The future of beauty is low-waste - five must have eco-conscious beauty hero products
The beauty industry might make us feel good, but its impact on the planet is far from pretty. Packaging waste is one of its biggest environmental challenges. According to Zero Waste Scotland, the average UK household churns out around 23kg of plastic packaging waste each year, with a huge slice of that coming from cosmetics and personal care.
Globally, the picture isn't any better. In 2018 alone, the United States generated a jaw-dropping 7.9 billion units of cosmetic waste, contributing to landfill overflow, ocean pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Add in the microplastics lurking in many products, and a single shower can wash 100,000 microbeads down the drain.
It's clear: the beauty world has some serious cleaning up to do. Thankfully, a new generation of brands are stepping up.
They're proving that luxury, pigment, and performance don't have to come at the planet's expense. Here are five low-waste beauty heroes leading the way.
Half Magic – Eyeshadow Singles, £10
Makeup that looks good and does good? Sign us up! Half Magic's eyeshadow singles are housed in compostable PaperFoam compacts, with no plastic used. When you're ready to switch things up, simply peel out the pan, remove any glue, and pop the compact in your home compost or recycling bin. Even better, you can build your own forever palette, making these pigmented, planet-friendly shades the perfect guilt-free indulgence.
Lush – Naked Mascara, £12
Lush has ripped up the mascara rulebook with their solid, plastic-free Naked Mascara. Made with gentle butters and waxes for a natural lash tint, this innovation completely ditches the traditional plastic tube. It's a bold move, but one that speaks volumes about where the future of beauty packaging needs to go: less waste, more wow!
Lisa Eldridge – Refillable Lipstick, £49
Lisa Eldridge's lipsticks are iconic luxury beauty with a conscience. The beauty fan-favourite Rouge Experience lipsticks come in refillable aluminium cases, offering full, satin-finish colour without the environmental guilt. Aluminium can be infinitely recycled, so swapping out your lipstick bullet instead of buying a whole new product is a simple but powerful way to cut down on cosmetic waste
Faith in Nature – Shampoo Bars, £7
Say goodbye to plastic bottles. Faith in Nature's solid shampoo bars are crafted from 100% natural origin ingredients and packaged in recycled cardboard. Designed with curly and dry hair types in mind, they're vegan, cruelty-free, and brilliantly travel-friendly. A cleaner conscience and a great hair day? Yes, please.
Honeypie Minerals – Foundation, £15
Honeypie Minerals has nailed the brief with their refillable, zero-waste foundation. Their silky mineral powders come in compostable pouches but can also be popped straight into a reusable jar. The formula itself is packed with skin-loving minerals, free from harsh chemicals, and perfect for sensitive or acne-prone skin. Beauty that's kind to your face and the planet.
The beauty industry's plastic problem won't be solved overnight, but these innovative products show that sustainable alternatives are more than possible - they're already here. With every low-waste mascara, refillable lipstick, and compostable compact, we get one step closer to a beauty industry that's as good for the earth as it is for our skin.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'Summer in a bottle' designer scent launches at LookFantastic
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more The latest addition to the range is being described as 'summer in a bottle' (Image: REPLICA Maison Margiela) While some of us are gearing up for cosy season, not everyone is ready to kiss goodbye to summer. Maison Margiela's Replica range has launched Never Ending Summer for those who would rather be on the Amalfi Coast. It opens up bright with a combination of bitter orange, Aperol and pepper before settling into a heart of Earl Grey tea, cardamom and nutmeg. There's a woody turn in the base with a blend of vetiver, cedarwood, patchouli, vanilla, Peru balsam and cashmeran. It's bringing in comparisons to BVLGARI Eau Parfumée Thé Vert which retails at £114 for a 75ml bottle. For those looking for something with a similar vibe but a different price point (£30) Lush's Karma is a blend of orange, patchouli and wood. Although it's not pulled in any reviews on LookFantastic yet, over on SpaceNK it's got an average rating of 4.3 out of five. One shopper went as far as saying this is 'sunshine in scent form'. They wrote: "Summer in a bottle. Maison Margiela's Never Ending Summer Eau de Toilette is sunshine in scent form! It opens with a burst of citrus and warm, sun-kissed notes that instantly lift my mood. Light, fresh, and effortless, it lingers beautifully without being overpowering. It truly captures that carefree, golden-hour vibe. Perfect for daily wear or a summer getaway, this fragrance feels like a warm embrace from a perfect day." One shopper was a little underwhelmed by the longevity, saying: "Fantastic summertime perfume. It is very fresh and citrusy. I can really smell orange peel and green tea. Remind me little bit of Bvlgari Au the Vert. I absolutely love it. Shame it does not last longer. I would say 3 - 4 hours max. This is my first Replica so cant compare. But I can recommend it." Maison Margiela REPLICA Never Ending Summer Eau de Toilette 30ml The scent is inspired by the Amalfi Coast in the summer of 2022 It is worth noting that the application of a perfume can impact how long it lasts. It's best to apply perfume to clean and freshly moisturised skin, but sometimes it lasts longer on clothing too so it could be a good idea to apply it to both. Another wrote: "I wore Maison Margiela Never Ending Summer Eau de Toilette for my wedding, and it was perfect — light, uplifting, and beautifully fresh. I got so many compliments throughout the day! It lasts really well for an eau de toilette, and it truly captured the joyful, sunny vibe I wanted. A gorgeous scent I'll always associate with special memories. Worth every penny." Never Ending Summer is available from £62 at LookFantastic.
The Independent
04-07-2025
- The Independent
Everything inside Liberty's beauty advent calendar 2025 – and where to pre-order now
We might be in the height of summer, but Liberty's advent calendar is already taking pre-orders for Christmas. 2025 marks 150 years of Liberty London, and the famed Regent Street department store is marking it with what could be its best-ever beauty advent calendar. The retailer's 25-day edit is – and has always been – a masterclass in luxury gifting, recognised for its collection of exceptional cosmetics from up-and-coming and established brands. Of course, there are sure to be more affordable advent offerings on the horizon, and plenty of brands across make-up and skincare like Sephora, Asos, and M&S will announce their Christmas collections in the coming months. Then again, Liberty is high on most beauty buffs' priority lists. This year, Liberty's prestigious calendar is worth more than £1,245. That's a £45 increase on 2024's offering and includes an extra two products and an additional two full sizes. For context, that's 30 items total, 20 of which are full-size, versus 28 total and 18 full-size last Christmas. There's make-up, skincare, fragrance, haircare and bodycare, and, as always, there's the chance to win one of 15 hidden £1,000 vouchers. That's another huge upgrade on 2024, as you're three times as likely to get lucky. Pre-orders open today, 2 July, for select customers (details below), so I've done some digging on everything you've got to look forward to. Scroll on for key dates, plus every product included from La Mer to Lisa Eldridge. Liberty beauty advent calendar 2025: £275, Price: £275 Worth: £1,245 Number of days: 25 Product highlights: 'A social life for your hair' from Larry King, Trinny London's sheer shimmer lip2cheek, Davines naturaltech nourishing shampoo Available: Pre-order for beauty drop members is live, waitlist for general sale is live (for purchase 15 July), non-waitlist sales open 3 September When is the Liberty beauty advent calendar released? As of today, 2 July, customers signed up to Liberty's beauty drop can pre-order their calendars for delivery by the end of August. My tip? It's not too late to join the beauty drop, which is the retailers' monthly cosmetics subscription box, and you'll even receive a £25 reduction on your order, which brings the cost down to £250. Meanwhile, the waitlist for non-members is open now for 15 July pre-orders. If you miss the summer date, you'll have another chance to buy with standard delivery on 3 September. What's inside the Liberty beauty advent calendar for 2025? The Liberty advent calendar is stuffed full with 30 products, meaning some days will feature a double surprise. This year's line-up is arguably more of a beauty discovery than 2024's with 12 new brand introductions, including British fragrance from Vyrao, curly and coily haircare from afro hair stylist Charlotte Mensah, and eye masks from relative industry newcomer (2023), Skincycles. What's more, the selection features a host of Liberty-exclusive items – 26, to be exact. Spoilers ahead: Liberty Collection zephirine eau de parfum purse spray – full size, 8ml Dr. David Jack supernova antioxidant cleansing gel – mini, 30ml Emma Lewisham skin reset face serum – full size 30ml Vyrao the sixth eau de parfum – mini, 10ml Trish McEvoy sheer lip colour, mulberry – full size, 3.5g Davines naturaltech nourishing shampoo – full size, 100ml Bibbi Parfum santal beauty eau de parfum – mini, 10ml MZ Skin the rich moisturiser – mini, 10ml Skincycles eye matrix masks x 4 – full size, 6ml each Sisley floral toning lotion – full size, 100ml Ex Nihilo blue talisman eau de parfum – mini, 7.5ml Mirror Water smooth body oil – full size, 50ml Lisa Eldridge seamless glide eye pencil, ground coffee – full size, 1.2g Jones Road the mascara, pitch black – mini, 2.7g Granado esplendor eau de parfum – mini, 25ml Larry King a social life for your hair – full size, 30ml Maria Nila true soft argan oil – full size, 30ml D.S. & Durga I don't know what eau de parfum – mini, 7.5ml Verden nocturne magnesium night balm – full size, 75ml Paula's Choice 10% azelaic acid booster – full size, 30ml Dermalogica daily microfoliant – full size, 13g Philip Kingsley elasticizer deep conditioning treatment – full size, 75ml Trinny London sheer shimmer lip2cheek, violine – full size, 4g Charlotte Mensah manketti oil conditioner – mini, 50ml La Mer the lip balm – full size, 9g Vilhelm Parfumerie sparkling Jo eau de parfum – mini,10ml Votary super renewal serum retinol alternative – full size, 30ml Zelens melatonin B12 overnight repair mask – full size, 50ml Matiere Premiere vanilla powder eau de parfum – full size, 6ml Augustinus Bader the rich eye cream – full size, 15ml How much does the Liberty beauty advent calendar cost? 2025's Liberty advent costs £275 but is worth more than four times that amount at £1,245. That's saving of £970 or, for beauty drop subscribers, a £995 reduction. While there's no denying that the calendar is expensive, it's worth considering what's on offer, from a full haircare routine to a new scent library and more. whatever you decide, you may need to be fast – last year's calendar was entirely out of stock by November.
The Guardian
02-07-2025
- The Guardian
Sali Hughes on beauty: bridal foundation tips for a flawless big day
I bristle at the expression 'bridal makeup', because it encourages the slightly weird idea that women's faces should look very different on their wedding days. Brides these days might be wearing black or red, hair up, hair down, hi-top trainers or Dr Martens boots. Similarly, bride-appropriate makeup is however one feels most attractive, comfortable, confident and oneself. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. But what I will concede is that the big day often calls for a new foundation. Rarely will you be photographed as much, over so many hours, and be faced with the outcome for so many years, so it's worth wearing something a little higher-coverage and longer-lasting than for a day at the office. Something semi-matte is ideal, since the opportunities to powder down shine will be scant and the risk of colour transfer on to a gown is higher with dewy formulas. My most commonly recommended is Lisa Eldridge's Seamless Skin Foundation (£44), which comes in 40 thoughtfully chosen shades and gives a pretty eggshell sheen to the skin. I've never received any negative feedback after the big day. Similarly versatile is Dior's Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick (£48). If your bridesmaid has room in her bag for anything more than mints and a lipstick, fill it with this, an exceptional medium-coverage solid foundation that melts silkily upon blending, laminating the face in soft, blurry, lasting coverage that can be sheered down or dialled up according to taste. It's also excellent for any fingertip touch-ups after the ceremony or wedding breakfast. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion On dry skins, it's hard to beat the makeup artist's favourite, Armani's Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation (£47), which makes skin even, glowy (without any flatness or sparkle) and is deceptively natural-looking. That price tag is hefty, but a very similar look is delivered by True Match Nude Plumping Tinted Serum (£14.99) from Armani stablemate, L'Oréal Paris. For problem skins where redness, acne or scarring are an issue, proceed directly to Estée Lauder for the peerlessly camouflaging DoubleWear Stay-in-place Foundation (£39.50), which not only builds up seamlessly to cover anything, but has phenomenal staying power (add setting spray and it could outlast some marriages). For oily skin types who'd like a soft matte finish with more vim, I enthusiastically recommend Anastasia Beverly Hills' Impeccable Blurring Second Skin Matte Foundation (£39, pictured above). I didn't expect to love this, but even my own parched skin looks great in it, thanks to its flattering, almost vellum paper-like finish.
