Photo: Herbivore Botanicals and RMS Beauty
Cover Photo: Herbivore Botanicals and RMS Beauty
From ingredients to avoid to our favourite brands, this is our guide to beauty products that are kind to Earth

What is sustainable beauty?

Tatler Asia
Photo: Herbivore Botanicals
Above Photo: Herbivore Botanicals

Very simply, clean or sustainable beauty means that the products are safe for people and the planet, using only non-toxic ingredients for active results. If want to do your part for the environment and support sustainable enterprises, here are some things to look out for when making your next beauty purchase.

See also: Operation Save Mother Nature: How 3 Individuals Are Empowering Their Sectors

Tatler Asia
Photo: RMS Beauty
Above Photo: RMS Beauty

Vegan

Vegan-approved beauty products doesn’t contain any animal by-products or ingredients sourced from animals. Common non-vegan ingredients found in beauty products include beeswax, glycerin (some are derived from animals), honey, lanolin, and tallow.

Cruelty-free

Beauty products that have not been tested on animals, and no animal-derived ingredients are extracted. Some brands have a "Leaping Bunny Certified" badge to prove their commitment in protecting the welfare of animals. Do note that a beauty product can be cruelty-free but not vegan, and vice versa.

Eco-friendly packaging

High performance packaging that's not harmful to the Earth avoids using plastic materials that could end up in landfills. Examples of eco-friendly packaging includes glass, paper and anything that's biodegradable and recyclable.

Non-toxic ingredients

These refer to a host of synthetic ingredients such as paraben, artificial fragrances, silica and mineral oils. What's good are plant-based ingredients, as these are natural.

See also: 4 Eco-Warriors On Their Pledges To Combat Climate Change

The following are some of our favourite sustainable beauty brands:

Tata Harper

'gallery right' 'gallery right'
'gallery right' 'gallery right'
Photo 1 of 2 Photo: Tata Harper
Photo 2 of 2 Photo: Tata Harper

Tata Harper advocates 100 percent, non-toxic skincare products made on its farm in Vermont. Free from GMO, fillers, artificial colours, artificial fragrances and other harmful chemicals, the organic brand has also opted for glass packaging. 

See also: The Ultimate Guide To The Best Face Serums

Summer Fridays

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Photo: Summer Fridays
Above Photo: Summer Fridays

Following the mantra of de-stressing your skin like it's Friday in summer, the brand is loved for its face masks. Adorned in pastel-coloured, sleek and eco-friendly metal tubes, Summer Fridays' vegan jet-lag mask is paraben-free and is made without animal testing.

See also: 7 Hydrating Face Masks To Splurge On This Month

Herbivore Botanicals

'gallery right' 'gallery right'
'gallery right' 'gallery right'
Photo 1 of 2 Photo: Herbivore Botanicals
Photo 2 of 2 Photo: Herbivore Botanicals

From a rose quartz facial roller to the jasmine green tea face mists, Herbivore Botanicals is a vegan-based beauty brand, using only natural ingredients, plant-based food-grade cold-pressed oils, steam distilled therapeutic-grade essential oils and GMO-free soy wax in its formulas that come packaged in recyclable materials.

See also: How To Incorporate The Beauty Roller And Gua Sha Stone Into Your Skincare Regime

RMS Beauty

Tatler Asia
Photo: RMS Beauty
Above Photo: RMS Beauty

RMS Beauty transforms make-up with the use of raw, food-grade ingredients. Ranging from lipsticks to face powders and eye shadows, you'll still be able to recreate any look.  

See also: Gucci Beauty Unveils Its First Flagship Store In Malaysia

REN Skincare

Tatler Asia
Photo: REN Skincare
Above Photo: REN Skincare

The REN Philosophy is ‘Clean to Skin. Clean to Planet’; true enough, the brand avoids synthetic ingredients and uses solely non-toxic ingredients to create their products. Partnering with organisations such as Surfrider, REN is also combatting waste by pioneering local clean ups and has  pledged to become a zero waste company by 2021.

See also: 10 Face Cleansers To Uplift Your Skin

MILK Makeup

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Photo: MILK Makeup
Above Photo: MILK Makeup

The New York-based make-up brand is 100% vegan, cruelty free and paraben-free with the highlight being the hugely popular vegan milk moisturiser.

See also: Mascaras You Need To Have In Your Makeup Bag

Bite Beauty

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Photo: BITE Beauty
Above Photo: BITE Beauty

Favoured by celebs like Felicity Jones and Kendall Jenner, the Canadian-based lipstick brand is cruelty-free, gluten-free, and vegan. They are also infused with nutrient-packed superfoods to make your lips kissable every time.

See also: Paint The Town Red With These Perfect Red Lipsticks This Season

Grown Alchemist

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Photo: Grown Alchemist
Above Photo: Grown Alchemist

The Australian-based beauty label is renowned for using organic and plant-based ingredients packed with antioxidants, a big reason why Gwyneth Paltrow is such a huge fan.

See also: The Best Hair Oil For Your Hair Type

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