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Makeup is a fashion and beauty staple that’s infiltrated every part of society. Men and women love the look and have made careers out of stylish and successful makeup application, but the trendy accessory comes at a cost.
Makeup is not always good for the environment for a number of reasons. The packaging uses a lot of plastic and other materials that are hard to recycle, the glitter components and product microbeads don’t decompose over time once they’ve been used or thrown away and frequently end up in rivers or other ecosystems that can’t handle the introduction of aggressive new elements, and people frequently buy makeup, realize they can’t or won’t use it, and then toss it, creating a waste of resources and adding more product to landfills worldwide.
How can we take this trendy yet troublesome staple and make it better for the environment while still retaining the quality of the products we know and love? The answer is zero waste makeup.
The New Makeup Trend that’s Single-Handedly Improving the Environment
At its core, zero waste is a philosophy that encourages recycling, minimizing waste, reducing consumption, and trying to find sustainable, reusable, and environmentally-friendly replacements for regularly used items. The four golden R’s of a zero-waste lifestyle are: Refuse, Reuse, Recycle, and Repurpose.
From sunscreen to household cleaners, lotion, perfume, detergents, soaps, toothpaste, we all use a ton of products in our daily life that uses a lot of plastic and environment unfriendly materials. Trying to live a zero-waste lifestyle encourages becoming more conscious about the purchasing choices that you make, including your makeup. By purchasing zero waste solutions, you can take advantage of natural products and provide a green alternative to the products you know and love!
Best Zero Waste Makeup Products
Reusable Makeup Pads
The first step to successfully implementing zero waste products into your life is to begin by swapping out your tools. These reusable makeup pads replace your cotton rounds or cotton balls that you might have used to apply toner, serums, or other products. They’re easily washable and are a very clean and green way to cut down on daily wastefulness. They also absorb less product than a cotton pad does, meaning you’re extending the life of your makeup solutions as well as the tools you use to apply them!
Tinted Moisturizer and SPF Sunscreen
- UVA-UVB Protection - Enjoy the same high-performance 30 spf sun protection you've come to expect from Raw Elements sunscreens, now enhanced with ultra-moisturizing properties and a flattering medium-toned tint for daily face moisturization
- Reef-Friendly - Encased in a recyclable/reusable packaging, our all natural ultra-moisturizing tinted sunscreen for face is crafted with key ingredients like Mango Butter and Cacao Seed Butter, known for luxurious hydration, and Rosemary Leaf Extract, offering additional antioxidant power to protect your skin from environmental stressors
- Water Resistant - Packed with a rich blend of biologically active antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and extracts, our mineral sunscreen goes beyond sun protection, ensuring your skin remains cared for and shielded even after exposure to the elements
This tin of moisturizer is a daily staple and a great zero waste swap that replaces your moisturizer, facial lotion, and sunscreen all in one! The tin the product arrives in is completely recyclable, and the paper packaging that describes the product and ingredients is recyclable as well. The moisturizer and sunscreen are reef safe and made with all-natural ingredients to provide the ultimate eco-friendly experience you’ll want to use every single day.
All Natural Floss
- DENTAL FLOSSERS FOR THE ULTIMATE CLEAN: The Humble Co Floss Picks are brought to you by dentists who care about your oral hygiene & gum care, as well as our environment & children in need of oral care products. When you purchase our tooth floss picks, it helps provide oral care for kids around the world.
- GUM FLOSS PICKS W/ LESS PLASTIC: Unlike 100% plastic toothpicks and flossers, these teeth and gum dental picks are made with environmentally friendly materials. The dental floss pick we offer is just one example of Humble's range of products that champion a healthier environment.
- INNOVATIVE DESIGN FOR AN EASY REACH: Use your double floss picks to reach the trickiest of spaces to remove plaque and food debris from your teeth & gums. As an effective plaque remover for healthy gums & teeth, this deep reach dental floss is a must-have in your oral care kit!
Having a healthy smile is essential to your beauty experience, and these plant-based floss picks definitely do the trick. Made entirely from compostable and recyclable plant materials, the charcoal and mint floss threads clean your teeth and freshen your mouth in one swipe, allowing for healthy and environmentally friendly dental hygiene that will certainly enhance your already stunning smile.
Mascara Refills
An essential swap, mascara is often one of the most plastic unfriendly makeup products in your wardrobe. Mascara tubes often come with excessive or unnecessary packaging that wastes resources and is hard if not impossible to recycle. The product to packaging ratio is heavily skewed and a huge waste. Turning to these mascara refills is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment. Buy a reusable eyelash wand and use this compact tin to store your mascara. It works so well that Hollywood stars swear by it, and it’s easy to recycle the remains when you’re done.
Cheek Tins
- 2-in-1 - LIP + CHEEK TINT. Not just for cheeks! Cream Rouge makes a lovely lip tint. It goes on just like a balm, but leaves a natural wash of color. Wearing the rouge as both a lip color and blush gives you a natural glow without looking too “matchy matchy.”
- HIGHLY PIGMENTED: A little goes a long way! Use enough blush cream to cover the tip of your finger and dot it on both cheeks, then blend! It layers beautifully, so feel free to add more for a more dramatic look.
- STAYS ALL DAY. The high level of pigment won’t fade, which is why so many film/tv makeup professionals choose Bésame.
From the same company that offered the Bésame mascara tin, this cheek tint in a tin offers the same advantages as its cousin mascara. Easy to access and use without having to wade through extra and unnecessary packaging, the cheek tin can be reused for other storage or recycled once empty. You can also use this cheek tint as blush, eyeshadow, and lip color, creating a three in one zero waste product that reduces the amount of makeup you purchase and the packaging you use.
Cotton Swabs
- 500 natural sticks per box ( not swirl q tips ). Payless packaging, save on product! Extra pack size for smart shopping ✅
- Double ear buds with twice more natural cotton on the stick tips! Great cotton swabs for ears, as pet qtips, travel, baby cotton swabs, everyday cleaning or even use as dab cotton swabs ( arts and crafts or drawing ) 🙂
- High quality 100% ecofriendly alternative. Ear swabs are made from renewable bamboo wood and top quality cotton. Packed in unbleached plastic free recyclable pack 🌎
Useful for cleaning up makeup looks or applying other products with precision, cotton swabs are definitely essential for your bathroom and makeup space. These bamboo-based cotton swaps mean that they’re gentle to produce and easy to compost once you’re done using them, so you’ll never have to regret going through ten swabs to fix your eyeliner every again.
Facial Bar Soap
- Made With Organic Skin Loving Oils; Organic Unrefined Shea Butter, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Sustainable Palm Oil and Organic Castor Oil
- For All Skin Types; Use as a face soap, body soap or shaving soap. For men, women and teens. Can be used to help with Acne, Eczema and Psoriasis
- Naturally Scented; With Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils Of Lemongrass, Peppermint and Eucalyptus
Many people might wrongly assume that bar soap is only good for washing your hands, but lately, bar soap has been taking over the makeup industry as a good facial wash tool as well. The soaps contain all kinds of natural additives that benefit your skin, like activated charcoal or tea tree oil, and require none of the excessive plastic and silicone that usually encase facial soaps. As an extra incentive, you also get more product with these bars because all the soap is accessible right away, not hidden away inside giant soap containers.
The Spatula
- AS SEEN ON SHARK TANK: Kitchen Spatty is a MUST HAVE kitchen tool! Spatty solves the problem of not being able to get your food products out of the container when they are no longer easy to get out!
- TINY SPATULA: Spatty is a sturdy, resilient and flexible mini spatula tool that fits into virtually any bottled, canned and jarred food product and is also great for MIXING, SPREADING and DECORATING
- SAVE MONEY: Spatty mini spatula easily moves around the sides, corners and bottom of jars and containers to GET EVERY LAST DROP of product
This tool is a great way to maximize product efficiency with the products you already own. If you’re just starting the zero waste lifestyle and still have a lot of plastic heavy products you’re phasing out, this spatula will be your saving grace. Use it to scrape out the very last of your products to make sure you’re not wasting anything.
Rejuvenating Eye Cream
- Super Moisturizing Age Defying Eye Cream Formula - Help fight Wrinkles, Crows Feet, Puffiness and Under Eye Bags. Natural age defying night cream balm nourishes your skin for a youthful, softer, glowing complexion.
- Finally, An Age Defying Wrinkle Cream That’s Good For Your Skin. Our ingredients are shown to help support dull skin, promote a brighter complexion, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and premature aging. Get softer, moisturized and supple looking skin.
- The Best Under Eye Cream Needs the Best Ingredients. Super robust buttery formula includes skin super foods Jojoba Oil, Calendula Oil, Sunflower Oil, Raw Honey, Argan Oil, Coconut Oil, Rosemary Extract and more.
This powerful eye cream can take years off your life in just one night. It works quickly to erase wrinkles and dark spots while brightening and freshening your eyes overall. It also comes in a handy glass jar that can be recycled or used for decoration or even to store more eye cream.
No matter how you begin your journey to zero waste, remember that every step forward is a good one! Keep reading our blog for more tips and tricks on how to successfully and reliably implement zero waste and other helpful makeup tips into your routines!
