6 Clean Makeup Brands Worth Exploring That Won’t Disappoint

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There is a growing push to be more environmentally friendly, and makeup is no exception. Makeup lovers can do their part by supporting clean and low-waste beauty brands that are working to make a difference!

Key Takeaways

• “Clean” and “zero waste” are marketing terms with no single legal definition, so check each brand’s ingredient list and packaging claims.
• RMS Beauty, Credo Beauty, Elate, PHB Ethical Beauty and Aleph Beauty focus on simpler formulas and less packaging waste.
• Always remove makeup before bed; oil cleansers and micellar water are gentle options, and reusable rounds cut waste.
• “Natural” doesn’t guarantee gentle: plant oils like tea tree can still irritate, so patch test and keep products out of your eyes.

Needless to say, plenty of companies are opting to be more environmentally friendly. Some of these companies – like makeup and beauty brands – are referring to themselves as “clean makeup brands.” If you want to jump on the clean beauty train, you are in the right place.

Removing your makeup is part of the routine too, and arguably the most important step, so we’ve also included gentle ways to take it off every evening. 

What Do “Clean” and “Zero Waste” Mean?

Okay, before we dive into our top brands and products, we want to give a little insight into what “clean beauty” is all about, specifically makeup. To put it simply, brands that call themselves “clean” usually aim for shorter ingredient lists and leave out ingredients they consider undesirable, while “zero waste” brands focus on recyclable, refillable or plastic-free packaging. Neither term has a single legal definition, so it pays to read each brand’s ingredient list and packaging details.

Our Favorite Clean Makeup Brands (And Products)

If cutting down on single-use plastic and choosing simpler formulas matters to you, clean makeup is a big plus. Want to join the clean beauty movement? Check out our favorite clean makeup brands and the top products for each company.

RMS Beauty

RMS Beauty is pretty all-encompassing when it comes to your makeup needs. They have everything from mascara to foundation, body oil, to lip liner. The best part is that RMS Beauty focuses on natural and organic ingredients and is cruelty-free. What more could you ask for?

It was hard to pick just one product from RMS Beauty. Their wide selection of top-of-the-line beauty products made it quite the challenge. We decided to go with the Un-Cover Up. It’s pure liquid gold, let us tell you. The flexible and buildable material conceals all those undesirables without becoming thick, bulky, or weighted. It’s a flawless finish every time.

Credo Beauty

Credo Beauty is one of the crowd favorites for clean makeup brands and beauty products. They have developed “The Credo Clean Standard,” a set of ingredient, sourcing and sustainability rules that the products they sell must meet. They have an impressive amount of top-notch products to choose from. Essentially, this is a one-stop place to shop.

You won’t want to miss their wide selection of beauty products. But today, we’re focusing on makeup. Which one came in at number one? The must-have Limitless Lash Mascara. This award-winning mascara is designed to lift, lengthen, curl, and volumize for truly glamorous lashes. It’s all you’ve ever wanted from your sustainable makeup box.

Clean Faced Cosmetics

Not everyone wants to shop for big brands, and that’s okay. Did you know there is a nifty little Etsy shop that focuses on clean cosmetics? It’s right in the name – Clean Faced Cosmetics is all about providing customers with natural makeup that is primarily organic but completely vegan. All products are also zero waste. What more could you ask for?

We decided to go with the Red Vegan Lipstick for our number one product, mainly because the shade is oh-so-desirable. With a deep red hue, this lipstick will turn heads. It’s also fabulous for your lip health with a delightful combination of coconut oil, shea butter, candelilla wax, and vitamin E.

Elate Cosmetics

When it comes to finding a zero-waste makeup company you can trust, look no further than Elate. Elate is known for its wide selection of cosmetics, and it backs up its low-waste stance with refillable, plastic-free packaging. The brand is also B Corp Certified.

Today, we decided to highlight Elate’s eyeshadows. It’s easy for anyone to find an eyeshadow color in their immense collection, whether you want a light and creamy shade or something dark and mysterious. Place your fave eyeshadow colors into one of Elate’s bamboo palettes and be glad you did.

PHB Ethical Beauty

When it comes to PHB Ethical Beauty, the name of the game is “be ethically beautiful”! The family-run business based out of the United Kingdom has prided itself on offering 100% vegan and cruelty-free products. Many of their products have won awards, and the brand designs its formulas with sensitive skin in mind. If you have allergies or are pregnant, check the ingredient list with your doctor.

If you’re on the hunt for your next foundation, we highly recommend the Flawless Filter Liquid Foundation SPF30 – Eco Tube 30ml. It has won beauty awards, and this mineral foundation is surprisingly lightweight and blends beautifully. Its SPF is a nice extra, but wear a dedicated sunscreen underneath for full protection.

Aleph Beauty

Last but not least, let me introduce you to Aleph Beauty. This company focuses on natural ingredients and sustainable packaging. Featured in “New Zealand Fashion Quarterly,” “Good,” “Viva,” and more, this is a brand you can rely on.

We’re a big fan of their Aleph Beauty Concealer/Foundation, and we know you will be, too. This uniquely designed makeup product is self-adjusting and multifunctional. Use it as a full-coverage concealer or a medium-coverage foundation. To get the most out of your product, Aleph offers free color consultations to ensure you get the right shade. It has also picked up natural beauty awards.

Natural Makeup Removers

Removing your makeup is the most important step in your entire skincare routine. If you don’t remove your foundation at the end of the day, it can clog your pores and contribute to breakouts, and the American Academy of Dermatology advises removing all makeup before bed. A gentle makeup remover makes that easy. 

Sleeping in makeup also leaves dirt, oil and pollution sitting on your skin overnight, and a consistent nighttime routine is part of caring for your skin as it ages, along with daily sunscreen, to help limit fine lines and wrinkles over time. If you make sleeping in your eye makeup a habit, dermatologists say you could irritate your eyes or even develop styes that need a doctor’s care. Yikes!

Makeup Removers You Should Avoid

At the end of a long night, we all want to remove our makeup quickly and easily. That’s why many of us turn to makeup wipes from the drugstore. Although they’re convenient and affordable, they’re not the best for your skin. That’s why we are going to talk first about which makeup removers you should avoid, so you don’t damage your skin. 

Many face wipes contain alcohol, which can dry out your skin and cause a stinging sensation if your face is sensitive. They usually contain harsh surfactants and sulfates as well that could strip your skin of moisture. 

Some makeup wipes also use formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, such as bronopol, to extend shelf life. Formaldehyde is a common skin allergen, so it’s worth checking the label if your skin reacts to wipes. 

You probably use your makeup wipes right before falling asleep so that you don’t rinse your face afterward. This exposes your skin to higher concentrations of the active ingredients because you’re not washing them away. So if you use a wipe with harsh additives like bronopol or alcohol, you’re setting your skin up for redness and irritation. 

Luckily, there are gentler, more natural alternatives to drugstore makeup wipes that won’t leave your face feeling dry.  

The Best Natural Makeup Removers to Add to Your Routine

So which makeup removers are right for you?

If you want clear skin, adding a gentle, natural makeup remover to your routine is a must. Here are some of the best face wipes and cleansers that will melt away your makeup while nourishing your skin.

Cliganic USDA Organic Jojoba Oil

When you’re trying to remove foundation and grease from your skin, it seems counterintuitive to slather a bunch of oil on your face. But oil dissolves oil, so an oil cleanser breaks down oily makeup well. 

So using oil as a cleanser is one of the best ways to remove sebum and greasy makeup products from your pores. Oil cleansers also tend to be gentler than harsh foaming soaps and can help protect your skin’s moisture barrier instead of stripping it. 

This jojoba oil from Cliganic is a good natural makeup remover for many skin types because it’s light and considered low on the pore-clogging scale. It’s also organic and free of alcohol and fragrance. If you’re acne-prone, watch how your skin responds. 

To cleanse your face, all you have to do is pour a teaspoon of this oil into your hands and rub it into your dry face for a minute or two. This will help break up all the grease and dirt your skin has accumulated throughout the day. Then use a damp washcloth to gently wipe away the oil and makeup that’s left on your skin. After you’re done cleansing, your face will feel clean, soft, and supple. You may not even need to use any moisturizer. 

RMS Beauty Ultimate Makeup Remover Wipes

Because the ingredients in makeup wipes sit on your skin overnight, it’s even more important for them to be clean and gentle. 

These wipes from RMS Beauty list organic coconut oil as the main ingredient, and they leave skin feeling soft while removing stubborn makeup. The wipes are also free of potentially irritating ingredients, such as artificial fragrance and alcohol. RMS Beauty also individually wraps each wipe to keep it moist, which makes it even more effective at melting away foundation and eye makeup. 

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water

Another natural makeup remover you need in your arsenal is Bioderma micellar water. We know what you’re thinking – water can’t possibly get my skin clean and remove my full face of makeup. 

But this isn’t just any water. It’s micellar water, which contains micelles, tiny clusters of mild cleansing molecules that attract and lift away makeup and oil without harsh scrubbing. Bioderma also adds cucumber extract to its formula. 

We’ve been using Bioderma for years because it’s one of the best eye makeup removers we’ve come across. It instantly dissolves eyeliner and mascara without any scrubbing or rubbing required. It’s formulated for sensitive skin and is generally very gentle, so we highly recommend it. 

We Love Eyes Tea Tree Eye Makeup Remover Oil 

We Love Eyes sells some of the best eye makeup removers on the market. This makeup remover oil with tea tree was developed by an optometrist and is made for the eye area. It’s also vegan and formulated without sulfates, parabens and fragrance. 

This product contains organic jojoba and grapeseed oils to melt away makeup and leave the lid area feeling hydrated. There’s also a little tea tree oil mixed in, which is used in some eyelid-cleansing products. Tea tree oil can irritate some people, so keep it out of your eyes and stop if you notice stinging or redness.

A Few Other Tips for Going Zero-Waste

If you’re looking to go “zero” with your beauty, skincare, and makeup routine, consider these tips to up your game.

• Ditch face wipes. Face wipes are convenient, but they are single-use and add up to a lot of waste. Instead of using face wipes, consider using a washcloth instead. You can use them with makeup removers.
• Ditch cotton balls, too. Another handy thing is cotton balls. But now, you can opt for reusable cotton facial rounds. Pretty cool, huh? They’re so similar to your trusty cotton balls; you have no excuse not to give them at least a try.
• Look for companies that take back empties. Finished with your eyeshadow palette? Why not see if the company will take back your empties? Many zero-waste makeup brands are reusing empty makeup products to avoid wasting them.
• Buy in bulk when shopping for plastic. If you have to buy something with plastic packaging, buy it in bulk. This will reduce the overall amount of plastic packaging waste.

Final Words

It’s a good idea to jump on board the clean makeup brands that care for you. Simpler formulas can be a good fit for many people, and less packaging is better for our world, too. Just remember that “natural” doesn’t always mean gentle, so patch test new products if your skin is sensitive. Whether you opt for a red-hot lip color or a foundation or concealer, these products won’t disappoint.

If you want a clear, glowing complexion, it’s important to remove your makeup every night. Ideally, you would use a gentle makeup remover without common irritants like alcohol and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. But if you can’t afford to add new products to your skincare routine right now, it’s better to take off your makeup with whatever you have on hand than to wear it to bed. 

Which clean makeup brands and products are you going to buy first?

Sources

• American Academy of Dermatology – I have acne! Is it okay to wear makeup?
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Using Cosmetics Safely
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Eye Cosmetic Safety