The global beauty industry is massive, expensive, and needs a greener makeover.
On average, women spend about $225,000 over the course of their lifetimes (ages 18-78) on beauty. That’s about $3,750 per year. Yikes!
Not to mention, sustainable beauty really is the wild west. Environmental regulations are lacking. Some companies like Beautycounter, RMS, Credo, and others are leading the charge in being transparent about their ingredients and sustainability commitments. However, the industry as a whole has a long way to go.
If you’re trying to build a more sustainable and affordable beauty routine, these are a few options to consider!
L’Oreal owns CeraVe, Garnier, Maybelline, La Roche Posay, and many other brands. The company has set some surprisingly ambitious sustainability goals. You can track L’Oreal’s progress in its sustainability reports. Here are a few highlights:
2. Burt's Bees
Burt’s Bees is minimizing its environmental impact through its manufacturing, ingredients, and packaging waste. You can read more about their commitments in in their sustainability report. Highlights include:
- CarbonNeutral certified
- Has their own recycling program withTerraCycle, where you can send your empty containers for free
- 100% manufacturing waste is kept out of landfills
- Cruelty-free
3. Weleda
Sustainable and ethical ingredients are at the forefront of this cruelty-free skincare brand. They offer a wide variety of cleansers, creams, and treatments in addition to baby-safe skincare. Highlights include:
- Uses organic and biodynamic farming in their ingredients
- NATRUE and UBET certified
- Has their own recycling program withTerraCycle, where you can send your empties for free
4. Versed
Versed is all about formula-focused, affordable skincare in minimal and recyclable packaging. All of their products are under $20! Highlights include:
- Ingredients exclude anything banned by the European Union’s standards (i.e., parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, BHA)
- 92% of all packaging is recyclable and designed with 97% less material
- Empties can be recycled curbside or at Target stores
- Fully recyclable and compostable shipping materials
- Cruelty-free
5. W3LL PEOPLE
This minimalist makeup brand is focused on excluding ingredients with known negative environmental impacts. Highlights include:
- Organic ingredients non-toxic ingredients
- Sunscreens without ingredients known to be harmful to coral reefs
- Packaging for certain products are made exclusively of FSC certified paper
Have you found other sustainable, affordable beauty brands? Let us know in the comments below!
