8 Plastic Free Beauty Brands you need to know
Makeup bags around the world are filled with single-use plastic, most of which aren’t or cannot be recycled. Stop your contribution to landfill with these plastic-free beauty brands.
Words: Jana Wardrop
Plastic Free July has got us thinking about the amount of plastic in our beauty routines. It can be such a challenge to find beauty products that don’t come with plastic bottles, lids and pumps, mainly because of how inexpensive plastic is. However, there are brands out there doing their part for the environment and cutting out non-reusable sources of packaging. As such, here are 8 beauty brands making beautiful products sans plastic!
AXIOLOGY BEAUTY
When Axiology founder, Ericka, found the switch to vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics much harder than expected, she began making lipsticks from her very own kitchen. Now Axiology is stocked in over 100 Ulta stores in the US. The brand’s beautifully creamy lipsticks are made up of only 10 all natural ingredients and are packaged in 100% recycled paper, making them completely plastic free. You definitely need to make room for this brand in your make up bag!
SUMMER FRIDAYS
This USA based brand has a large presence on social media and is the favourite of many influencers for their largely inclusive range to suit all skin types and concerns. They broadcast their sustainability all over Instagram and have been known to partake in beach clean-ups quite regularly. Along with many others, Summer Fridays have ditched plastic packaging for a lightweight aluminum tube. Better yet, they have a recycling program where customers receive a free product when they send 5 empties back to be recycled.
KJAER WEIS
One of our all time favourites is Kjaer Weis. They offer refillable high end, luxury cosmetics and skincare, and not an ounce of plastic can be found on their site. Their range of “Lasts-forever” makeup includes everything from foundation, to cream blush and highlighter, as well as a well thought out range of face and body skincare. Their new “red Edition” packaging is made out of 100% recycled paper as well as being totally compostable. They describe it as “an innovative way to introduce sustainability into the beauty world”.
LUSH
We couldn’t have a plastic free beauty list without mentioning Lush. The British company took the world by storm with their bath bombs years before bar products were cool. Lush has since expanded their range to include haircare, skincare and make up all in “naked packaging”. They also offer a reusable tin to store one of their beautifully flavoured bars in.
ETHIQUE
FLAVEDO & ALBDO
Flavedo & Albedo are here to help us reconcile our love of makeup and our plastic landfill anxiety. Their beautiful formulations of cheek tints, eye pencils and shadows come in luminium, glass and sustainable timber. With zero plastic, anywhere. No tubs, no lids, no seals, no nothing. Need I say more?
SINGLE USE AIN’T SEXY
Single Use Ain’t Sexy is an Australian brand offering refillable, foaming hand soap. It basically works like a Berocca, you get a soap tablet, drop it into the S.U.A.S bottle, fill it with water, then voila! you have soap. You only need to buy one bottle that will last you a lifetime, which saves over 25 plastic bottles from going to landfill per year. This is a great alternative for someone who doesn’t want the mess and hassle of a bar of soap but wants to cut down on their plastic use.
ECO MINERALS
Another Aussie brand, Eco Minerals, based in Byron Bay offers an extensive range of cosmetics that are either refillable or plastic free. Better yet, all of the brand’s products are made from 100% natural ingredients sourced with care to ensure that they have the highest ethical and quality standards.
