BWB Beauty Awards: Clean, Green & Carbon-Free

Consumers today care about more than just the functional benefits of their products. They want to associate themselves with brands that are doing good for people and the planet. In other words, they have higher standards and hold their brands accountable. This sustainability transition is not a fad, but rather a long-lasting movement that is reshaping the industry.

For example, Credo Beauty recently created a Sustainable Packaging Guideline for their growing list of over 135 brands. The guideline is the latest addition to their Clean Standard, a lengthy set of protocols that defines the requirements for a clean beauty brand in the context of sustainability. In other words, this very bold move prohibits sheet masks, wipes and other single-use products.

At BWB, we’re keeping up with the curve. We believe the brands below are actualizing the dream for a more sustainable beauty industry.

SKINCARE

We attribute these awards to the new kids on the block that are helping us reduce waste and build better habits with our skincare.

God Sent Eye Patch

Say au revoir to your single use eye patches and bonjour to a sustainable version that can be reused multiple times. Dieux-Skin eye patches do not come pre-soaked in a skincare formula. Instead, this chic set of nonporous silicone eye patches pairs with any gel, serum or cream. Hold your eye products close to the skin, and hold onto your eye masks for longer.

Our belief system is rooted in rituals for self-care with a healthy dose of kindness and attention to sustainability.

— Marta Freedman, Co-founder & Creative Director

No Waste Face Mask

Single use face masks are becoming the plastic straws of the skincare industry. Instead of contributing to the waste, Jessica Alba’s HONEST reusable Magic Silicone Sheet Mask pairs with your own skin-care serum. After use, you can just rinse and repeat!

I created the Honest Company because you shouldn’t have to choose between what works and what’s good for you.

— Jessica Alba, Founder

MAKEUP

Here is BWB’s selection of makeup brands that are setting the standard for environmental accountability.

Refillable Rouge

Nicolas Gerlier co-founded La Bouche Rouge to prove that sustainability doesn’t have to come at the cost of luxury. The result? An affordable yet artisanal and luxurious makeup line. The lipstick comes in an opulent, plastic-free refillable case, while the mascara is the very first product of its kind to come in 100% recyclable glass packaging.

La Bouche Rouge strives to be an agent for change. We go beyond selling our products. In fact, our goal is to create a positive impact for people and the planet.

— Nicolas Gerlier, Co-founder

Zero Waste Wear

Axiology recently released the world’s first 100% zero-waste, 3-in-1 makeup product. Color from your lips to your lids to your cheeks at little cost to the environment. Axiology sources its boxes from a women-owned recycled-paper boutique in Bali that collects paper waste from hotels, offices and households on the island. Buttery soft makeup doesn’t need to come at the cost of a happy planet.

Makeup shouldn’t just be safe for the people who wear it. It should also be safe for animals, the planet and the people who make it.

— Ericka Rodriguez, Founder

Sustainable Scandinavian Beauty

Luxury doesn’t require excess, and sustainability most certainly can look chic. Alternative to biodegradable or recyclable packaging, Kjaer Weis encases their luxurious products in sleek keepsake designs made in collaboration with Marc Atlan, the creative mind behind the Comme de Garcons perfume bottle. All you need is a refill whenever your product runs out, and you’re set with a dewy glow for life.

Organic, sustainable, and high performing, you can have all these things. You don’t need to compromise.

— Kirsten Kjaer Weis, Founder

BODY CARE

These are the best full-body products with maximum efficacy and minimal impact on the environment.

Him, Her and EiR

EiR’s core mission is to create clean products that have minimal impact on the environment. With their commitment to leaving a minimal carbon footprint on the earth, they chose only ingredients that are biodegradable and their packaging is entirely recyclable whenever possible. They play an even bigger part thanks to their partnership with Plastic Free Fridays, which gives each customer an option to donate at checkout matched by EiR.

We really care about keeping the ocean clean. We want to encourage people to bring as little plastic to the ocean as possible.

— Jun Lee, Founder

On the Up & Up with the UpCircle

Ever wonder where your coffee grounds go when you’ve had your cup of joe for the day? UpCircle takes the used coffee grounds and tea leaf spices en route to the landfill and infuses them into their skincare formulas. The result? A citrusy body scrub that smells like your favorite local coffee shop and leaves your skin feeling smooth and hydrated. In addition, the packaging is 99% plastic-free, repurposed, and thanks to a recent makeover — 100% recyclable.

We wanted to promote a circular economy by taking ingredients which had already been used and elevating them into new natural and organic skincare products.

— William, Co-founder via Forbes Magazine

FEMININE CARE

You might think it’s time to ditch the tampon because the plastic applicator is bad for the environment, but the feminine product problem is unfortunately much larger. Despite their appearance, maxi-pads are also 90% plastic. Between the packaging, individual wrapping, and the product itself, feminine products produce about 200,000 tons of waste per year. In fact, just one person may end up throwing away 275 pounds of feminine products in a year.

According to Kristy Chong, — founder of the revolutionary women’s high-tech health apparel company, Modibodi — “Disposable feminine hygiene products take 500 to 800 years to biodegrade, which means the very first tampon, liner, and pad ever created are still lingering in a landfill somewhere in the world. ” Instead of disposing of products that will outlive your lifetime, it’s time to switch to feminine products that you can reuse throughout your lifetime.

The Diva

Reusable period products are sustainable options for the environment and your wallet. For example, the DivaCup pays itself off within your first three cycles and each purchase also helps finance the company’s international advocacy. Through DivaCares, the company supports international educational programs that destigmatize menstrual health and increase access to feminine care products.

Part of our intention with DivaCares has been to use our influence and platform for good, and to make our product available to as many people as possible.

— Carinne Chambers-Saini, Co-founder and CEO

The Comfort Queen

If you are skeptical about the menstrual cup, I would recommend going with a super comfy and reusable period panty from Modibodi. Each design is made with the brand’s signature Modifier Technology™ – a super slim stain lining that absorbs between 1 to 10 tampons’ worth of liquid, depending on absorbency level. Further, the fabric composition features an entirely vegan and earth-friendly blend of natural fibers, including microfiber, bamboo, and merino wool alternative. When this Australian-founded brand isn’t protesting the period tax, they are busy donating 100,000 of their styles to people around the world. Your period has never felt this good, inside and out.

Raise your voice and join the fight to normalize the conversation around menstruation. It is time to call for a change of attitude so that the next generation of women will feel empowered by their period, not ashamed.

— Kristy Chong, CEO & Founder