Eco-friendly products are great for the Earth and your skin too – what’s not to love? We highlight nine makeup and skincare brands to know, from well-known names like Innisfree and The Body Shop to cult favourites like Ilia.
Of course. Innisfree comes to mind the moment you talk about eco-friendly beauty and skincare. The Korean brand emerged in Singapore three years ago, and now has six shops around the island.
Recommended products: You may have your own favourite skincare or makeup products from the brand, but Innisfree’s Green Tea Seed Serum is particularly worth mentioning. It’s extremely hydrating and works wonders on your skin while you sleep.
Aveda is all about eco-friendliness. It partners with various non-profit organisations, and as an added bonus, its packaging is made to be recycled, which means less landfill and more reusable products. In its latest show of support, the brand has partnered with with the National Audubon Society, and will be donating US$4 (S$5.40) to the conservation and sustenance of natural ecosystems for every bottle of Love Composition Oil sold.
Recommended products: Aveda Love Composition Oil, Blue Oil and Stress-fix Concentrate. These are perfect aromatic oils that are great for a relaxing weekend night filled with indulgent pampering. Bonus points to the the Love Composition Oil for being just as nourishing for our scalp as it is for our cortisol levels.
If you’ve ever walked by Lush, you’ll know just how incredible everything smells. The English cosmetics company is filled with just about everything natural – bath bombs, shampoo bars, exfoliators, the list (and our lust) goes on. It has a strict policy against animal testing, and its products are handmade ethically, which means no animal or people get harmed in the process of your favourite soap bar.
Recommended products: To be completely honest, a lot of Lush’s products are worth looking out for because they all smell so enticing. Try the Mask of Magnaminty if you’re looking for a cleansing product for pimples and spots. It contains peppermint which is known for its anti-acne and anti-scarring properties.
The Body Shop has been around for a long time, and for good reason. Its ingredients are ethically sourced, and like Lush, have strict animal-testing standards. It also has a good range of makeup products, so if you’re particularly lazy to go shop-hopping, it’ll be easy to get both your makeup and skincare fix in the one shop.
Recommended products: The Body Shop Drops of Youth range. The line is formulated with stem cells from different plants, which contain anti-aging properties aimed to help you stave off those dreaded wrinkles for just a few more years.
Created in 1964, Dr. Hauschka is definitely something of a pioneer in the eco-friendly beauty market. Its products, like its natural deodorant or signature moisturiser, receive rave reviews from users all over the world. All its ingredients are grown from its very own garden in Germany that uses biodynamic principles – gardening practices that take on organic and integrated farming practices for a more sustainable environment.
Recommended products: Dr. Hauschka’s Rose Day Cream is their signature product for good reason. It doesn’t just work on most skin types, but it works fast too. Skin immediately feels softer and hydrated, but the best part about it is how light it feels on your face, a quintessential element to any great day cream.
NYX Cosmetics is the perfect example of how you don’t have to sacrifice on ethos, quality or budget. Its products are cruelty-free from start to finish, meaning that nothing gets tested on animals, whether it’s the ingredients, the formula or the final product. The best part about this affordable brand? It offers a wide range of products and colours, so you’ll get to try the wilder hues that you normally wouldn’t go for – without any guilt of course.
Recommended products: The jumbo eye pencil is a cult favourite because of its versatility and quality; the inexpensive essential can double up as a creamy eyeshadow or a highlighter, ensuring you get maximum usage out of one product. If you’re looking to try something new, then go for the pretty ombre blushers, which carry some gorgeous shades.
Elf Cosmetics isn’t just a cruelty-free brand, its products are 100 percent vegan too. Don’t think for one second that quality gets compromised, though, because this brand has been featured by major beauty YouTubers, writers and magazines alike.
Recommended product: Elf’s Studio Makeup Mist and Set Spray is well-loved for a reason. It’s an affordable item that every makeup-addict needs in her arsenal of beauty weapons against Singapore’s humidity. It not only helps speed up your makeup drying process, it helps keep your look intact throughout the day, holding off creases and runny eyes.
Vegan and cruelty-free, Tarte Cosmetics has become a very popular brand, proving that you don’t need parabens and synthetic scents to make a great product. Its products are packaged beautifully in luxe and edgy jars that make for pretty additions to your vanity table. Do note, however, that while the brand remains committed to being cruelty-free and vegan, the brand was acquired by Japanese brand Kose two years ago.
Recommended products: While many of you have heard of Tarte’s well-loved Amazonian Clay Collection range, our new favourite item is its Rainforest of the Sea foundation. While it feels light on the skin, the foundation provides medium-to-high coverage and is definitely worth the investment. My only gripe about the product would be its less-than-ideal applicator, but that’s easily solved by pouring a little onto your hand and using a beauty blender.
There’s something about a brand that chooses to form a niche that can make it a hit or a miss. Ilia, in this case, was a definite hit. The brand has fine-tuned lip care, which has resulted in its extensive range of lip products – all well-received by fans. From hydrating lip conditioners to vibrant lipsticks, the organic brand will definitely bring you the perfect pout you seek.
Fun fact: the founder places an important emphasis on visual aesthetics, and it definitely shows in the brand’s sleek packaging.
Recommended products: The Ilia Lip Conditioner is the perfect lip product – hydrating and pigmented. My personal favourite is the shade Shell Shock because it’s such a pretty nude, but the line contains so many different hues that you need to try for yourself.
An adapted version first appeared in www.herworldplus.com.
