I have to confess that I am easily sucked into watching their advertisements because they showcase all ages and racial backgrounds in such a beautiful way. And it’s easy to see why ILIA is a popular brand in the sustainable community. They focus on creating makeup that is also skincare, even featuring SPF in many of their products.
The Fine Print:
- Gluten-free (except priming serum)
- Cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny Certified (no testing on animals!)
- Made without talc, parabens, synthetic fragrances, petroleum, mineral oil, and more (see complete list here)
- Packaging made from recycled aluminum, glass, and responsibly sourced paper
- A product recycling partnership with Terracycle
- For Minnesotans: ILIA products can be found online both on ILIA’s website and at Sephora
This is the makeup that my skin feels best in. I love both the Super Serum Skin Tint and the True Skin Serum Foundation. The skin tint is a lighter, more moisturizing option with SPF 40, while the foundation provides a bit more coverage. And the best part? ILIA has so many shades to choose from, even for my friends with darker skin tones.
This company also produces my favorite mascara, the Limitless Lash Mascara. It makes my lashes so long, without any clumping, flaking, or smudging. A true dream. My newest discovery is their brow gel. While my eyebrows are plenty dark, they tend to live on the wild side, so I decided to give brow gel a try for the first time in my life. The Essential Brow Gel is so natural looking and effective that I think I’m a convert! I hope you’ll be an ILIA convert before long too.
Elate Cosmetics
And to finish strong (drumroll please), I want to showcase a brand that has quality makeup and strives to be zero waste. While many zero waste makeup brands can be difficult to adjust to, Elate Cosmetics has found a good middle ground. They help you put together a makeup capsule (like a capsule wardrobe) that ticks all your boxes. Not only that, once you have the bamboo containers, you can just purchase refills instead of constantly buying completely new products.
Why you should be “elated:”
- Organic and fair trade
- 100% vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free
- Packaging made from aluminum, bamboo, glass, recycled plastic, and seed paper
- Offer a refill program to avoid container waste
- Focused on ethical workplace, fair trade relationships, breaking gender barriers, and ethical marketing
- Can be purchased online or at the Tare Market (if in the Twin Cities).
My personal experience with Elate is pretty limited, as I’ve only worked with their eye shadow. That being said, I really appreciate the concept and the product. I don’t know about you, but I find that I only use a few of the colors in a normal eye shadow palette. Once the “good” colors run out, I end up wasting the colors I don’t like. Elate eliminates this problem with their creative system. Once you purchase one of their bamboo palettes, you can fill it with the eye shadow colors you really like. If you’re a “choose your own adventure” type of person, Elate Cosmetics is definitely for you!
A Resolution to Choose Earth Friendly Makeup
Before we wrap up here, a quick and slightly annoying reminder to use what you already have in your makeup drawer. I feel like a broken record saying that in most of my posts! If you’ve made a new resolution to choose sustainable and natural makeup for the future, I applaud you! I’m so glad my blog post has made an impact (seriously, you’re making me “blush”…). All the same, it’s so important not to toss everything you already have into the trash can. Ok, no more preaching from me.
As we all step into the New Year together, isn’t it amazing to be surrounded by so much diversity and beauty in this world? Makeup companies should help us celebrate our unique genetic makeup! Happy New Year, my friends. Let’s treat the earth, our skin, and each other with respect in this new year!
Be Well. With Love.
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