Nine zero waste cosmetics companies

The makeup industry has a significant ecological footprint. It uses polluting chemicals, tests on animals in many countries, and generates a stream of packaging waste after every product is finished. Zero waste makeup brands are a strong alternative for anyone who wants colour without the bin liner full of plastic.

Nine brands that rethink the packaging

These are companies that have made packaging and waste a conscious part of their design.

• Axiology uses recycled aluminium lipstick tubes, which can be recycled or composted at the end of use.
• Antonym cosmetics is a certified organic brand, and it is vegan and cruelty free.
• Elate cosmetics uses bamboo packaging and FSC certified paper, and it offers a refill option, which is becoming increasingly popular.
• Kjaer Weis offers organic products together with refills, so the case is bought once and kept.
• RMS is an organic company that reports a 100 percent recycling rate.
• Tata Harper is a skin care and antiaging brand built around natural formulations.
• Ilia is cruelty free and certified organic.
• Kiss Me makes vintage style products, and most of its range is plastic free.
• Lush is a pioneer in many ways: it is honest and transparent on its website, it does not test on animals, and about 35 percent of its products are sold without any packaging at all.

What to look for

When you shop, three questions do most of the work.

1. Can the case be refilled, or must the whole product be thrown away?
2. What is the packaging made of, and can it be recycled or composted where you live?
3. Is the brand transparent about testing and ingredients?

Refills are the strongest single signal, because they keep a durable case in use for years. The same refill logic applies far beyond cosmetics, as our ultimate guide to live without plastic shows across the whole home.

If you are assembling a low waste bathroom, pair these brands with the product swaps in 50+ items to begin halting plastic pollution right now.