October 15, 2019

When it comes to adopting a greener lifestyle, it’s more than just recycling or choosing organic, locally grown produce to reduce carbon footprint. Perhaps it’s time to take stock of the make-up products you’re using, because what goes on your face might be detrimental to the environment too. Popular brands like Nars and Estée Lauder still test their products on animals. In fact, rabbits are known to be used in the Draize Eye and Skin tests, often suffering for the price of beauty. If you would like to spare a thought for the animals that have been harmed, here are 5 ethical and cruelty-free make-up brands to support. They also contain fewer toxins, which is a win-win for both your skin and the earth. 

Aether Beauty

Infused with crystals, Aether Beauty’s concoctions are known to invoke cosmic inspiration and bring about skincare benefits. As a baseline, everything manufactured is clean, vegan and cruelty-free. This includes not having mirrors or magnets in their packaging. All their eyeshadow palettes are made of 100% recyclable, FSC-Certified paper. Tiila Abbitt, the founder of Aether Beauty, also walks the talk by donating a portion of profits to environmental charities, with the intention of leaving the planet better than when it was found.

Victoria Beckham Beauty

As an advocate of clean cosmetics that are free from harmful toxins, Victoria Beckham started her own luxurious make-up line in February 2019. The brand is not only honest about the creation of their formulas, but also aims to be transparent with their customers. In line with their philosophy of going green, there is a recycling guide on their website, educating buyers which parts of their packaging can be recycled, reused or dissolved as much as possible.

Everyday Minerals

Carina Menzies established Everyday Minerals with the purpose of creating handmade products from the finest natural ingredients (like argan, bamboo, sugar cane) without using any chemicals or harmful parabens. One of the best-sellers is their tan matte base, which smoothens out your skin tone and is suitable for all skin types.

Florence by Mills

Early this year, Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown unveiled her latest beauty brand and pre-orders got snagged up and sold out almost instantly. Inspired by her grandma, Florence, who lived most of her life with an all-embracing and happy outlook, Brown wanted to achieve the same effect for her beauty line—sans the use of parabens, sulfates or dyes. As a supporter of UNICEF and the organisation’s youngest-ever Goodwill Ambassador, she firmly believes that animals should have absolutely nothing to do with clothing or beauty or skincare, and are meant to be in the wild and free.

Kat Von D

Being an animal activist and vegan herself, Kat Von D’s make-up brushes are made from the highest grade of synthetic fibres with the intention of mimicking animal-based bristles. Besides that, she utilises ingredients such as beeswax and carmine, a natural dye obtained from beetles in her cosmetic products. Originally launched in 2014, the brand has achieved a cult-like following, which speaks volumes about how impressive the quality is.

Image Credits: Victoria Beckham Beauty, Everyday Minerals