clean beauty

Clean Makeup Brands

There is no real definition of ‘clean’ when it comes to cosmetics, and, according to experts, it has primarily become a term used in marketing language to sell products. Essentially, nobody is regulating the claim to be clean. Buzzfeed News

Greenwashing is prevalent everywhere in every area of marketing, and in the world of beauty and makeup, it’s as bad as it gets. Everyone wants to claim their products are natural, eco-friendly, or non-toxic, but since no one, including the FDA, regulates these claims, how do you begin to know whether they are true?

Start by reading my comprehensive guide on how to find clean beauty products. Here, you will learn how to interpret the terminology, which ingredients you should avoid, certifications you should look for, and more.

Table Of Contents
  1. Considerations for clean makeup brands
  2. Best clean makeup brands
  3. Eco-friendly cosmetic tools

Considerations for clean makeup brands

  • Certifications – Independent, third-party sustainability certifications are a valuable tool to verify that a company lives up to its claims. Marketing terms and labels such as ‘natural,’ ‘clean,’ and ‘eco-friendly’ are vague and unregulated. These certifications prove that a company lives up to specific, rigid standards regarding ingredient sourcing, production, and/or labor practices. I think the Certified B Corporation endorsement is the best overall indicator of a company’s business practices, encompassing overall social and environmental performance, ethical practices, and governance.
  • Clean Ingredients – Are products petroleum-based? Are they free from substances such as carbon black, parabens, phthalates, BHA/BHT, silicone, formaldehyde, or synthetic fragrances and dyes? Meeting Credo, Clean at Sephora, or the EU standards is a good safety indicator.
  • EWG Scores – The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a consumer watchdog organization that is a fantastic resource for finding non-toxic cleaning and personal care products. EWG Verified products are the safest to use, while those given a 1 or 2 rating are a low hazard, 3 to 6 are a moderate hazard, and above 7 is a high hazard, with 10 being the worst.
  • Mica – The mining of mica is associated with environmental degradation and poor labor practices. Ensure that mica is sourced from a member of the Responsible Mica Initiative, which works to ensure a responsible and sustainable supply chain.
  • Palm Oil – Palm oil is associated with widespread deforestation and worker exploitation, so it is important that any product containing palm oil is certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), indicating that it is sourced responsibly. Learn more about this in an upcoming blog post.
  • Vegan or Cruelty-Free – If a product is Certified Vegan, this means it does not contain animal products or byproducts, and has not been tested on animals. Be aware that this does not make the product any less toxic–most conventional skincare products (including vegan) contain petroleum-based ingredients, many of which are not biodegradable. Cruelty-free certifications, such as Leaping Bunny or PETA, ensure companies do not conduct animal testing or use/purchase ingredients from companies that do.
  • Packaging – About 70% of the beauty industry’s waste comes from packaging. Ideally, everything would be plastic-free, but in the world of cosmetics, this is a rarity. Seek recyclables such as aluminum, glass, and responsibly sourced paper (which can also be composted. Refillables are another excellent option.
  • Where Made – This is tricky. Made in the USA is preferable to support the local economy and jobs, in addition to shorter shipping distances. But the FDA doesn’t regulate beauty products, so much more research is required on the part of the consumer. Products made in the EU have much stricter chemical regulations than the USA, but may lead to a higher carbon footprint from shipping. It might be a toss-up.
  • Where to Buy – Buy directly from companies themselves, especially when offering plastic-free packing materials and carbon-free shipping, or purchase from reputable retailers.

Best clean makeup brands

There are seemingly infinite makeup brands, so obviously, it’s not possible to include them all, and there’s likely many more out there I haven’t yet come across. The non-toxic makeup brands listed are transparent regarding business practices and truly clean ingredients.

Watch for more in-depth content on these and other natural makeup brands and specific products in the future.

Milk Makeup

1% of profits are donated to The Center, which supports the LGBTQIA+ community

  • Certifications – None
  • Clean Ingredients – No List; Clean at Sephora
  • EWG Scores – 1 to 9
  • Mica – “Only use ethically-sourced and sustainable mica”
  • Palm Oil – RSPO
  • Vegan or Cruelty-Free – 100% Vegan; Leaping Bunny
  • Packaging – FSC paper w/ plant-based inks; increasing refillable options &PCR plastic use
  • Where Made –
  • Where to Buy – Milk Makeup

Ilia

  • Certifications – 1% For the Planet, One Tree Planted
  • Clean Ingredients – No gluten, parabens, phthalates, petroleum, mineral oil, talc, BHA/BHT, propylene glycol, PEG, cyclomethicone, chemical screens
  • EWG Scores – 1 to 6
  • Mica – “Mica will be solely sourced from a supplier that is a member of the RESPONSIBLE MICA INITIATIVE”
  • Palm Oil – RSPO
  • Vegan or Cruelty-Free – Leaping Bunny; vegan except 6 products that contain beeswax
  • Packaging – Primarily plastic, with some recycled aluminum, glass, and responsibly sourced paper; has a recycling program
  • Where Made – Most made in USA, with a few exceptions
  • Where to Buy – Ilia / Credo

Haus Labs by Lady Gaga

$1 from every purchase is donated to Lady Gaga’s non-profit, Born This Way.

  • Certifications –
  • Clean Ingredients – Made without 2,700+ banned ingredients; Clean at Sephora
  • EWG Scores – 1 to 4
  • Mica – Products are free of mica
  • Palm Oil – Products do not contain palm oil
  • Vegan or Cruelty-Free – Vegan & cruelty-free
  • Packaging – Glass, aluminum, cellulose and PCR resin, FSC certified cartons
  • Where Made –
  • Where to Buy – Haus Labs by Lady Gaga

Kosas

  • Certifications –
  • Clean Ingredients – Bans over 2,700 ingredients and adheres to the EU, Sephora, and Credo clean standards
  • EWG Scores – 19 EWG verified products; scores 1-5
  • Mica – 100% ethically sourced mica
  • Palm Oil – 100% RSPO
  • Vegan or Cruelty-Free – Leaping Bunny
  • Packaging – Tree-free or FSC-certified cartons; All tubes made from biomaterials; PCR
  • Where Made –
  • Where to Buy – Kosas / Credo

Pacifica

A very accessible and affordable brand for daily use, offering a wide variety of awesome products & plastic-free options.

  • Certifications –
  • Clean Ingredients – ‘Compassion Standards’ include 1,800 ingredients that will never be used
  • EWG Scores – 1 to 8
  • Vegan or Cruelty-Free – 100% vegan; PETA certified
  • Palm Oil –
  • Packaging – Many glass or aluminum; PCR plastic; FSC certified cartons
  • Where Made – Most in USA
  • Where to Buy – Pacifica / Whole Foods

Elate Cosmetics

  • Certifications – Certified B Corp; donate 1% of profit to social initiatives and 1% to environmental causes
  • Clean Ingredients – 75+% organic, but when forced to choose, opts for fair trade over organic 
  • EWG Scores – 1-4
  • Mica – The mica used in Elate products is fair trade and sourced from suppliers who are active members of the Responsible Mica Initiative.
  • Palm Oil – RSPO
  • Vegan or Cruelty-Free – 100% vegan, Leaping Bunny, PETA
  • Packaging – 75+% of packaging is reusable, recyclable or plantable; all can be returned for free for refills or recycling
  • Where Made –
  • Where to Buy – Elate / ZWS

Rejuva Minerals

  • Certifications –
  • Clean Ingredients – Many MADE SAFE verified; rated ‘Clean’ on Think Dirty
  • EWG Scores – 69 EWG verified products
  • Mica –
  • Palm Oil –
  • Vegan or Cruelty-Free – PETA certified
  • Packaging – plastic, glass; orders shipped in recycled boxes
  • Where Made – USA
  • Where to Buy – Rejuva Minerals

Saie

  • Certifications – Climate Neutral certified; Plastic Neutral certified; 1% for the Planet
  • Clean Ingredients – No BHA, Chemical Sunscreens,
    Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Paraffin, Polybutene, and Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, GMO’s, Parabens, Pthalates, Sulfates, Synthetic Fragrance, Talc
  • EWG Scores – 1 to 6
  • Mica – “Sustainably & ethically sourced through the Ecocert process”
  • Palm Oil – RSPO
  • Vegan or Cruelty-Free – Leaping Bunny; Most are vegan except for beeswax
  • Packaging – FSC paper; glass, aluminum, PCR, bioresin, virgin plastic
  • Where Made – US, Canada, Italy
  • Where to Buy – Saie

Eco-friendly cosmetic tools

EcoTools is my top brand pick for eco-friendly makeup tools and accessories.

Things to love about EcoTools:

  • A significant number of their products and packaging are plastic-free; recycled plastic is used for the rest.
  • Metal products are made from recycled aluminum.
  • Wood items are made from FSC-certified sustainable wood.
  • All products are vegan and PETA Cruelty-free

Makeup brushes

Go Green: Brushes with wood or aluminum handles and natural fiber bristles

  • EcoTools offers a wide variety of makeup brushes, all made with Taklon bristles and either bamboo or recycled aluminum handles.
  • Elate makeup brushes are also composed of Taklon bristles with FSC certified bamboo handles. The company has a recycling program where you can return your old brushes, as well as their product empties.
makeup brushes

When your brushes need cleaning, try an EcoTools brush cleaner, or Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap. If you take care of your makeup tools and keep them clean, they should last you a long time.

If brushes become unusable, check out these upcycle ideas.

Moda has a recycling program that accepts brushes from any brand and in return you will receive 30% off your next purchase. Or recycle with other beauty empties.

Blending sponge

  • The EcoTools Bioblender sponge is made from 5 ingredients: water, corn, natural preservative, natural pigment, and bionanopol—the company’s special ingredient that makes these sponges biodegradable and compostable.

Mascara/lash wands

Wands for Wildlife has discontinued their wand collection but they have repurpose ideas for old wands, or you can recycle them with other beauty empties.

Go Green: Reusable cotton rounds

Make the switch to reusable cotton rounds.

LastRound reusable cotton round

Last Object LastRound includes a 100% recycled plastic case that holds 7 rounds, which are made from 30% cotton and 70% wood fiber. According to the company, these rounds replace 1750+ single-use rounds and are 24x better for the environment per a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) performed by a third-party. The texture is similar to Swedish dishcloths so depending on the intended use, they may need a little water added. Packaging is plastic-free. They are backyard compostable when they reach the end of their life. Also available at Grove.

There are many softer reusable cotton round options available, if that is what you prefer.

Best disposable cotton rounds

Reusable cotton rounds can be used for any task that you normally use rounds for. I personally don’t like to use them for nail polish removal; I feel like polish doesn’t come off well and I don’t like the idea of the chemicals on the reusable pads. In that case, you may want to have a single-use option handy.

  • I like Organyc 100% Organic Cotton Rounds
    • Certified organic
    • Free of chlorine, parabens, SLS, or ethyl alcohol
    • Made using geothermal and solar energy
    • Packaging is biodegradable
    • Plastics for Change partner
    • Available at Amazon

Can you compost cotton rounds?

100% cotton or bamboo rounds are fully compostable, although if used for something like nail polish I would throw them in the trash.

Cotton swabs

Go Green: Skip swabs with plastic sticks

Cotton swabs are a sleeper item….it may surprise you to know that plastic swab sticks are among the top ten items that wash up on beaches.

Bamboo cotton swabs

Do not buy swabs with plastic sticks. Purchase 100% cotton swabs with paperboard sticks, such as Q-Tips. You can also buy swabs with bamboo sticks, such as BOONBOO Cotton Swabs. This company is a certified B Corp, Climate Neutral, and 1% For the Planet member. Also available on Amazon.

Try out a reusable swab such as Last Object’s LastSwab. I decided to give it a try, and it is not as gross as it may seem and is surprisingly very easy to clean. The one thing I will say is I wish the texture was a little softer. Although it adequately cleans ear wax, it is not absorbent and doesn’t help dry out water in the ear canal, which for me is a big reason I like to use them after a shower. They do make a swab specifically for beauty that looks softer, so if you use swabs for makeup touchups that would also be worth a try. Also available at Grove / Zero Waste Store.

Last Swab reusable cotton swab

Swabs made from 100% cotton or bamboo are compostable.

Natural makeup remover

Go Green: Skip the makeup remover wipes

Skip the makeup removal wipes. Even the ‘cleanest’ wipes are made of synthetic fibers and laden with chemicals that can be harsh on skin. Plus, they create unnecessary waste; there are so many great options to remove makeup that aren’t single-use. This InStyle article discusses the environmental impacts of wipes.

In addition, I don’t feel like wipes do a better job removing makeup than a makeup remover or good cleanser, and I don’t like how they make my skin feel. In fact, the HuffPost reports that makeup wipes leave a residue on your skin in their article abou the effects on your skin.

woman wiping face with cotton pad

Instead, find a skin cleanser that is formulated to remove makeup. I prefer this option as it requires just one step and one product to do two jobs.

Maybe you are interested in an oil-based cleanser, especially if you’re into double cleansing, which is washing your face with a oil-based cleanser followed by an water-based cleanser.

  • The easiest and most inexpensive option is oil cleansing. This simply involves cleaning your skin with an oil that you may already have in your kitchen, such as coconut, olive, jojoba, or sweet almond oils.

If you prefer to use a makeup remover rather than a cleanser, use reusable cotton rounds along with a natural makeup remover, such as Beauty by Earth Makeup Remover. This product is made with 100% natural ingredients, 91% of which are organic. However, this is packaged in a plastic bottle. Available at Grove / Amazon

Scroll to Top