7 Eco-Friendly Makeup Brands for Every Budget

Sustainability has become an essential consideration with many products. People are sourcing sustainable food, clothing, beauty products and even vehicles. Many retailers try to greenwash their products to make them seem sustainable at first glance. However, it can be overwhelming to attempt to decipher whether it’s genuinely environmentally friendly as a consumer.

You want to make a positive impact on the environment and still desire quality products. Sustainability has truly become a priority, especially in the makeup industry. More and more makeup users want the best out of their makeup, both for their skin and the environment. 

Generally, with cleaner makeup brands, you’ll have to spend a little bit more than what you might pay at a drugstore. However, the payoff is worth it. You’re getting safe, quality products that perform just as well as your tried-and-true counterparts. If you’ve wanted to switch your beauty routine, here are seven eco-friendly makeup brands for every budget. 

1. Pacifica Beauty

One of the best things about Pacifica Beauty is that you can most likely find it in your local drugstore. The packaging is eye-catching, and its products are bright and vivid. Sustainable makeup doesn’t mean you have to wear neutrals — and Pacifica has proven that. 

Pacifica Beauty’s products are 100% vegan. Plus, their formulas are cruelty-free. They offer just about any makeup product. This brand also recycles beauty product containers as they partner with Preserve. You can return your packaging, and they’ll turn it into toothbrushes and razors.

2. Juice Beauty

Another certified vegan brand is Juice Beauty. When a brand claims they are vegan, it can be tricky sometimes because it still may use beeswax or pearl powder. Juice Beauty, though, is committed to its vegan products and certified by the American Vegetarian Association and PETA. 

Juice Beauty uses organic ingredients. The products come in sustainable packaging, and they try to primarily use glass containers to eliminate the use of virgin plastic. This makeup brand also sells skincare products, and they’re affordable, with most makeup products priced around $20.

3. Clean Faced Cosmetics

Plastic pollution is a severe problem throughout the world. Disposable plastic products are everywhere, and every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste go into the oceans, harming wildlife. Fortunately, brands like Clean Faced Cosmetics have committed to going plastic-free with their products. 

You can find the brand on Etsy, and they offer makeup products like blushes, eyeshadow and mascara. Each product comes in a container that you can send back to be refilled or recycled. Additionally, they use plant-based ingredients to add color to the products.

4. Bésame

Bésame is one of the most authentic beauty brands. A cosmetics historian started the company. They base all of their products on vintage makeup that they gather from auctions, antique stores and estate sales. Their goal is to recreate these products but using more modern and safe materials. 

All of their products are cruelty-free and work well with sensitive skin. Additionally, they don’t use gluten, mineral oils or parabens in their makeup. There are a few products that still use beeswax, but all of their other products are vegan. It’s also owned and operated by women. Prices range between $20 – $30.  

5. Dab Herb

Dab Herb checks all of the boxes when it comes to making their products eco-friendly. They’re cruelty-free, vegan, palm oil-free, non-toxic, source their ingredients ethically and use thoughtful packaging. Plus, they’re highly affordable for nearly any budget. Their products cover all of your makeup needs, from eyeshadow to lipstick to foundation. 

Even when Dab Herb ships their products, they keep sustainability in mind. They only use recyclable mailers and plastic-free shipping containers. All of their makeup products come in reusable and recyclable containers, too. 

6. Elate Cosmetics

Perhaps one of the best overall eco-friendly makeup brands is Elate Cosmetics. Elate Cosmetics is sustainable from their products to their packaging to their process of creating their makeup. They use about 75% organic ingredients in their products and try to be as waste-free as possible. 

Additionally, they are vegan and cruelty-free. Elate focuses on essential products and is very minimal in their choices. Because of their limited number of available products, they ensure everything is of the highest quality. You can purchase refills of your products, and they are affordable for most budgets.

7. W3LL People

W3LL People is a super clean and eco-friendly makeup brand. They have an Environmental Working Group (EWG) certification, which means that over 35 of their products have been certified by the EWG for having non-toxic standards. W3LL People has banned nearly 2,000 ingredients from their products and focuses on using plant-based, fair trade ingredients.

They’re not 100% vegan but are working towards that goal to eliminate pearl powder and beeswax. The packaging is also eco-friendly, as the boxes are printed using FSC-certified paper. 

Changing Up Your Beauty Routine

It’s challenging to let go of products you’ve loved for many years, but it’s worth it to switch to something more sustainable. Test out some of these eco-friendly makeup brands, and maybe you’ll find something new that you love just as much.