5 sustainable beauty swaps to make in 2025

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Often at the start of a New Year, new habits are made or a spot of decluttering takes place. During this time, maybe out-of-date beauty and makeup products will be thrown away. Before you re-buy, I want to share 5 sustainable beauty swaps that can be made. These are sustainable beauty products/swaps that I have tried out and love.

Switching to sustainable beauty swaps

I first mentioned cutting down on plastic beauty products in 2021, and thankfully since then, brands have started to make a shift. There is so much plastic in the beauty industry, and so much of this is thrown away rather than recycled. Partly because it has not been made to recycle, and partly because people just can’t be bothered. But it isn’t just plastic to think about, it is also important to look for products and brands that do not test on animals and are cruelty-free.

The rise of shopping online straight from TikTok or Instagram has created a lot of overconsumption. Beauty influencers are constantly sharing the ‘best’ new product for your skincare or beauty routine. Generally, these people do not look at their plastic consumption or whether the brand has the right values. I will admit that not all the products in my beauty routine are sustainable, and that is something I am trying to change.

Things to consider when trying new products

1. Ask around to see if friends or family have the product you want to try out. This gives you a no-pressure option to try out the product, without committing to a full bottle. They may not have liked it and have some lying around!
2. See if you can buy the product in a travel size/mini. I love it when brands provide a mini travel size, as it means if I don’t like it, I haven’t wasted too much product. Often the cost is more expensive, but I try to do this as my skin is so sensitive.
3. Check if you can get a tester in-store. Sometimes shops will give out a small pot of product for you to try. The Body Shop did this for my friend and I after we shared our skincare concerns. This was so helpful as my friend loved it and then could buy a full size, whereas I did not!

5 sustainable beauty swaps to make in 2025

Natural deodorant

I made the switch to natural deodorant in 2022 and went for Wild which is a fairly well-known brand. Their deodorant contains safe, natural ingredients that contain no harsh chemicals and are gentle on the skin. They have lots of great-smelling scents and release new ones throughout the year so there is no chance you will get bored!

Wild’s newest collection is in partnership with Mind, which is a mental health charity. They have released three new limited edition scents and have donated £20,000 to support their work.

• Calm – A soothing scent to take a pause and relax. Geranium, lavender and patchouli to ease you into the New Year.
• Renew – Cleansing and uplifting to help you look after yourself after a busy end of the year. This scent contains fresh ginger, a citrus mix and eucalyptus to rejuvenate and refresh at the start of the year.
• Energise – Kick off the new year with a zesty scent to add a spring to your step. Grapefruit, rich amber and mandarin are the perfect pick-me-up for the darker mornings.

My personal favourite is Calm, the lavender really makes it smell like a relaxing bath!

Vegan makeup

There is a misconception that vegan makeup is much more expensive than other makeup. Whilst this may be true for some brands, I have managed to find a couple of brands with all the good credentials, and are affordable.

I have been using Collection for a few years now and I love their foundation and concealer. Their foundation* is only £7.99 and their concealer* is £4.49 so it is super affordable! I have also been using Elf Cosmetics who sell both skincare* and makeup products. Their foundation* is £7.50 and their concealer* ranges between £4 and £7. I absolutely adore Elf’s liquid eyeshadow* which I have in a few different shades.

Boots have a recycling scheme where you can wash and bring back harder-to-recycle products. There is an app for this and you need to scan the product before bringing it back to make sure it is eligible. I would recommend waiting until you have 5 products that are ready to be returned as then you can get £5 off. The £5 is only redeemable the same day so I would maybe wait until you have something to buy.

A brand that is a bit more pricier is Zao Makeup. My sister first introduced me to them 5 years ago, and I have tried out a few of their products. My sister originally bought me the refillable mascara which is nice, but I rarely wear mascara.

My favourite product of theirs is the refillable eyebrow powder which I use every single day. It has lasted me almost 2 years so it is definitely worth your money! The refill is only £5.95 which is very reasonable. You need to buy the makeup palette for the refill to fit in which is £9.95. It does add up, but I personally think it is worth it as it lasts a long time. I also use their blush which I find a good colour for my skin.

Reusable cotton rounds

Swap makeup wipes for reusable cotton rounds. They are definitely one of my favourite sustainable beauty swaps as they are so simple but so effective! I have three different types that I use for three different purposes. Firstly, the smaller/thinner reusable cotton rounds are perfect for removing makeup. Just add a few drops of micellar water and your makeup will come off. Secondly, I like to use a bigger reusable cotton round* to pat my face dry after cleansing. It helps get make-up off that hasn’t come off with the first go. I also have square black cotton pads for removing nail varnish.

It is really simple to wash them, and you can just add them to your normal wash. A small bag came with mine so I put them in that first. You can also handwash them, but I find it more convenient to add them to my normal wash.

Continue reading: 5 sustainable beauty swaps to make in 2025

Reusable/refillable razor

I’m not quite sure what the right term is for a non-single-use razor! A reusable razor is a no-brainer sustainable swap as it will save you money. I have been using Estrid for a few years and I really like it. Estrid razors are made from stainless steel and are vegan and cruelty-free. It is great to have razor heads on a subscription as you rarely have to think about ordering the next pack.

Soap bar

I am so glad that my family and I made the swap to soap bars. My mum started making soap as we wanted to know what we were washing our hands with! We only use natural ingredients and have a lot of fun thinking up designs, scents and colours. Of course, you don’t have to make your own, there are lots of places that sell soap bars. You can also use soap bars as a shower gel replacement. Soap bars last quite a while, and it is so great that there is no waste! If there are soap scraps, an idea could be to collect them until you have enough to melt down and create another soap bar.

Have you made any sustainable beauty swaps?

Caroline ♡