Want to shop sustainable beauty? These are officially the best brands to invest in this year

It’s well known – and documented – that the beauty industry has a sustainability and waste problem. The responsibility shouldn’t just fall on consumers to practice good habits. Rather, it lies with the brands to make choices that protect consumers, workers and the planet.

While there are no perfect solutions to the sustainability problem (yet), there are innovative, forward-thinking and effective ones. That’s why, at Marie Claire UK, we’re all about championing brands doing the work to make the industry a more sustainable and ethical place.

We’ve crowned fifteen winners, as well as some brilliant highly commended brands, in the Beauty, Health & Wellness category of this year’s Sustainability Awards, with winners showing outstanding progress in categories such as Fragrance, Oral Care and Period Care. You want to know about the most sustainable brands on the market, right? Keep scrolling.

Meet the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards Beauty, Health & Wellness winners for 2024

1. B2B Service or Innovation

WINNER: Conserving Beauty

Who? Conserving Beauty is an innovative waterless beauty brand led by sustainable supply-chain expert Natassia Nicolao Grace, which aims to make looking after our planet both fun and accessible.

Why? Conserving Beauty has so many impressive initiatives and accomplishments under its belt, including patented technologies such as InstaMelt and NanoDOTE. The former is a water-soluble polymer material used as a make-up wipe; the latter is a smart material used to place over a spot that slowly dissolves into the skin (acting as a simple patch).

Conserving Beauty works with a number of organisations to ensure ethical and sustainable usage of water, raw materials, supply chains, animal protection and human rights, with its own internal targets, too. The brand is incredibly transparent about the entire life cycle of its products. It is truly setting the benchmark for other companies out there.

“A truly innovative business solving the waste problem within the beauty industry,” says sustainability advisor Ele Ward, one of our judges for this year’s Sustainability Awards. “Conserving Beauty understands the need for innovation within sustainability, while also holding a people-centric approach to business.”

2. Cruelty-Free Brand, Skincare: Face & Body

WINNER: LUSH

Who? Many know Lush for its epic bath bombs, but its values go much further than that. The company has long been a pioneer for cruelty-free beauty, with a policy on protecting animals that’s been in place since its inception.

Why? It goes without saying that all Lush’s products are cruelty-free, as well as being 100% vegetarian and 95% vegan. “We believe that animal testing is not acceptable. We recognise that customer safety is of importance but that this can be assured without the use of animals,” Lush states. In addition to its commitments to cruelty-free initiatives, its sustainability report focuses on packaging, raw materials, waste and recycling, energy, water and communication (as it relates to transparency with consumers). The brand’s ethos is “leaving the world lusher than we found it” and it’s doing a great job at sticking to that.

“Lush has always been a leader when it comes to sustainable and ethical beauty,” says Awards judge Paige Tracey of Soil Association Certification. “The ingredient map that allows users to see exactly where they are sourcing ingredients from is really good. I would, however, like to see an extra level of assurance on this traceability from a third party, as for much of their traceability and sourcing we are just trusting Lush’s word that they source from these places – e.g. blockchain with a company like Provenance.”

Tracey also praises the brand’s full-circle approach to sustainability: “[Lush's] take-back scheme for packaging which incentivises users with a free product is really good,” she says, “and I like that it’s sourcing recycled plastic as well as reusing these pots, thinking down to the level of its shop fronts.”

3. Cruelty-Free Brand, Make-up

WINNER: delilah

Who? Founded in 2014, British make-up brand delilah has focused strongly on sustainability and ethical sourcing from day one. It stocks a wide range of cosmetics, including skin tints, blushers, bronzers, lipsticks and brushes.

What? delilah doesn’t participate in animal testing or sell in any markets that require animal testing, meaning it’s 100% cruelty-free. This extends further to the brand being fully vegan with none of its products containing any animal-derived ingredients.

“This animal test-free, vegan, and paraben-free brand is approved by PETA’s Global Beauty Without Bunnies programme, meaning that no tests on animals were conducted for any of the ingredients or formulations in its products,” says Ingrid Newkirk, founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). “Today’s consumers increasingly value ethically produced beauty, and delilah is meeting this demand.”

“delilah has made clear changes and commitments to being more environmentally friendly over and above what many colour cosmetic brands have done. A very admirable effort and I look forward to seeing where the brand goes next,” Tracey notes.

“delilah is a true champion of cruelty-free, people-tested and vegan beauty,” says Ro Egglesfield, of sustainability advisory Seismic. “Its refusal to sell in markets which require animal testing demonstrates that activism and beauty can absolutely go hand-in-hand.”

4. Deodorant

WINNER: Make Waves

Who? Make Waves is at the forefront of sustainable deodorants – it launched as the UK’s first refillable deodorant. “Kind to your skin. Kind to the planet. The brand is constantly looking for ways to be better,” says Marie Claire UK editor Sunil Makan.

Why? Rather than an afterthought, sustainability and ethical practices were the founding principles of Make Waves. Key practices include a local supply chain entirely based in the UK; working solely with sustainable partners (B Corp-accredited or actively focused on sustainable solutions); investing in the future; using low-impact ingredients; and recognising inclusive sustainability.

“All aspects of the supply chain – upstream and downstream – are well designed to have minimum impact on the environment and maximum performance so that consumer habit change actually happens,” says judge Anuradha Chugh of B Lab UK. “[It has] transparent and well-evidenced sustainability commitments.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: AKT

5. Fragrance brand

WINNER: Miller Harris

Who? Miller Harris is a British fragrance house founded in 2000 by perfumer Lyn Harris. Committed to pushing creative boundaries and adhering to sustainable practices, the brand proves that conscious luxury can flourish.

What? With a motto of “80% done is better than waiting for 100% perfect,” Miller Harris understands that sustainability is about consistency and making small changes for a big impact. As well as operating with a transparent supply chain and on a circular model, the brand is cruelty-free, does environmental education, adheres to ethical human rights and labour conditions, and so much more.

“I have long admired the sustainability and environmental efforts of Miller Harris,” says Marie Claire UK executive beauty editor Shannon Lawlor. “It really champions sustainability without any sort of greenwashing, meaning it doesn’t use these claims to sell more product. The products stand on their own two feet, with longevity and luxury coming first, but knowing all of this goes on behind the scenes is truly fantastic.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Sana Jardin

6. Multi-Brand Retailer

WINNER: Counter Culture Store

Who? Counter Culture Store is a health, beauty and wellness retailer on a mission to make it easy for consumers to shop and discover sustainable and ethical products within that sphere.

Why? Home to over 130 sustainable and ethical beauty products, Counter Culture Store operates a brand eligibility framework, which enables it to assess whether a brand adheres to its standards before onboarding it to their platform. In addition, the retailer helps elevate brands on the site by offering a number of business initiatives.

“A great idea that makes it easier for consumers to make more considered purchases,” says Makan of Counter Culture’s approach. Lawlor agrees: “I really love this concept and some of the initiatives, particularly the discounting products near end-of-life and the work from home, remote aspect of employee working,” she says.

7. Ocean Friendly

WINNER: LUSH

Who? Lush has long been a champion for cruelty-free, Fairtrade, freshly made and even naked (aka limited packaging) beauty, as well as looking after our oceans.

Why? This year, Lush became the first global cosmetics brand to switch to Prevented Ocean Plastic, which is certified as recycled from plastic waste collected within 50km of an Indonesian ocean, coastline or major waterway that is otherwise at risk of polluting our oceans. The brand is working with its suppliers, Spectra Packaging, to roll out the initiative globally. In addition to helping prevent plastic waste from entering our oceans, the scheme supports the implementation of an efficient waste management infrastructure and provides income opportunities for local people in various countries.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Dr. Hauschka

8. Oral care

WINNER: SURI

Who? There’s a huge issue in oral care right now, with an estimated four billion toothbrushes ending up in landfill or oceans every year. SURI is the certified B Corp dental brand tackling this.

Why? SURI is an electric toothbrush that aims to take care of teeth without creating unnecessary waste. Brush heads are made from corn starch and the bristles from castor oil with the body of the toothbrush crafted from aluminium.

“A disrupter brand focusing on customer experience, durability and circularity. Keeping to a simple design but one that allows repair and the ability to upgrade when new innovation emerges is truly novel. Great attention to detail in all areas,” says judge Angela Moran of Silentnight.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: GudYu

9. Organic Brand

WINNER: Nunaïa

Who? Born from the founder’s decade-long work with local communities in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuadorian Amazon and Peru, Nunaïa is a superfood skincare brand built on the understanding of helping not hindering ancestral land and resources.

Why? The brand uses a regenerative skincare business model, strengthening its entire supply chain using ethical sourcing. It has several certifications, including COSMOS Organic, Leaping Bunny and vegan.

“Nunaia has shown itself to be a real pioneer when it comes to being a sustainable brand. Its use of innovative mycelium packaging – which is completely compostable – is great,” says Tracey. “It has committed to getting its fabrics GOTS-certified (Global Organic Textile Standard), meaning they will undergo pesticide residue and other chemical testing to ensure the materials really are ‘organic’.

“It has also had some strong social impacts and is committed to making a positive impact in the regions it sources its ingredients from, going above and beyond what other companies might do,” she continues. “A real stand-out brand when it comes not just to a commitment to organic, but an all-around commitment to making the world a better place.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Pai Skincare

HIGHLY COMMENDED: SAIRA

10. Period Care Brand

WINNER: WUKA

Who? WUKA (Wake Up and Kick Ass) is at the forefront of tackling taboos, stigma and access issues in the period care industry.

Why? By creating reusable period pants, WUKA is eliminating the need for single-use pads and tampons to those who wish to make the switch. The brand also recognises the barriers still facing people with periods today, including around stigmas and period poverty.

The brand is B Corp certified, CarbonNeutral certified, vegan and PETA-approved. In market research, WUKA discovered the life cycle of a pair of its underwear has a carbon footprint up to six times less compared to using pads (four times less for tampons) and can prevent around 200 single-use disposables from polluting our oceans or going to landfill. Co-founder and CEO Ruby Raut also led the charge in including period underwear in the abolishing of 20% VAT tax on period products.

“I’m a fan of WUKA and everything its doing to shake up its industry,” says Marie Claire UK’s senior health, sustainability and relationships editor, Ally Head. “I applaud its use of planet friendly materials, including GOTS organic cotton, recycled nylon and Tencel Modal with zero plastics or added chemicals including PFAs.” News and features editor Mischa Smith agrees: “WUKA’s dedication to circularity, through the use of organic and certified materials, is commendable,” she says.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The better company

11. Progress Towards Circularity

WINNER: Conserving Beauty

Who? A waterless beauty brand leading the way with innovative materials and formulas.

Why? Circularity is hugely important in the sustainable beauty landscape as it tracks practices from conception to end-of-life. Conserving Beauty doesn’t just consider one element of sustainability, it understands the need to encompass all elements of sustainable and ethical beauty.

Judge and Ecovia Intelligence founder Amarjit Sahota agrees, praising Conserving Beauty’s use of sustainable materials. “It is a good approach to circularity,” she says.

“We often talk about the power of collaboration to innovate on sustainability challenges,’ Seismic’s Olivia Hill says. “Conserving Beauty is a brilliant example of a cross-sector partnership. This Australian beauty brand worked with a Scottish manufacturer of dressings for burns’ victims to develop dissolvable, non-toxic solutions to face wipes, sheet masks and pimple patches that are safe for our waterways.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: LUMENE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Davines Group (Comfort Zone skincare and Davines haircare)

12. Small Business: Multi-Brand Retailer

WINNER: Boop

Who? Boop’s mission is to give products that would otherwise end up in landfill a second chance – an estimated US$4.8bn worth of products are destroyed annually. Boop works directly with brands to take excess stock and discontinued items that, packaging aside, are in perfect condition, and sells them on to beauty lovers at a discounted rate.

Why? Boop is on a mission to save the products that are perfect on the inside but look imperfect on the outside from going to landfill. The retailer has kept over 5,000 items out of landfill in just six months and enabled three brands to strengthen their relationships with charities to ensure unwanted stock is donated instead of destroyed. The retailer works directly with brands to help improve sustainability practices, and educates consumers on sustainable and ethical shopping, with the premise that small tweaks add up to a big impact.

“Boop tackles a critical beauty industry issue head-on: the wasteful practice of discarding imperfect stock,” says Hill. “By rescuing this stock and reselling it at a discounted price, it creates a win-win for consumers and the planet. Its partnerships with major brands are reshaping how the industry deals with excess, demonstrating the power of sustainable business models.”

“Boop is an innovative concept to rescue and reuse imperfect premium stock with potentially significant impacts on waste reduction,” agrees Good On You co-founder Sandra Capponi. “It has some good packaging practices and consumer engagement initiatives to support it.”

13. Small Business

WINNER: NYITA

Who? NYITA is a beauty brand that believes luxury doesn’t have to be at the planet’s expense. It aims to minimise the impact on the environment, support farmers and encourage biodiversity.

Why? The brand was established with sustainability and ethical principles at its foundation. NYITA is mindful of the oils it uses to avoid entire trees and plants being destroyed. It works with community farmers to not only support them and the planet, but to also help give them a full understanding of the supply chain. NYITA gives 10% of profits to support vulnerable people, animals and habitats.

“Nyita’s dedication to transparency and ethical sourcing is a testament to its purpose-driven approach,” notes Seismic co-founder Amy Bourbeau. “Its listing of each ingredient and direct support for farmers exemplify how businesses can be a force for good.”

“An excellent example of a small brand with the right values and purpose,” says gngr bees founder Nathalia Grisard. “You can clearly see the lengths it has gone to in order to certify its product and production. I believe better communication is needed across the brand’s social channels to educate customers about the impact of the production/industry and the same for the website, where it could demonstrate its supply chain more clearly. I am excited to follow this brand and see how it develops.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: My Skin Feels

14. Vegan Brand

WINNER: Authentic Beauty Concept

Who? Authentic Beauty Concept is a haircare brand with three core values: purity, simplicity and a steadfast commitment to ethical and sustainable practices.

Why? The brand prides itself on having eco-friendly packaging, responsible sourcing, minimal environmental footprint and a commitment to community initiatives. It encourages circularity with elements like refill bars and partakes in ethical sourcing, such as the Sustainable Guar Initiative (SGI). It’s the main sponsor of Hairdressers Without Borders and is mindful about packaging.

“Lots of boxes ticked here: eco-friendly packaging, responsible sourcing of ingredients, vegan, track waste, track water and refill stations,” says Immaculate Vegan co-founder Annick Ireland.

“Very impressed with what this brand has achieved in a short space of time,” says ethical make-up artist Justine Jenkins, “from the sustainable and educational initiatives, which are driving change for farmers and communities, to its refill stations, and sense of community. There is still more to be done of course, but I have full confidence that they will lead the way and make lasting changes.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Form Nutrition

15. Zero-Waste Brand

WINNER: SBTRCT Skincare

Who? SBTRCT Skincare is a solid, 100% plastic-free, zero-waste, cruelty-free and vegan brand.

Why? The brand is built on the premise of “less is more” and is B Corp certified. SBTRCT’s solid products are also cruelty-free and suitable for vegans with domestically compostable packaging.

“Incredibly impressed with all the initiatives the brand is fulfilling and its third-party certifications – which are expensive and arduous to upkeep, especially for a small business,” says Piper. “The products and packaging are thoughtful, and I love that it’s taken a more holistic view of sustainability with a commitment to paying employees at all levels a fair, living wage and ensuring ingredient sourcing across the supply chain is not only eco-friendly but also ethical.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Ecoalf Wellness

Marie Claire UK has determined the award winners in accordance with the judging criteria and with the information provided by the entrants. All information provided by the winning brands is published in good faith.