There are approximately 1,500 cosmetics and make-up brands in the United States alone. These brands are a part of two groups: “high end,” such as L’Oreal, and “drugstore,” such as Sally Hansen. All the cosmetics and make-up brands, regardless of their prices, do pretty much the same thing: lipstick gives a brighter, bolder color, blush helps enhance the color of cheeks, nail polish gives color to nails and so on.
The cosmetics industry is so successful because people care about appearance. Some people wear make-up because they have certain features that want to enhance, and for others they have features they want to hide. There are several brands due to a variety of issues, for instance varying skin conditions and some companies specialize in a specific area like application brushes. What separates certain brands from others is the fact that they are eco-friendly.
Being eco-friendly means several different things. It covers brands that make products that are biodegradeable, don’t test on animals, use ingredients that are safe for the skin and body, and some donate a large portion of their sales to charity. Below is a list of a few personal eco-friendly make-up brands:
- Eco-Tools: Eco-Tools , founded in 2008, is probably best known for its application brushes, but they also offer cosmetic bags, bath and body products, and now false eyelashes. The company doesn’t test on animals and their brushes are made with bamboo and recycled aluminum.
- E.L.F.: E.L.F. , also known as Eyes Lips Face, offers affordable, quality make-up that is hypo-allergenic and never tested on animals, or made with animal ingredients. Founded in 2004, E.L.F. has since then been recognized by PETA and has won several beauty awards for their quality products and comittment to the environment.
- Beauty Without Cruelty: What started as an animal welfare organization, Beauty Without Cruelty has branched out into a skin, hair, and body line of cruelty free and vegetarian products. Their products are also gluten and wheat free.
- Physicians Formula: Physicians Formula is a special brand because it specializes cosmetics for sensitive skin recommended by allergists and dermatologists. This brand is extremely affordable and can be found in many drugstores.
- Burt’s Bees: Burt’s Bees produces several personal care products and are best known for their lip balm. All the ingredients are natural and the beeswax used in the products are harvested cruelty free. Though Burt’s Bees uses carmine (taken from the cochineal beetle) in its products, it is a natural alternative to coal tar which is a non renewable fossil fuel.
- Urban Decay: Urban Decay does not take part in animal testing when creating products, offers synthetic fiber makeup brushes, and certain products do not contain animal derived ingredients. The products that do not contain animal derived ingredients are marked with a paw print on the website and packaging.
There are several other brands that offer special lines of organic and natural products including Avon, L’Oreal, Revlon, and Almay. For a list of these brands, please visit Leaping Bunny.
