Makeup Labs

Author: Gabriela Chyzy

  • Sustainable beauty doesn’t have to be expensive: Our top picks under £20

    Sustainable beauty doesn’t have to be expensive: Our top picks under £20

    There’s a myth that going green with your beauty routine means spending a fortune on tiny jars with minimalist labels. It doesn’t. Some of the best sustainable swaps are cheaper than what you’re using now, because reusables pay for themselves and a single bar replaces bottle after bottle.

    You don’t need to overhaul everything at once, either. Pick one or two of these, all under £20 and all on Amazon UK, and you’ve already cut a chunk of waste from your routine without feeling it in your wallet.

    In This Guide:

    1. Why eco doesn’t have to cost more
    2. Our Sustainable Picks under £20
    3. How to swap without the waste

    1. Why Eco Doesn’t Have to Cost More

    The trick is to focus on swaps that replace repeat purchases. A pack of reusable pads costs a few pounds once and retires hundreds of cotton-wool rounds. A shampoo bar outlasts two or three bottles. So the upfront price isn’t the real number, the cost-per-use is, and on that measure these win easily. That’s the whole point: better for the planet and your bank balance.

    2. Our Sustainable Picks Under £20

    Six swaps that deliver, across makeup, tools and haircare.

    Bambaw Bamboo Reusable Face Pads — around £11. A set of soft, double-sided washable pads (one velvety side for gentle everyday cleansing, one textured side for light exfoliation), with a cotton wash bag to keep them together in the laundry. Use them with your cleanser or micellar water in place of cotton wool, then wash and reuse again and again. One set retires thousands of single-use cotton rounds, so the cost-per-use is tiny, and it’s the swap you’ll reach for every single day. [INSERT AFFILIATE LINK]

    Effect Mascara — around £4. Proof that vegan makeup can be both brilliant and pocket-money cheap. Essence is now a 100% vegan brand, and this mascara has cult status for volume that punches well above its price. The no-risk way to try a vegan version of something you would buy anyway. [INSERT AFFILIATE LINK]

    EcoTools Makeup Brushes — from around £6. Brushes with handles made from recycled materials and soft synthetic (so cruelty-free) bristles, at high-street prices. A genuinely sustainable upgrade from cheap throwaway brushes that shed within weeks, without the premium-brush price tag. [INSERT AFFILIATE LINK]

    Ethique Shampoo Bar — around £15. A concentrated solid bar that replaces up to three plastic bottles of shampoo and lasts for dozens of washes. Ethique is vegan, cruelty-free and a certified B Corp, so the ethics run deeper than the packaging. Slightly pricier upfront, far cheaper per wash, the swap that converts sceptics. [INSERT AFFILIATE LINK]

    Bambaw Bamboo Cotton Buds — around £3. Plastic cotton buds are one of the most common bits of beach litter; these swap the plastic stem for biodegradable bamboo for the price of a coffee. A tiny change, but one you’ll repurchase guilt-free forever. [INSERT AFFILIATE LINK]

    The Konjac Sponge Company Facial Sponge — around £8. A natural, biodegradable sponge made from konjac plant fibre that gently exfoliates and composts at the end of its life, unlike synthetic sponges that shed microplastics. A soft, sustainable swap for sensitive skin. [INSERT AFFILIATE LINK]

    3. How to Swap Without the Waste

    One important rule: don’t bin everything you currently own to “go sustainable”. Throwing usable products away creates more waste, not less, and rather defeats the point.

    Instead, swap as you run out. When your mascara dries up, your shampoo bottle empties or your last cotton pad goes in the wash, replace that one thing with a greener version from the list above. Start with the daily-use items, since that’s where a single swap saves the most over time. Within a couple of months you’ll have quietly rebuilt your routine, spent less than you used to, and barely noticed the change, except in your bin.

    Small Budget, Real Impact

    Sustainable beauty isn’t a luxury reserved for big spenders. The swaps that matter most are often the cheapest, because reusables and concentrated bars cost less over their lifetime than the disposables they replace. There’s no compromise to make and no fortune to spend.

    Pick one swap to start, see how easily it slots into your routine, then add another when you next run low. For more easy wins, browse the rest of our sustainable beauty edit, where every pick is chosen to be kinder to your skin, your budget and the planet.

    Featured Products

    References

     

  • The Best Refillable Makeup Brands to know in 2026: Our top picks

    The Best Refillable Makeup Brands to know in 2026: Our top picks

     

    Think about how much makeup packaging you’ve thrown away. Every empty lipstick bullet, every cracked powder compact, every foundation bottle, almost all of it plastic, almost all of it landfill. The beauty industry churns out billions of units of plastic packaging a year, and most of it is used once.

    Refillable makeup flips that. You buy the case once, then top it up with a refill when it runs out, keeping the bit that lasts and replacing only the bit that doesn’t. Less waste, less money over time, and increasingly, no compromise on quality. Here’s how it works and the brands leading the way.

    In This Guide:

    1. Why refillable makeup matters
    2. How refill systems actually work
    3. Our Sustainable Picks
    4. Is refillable actually cheaper?

    1. Why Refillable Makeup Matters

     

    Most makeup packaging is single-use plastic that’s difficult to recycle, because it mixes materials (plastic, metal, mirrors, magnets) that recycling plants can’t easily separate. So it’s landfilled or incinerated.

    Refillable systems cut that waste at the source. Instead of binning the whole product, you keep the durable outer case (sometimes for years) and replace just the pan or pod inside. One well-made compact can outlive dozens of disposable ones.

    2. How Refill Systems Actually Work

     

    There are three common formats, and they’re all simple.

    • Magnetic pans: an empty palette or compact holds refill pans of eyeshadow, blush or powder that click in and out.
    • Pods and cartridges: lipsticks and foundations where the colour pod slots into a permanent case.
    • Screw or twist refills: the inner product unscrews and a replacement screws in.

    In every case the principle is the same: buy the housing once, then buy cheaper, lower-packaging refills forever. Most brands tell you exactly how to swap them on the product page.

    3. Our Sustainable Picks

     

    Four brands doing refillable properly, from one dedicated pioneer to the big names now catching up. Drop your tagged links into the markers below.

    The dedicated pioneer: Zao Makeup. Launched in 2012 as the world’s first fully refillable makeup brand, Zao houses everything (foundation, powder, eyeshadow, lipstick) in refillable bamboo cases. The whole range is vegan, cruelty-free and Ecocert-certified organic, and refills cost noticeably less than the original. If you want a brand built around refilling from the ground up, start here.

    Try: the Zao Refillable Concealer (buy the refillable case once, then just the refill).

     

    The refillable foundation: Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation SPF 15. A British mineral foundation (vegan, Leaping Bunny cruelty-free) that comes in a refillable pot, top it up with a fully recyclable refill sachet instead of buying a whole new product. Clean, short ingredient list and a genuine zero-fuss refill.

    Try: the Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation SPF 15 (then reorder the refill sachets).

     

    The refillable lipstick: Zao Bamboo Refillable Lipstick. Zao’s lipsticks sit in a refillable bamboo case, when you hit the end, you buy just the colour refill and keep the case. Vegan, Ecocert-certified organic and far less packaging than a standard bullet.

    Try: the Zao Bamboo Refillable Lipstick.

     

    The build-your-own palette: MAC Pro Palette. MAC’s refill system lets you buy an empty magnetic palette and fill it with individual eyeshadow, blush and powder pans, so you replace only the shade you’ve hit pan on, never the packaging. Brilliant for cutting waste while keeping a pro-level shade range.

    Try: the MAC Pro Palette plus your choice of MAC Eye Shadow refill pans.

    4. Is Refillable Actually Cheaper?

     

    Upfront, refillable can cost a little more, you’re paying for a durable case built to last. But the maths works in your favour fast. Refills strip out the expensive packaging, so each top-up is cheaper than buying the product new, sometimes substantially so.

    Buy one good compact and refill it three or four times, and you’ve spent less than you would on three or four disposable versions, with a fraction of the waste. The case is the investment; the refills are the saving.

    A Small Change That Sticks

     

    Refillable makeup isn’t a gimmick, it’s the direction the whole industry is heading, and it’s one of the easiest sustainable swaps to make because nothing about your routine actually changes. Same products, same finish, just a reusable case and a cheaper, lower-waste refill.

    Start with one product you repurchase often, a powder, a lipstick, an eyeshadow, and choose a refillable version next time it runs out. For more easy wins, explore the rest of our sustainable beauty edit.

    Featured Products

    References

  • Ditch the Disposables: The Best Reusable Cotton Pads and Makeup Remover Cloths

    Ditch the Disposables: The Best Reusable Cotton Pads and Makeup Remover Cloths

    If you take your makeup off every night, you’re getting through a lot of cotton wool, and all of it goes straight in the bin. A single reusable pad can replace thousands of disposable rounds over its lifetime, which is better for the planet and far cheaper for you.

    The catch is that not all reusables are equal. Some are gentler, some last longer, and some (despite the eco marketing) actually shed microplastics. Here’s what to look for and the pads and cloths worth buying.

    In This Guide:

    1. Why ditch single-use pads
    2. What to look for
    3. Our Sustainable Picks
    4. How to keep them clean

    1. Why Ditch Single-Use Pads

    Disposable cotton pads seem harmless, but the scale is the problem. Used twice a day, they add up to hundreds per person per year, and conventional cotton is resource-intensive to grow. Multiply across a household and it’s a steady stream of waste for a few seconds of use each.

    Reusables turn that into a one-off purchase. Buy a set once, wash and reuse for months or years, and you stop the cycle, while saving the money you’d spend repurchasing cotton wool forever.

    2. What to Look For

    Two things matter most: material and washability.

    On material, natural fibres win. Cotton, organic cotton, lyocell and bamboo are soft, effective and (mostly) biodegradable. Avoid microfibre if you can: it removes makeup well with just water, but it’s a synthetic that sheds microplastics in the wash, which rather undercuts the point. Look for OEKO-TEX certification (tested for harmful substances) and, for bamboo, FSC certification (responsibly sourced).

    On washing, choose pads you can wash hot. A 60°C wash is the hygiene standard for face cloths, so pads rated only for 30°C are harder to keep genuinely clean. A set of around seven is ideal: one a day, then a weekly machine wash.

    3. Our Sustainable Picks

    Four reusables across budgets and cleansing styles. Drop your tagged links into the markers below.

    Best overall:

    LastObject LastRound. A set of seven dual-sided pads in a cotton-lyocell blend, machine washable at 60°C, rated for 200+ washes and stored in a neat reusable case. Soft, durable and naturally moisture-wicking, the closest thing to a disposable round that lasts.

    Best budget swap:

    Bamboo Reusable Cotton Rounds. A multipack of soft bamboo pads with a mesh laundry bag, usually for a few pounds. Biodegradable fibre, gentle on skin, and one pack retires thousands of cotton-wool rounds. The easiest, cheapest place to start.

    Best for water-only cleansing:

    Face Halo. A makeup-artist favourite that lifts makeup with just warm water, no product needed, thanks to its ultra-fine fibres. Hugely effective and reusable up to around 200 washes. One honest note: it’s a microfibre, so rinse it well after each use, and if microplastics are a dealbreaker, lean on the natural-fibre picks above.

    Best for a full cleanse:

    MakeUp Eraser Cloth. A soft reusable cloth that removes a full face (even long-wear) with water alone and replaces hundreds of wipes. Great for a deeper, all-over cleanse rather than spot removal. Like Face Halo it’s a synthetic fibre, so a hot wash keeps it fresh; an organic cotton muslin cloth is the natural-fibre alternative if you prefer.

    4. How to Keep Them Clean

    Reusables only work if you keep them hygienic, and it’s easy. Rinse each pad straight after use to stop makeup and oil setting in. Pop them in the mesh wash bag (most sets include one) and machine wash at 60°C with your towels, roughly once a week.

    Air dry rather than tumble to protect the fibres, and replace them when they start to thin or stop feeling soft. Treated well, a good set lasts months or years, paying for itself many times over.

    Stop Binning, Start Washing

    Switching to reusable pads is one of the simplest sustainable swaps there is: a one-off buy that quietly removes a steady stream of waste from your routine and saves you money every month. Choose natural fibres where you can, wash them hot, and you’ll barely notice the change, except that you’ll never run out of cotton wool again.

    Pick the set that suits how you cleanse, then browse the rest of our sustainable beauty edit for more easy swaps.

    Featured Products

     

    References

  • Shampoo bars, Foundation bars and Beyond: The Rise of Solid Beauty

    Shampoo bars, Foundation bars and Beyond: The Rise of Solid Beauty

    Here’s a fact that reframes your bathroom shelf: most liquid shampoo is around 80% water. You’re paying to ship water in a plastic bottle that takes centuries to break down. Solid beauty bars strip the water out, leaving concentrated, travel-friendly products with little or no plastic, and the format is booming for exactly that reason.

    It started with shampoo, but it hasn’t stopped there. Conditioner, cleanser, body wash and even moisturiser now come in bar form. Here’s why solid beauty works and the bars worth starting with.

    In This Guide:

    1. Why solid beauty is booming
    2. It’s not just shampoo anymore
    3. Our Sustainable Picks
    4. How to make the switch

    1. Why Solid Beauty Is Booming

    The headline benefit is plastic. A single solid bar typically replaces two or three plastic bottles, and the packaging is usually cardboard or nothing at all. Across a year of washes, that’s a serious dent in your plastic footprint.

    There’s a performance logic too. Because bars are concentrated rather than watered down, a little goes a long way, so they often last longer than the bottles they replace. And they’re brilliant for travel: no leaks, no liquid limits, no bulky bottles.

    2. It’s Not Just Shampoo Anymore

    One quick myth to clear up: a modern shampoo bar is not a bar of soap. Soap is alkaline and can leave hair dull; a proper shampoo bar is formulated like liquid shampoo, just without the water, and pH-balanced for your scalp.

    Beyond shampoo, the “solid” format has spread fast. You’ll now find conditioner bars, solid facial cleansers, body-wash bars and even solid serums and moisturisers. If it used to come in a bottle or tube, someone is probably making a plastic-free bar version of it now.

    3. Our Sustainable Picks

    Four bars to start with, from a category leader to a high-street steal. Drop your tagged links into the markers below.

    The category leader:

    Ethique Shampoo Bar. A certified B Corp pioneer of solid beauty, Ethique is vegan, cruelty-free and entirely plastic-free. One shampoo bar replaces around three bottles of liquid shampoo, with formulas for every hair type, and the brand says it’s kept tens of millions of bottles out of landfill. The benchmark bar.

    The perfect partner:

    Ethique Conditioner Bar. Pair it with the shampoo bar for a fully plastic-free wash. A single conditioner bar replaces roughly five bottles, and a swipe down the lengths is all you need. Conditioner bars take a wash or two to get the hang of, but they go a very long way.

    Beyond haircare:

    UpCircle Cleansing Face Balm. Proof the plastic-free movement reaches past the shower. This award-winning balm melts into skin to lift makeup, SPF and grime, then wipes away with a cloth. It’s made with upcycled apricot stones (ground into a fine, gently exfoliating powder), is vegan and B-Corp certified, and comes in a recyclable glass jar with an aluminium lid. A neat way to take the plastic out of your skincare routine too.

    The high-street steal:

    Garnier Ultimate Blends Shampoo Bar. The easiest, cheapest entry point. Widely stocked, gentle on the wallet, and Garnier is approved by Cruelty Free International. If you want to test whether bars work for you before committing, this is the no-risk trial.

    For a smaller, UK-made option, The Solid Bar Company (a B Corp handmaking bars in Oxfordshire) is also well worth supporting.

    4. How to Make the Switch

    A heads-up that saves disappointment: if you’re coming off silicone-heavy liquid shampoo, your hair may go through a short “transition” of a wash or two as it rebalances. Stick with it, this is normal, and it passes.

    To get the most from your bars, store them on a draining soap dish or rack so they dry out between uses, never sitting in a puddle. Dry bars last far longer. Wet your hair, swipe the bar a few times, lather with your hands, and rinse as usual.

    Small Bar, Big Difference

    Solid beauty is one of the most satisfying sustainable swaps because the impact is so visible: bottles that simply disappear from your routine. The bars are concentrated, long-lasting, travel-proof and, increasingly, every bit as good as the liquids they replace.

    Start with a shampoo bar, give it a couple of washes to settle in, then branch out into conditioner and cleanser. For more plastic-free picks, explore our sustainable beauty edit.

    Featured Products

    References

     

  • Leaping Bunny vs PETA Approved: Which Cruelty-Free Label Can You Trust?

    Leaping Bunny vs PETA Approved: Which Cruelty-Free Label Can You Trust?

    You’ve spotted a little rabbit logo on your foundation and felt good about it. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: not all bunny logos mean the same thing, and some mean almost nothing at all. Anyone can print a rabbit on a box; only a handful of certifications actually verify it.

    The two you’ll see most are Leaping Bunny and PETA. Both certify cruelty-free beauty, but they work very differently, and knowing the difference is what lets you shop with real confidence. Here’s what each one actually guarantees.

    In This Guide:

    1. Cruelty-free vs vegan (a quick recap)
    2. Leaping Bunny: the gold standard
    3. PETA Approved: the bigger database
    4. So which should you trust?
    5. Our Sustainable Picks

    1. Cruelty-Free vs Vegan (A Quick Recap)

    These get muddled constantly. Cruelty-free means the product and its ingredients weren’t tested on animals. Vegan means it contains no animal-derived ingredients (like beeswax or carmine).

    They don’t guarantee each other: a cruelty-free product can still contain beeswax, and a vegan product could, in theory, be tested on animals. If both matter to you, you need to confirm both, which is where certifications come in.

    2. Leaping Bunny: The Gold Standard

    Leaping Bunny, run internationally by Cruelty Free International, is widely regarded as the most rigorous cruelty-free certification there is.

    To earn it, a brand must prove there’s no animal testing at any stage of production, from raw ingredients right through to the finished product, including by its suppliers. It has to put a supplier-monitoring system in place, agree to independent audits, and recommit every single year. That’s the key word: audited. The standard is verified, not just promised, which is why the Leaping Bunny list is more selective (and smaller) than others. The one gap: Leaping Bunny certifies cruelty-free only, not vegan.

    3. PETA Approved: The Bigger Database

    PETA’s programme (its “Global Animal Test-Free” and Beauty Without Bunnies logos) is the other big name, and it works on a different basis. Brands sign a written pledge that they and their suppliers don’t test on animals.

    That makes the process lighter-touch, with less documentation and, crucially, no independent audits to verify compliance, so it relies more on trust. The upside is a much larger database and a genuinely useful free app for checking brands on the go. PETA also offers a combined cruelty-free-and-vegan tier, which Leaping Bunny doesn’t. One nuance worth knowing: PETA has kept some brands certified while they sell in mainland China under its specific conditions, which not everyone is comfortable with.

    4. So Which Should You Trust?

    Both are legitimate, and a brand carrying either logo is a far better bet than one with a random, uncertified rabbit on the box. If you want the strongest possible guarantee, Leaping Bunny’s independent audits make it the more watertight choice. If you want breadth, or a quick cruelty-free and vegan check, PETA’s database is hugely handy.

    Two practical rules. First, ignore unbranded bunny logos, only a recognised certification means anything. Second, if ethics run deep for you, check the parent company too: a small certified brand can sit under a corporate group that still tests elsewhere.

    5. Our Sustainable Picks

    Brands that put their certifications where their marketing is, all shoppable on Amazon UK. Drop your tagged links into the markers below.

    INIKA Organic is the overachiever, Leaping Bunny approved, PETA cruelty-free and Certified Vegan by The Vegan Society, plus COSMOS organic. If you want every box ticked, start here. 

    Try: the INIKA Organic Baked Mineral Foundation.

    e.l.f. Cosmetics is Leaping Bunny certified and 100% vegan, at high-street prices, the easiest way to shop certified without spending a fortune. 

    Try: the cult e.l.f. Power Grip Primer.

    Barry M, a British staple, is cruelty-free and now fully vegan across its range, affordable and easy to find. 

    Try: the Barry M Flawless Original Primer.

    Zao Makeup is registered with The Vegan Society and certified cruelty-free, with the bonus of refillable bamboo packaging, ethics inside and out. 

    Try: the Zao Refillable Bamboo Mascara.

    Read the Logo, Not the Marketing

    A bunny on the box is only as good as the certification behind it. Now you know the difference: Leaping Bunny audits and verifies, PETA pledges and lists, and both beat an uncertified logo every time. Pair a cruelty-free certification with a vegan one and you’ve covered both bases.

    Use the labels as your shortcut, lean on the certified brands above, and explore the rest of our sustainable beauty edit to shop with a clear conscience.

    Featured Products

    References

  • Clean beauty products: The makeup ingredients you should know about

    Clean beauty products: The makeup ingredients you should know about

    You’re standing in the aisle holding two foundations. One shouts “clean”, “non-toxic” and “free from parabens, sulfates and phthalates”. The other says nothing. Instinct says reach for the first, but here’s the uncomfortable truth: that label might mean very little, and the “scary” ingredients it’s avoiding may not be the ones worth worrying about.

    Clean beauty is one of the most powerful marketing ideas of the decade, and also one of the most misunderstood. This guide cuts through it: what “clean” actually means, the myth that trips everyone up, and the ingredients genuinely worth your attention, without the scare tactics.

     

    In This Guide:

    1. “Clean beauty” isn’t a regulated term
    2. The myth that trips everyone up
    3. What actually matters on a label
    4. Our Sustainable Picks
    5. How to read a label without the fear

     

    1. “Clean Beauty” Isn’t a Regulated Term

     

    Just like “reef-safe”, “clean” has no legal definition. No regulator sets the rules, so every brand and retailer writes its own. When Sephora launched its “Clean at Sephora” seal, it was the company’s own list of excluded ingredients, not an official standard (Dermatology Times).

    That’s why two “clean” products can have completely different ingredient lists. The badge tells you what a brand has decided to leave out, which is a marketing choice, not a guarantee of safety. So the label on the front isn’t where the answer lives.

     

    2. The Myth That Trips Everyone Up

     

    Here’s the big one: natural does not automatically mean safe, and synthetic does not mean harmful. Dermatologists have been saying this for years. A widely cited 2019 editorial in JAMA Dermatology was even titled “Natural Does Not Mean Safe”, warning that misinformation was driving up rates of allergic skin reactions (Harvard Health).

    The culprits are often the “natural” hero ingredients themselves. Botanical extracts and essential oils are among the leading causes of contact dermatitis, and in one study of people using natural botanical products, a notable share reported a skin reaction (Harvard Health).

    Take parabens, clean beauty’s favourite villain. There’s no solid evidence they cause the harms social media attributes to them, and they’re actually among the lowest-risk preservatives for allergies, so much so that a dermatology society named them a “non-allergen of the year” (Get the Gloss). When brands strip them out, they sometimes swap in preservatives that irritate more people. The fear, in other words, can backfire.

     

    3. What Actually Matters on a Label

     

    None of this means “anything goes”. It means shifting your attention from marketing buzzwords to the things that genuinely affect your skin.

    If your skin is reactive, the ingredient most worth watching is fragrance (listed as “parfum” or “fragrance”), one of the most common triggers of cosmetic allergy. Essential oils belong in the same bracket for sensitive types. Choosing fragrance-free is far more useful than chasing “paraben-free”.

    The reassuring part, especially if you shop in the UK: our safety net is already strong. Under UK and EU rules, every cosmetic must pass a documented safety assessment before it can be sold, and well over a thousand ingredients are outright banned, far more than in some other markets (London Dermatology Centre). The dose and the formulation matter more than any single scary-sounding name. As dermatologists put it, they look at the science, not the slogans.

     

    4. Our Sustainable Picks

    Three brands that do “clean” honestly, leading with transparency and short, sensible ingredient lists rather than fear. All on Amazon UK; drop your tagged links into the markers below.

    Best for full transparency:

    INIKA Organic. Certified organic (COSMOS), Vegan Society certified and Leaping Bunny approved, with ingredient lists it’s happy to stand behind. If you want claims that are independently backed rather than self-declared, start here. Try: the INIKA Organic Baked Mineral Foundation, a clean, buildable powder base.

    Best for sensitive skin:

    Lily Lolo. A British mineral makeup brand with genuinely minimal formulas, fragrance-free, paraben-free and free from synthetic dyes, which makes it a sensible choice for reactive skin. Most of the range is vegan, though a few shades contain carmine, so check if that matters to you (Lily Lolo). Try: the Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation SPF 15, a short-ingredient-list powder base (also available as a refill).

    Best everyday value:

    e.l.f. Cosmetics. 100% vegan, Leaping Bunny certified, openly lists its ingredients and keeps prices low, so shopping thoughtfully doesn’t have to be a splurge. The easy, no-drama option. Try: the cult e.l.f. Power Grip Primer.

     

    5. How to Read a Label Without the Fear

    You don’t need a chemistry degree, just a calmer system. Ignore the “free-from” claims on the front and turn to the ingredients list (the INCI list) on the back. If a brand hides its full ingredients, that’s a bigger red flag than any single component.

    Patch test anything new on your inner arm for a couple of days, particularly if you have sensitive skin, and remember that a reaction can come from a “natural” ingredient just as easily as a synthetic one. If you want to understand what you’re reading, a free tool like INCIDecoder explains each ingredient in plain English. Above all, judge a product by how your skin responds, not by how virtuous the packaging sounds.

     

    Shop the Formula, Not the Fear

     

    Clean beauty isn’t a scam, but it isn’t a safety guarantee either. The smartest approach is to drop the chemophobia, lean on the UK’s strong regulation, watch genuine triggers like fragrance if your skin is reactive, and choose brands that are transparent about what’s actually in the bottle.

    Do that and you’ll shop with confidence instead of anxiety. Start with one of our transparent picks above, and when you want to go further, our guide to cruelty-free certifications shows you exactly which labels are worth trusting, and which are just clever wording.

     

    Featured Products

     

    References

  • The Best Reef-Safe Sunscreens for Your Next Beach Holiday

    The Best Reef-Safe Sunscreens for Your Next Beach Holiday

    You’re on the beach, you’ve done the responsible thing and slathered on SPF, and you wade into the sea feeling smug. Here’s the part nobody mentions: a slick of that sunscreen washes straight off your skin and into the water around you. Multiply that by every swimmer on every coastline, and the numbers get serious fast.

    The good news is that protecting your skin and protecting the ocean aren’t a trade-off. You just need to know what to look for on the label.

    This guide breaks down what “reef-safe” actually means, the two ingredients worth avoiding, and the sunscreens we’d reach for this summer.

     

    In This Guide:

    1. What “reef-safe” actually means

    2. The two ingredients to avoid

    3. Mineral vs chemical: which is right for you

    4. Our Sustainable Picks

    5. How to wear reef-safe SPF under makeup

     

    1. What “Reef-Safe” Actually Means

     

    Here’s the catch that trips most people up: “reef-safe” isn’t a regulated term. No official body in the UK certifies it, which means a brand can print it on the bottle without having to prove much at all. That’s frustrating, but it also means the label isn’t where you should be looking.

    The ingredients list is. A genuinely ocean-friendly sunscreen is defined by what it leaves out far more than the badge on the front. Once you know the two names to scan for, you can judge any bottle in about ten seconds, regardless of its marketing.

     

    2. The Two Ingredients to Avoid

     

    The two big ones are oxybenzone and octinoxate, chemical UV filters found in a large share of conventional sunscreens. Research has linked them to coral bleaching, genetic damage to coral, and disruption of reef reproduction, even at very low concentrations (Surfrider Foundation).

     

    This isn’t a fringe concern. Hawaii became the first place in the world to ban the sale of sunscreens containing these two ingredients, with the law taking effect on 1 January 2021, and several other regions have since followed (Goldberg Segalla). The bans exist because the science was strong enough for legislators to act on.

    So your one job at the shelf is simple: turn the bottle over and check that oxybenzone and octinoxate aren’t in the active ingredients. Some people also choose to avoid octocrylene and homosalate as a precaution, though the evidence there is less settled.

     

    3. Mineral vs Chemical: Which Is Right for You

     

    Reef-safe sunscreens generally fall into two camps, and the right one depends on how you actually use it.

    Mineral (physical) sunscreens use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to sit on top of the skin and deflect UV. They’re the most reliably reef-friendly option and tend to suit sensitive skin. The historic downside, a chalky white cast, has largely been solved by newer formulas, though very dark skin tones should still patch-test.

    Newer “clean” chemical sunscreens swap oxybenzone and octinoxate for gentler filters. These often feel lighter and disappear into the skin with no white cast, which makes them the easier everyday choice if you wear SPF under makeup.

    Quick rule of thumb: beach and pool days where you’ll be in and out of the water, lean mineral. Daily wear under foundation, a clean chemical formula will feel nicer and play better with the rest of your routine.

     

    4. Our Sustainable Picks

     

    Four reef-friendly SPFs we rate, across budgets and skin types. All are available on Amazon UK; drop your tagged links into the markers below.

     

    Best for sensitive skin and certification-checkers:

    Green People Scent Free Sun Cream SPF 30. A British brand, vegan, cruelty-free and made with organic ingredients, free from oxybenzone and octinoxate. If you (like Laura) read the certifications before you buy, this one holds up to scrutiny (Moral Fibres). 

     

    Best easy swap:

    Sun Bum Original SPF 50. Widely stocked, affordable, vegan and free from the two banned filters. If you want to make a greener choice without overthinking it or overspending, this is the no-fuss option (PETA). 

     

    Best under makeup:

    PURITO Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen SPF 50+. Vegan, reef-safe and famous for leaving no white cast, with a lightweight finish that sits invisibly under foundation. The convenient pick if SPF currently gets skipped because it feels heavy. 

     

    Best mineral all-rounder:

    Badger Reef-Safe Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40. Non-nano zinc oxide, a short and recognisable ingredients list, and water-resistant for actual beach use. A solid choice if you prefer a physical filter you can trust in the sea. [INSERT AFFILIATE LINK]

     

    5. How to Wear Reef-Safe SPF Under Makeup

     

    Switching to a reef-safe formula only works if you actually keep wearing it, so here’s how to make it part of your routine rather than a separate chore.

    Apply your SPF as the last step of skincare and give it a few minutes to settle before you start on base. A lightweight chemical formula or a sheer mineral one will grip better under foundation than a thick, greasy lotion. If you want a real shortcut, a tinted mineral SPF can double as your base on low-key days.

    The bit people forget: SPF wears off. The standard guidance is to reapply roughly every two hours, and after swimming or towelling dry. Over makeup, a mineral SPF mist or a powder SPF lets you top up without wrecking your look.

     

    Small Swap, Big Impact

     

    You don’t have to choose between looking after your skin and looking after the ocean. Reef-safe sunscreen gives you full protection while keeping two genuinely harmful chemicals out of the water, and once you know to scan for oxybenzone and octinoxate, making the switch costs you nothing but a few seconds at the shelf.

    If you’re replacing an SPF this summer, start with one of our picks above. Then have a look at the rest of our sustainable beauty edit for more easy swaps that are better for you and the planet, no compromise required.

     

    Featured Products

     

    References

  • Top 5 best vegan makeup brands you can shop on Amazon UK in 2026

    Top 5 best vegan makeup brands you can shop on Amazon UK in 2026

    You’ve decided you want vegan makeup. Good. Then you turn a compact over, see “cruelty-free” stamped on the back with no mention of “vegan” anywhere, and you’re left wondering whether you’re being sold the real thing or just clever wording.

    You’re not imagining it. The labels genuinely don’t mean the same thing, and brands lean on that confusion. The good news is that once you understand the difference, shopping vegan on Amazon UK gets a lot simpler. Here’s what the words actually mean, how to check a brand properly, and four we’d happily put in our own makeup bag.

     

    In This Guide:

    1. Vegan vs cruelty-free: not the same thing
    2. Does vegan makeup actually perform?
    3. How to check a brand is genuinely vegan
    4. Our Sustainable Picks
    5. Where to start if you’re switching

     

    1. Vegan vs Cruelty-Free: Not the Same Thing

     

    This is the bit that trips everyone up, so let’s settle it. Vegan describes the ingredients: no animal-derived substances such as beeswax, carmine (a red pigment made from insects), lanolin or honey. Cruelty-free describes the testing: the product and its ingredients weren’t tested on animals.

    Crucially, one does not guarantee the other. A product can be vegan but still tested on animals, and a product can be cruelty-free but contain beeswax (INIKA Organic). If both matter to you, you need to see both claims, ideally both certified.

     

     

    2. Does Vegan Makeup Actually Perform?

     

    The old assumption was that going vegan meant accepting weaker pigment or shorter wear. In 2026 that’s simply out of date. Plant-derived and high-quality synthetic ingredients now match conventional formulas on pigment, blendability and longevity, and vegan formulas often skip common irritants, which can make them gentler on reactive skin.

    So if you’ve been holding off because you don’t want to trade performance for principles, you can stop worrying. The brands below aren’t “good for vegan makeup”, they’re good makeup that happens to be vegan.

     

     

    3. How to Check a Brand Is Genuinely Vegan

    Marketing claims are cheap; certifications are earned. Three logos do the heavy lifting for you. The Vegan Society trademark (the sunflower) confirms no animal ingredients. Leaping Bunny is widely regarded as the gold standard for cruelty-free, with ongoing independent audits. PETA approval is the other common cruelty-free mark.

     

    One extra check that matters to thorough shoppers: look at the parent company. A brand can be certified cruelty-free itself while being owned by a group that still sells into markets requiring animal testing, which is why some otherwise-vegan brands don’t carry a Leaping Bunny stamp (Yours). If full transparency is your priority, favour brands that are independently certified top to bottom.

     

     

    4. Our Sustainable Picks

    Four genuinely vegan brands you can buy on Amazon UK right now, across every budget. Drop your tagged links into the markers below.

     

    Best for certification-checkers:

    INIKA Organic. About as rigorous as it gets, Certified Vegan by The Vegan Society, Leaping Bunny and PETA cruelty-free, plus COSMOS organic certification. If you read every label before buying, this is the brand that holds up to it (ethical elephant).

    Try: the INIKA Organic Full Coverage Liquid Foundation, a hydrating liquid base with hyaluronic acid and argan oil.

    Best affordable all-rounder:

    e.l.f. Cosmetics. 100% vegan and Leaping Bunny certified, with brilliant performance for the price, plus a packaging-reduction programme to its name. The easiest place to build a full vegan kit without overspending.

    Try: the viral e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter, a glow-boosting complexion hybrid you can wear alone or under makeup.

    Best British high-street name:

    Barry M. A London brand going since 1982, now fully vegan and cruelty-free, with a huge, genuinely affordable range. A reliable, recognisable swap if you want something familiar (VeganFriendly).

    Try: a Barry M Lip Paint for an easy, affordable pop of colour.

     

    Best ultra-budget swap:

    Essence. Now 100% vegan and famous for pocket-money prices, so trying a vegan version of something you already use costs you almost nothing. The no-risk way to dip a toe into vegan makeup.

    Try: the Essence Soft Touch Mousse Foundation, a vegan matte base for just a few pounds.

     

    5. Where to Start if You’re Switching

     

    Don’t bin everything you own, that’s wasteful and expensive, and rather defeats the point. The painless approach is to swap as you repurchase: when your foundation, mascara or lippy runs out, replace that one item with a vegan alternative.

    Start with the products you use daily, since that’s where one swap makes the biggest difference. Pick something from the budget picks above first if you’re unsure, prove to yourself the performance is there, then trade up to a premium certified brand for the products you care most about. Within a few months your whole bag will have quietly turned over, no dramatic overhaul required.

     

    Kind Doesn’t Mean Compromise

     

    Vegan makeup used to come with an asterisk. It doesn’t anymore. Whether you’re driven by animal welfare, cleaner ingredients or both, you can now match or beat your old favourites without spending more, and the certifications mean you never have to take a brand’s word for it.

    Start with one swap from our picks, see how it wears, and let your makeup bag turn over from there. When you’re ready to go further, our guide to cruelty-free certifications breaks down exactly what each label promises, so you can shop with total confidence.

     

    Featured Products

     

    References