Looking for UK zero-waste and plastic-free makeup and cosmetics brands? I’ve got five sustainable and cruelty-free brands for you to know about, all saying no to single-use plastic.

A couple of precious makeup items of mine have just run out. A lovely peachy cream blush, and some black eyeshadow that I use to line my eyes.

As much as I have loved these products, the packaging they are in is plastic-based. Rather than do the easy thing and replace like-for-like, I’ve been in prime research mode for the last little while. This has seen me searching out zero-waste and plastic-free cosmetics, to see what’s out there before I make any purchases.

The Guardian reports that cosmetic packaging is the hardest to recycle. This is due to the mixed materials used in every product – from compacts to lipsticks, and more. As such, I’ve been scouring the internet rabbit holes and found what I believe are the best sustainable cosmetics brands in the UK.

The Zero Waste & Plastic-Free Makeup Brands To Know

For this guide, I’ve focused on the plastic-free makeup brands that cater to a wide range of skin tones, from pale to dark skin. In this day and age, no one should be left out of the makeup discussion. It’s a very small market, but hopefully you will be able to find something that suits you:

HoneyPie Minerals

UK-based HoneyPie Minerals – available at Etsy – offers its entire range of mineral-based makeup – including foundation, blusher, bronzer and eyeshadow – in plastic-free and compostable refill bags, from just £5. You can refill any makeup jar of your choosing, making it a true zero-waste solution.

What’s also to love about HoneyPie Minerals is that its entire award-winning range is both vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. The 100% natural ingredients contain no harsh synthetic chemicals, talcs, nano-particles, parabens, fragrances, or additives. Being mineral-based, the makeup offers long-lasting wear, so frequent touch-ups become a thing of the past.

HoneyPie Mineral’s foundation is available in 12 inclusive shades. Meanwhile, with 8 different shades of eyeshadow and 5 different shades of blusher, you can change up your look as often as you like without leaving a plastic footprint.

When it’s empty: Compost the refill sachets and reuse your existing containers.

The Body Shop

The Body Shop has a small range of plastic-free cosmetics – including bronzer in a recyclable metal tin (pictured above), tinted moisturiser and liquid blush in an aluminium tube, and more. These are on the more affordable side of things, too – all coming in at under £20 each.

If you’d rather go down the refill route, there are a few options for that, too.

The Body Shop has had a long history, which was a bit muddied when it was controversially bought over by L’Oreal in 2006. Thankfully, it was bought over by Natura in 2017, who brought it back to its cruelty-free roots, and introduced a refills service. The Body Shop is now owned by Aurelius Group, and being cruelty-free has remained a core part of its identity.

When it’s empty: Metal tins are widely recyclable, and some stores offer refill stations for selected products. Aluminium tubes are harder to recycle – check if your local council accepts these for recycling.

RMS

RMS Beauty, available in the UK at Space NK from £22, sells a beautiful range of plastic-free makeup products, packaged mostly in metal and/or glass. The brand gets rave reviews and has many celebrity endorsements, including from Meghan Markle. 

What’s more, RMS prides itself on using only natural and organic ingredients, sourced from sustainable sources, that soothe and soften skin. As such, all of its products are cruelty-free, and many of its products are vegan-friendly. And in terms of inclusivity, their foundation comes in 16 different shades.

When it’s empty: Glass jars and metal lids can be recycled separately in most UK recycling systems.

Kjaer Weis

Kjaer Weis, available in the UK at Alyaka from £18, sells cruelty-free and certified organic natural makeup in beautiful refillable metal compacts. Even the lipsticks and mascaras are refillable. What’s more, their foundation caters to 12 different skin tones. 

Kjaer Weis is admittedly at the pricier end of the plastic-free makeup spectrum. However, its products get rave reviews from all around the internet. And they are truly beautiful items that you will want to cherish forever. The initial price shock is overcome when you realise that once you’ve bought a cream blush in its beautiful compact, for example, the refills are £17 cheaper. 

When it’s empty: Simply replace the refill pan while keeping the original compact for years.

Zao

Zao – available in the UK at Ethical Superstore from £10.75 – sells a wide range of plastic-free and certified cruelty-free makeup and beauty products in refillable bamboo boxes. What’s more, all products are 100% natural, vegan, and certified organic by Ecocert. Plus, its foundation is available in eight inclusive shades.

The only point to note is that Zao says that some of its refills are housed in recyclable plastic – particularly liquid products. Meanwhile, many refills come in shrink-wrapped plastic. As such, you may want to check this before purchasing if you’re aiming for a fully zero-waste routine.

When it’s empty: Bamboo cases are designed to be reused, with refills swapped in as needed.

More Sustainable Makeup Top Tips

If you have any other plastic-free or zero-waste makeup recommendations, then let me know. I would love to hear!

I’ve also got tons of top tips when it comes to greening your beauty routine:

• My guide to eco-friendly lip balms that are entirely plastic-free.
• Mica is a common ingredient in makeup, but it’s quite a problematic ingredient. Here are some of the problems associated with mica and the alternatives out there.
• If you are looking for zero-waste and eco-friendly makeup removal, then try this handy reusable cotton wool pad tutorial. 
• Whilst we are talking about makeup removal, here’s my useful guide on plastic-free ways to take off your makeup.
• And here’s my natural makeup brush cleaner recipe to help keep your brushes spotless (ideal at helping to prevent spots).

Wendy Graham