Zero Waste Natural Vegan Skincare (best brands)

It’s always best to just a few quality vegan organic skincare products (hopefully in zero waste packaging) rather than waste money on lots of cheap rubbish that doesn’t work! Here are a few good brands:

Avoid essential oils for pregnancy/nursing (and avoid shea butter for latex allergies). Keep essential oils away from children and pets.

And wash skin before letting pets kiss you, if using cocoa butter or zinc oxide in sun protection creams). 

Green People is a quality brand of organic skincare, sold in easy-to-recycle sugar-cane packaging (most items are vegan). The range includes unscented and Oy!, which is specially formulated for acne-prone or teenage skin. As well as a range of skin creams with built-in sun protection.

Green People (organic vegan skincare products)

The range also includes add-ons like anti-redness facial oil drops, and retinol-booster serums.

Green People Organic Eye Creams & Serums

Green People Rejuvenating Eye Cream (also in a scent-free version) hydrates the delicate skin around your eyes using over 89% certified organic ingredients. The ingredients (including soothing seaweed) help to smooth fine lines, and lighten dark circles. It sinks in quickly, never feeling greasy or heavy. Use morning and night for skin that looks rested and bright.

The firming eye serum plumps up skin by 26% in just 1 hour, and increases radiance after a month of use. Made to tone (not tingle!) this includes a calming chamomile aroma.

Green People Line Eraser Serum blends 23 science-backed actives. Key plant extracts like pomegranate, sea holly and baicalin work to firm and brighten. The light gel texture absorbs quickly, leaving no residue. Daily use helps soften crow’s feet and makes eyes look brighter.

Tips to Reduce Crow’s Feet Around the Eyes

Skin around the eyes is very thin, so be gentle (dry your face by tapping with a towel, not scrubbing). Also tap eye creams and serums gently onto your skin, using your ring finger (uses less pressure).

• Try to get enough sleep. Rest lets your skin repair itself. Aim for regular sleep at the same times each night. Eating fruit and drinking water can also help your skin stay healthy.
• Give up smoking. This also helps to prevent cigarette litter!
• Protect your skin from the sun, and wear sustainable sunglasses (they block out light, and keep you from squinting).

SBTRCT (zero waste vegan skincare)

SBTRCT is an excellent skincare brand, founded by the former execute at male skincare brand Bulldog. He has turned facial skincare on its head, offering a small line of vegan natural skin items (cleansers, exfoliators and face creams, with vitamin C booster).

Sustainable Zero Waste Packaging

All are sold in zero waste bamboo packaging, you just buy refills thereafter, which also saves you money. Note the squalane is plant-based (not from sharks, like some brands).

Neal’s Yard Rosehip Oil (for scars and pigmentation)

There’s nothing wrong with having a few laughter lines or scars. But if you wish to reduce age spots and scarring, don’t fall for the expensive miracle creams.

Neals Yard rosehip oil is organic to naturally reduce hyperpigmentation and scarring with vitamin E. Just a few drops needed to give 250 uses per bottle used two times daily.

Scars are the skin’s natural way of healing from injuries, but sometimes you may end up with hypertrophic scars, which sit above the skin, or keloid scars, which grow and spread.

Atrophic scars, on the other hand leave a sunken look (like acne scars). Others may have scars from injury or surgery.

Simple ageing can also lead to age or liver spots (flat brown spots that tend to show up mostly on sun-exposed areas like the face and hands).

Preventative Measures for Scars

Quick action can prevent lasting marks. Apply a wild rose balm or wild rose beauty serum to areas where skin feels tender or looks red. These products help calm skin, reduce inflammation, and support quick healing. They create a healthy environment so spots and scrapes don’t become scars.

Any dermatologist will tell you that the best way to prevent age spots is to keep out of strong sun and use a good natural sunscreen.

Eating foods high in antioxidants also helps (fresh fruits and veggies). Gentle exfoliation also helps to buff away dead skin cells, but only do this once or twice a week.

Proper cleansing removes dirt, sweat, and makeup that can irritate your skin. Use a mild cleanser like a calendula cleanser or frankincense cleanser.

Upcircle Beauty is an award-winning brand of skin and hair care, all made with natural vegan ingredients, and sold in zero waste packaging (glass jars, metal lids and cardboard boxes).

These products are unique in that each one makes use of antioxidant-rich ingredients, that would otherwise be discarded by industry.

Most items contain essential oils (so avoid for pregnancy/nursing). Some items contain cocoa butter (so wash your face before allowing pets to kiss you! – same with sunscreen, which contains zinc oxide).

Use with their muslin cloths, fairly-made in India. Easy to wash (do not allow to dry out before laundering, to minimise staining).

A Cleansing Balm (with discarded apricot stones)

Upcircle Cleansing Balm has amazing reviews, and is ideal to remove make-up (including mascara) as well as daily grime, at the end of the day.

It’s made with oat oil and discarded apricot stones (from the apricot oil industry), which are rich in the antioxidant vitamin E.

With combined with skin-calming blackcurrant seed, and oils of blue tansy and sea buckthorn, this balm leaves skin cleansed, soothed and hydrated.

To use, just massage a coin-sized amount (with dry hands) between your fingers, and apply to face in upward circular motions. Remove with a warm damp cloth, for a clearer, brighter complexion.

Sold in two sizes (55ml or a 20ml travel size).

A Face Moisturiser (with upcycled argan shells)

Upcircle Face Moisturiser is made with the finely ground powder of discarded argan shells, a natural by-product of the argan oil industry, which is rich in antioxidant vitamin E. It also contains nourishing aloe vera, revitalising blood orange and skin-soothing cocoa powder.

Designed to leave skin balanced, bright, and deeply moisturised, apply to clean dry skin, and massage in until absorbed. Suitable for all skin types.

An Eye Cream (with upcycled coffee grounds)

Upcircle Eye Cream has amazing reviews, and is designed to help firm and protect the delicate eye area, reduce puffiness and brighten dark circles. It’s made with caffeine-rich coffee oil, extracted from repurposed grounds collected daily from local coffee shops.

It also contains anti-inflammatory maple bark extract (a by-product of the wood industry). Hyaluronic acid is also added to aid hydration, and reduce the appearance of fine lines.

Apply a small amount around eye contours, morning and night.

A Night Cream (with upcycled blueberries)

Upcircle Night Cream is designed to leave the skin balanced and deeply moisturised, made with upcycled blueberries (from the juicing industry) – natural antioxidants that are high in pro-retinol.

They are combined with replenishing niacinamide, hydrating hyaluronic acid and nourishing rosehip oil, to help promote overnight skin regeneration, and even out skin tone.

To use, just apply in the evening to clean dry skin.