Beauty may be skin deep, but sustainability isn’t. Supporting an epic epidermis layer can come with minimal cost to the planet and these zero waste skincare brands deliver!
Why does it matter?
Chemicals coupled with synthetics, the traditional skincare industry’s negative impact also pumps out more than 120 billion units of plastic packaging annually.
Simply put, plastic should be as worrisome as pimples.
When looking for plastic-free skincare, we defined “zero waste” as skincare with packaging that is either compostable or refillable. We also looked for vegan (or cruelty-free at a minimum) brands who use non-toxic, ethically sourced ingredients.
Based on feedback from our readers, our new Brand Rating System will be extending our consideration set to include climate action, labor and human rights issues, resource efficiency, business ownership and diversity; and much more. Learn more about this here and look out for rated skincare brands below.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
Our Top Picks: Zero Waste Skincare Brands
For multitasking skincare with a tropical flair, we love using Tap Tap Organics’ luxurious formulas, filled with sustainably sourced ingredients such as organic and wild-harvested coconut oil.
If truly minimal skincare packaging is what you’re after, Plaine Products’ infinitely refillable and recyclable aluminum bottles mean one bottle can literally last a lifetime. We found that their body lotion goes a long way, too, while providing superior skin hydration.
Index: Plastic-free Skin Care Brands
- Meow Meow Tweet Jump to section
- Ethique Jump to section
- Plaine Products Jump to section
- Tap Tap Organics Jump to section
- Fat and the Moon Jump to section
- Rainwater Botanicals Jump to section
- Natural Wisdom Spa Jump to section
- EmpireSquid Organics Jump to section
- Bee You Organics Jump to section
- Essential Boutique Jump to section
- Savonnerie des Diligences Jump to section
Meow Meow Tweet
Meow Meow Tweet’s Vegan Zero Waste Skincare (USA)
Price Range: $4.50–$14
Featuring mild, natural ingredients, Meow Meow Tweet is here with cruelty-free and vegan products for a low waste skincare routine that has a gentle impact on our world—and on sensitive skin.
They’re the cat’s meow for: cleansing face oils, exfoliant masks, serums, body oils, toners, sunscreen, face wash, balms and creams.
Ingredients like organic unrefined plant oils, clays, charcoal, and cold-pressed essential oils are here to revive and rejuvenate skin of any type.
Made without preservatives and in small batches, all products are fresh and as close to nature’s intent as possible.
About Meow Meow Tweet
If you didn’t get their passion for animals from the name, Meow Meow Tweet is certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny and also makes eco-friendly deodorant and soap in oh-so-many scents.
Most products come in zero waste packaging like glass bottles, compostable cardboard sticks, or aluminum with recycled, recyclable, and compostable boxes.
Because some plastic is hard to avoid (spray nozzles or pumps, for instance), they have a program that takes these back to be recycled via TerraCycle.
They also partner with rePurpose Global to reduce, reuse, and offset their plastic use, making them plastic negative and Climate Neutral Certified.
They also regularly donate to lots of charities.
Also available on EarthHero
Ethique
Ethique’s Plastic-Free Skincare Products
Price Range: $6–$30
Ethique products are a no mess, no fuss way to clean or feed your skin with zero plastic.
They began as a bar-only brand but have now added compostable cardboard tubes to their zero waste packaging lineup, making products more versatile.
They offer some of the best zero waste skincare including: scrubs, cleansers, face cream, body moisturizer and makeup remover.
For something acne sufferers will love, their Deep Green™ Solid Face Cleanser is designed to clarify oily skin and balance pH.
Ethique’s ingredients are naturally derived and free from parabens, petroleum by-products, palm oil, synthetic fragrances, and formaldehyde.
About Ethique
Ethique originates from Christchurch, New Zealand, but its products are loved worldwide.
In addition to skincare, they also offer shampoo, shaving soap bars, and other body products.
Through direct trade, they’re able to provide farmers with a fair price—just one of their impressive social efforts as a Certified B Corp.
Ethique is certified cruelty-free, vegan, palm oil-free, and Climate Positive, offsetting 120% of their emissions.
They donate either 2% of revenue or 20% of profit (whichever is higher) to charity and plant a tree for every order.
Ethique is also available on Amazon and Holland & Barrett (UK)
Plaine Products
Plaine Products’ Zero Waste Skincare Products
Price Range: $5–$30
Plaine Products specializes in zero waste, minimal hair and skin care, with a skin-serving product range that includes: face cleanser, toner, body lotion and body wash.
Each one is enriched with natural ingredients, like aloe leaf juice, shea butter, and rosehip oil. Each one is verified non-toxic through the EWG’s Skin Deep database.
If you’re looking for body wash refills, Plaine’s (literal) bottle refill scheme is all you need.
All products come in aluminum bottles with an initial plastic pump or spray top. Once empty, transfer this plastic lid into your refill bottle, then send the bottle back via a prepaid return label to be sanitized and reused.
About Plaine Products
Plaine Products are a sister-owned, a Certified B Corp, Carbon Neutral, and make everything (down to the aluminum bottles) right in the USA.
Aside from preventing over 500,000 plastic bottles from hitting the landfill every.single.year, they fight plastic waste further through their 1% for the Planet and Plastic Pollution Coalition memberships.
My Personal Review of Plaine Products’ Body Lotion:
“Plaine Products’ Body Lotion is filled with safflower oil, rosehip oil, and organic aloe for a serious hydration boost. It’s got quite a thin consistency, so you don’t need much to cover your whole body. What I love most is how quickly it sinks in—moisturized skin without the sticky, greasy feeling that drives me crazy.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Tap Tap Organics
Tap Tap Organics’ Zero Waste Luxury Skincare
Price Range: $9–$69
Rejuvenate your skin and our planet with Tap Tap Organics’ lip balm, beauty butter, beauty balm, and beauty oil—available in singles, sets, and subscription options.
Formulas feature organic, tropical ingredients and are always free of harsh chemicals like parabens and petrolatum. They’re all cruelty-free, but beeswax is featured in the beauty balm. Tap Tap Organics is working on switching to plant-based wax instead.
About Tap Tap Organics
Hailing from arguably the greenest place on Earth—Costa Rica – Tap Tap Organics is committed to zero waste luxury skin care.
They use local, wild-harvested, virgin coconut oil, and the rest of their ingredients are sustainably sourced elsewhere in Central and South America before the final products are made in San Francisco.
Choose to reuse the glass jars and bottles or send them back to be refilled and recycled with the free return label included in all orders.
Outer packaging is recyclable or compostable, and profits help support organizations like BLM and 5 Minute Foundation.
My Personal Review Tap Tap Organics’ Regenerate Rose & Neroli Oil Beauty Oil
“All Tap Tap products are multi-functional, which I appreciate from a minimalist standpoint. I especially like the Regenerate Rose & Neroli Beauty Oil, which is designed for use on the face, body, and hair. It combines antioxidant-rich, free radical-fighting green tea leaves with certified organic oils in a light and quick-absorbing serum. I love using this right at the beginning of the day as a base layer for my skin to protect it from all the sun and blue light I expose it to on a daily basis at work.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Fat and the Moon
Fat and the Moon’s Zero Waste Alternative Skincare
Price Range: $6–$42
Some of the best zero waste skin care products for sensitive skin are those made by Fat and the Moon.
We’re over the moon for the brand’s: healing salve, bath soak, face mist, face and body lotion and oil, body powder, face cleanser, exfoliating face paste and masks, deodorant, pregnancy and postpartum skincare products.
If face masks are part of your zero waste skin care routine, their concentrated Pimple Mud Bentonite Face Mask won’t overly dry skin as some are prone to do.
Everything is all-natural, mostly organic, cruelty-free, palm-oil free, and includes a hilarious product description for a flare of personality.
Organically cultivated ingredients like plant seed oils, hyaluronic acid, clays, botanical roots and seeds, and essential oils support sensitive skin while drawing out impurities and restoring moisture.
Products are sans parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or other toxins.
About Fat and the Moon
Woman-owned and operated, Fat and the Moon creates all “potions” under the guidance of traditional healer philosophies in that they’re gentle, non-toxic, and designed to heal.
Since “body products, like food, are not meant to last forever”, products are fresh and handmade-to-order.
No waste skincare aside, this zero waste makeup brand also offers cosmetics and hair care, all packaged in reusable tins or recyclable glass bottles.
Fat and the Moon supports social justice organizations like BlackTransWomen.org, Nap Ministry, and The Okra Project.
Rainwater Botanicals
Rainwater Botanicals’ Vegan Zero Waste Skincare Products
Price Range: $5–$25
Rainwater Botanicals offers an affordable low waste skincare lineup with a wide range of: facial cleansers, soaps, toners, masks, facial serums and creams, eye treatments, skin balms, creams, butters, lotion, and salves.
If you’re after naturally-scented zero waste lotions, their Ostara Hand & Body Lotion features delectably-scented wild-crafted shea and mango butters.
Comfrey was the brand’s first ingredient, and still one of the most important.
Revered for its healing properties, it joins palm oil and sulfate-free ingredients like organic aloe, plant oils, clay, plant extracts, botanicals, and essential oils in supporting healthy skin from the inside out.
About Rainwater Botanicals
A certified Safe Cosmetic Business Network member, Rainwater Botanicals has been hand-crafting natural, waste free skincare for 20 years.
What started with a single healing balm, expanded to cosmetics, hair care, and perfume.
Many products come in compostable cardboard or reusable glass.
Natural Wisdom Spa
Natural Wisdom Spa’s Zero Waste Skincare (UK)
Price Range: $3–$112
Using raw, undiluted organic seed oils, Natural Wisdom Spa sets the waste free skin care bar high with their mostly organic, food grade products: Cleanser, exfoliator, serum, moisturizer, face oil and body butter.
Their Vitamin C Serum nourishes and restores skin thanks to Hyaluronic acid and other antioxidants.
All formulations are made to order in fresh batches, and free of parabens, gluten, alcohol, silicones, and animal byproducts.
Their packaging consists of Miron™ violet glass bottles with fully recyclable metal lids or recycled glass jars with cork stops.
To prevent waste of something you may not like, they offer affordable sample tins.
About Natural Wisdom Spa
Maeve is the founder, curator, and formulator of these products, which are biodegradable, vegan, organic, wild-harvested, food-grade, and nourishing and nurturing.
Everything is cold blended and CO2 extracted to retain more of the nourishing, repairing, and protecting bioactive properties and nutrients.
Outer packaging is 100% recycled and recyclable/biodegradable.
EmpireSquid Organics
EmpireSquid Organics’ Zero Waste Skincare
Price Range: $8–$46
EmpireSquid has a massive range of handcrafted and cruelty-free zero waste skin care products, each labeled with what skin types they’re most suitable for: facial oils, facial and body butters, soap, cleansers and toners, masks, skincare for mama and baby, sun care, and massage oils.
Like “health food for your skin”, everything is palm oil free, organic, and sans unnecessary toxic junk or artificial anything.
Instead, you’ll find natural clays, fruit and flower powders, essential oils, and organic plant oils.
Organic beeswax is found in some products, but they’re able to substitute vegan candelilla wax upon request.
If you’re interested in zero waste skincare DIY, they sell the pure oils needed to get started.
About EmpireSquid Organics
This LA-based family-run brand specializes in “amazingly wholesome” and affordable zero waste skincare products that are highly reviewed and minimally processed.
All are made-to-order from naturally sourced, mostly organic ingredients.
Compostable bags, glass bottles and jars, and aluminum tins are used—complete with adorable sketched animal labels.
Bee You Organics
Bee You Organics’ Plastic-Free Skincare Products
Price Range: $6–$42
BeeYou Organics’ makes a range of zero plastic skincare acne-prone and troubled skin users will benefit from: Body lotion and butter, sugar scrub, sunscreen, soap, serums, face moisturizer, zero waste toner, scar and stretch mark cream, face masks, and baby skin care products (nursing balm and diaper rash balm).
All are free from toxins and irritants, like preservatives, water, palm oil, emulsifiers, and alcohol.
Instead, ingredients are food-grade, certified organic, non-GMO, sustainable, and Fair Trade when possible.
About Bee You Organics
In the lush natural forests of the US’s Pacific Northwest, Bee You crafts soothing skincare and organic makeup.
While some products use non-vegan emu oil and organic beeswax, they offer plenty of vegan options that rely on organic shea butter.
Bee You Organics supports small businesses, local charities, and ethical beekeeping WSU research to balance their beeswax use.
Essential Boutique
Essential Boutique’s Plastic-Free Skin Care (UK)
Price Range: $5–$28
Zero waste skin care exfoliator to acne cream, Essential Boutique has an impressive product range to scratch all your skincare itches: Body butter, face cream and serum, face masks, face polish, scrubs, and toner, aftershave balm, and sunscreen.
In some cases, organic and fair trade ingredients are used, like their African Shea butter.
While many products come in compostable tubes or glass bottles with aluminum lids—like the Organic Rosewater Hydrosol toner—they haven’t yet converted to 100% no plastic skincare packaging.
About Essential Boutique
Essential Boutique started providing skincare products to friends and family. Now, they’re popular for customers around the world.
The Scottish low waste skin care brand makes everything by hand, in small batches, using ye-old recipes that are free of preservatives, artificial colors, and fragrances.
No animal testing is allowed, but some products contain beeswax.
Savonnerie des Diligences
Savonnerie des Diligences’ Zero Waste Skincare (Canada)
Price Range: $6–$27
Using pure ingredients (and love), Savonnerie des Diligences’ waste free skincare products are here to heal, including: body butter, salve/ ointment, face soap, face serum and moisturizer.
Natural plant oils are combined with essential oils, fair trade Shea butter, and local beeswax—though the liquids like the geranium-infused Serum No. 18 are beeswax free.
The products are designed to support sensitive skin and acne prone skin, owing to purifying and astringent properties.
About Savonnerie des Diligences
French Canadian brand Savonnerie des Diligences was founded by a mom looking to support her child with eczema.
That’s why only natural and mostly organic ingredients are used in these handmade products, and never artificial fragrances or preservatives.
Everything is sourced ethically, like their Shea butter sourced from a women-led and fairtrade business in Mali.
Want To Do More? Consider A Minimalist Zero Waste Skincare Routine
The best zero waste skincare is zero skincare.
But that’s not always possible. There’s nothing wrong with nourishing and treating your skin as needed, but we’re made to believe our skin needs all this STUFF: cold cream, day cream, night cream, anti-aging cream…and that’s just the creams.
Let’s not get started on multistep clarifying treatments, serums, toners, and masks.
When it comes to the skin (and other things), less is best.
While your skin will have different needs from someone else’s, a minimalist zero waste skin care routine can solve even the most problematic skin by preserving its own natural oils.
Buying fewer products equals less shipping, ingredient sourcing impact, and packaging—not to mention less money!
As you’re discovering the best plastic-free skin care, remember you don’t need them all.
It’s up to us to ensure our beauty routine doesn’t continue to encourage the mountain of plastic waste that comes from conventional cosmetics and skincare.
Spread the word (AKA this article) about how we can do good for our skin and the world by choosing brands with minimal skincare packaging.
Thanks for this amazing list. I also love HALF HIPPY! They make amazing deodorants and exfoliants and toners and stuff. Worth checking out!
https://www.halfhippy.com/
Thanks for sharing this amazing data about the Hair Ingredients and Products.