For years, plastic has been celebrated as one of the most innovative materials ever made, but as the years have progressed, what was once known for its versatility and convenience is now being revealed to harm our bodies and the world’s ecosystems at large.
Beyond the microfibers — small plastic fibers like nylon and polyester that are often found woven into clothing — microplastics are frequently added into makeup products to aid in exfoliating. According to an ADA Cosmetics blog post from April of this year — a sustainable hotel cosmetics company — these microplastics are commonly found in eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, lipstick and lip gloss, both to aid in exfoliation and to add sparkle or texture.
Though many grew up learning about the“three Rs” — reduce, reuse and recycle — there are not many who have come to realize how much the microplastics in cosmetics can truly affect the environment.
In recent years, particularly with the 2020 VSCO girl “save the turtles” trend and the COVID-19 pandemic, messages surrounding the importance of taking care of both ourselves and our environment have become more and more openly discussed. Entering the 2020s, these trends shed light on many zero-waste companies within the beauty and fashion industry.
Check out some of Scarlette Magazine’s top picks for industry-leading sustainable cosmetics brands.
KJAER WEIS
Kristen Kjaer Weis, owner of the Danish makeup brand Kjaer Weis, grew up on a farm in Denmark, raised to do everything organically. According to the brand’s website, when Weis wanted to move to the city to attend the prestigious Christian Chauveau School of Artistic Makeup in Paris, this love for nature stuck with her.
Later moving to New York City, Weis found that many were sacrificing the health of their skin by using irritating, synthetic makeup products. Coming into the industry at a time when natural makeup products were not held to the same standards as the more mainstream synthetic products, Weis used her knowledge of beauty and the natural world to create the brand, becoming a pioneer in organic, luxury beauty.
According to the brand’s website, each ingredient in its products has been “carefully considered for its ability to work with the skin, not against it.”
One of the brand’s best-selling products, The Beautiful Eye Balm, uses certified organic ingredients including sweet almond oil, root of light and rosehip seed oil. The balm is meant to be used under the eyes in order to cushion and brighten skin.
ILIA BEAUTY
Winning eleven awards — from publications including Glamour and Allure — for the best clean, lengthening mascara, ILIA Beauty has become one of few mainstream cosmetics brands known to advocate for sustainability in the industry.
According to the brand’s website, it strives to alter the reality of clean beauty by providing products that protect and revive skin without harmful chemicals. According to ILIA Beauty’s Ingredients and Products webpage, every single ingredient added is disclosed for full customer transparency.
The brand also strives to incorporate sustainable packaging in its business model. According to ILIA Beauty’s website, the Limitless Lash Mascara is just one of the brand’s many products that is created using a mono-material tube that reduces carbon emissions by 46% and waste by up to 20%.
With sustainable brands such as ILIA Beauty taking over the beauty industry, more and more brands are prioritizing transparency with their customers.
ELATE BEAUTY
According to a March 2023 article from Sustainable Earth, “beauty packaging amounts to 120 billion units of trash each year, including plastic, paper, glass and metals that are improperly recycled and ultimately end up in landfills.”
Many cosmetic brands have tried to decrease this number by using non-toxic ingredients, having an energy-efficient manufacturing process, reducing unnecessary packaging or switching to more sustainable materials. Elate Beauty is one of those brands.
According to its website, the brand uses metal and bamboo containers to package its makeup.
According to the brand’s website, the Lip Stick is made with PEFC-certified — Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification — California cedarwood and 100% aluminum, which reduces plastic usage and lowers environmental emissions. The product also features water-based ink which allows for a recyclable package.
AXIOLOGY BEAUTY
Famous for its ten ingredients or less, plastic-free products, Axiology Beauty is also “100% vegan, cruelty-free & palm-oil free,” according to its website.
According to its website, Ericka Rodriguez, founder and CEO, said, sustainability is the baseline of the brand, serving as a must-meet standard for all of its products.
“Yes our lipsticks were ethically sourced, cruelty-free, vegan and the tubes were made from 50% post-consumer recycled plastic, but it was still waste that would eventually end up in a landfill or our oceans,” Rodriguez said. “So in 2022, we ditched all of our plastic and focused our efforts on fighting the beauty industry’s massive plastic waste problem.”
According to the brand’s website, one of Axiology’s best sellers, the Balmie Single, a three-in-one, eco-friendly product that can be interchangeably used for eyes, lips and cheeks. Not only do they offer a matte finish, but they are also packaged in recyclable materials and instead have a tubeless application for reduced environmental impact.
SAIE
Popular in Sephora stores around the country, Saie not only gives off a dewy look, but also emphasizes clean beauty and effortless application in all of its products.
According to its website, Saie is “synthetic, fragrance-free, cruelty-free, organic, dermatologist-tested, safe and effective and paraben-free.” Each product is designed with transparency in mind, ensuring customers know exactly what goes into their cosmetics.
Created by Laney Crowell, Saie was started because Crowell wanted to see a cosmetic community that was eco-conscious about what consumers put into their bodies, according to the brand’s website.
The Saie Climate Initiative, according to the brand’s website, is the brand’s “commitment to immediately take direct action to combat climate change with care for the future of our shared planet.”
The initiative is made up of three general components, according to the brand’s website. The “Clean the Planet” has helped save over 5 million pounds of plastic over the course of three years. The “Raise the Standard to Zero” aspect refers to the brand’s commitment to having a carbon amount of net zero across all emissions scopes by 2039 and the “Invest in Women” aspect refers to the all-women board of experts the brand promotes.
One of Saie’s standout products, according to its website, is the Glowy Super Gel, which has gained popularity for its lightweight, illuminating formula. The product comes in three varying shades, a champagne-tinted “Starglow,” the bronze “Sunglow” and the new rose gold “Roseglow.”
INIKA ORGANIC
Founded in Australia, INIKA Organic aims to provide high-quality makeup that is both effective and environmentally friendly, according to its website. The brand prides itself on being 100% vegan, cruelty-free and free from harmful chemicals, ensuring that every product is safe for both users and the planet.
According to its website, INIKA also markets its products as being “pure.”
“More than clean. We are PURE. We’ve taken a modern and organic approach that replaces standard beauty products with something naturally extraordinary. We believe it’s important to know what you are putting on your skin, which is why we pride ourselves on creating 100% natural products that are effective and completely free of synthetics.”
According to its website, sustainability is at the core of INIKA's purpose. The brand utilizes eco-friendly packaging and has responsible sourcing practices.
One of the brand’s best-selling products is its Organic Lip & Cheek Cream, a multi-use cream that can be used as both a lipstick and eyeshadow. According to the brand’s website, the cream is formulated with sweet almond oil, which is rich in Vitamin E and hypoallergenic Brazilian carnauba wax.
Read the Fall/Winter 2024 sustainability issue of Scarlette Magazine online at issuu.com.
