The beauty industry has historically been one of the largest contributors to environmental waste, from excessive packaging to harmful ingredients that pollute waterways. However, as environmental awareness grows, many brands are stepping up to create high-quality makeup products that are both kind to the planet and effective. As professional makeup artists, we're constantly testing and evaluating products, and we're excited to share our top picks for sustainable, eco-friendly makeup brands that don't compromise on performance.
What Makes a Makeup Brand Sustainable?
Before diving into specific brands, it's important to understand what makes a makeup brand truly sustainable. Here are the key factors we considered when selecting these brands:
- Ingredients: Ethically sourced, natural or naturally-derived ingredients that are safe for both people and the environment
- Packaging: Minimalist, recyclable, biodegradable, or refillable packaging that reduces waste
- Manufacturing: Eco-friendly production methods, including renewable energy use and waste reduction
- Cruelty-free: No animal testing at any stage of product development
- Social responsibility: Ethical business practices, fair trade, and transparency
It's worth noting that few brands are perfect in all these areas, but many are making significant strides. The following brands represent some of the best options currently available that balance sustainability with product performance.
Top Sustainable Makeup Brands
1. Ilia Beauty
Ilia has quickly become a favorite among makeup artists for creating high-performance products with clean, organic ingredients. Their commitment to sustainability extends to their packaging, which uses recycled aluminum, glass components, and post-consumer recycled paper.
Standout Products:
- Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40: A lightweight foundation with skincare benefits and mineral sun protection
- Multi-Stick: A versatile product for cheeks, lips, and eyes in a recyclable aluminum case
- True Skin Serum Concealer: A medium-coverage concealer that also improves skin over time
Ilia's products are not just eco-friendly but also deliver professional-quality results that work beautifully on a variety of skin types and tones. Their "less is more" approach focuses on multipurpose products that reduce overall consumption.
2. Kjaer Weis
Founded by makeup artist Kirsten Kjaer Weis, this luxury brand pioneered the refillable makeup concept. Their products come in beautiful, heavyweight metal cases designed to be kept forever, while refills are available in minimal, recyclable packaging.
Standout Products:
- Cream Foundation: A buildable foundation with organic ingredients that gives a natural, luminous finish
- Cream Blush: A versatile cheek color that melts into the skin for a natural flush
- Eyeshadow: Highly-pigmented shadows in refillable metal compacts
While Kjaer Weis products represent a higher initial investment because of their durable packaging, the refill system makes them more economical and sustainable in the long run. The performance rivals traditional luxury makeup brands, making this a favorite for clients who want both sustainability and luxury.
3. Axiology
Axiology focuses on creating "evil-free" lip products with a minimalist approach to ingredients. Their lip crayons and lipsticks contain just 10 ingredients (compared to the 40+ found in conventional lipsticks), and their "Balmies" come in zero-waste paper packaging.
Standout Products:
- Balmies: Multi-use color sticks for lips, cheeks, and eyes in paper packaging that eliminates plastic waste
- Lipsticks: Creamy, nourishing lipsticks in recyclable metal tubes
Axiology is particularly impressive for their commitment to palm-oil-free formulations, as palm oil cultivation is a major driver of deforestation. Their products are also vegan and never tested on animals.
4. RMS Beauty
Founded by makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift, RMS Beauty focuses on raw, food-grade, organic ingredients that are as close to their natural state as possible. Their iconic pots come in minimal glass packaging with recyclable caps.
Standout Products:
- "Un" Cover-up: A versatile concealer and foundation with a dewy finish
- Living Luminizer: A cult-favorite highlighter that gives a natural, pearlescent glow
- Lip2Cheek: A dual-purpose product for natural color on both lips and cheeks
RMS Beauty excels at creating products that enhance natural beauty with minimal ingredients. Their formulations work particularly well for achieving that coveted "no-makeup makeup" look that many clients request.
5. Elate Cosmetics
Elate is a pioneer in zero-waste makeup, with refillable bamboo packaging and compostable seed paper that can be planted to grow wildflowers. Their commitment to sustainability extends throughout their supply chain.
Standout Products:
- Pressed Eyeshadow: Highly pigmented shadows in refillable bamboo compacts
- Uplift Foundation: A medium-coverage liquid foundation in a glass bottle
- Universal Crème: A versatile product for cheeks, lips, and eyes
Elate estimates that their refillable system has diverted over 100,000 plastic containers from landfills. Their comprehensive approach to sustainability makes them a brand we're proud to recommend.
6. Aether Beauty
Aether Beauty creates zero-waste eyeshadow palettes that perform as well as conventional options. Their palettes are made without mirrors or magnets (which make recycling difficult) and are fully recyclable.
Standout Products:
- Eyeshadow Palettes: Highly pigmented, long-wearing shadows in recyclable packaging
- Supernova Crushed Diamond Highlighter: A luminous highlighter with minimal packaging
What's particularly impressive about Aether Beauty is that they've managed to create high-performance, vibrant color cosmetics without sacrificing their sustainability commitment—proving that eco-friendly doesn't have to mean neutral or basic.
7. Vapour Beauty
Vapour takes a holistic approach to sustainability, from organic ingredients to their solar-powered facility in New Mexico. They've also implemented a packaging return program to further reduce waste.
Standout Products:
- Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation: A buildable foundation with a natural, skin-like finish
- Aura Multi-Use Classic: A versatile stick for cheeks, lips, and eyes
- Mesmerize Eye Color: Creamy, blendable eyeshadows in stick form
Vapour's products are particularly good for achieving that effortless, French-girl aesthetic that many clients desire. Their cream-based products blend seamlessly into the skin for a natural finish.
Making the Switch to Sustainable Makeup
Transitioning to a more sustainable makeup routine doesn't have to happen overnight. Here are some practical tips for making the switch:
Start with One Category
Begin by replacing products in one category (such as lipstick or foundation) when your current products run out. This makes the transition more manageable and reduces waste by not discarding usable products.
Look for Multi-Purpose Products
Many sustainable brands focus on versatile products that can be used in multiple ways. These not only reduce packaging waste but also simplify your routine and save space.
Consider Your Priorities
Decide which aspects of sustainability matter most to you—whether it's plastic-free packaging, vegan formulations, organic ingredients, or something else—and focus on brands that align with those values.
Don't Forget Tools and Accessories
Sustainable beauty extends beyond just makeup products. Consider investing in:
- Brushes with bamboo or recycled handles
- Reusable cotton rounds and makeup removing cloths
- Biodegradable makeup wipes (if reusable options aren't practical)
Our Experience as Professional Makeup Artists
As makeup artists, we've integrated many of these sustainable brands into our professional kits with excellent results. While there was initially some skepticism about whether eco-friendly products could perform at a professional level, many of these brands have proven that sustainability and performance are not mutually exclusive.
We've found that clients are increasingly interested in the products being used on them, and many appreciate knowing that we're making conscious choices about the environmental impact of our work. In particular, brides are often delighted to learn that their special day can be beautiful without compromising their environmental values.
Final Thoughts
The beauty industry is evolving, and sustainable makeup options are no longer niche or limited. The brands mentioned above represent some of the best options currently available, but new innovations are constantly emerging.
At Moment Craft, we're committed to continually evaluating our product choices and making sustainable swaps wherever possible without compromising the quality our clients expect. We believe that beauty should not come at the expense of the planet, and we're excited about the direction the industry is heading.
Have you tried any sustainable makeup brands? We'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!
For personalized recommendations or to learn more about the sustainable products we use in our professional services, please don't hesitate to contact us.
