What to Know About Zero-Waste Beauty — and What to Buy
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Sustainable beauty (and all the buzzwords that fall underneath it) has spiked in popularity over the past few years, and now, in an effort to help fight our current climate crisis, brands are putting in extra effort to help consumers produce less waste. One of the biggest subcategories to emerge as a result comes in the form of zero-waste beauty products.
Zero-waste beauty can be defined in a handful of ways, but put simply, these are items designed with as little impact on the environment as possible. This includes plastic-free products, waterless formulas, recyclable packing, and biodegradable solutions.
"The less waste you have to throw out, the better," Ashlene Nand, the founder of zero-waste beauty brand Vaycay Beauty, tells PS. "Aside from cardboard, which is generally compostable and biodegradable, many zero-waste beauty products use reusable tins or glass mason jars to hold the actual product instead of plastic. As a general rule, I try not to buy beauty products unless I know I will reuse the packaging supplied."
According to a 2015 Euromonitor report, the beauty industry produces over 120 billion units of packaging a year. While that isn't to say that it's the only industry that contributes to our landfill crisis — think of all the plastic that food and some of your go-to household items are packaged in — there are still tweaks you can make to your beauty routine to make it even just a little more sustainable.
The idea of switching to a zero-waste lifestyle may sound intimidating, but despite what you might think, it doesn't call for a complete overhaul of your beauty routine. "Similar to the approach of eating one vegan meal a day, if we try to switch out two or more of our core products, collectively, we can make a difference to our planet," Nand says.
Plus, there are dozens of brands out there that specialize in products that can be reused, refilled, or are packaged in biodegradable materials. Read ahead to check out some of our favorites that you can add to your regimen.
— Additional reporting by Renee Rodriguez
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Best Zero-Waste Face Wash
Evolve Together Coconut Powder Face Wash ($42)
The Evolve Together Coconut Powder Face Wash is an unscented, powder-to-foam facial cleanser that will leave your skin feeling squeaky clean without overdrying it. The key ingredients include tapioca starch, hydrogenated castor oil, and coconut shells, which all work to cleanse and exfoliate. Plus, the packaging is 100 percent dissolvable — just toss the packet in the shower or sink when you're done and watch it wash away with water. Talk about traveling light!
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Best Zero-Waste Lipstick
Kjaer Weis Lipstick ($30)
This lipstick comes in 25 shades with a creamy satin finish and impressive pigment payoff. Even better, it comes with removable color capsules that can easily be swapped out once they're all used up.
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Best Zero-Waste Shampoo
Garnier Whole Blends Honey Treasures Shampoo Bar ($8)
Skip the plastic bottle when it comes to your hair-care routine, especially if dry, damaged hair is your concern. That's where Garnier Whole Blends shampoo comes in; it's made without preservatives or silicones, and its 94 percent plant-based formula will leave your hair feeling restored and silky smooth.
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Best Zero-Waste Body Wash
Bathing Culture Mind and Body Wash Refillable Glass ($36)
Another way to eliminate plastic in your routine: choose products that come in glass jars. Bathing Culture's refillable glass body wash was designed to come with enough cleanser to last you at least 80 showers, and you can refill the bottle at specific locations in the Northeast.
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Best Zero-Waste Moisturizer
Ethique Quench Solid Face Moisturizer ($30)
Made with hyaluronic acid and niacinimade to keep skin hydrated, the Ethique Quench Solid Face Moisturizer is our favorite pick for a zero-waste moisturizer. This product has no added fragrance, and it's made for oily to normal skin types.
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Best Zero-Waste Toothpaste
Bite Toothpaste Bits ($12)
Zero-waste toothpaste, what? That's right — this toothpaste alternative is made without plastics or fluoride for a more sustainable brush. It comes in three different flavors: mint, charcoal, and berry.
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Best Zero-Waste Deodorant
Native Deodorant ($11)
Unlike so many other deodorants that come in a plastic tube, this option from Native is packaged in a paper carton for less waste. Plus, it comes in nine different scents that will leave you smelling like your best self (or like nothing at all, if you go the unscented route).
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Best Zero-Waste Lip Balm
Poppy & Pout Zero Waste All Natural Lip Balm ($10)
A good lip balm can be hard to find, and a good zero-waste lip balm is even harder. Luckily, this one from Poppy & Pout exists, so you can finally stop searching. These balms are made by hand with 100 percent natural ingredients, and there are nine different scents.
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Danielle Jackson is a former assistant editor for POPSUGAR Beauty.
Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for POPSUGAR. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for POPSUGAR's TikTok and Instagram accounts.