2022 eco beauty awards

The Best Under-$25 Eco Beauty Products

Updated on 04/20/22

From biodegradable sheet masks packed with vegetable extracts to AHA creams with recyclable packaging, there are more affordable sustainable and effective products on the market than ever before. While this means more products to play with, it also means it can be hard to suss out the best of the best. Fortunately, that's our job.

The Byrdie team has tried hundreds of products over the past year, and we've rounded up the 12 we believe give you the most bang for your conscious buck. Below, read more about our 2022 Under-$25 Eco Beauty Award Winners.

01 of 12

The Hydration Hero

Byoma Rich Moisturizing Cream $15.00

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Highlights

Deeply hydrates the skin
Formulated with ceramides, shea extracts, and bakuchiol
Oil-free and non-comedogenic

Learn more about Byoma here.

"Byoma's Rich Moisturizing Cream instantly hydrates and plumps my perpetually parched skin. This is thanks to the product's tri-ceramide complex, which is enriched with restorative bakuchiol and barrier-boosting shea extracts. In addition to its dynamic formula, Byoma has put great thought into its sustainability practices. The brand relies on fully recyclable mono-material plastic and doesn't use shrink wrap and cardboard boxes to ship products. This spring, Byoma also plans to introduce refills. Outside of packaging, the buzzy skincare company has partnered with One Tree Planted to help offset its carbon emissions."
-Olivia Hancock, editor

02 of 12

The Skin Soother

Ferver Fermented Peptide Restoring Night Cream $19.00

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Highlights

Dermatologist tested
Suitable for all skin types
Super hydrating and perfect for dry skin

"Few feelings are better than a nice layer of a rich, nourishing moisturizer on clean skin. Ferver's Restoring Night Cream is one of my absolute favorites. You'll find a thick formula packed with fermented peptides, jojoba, and raspberry seed oil. The brand promises you'll wake up with luminous skin after using this, and I can verify this to be true. My skin always looks radiant and smooth in the morning when I use this at night. It's also fragrance-free, making it ideal for those with sensitivities."
-Aimee Simeon, senior beauty editor

03 of 12

The Instant Facial

Versed Doctor's Visit $18.00

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Highlights

Utilizes lactic, glycolic, and salicylic acids to help resurface the skin
Not intended for sensitive skin
The tub is made with 50% post-consumer recycled plastic

"Whenever I want to do a skin 'reset,' I turn to this high-powered jelly mask. In just a few minutes' time, the pineapple and papaya enzymes help dissolve buildup while a trio of lactic, glycolic, and salicylic acids brighten and even skin tone. I'm always amazed at how much more radiant my skin is immediately after rinsing it off, and have never been met with redness or tingling despite having typically reactive skin."
-Lindsey Metrus, associate general manager

04 of 12

The Magic Mask

Sweet Chef Celery and Hyaluronic Acid Fresh Pressed Sheet Mask $4.00

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Highlights

Deeply moisturizes skin
Provides a relaxing experience
100% biodegradable sheets

Learn more about some of the most-popular Sweet Chef products.

"This mask is like a green smoothie for my complexion. It's blended with ingredients (vitamin-rich veggie extracts and hyaluronic acid) that make skin look and feel healthier. I lay the sheet (which is generously saturated with serum) across my face for 15 minutes for a relaxing masking experience. The treatment also puts my mind at ease in a different way: I feel better using it over other sheet masks because it is 100% biodegradable—designed to break down in a little over a month."
-Jesa Marie Calaor, editor

05 of 12

The Overnight Miracle

Sephora Collection Firming Sleeping Cream $12.00

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Highlights

Suitable for all skin types
Texture is rich and comforting
A blend of glycerin, AHAs, and peptides

"Made with AHAs and peptides to help soften and firm overnight, this affordable cream is a pleasure to apply and makes my skin so dewy and happy come morning. It's vegan, comes in recyclable packaging, and is made in France by a company working on limiting its environmental impact (with photovoltaic panels and LED lighting)."
-Hallie Gould, editorial director

06 of 12

The Do-It-All Healer

Weleda Skin Food $19.00

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Highlights

Skin-nourishing blend of botanical oils, viola tricolor, calendula, and chamomile to soften and heal
All empty tubes can be recycled via the brand's program with TerraCycle

"You'll find Skin Food in just about every makeup artists' kit. It's a not-so-secret weapon against dry skin that also serves as a balmy highlight on the high points of the cheekbones in a pinch (among many other uses). The magic lies in a base of beeswax and plant oils that deeply nourish the skin throughout the day, providing the perfect base for foundation."
-Lindsey Metrus, associate general manager

07 of 12

The Cleansing Oil

Payot Herbier Face & Eye Cleansing Oil $25.00

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Highlights

Formulated without essential oils and fragrance to keep irritation at bay
A blend of olive and sunflower seed oils
Feels milky, melty, and comfortable and removes all traces of makeup

"This olive oil-based makeup remover easily and comfortably removes makeup courtesy of its milky, velvety, melty texture—and leaves absolutely nothing behind but happy, hydrated skin. Follow it up with your favorite gel cleanser and your skin will thank you. It's COSMOS-certified and formulated without fragrance or essential oils to keep irritation at bay for sensitive skin types."
-Hallie Gould, editorial director

08 of 12

The Damage Control

Madam by Madam CJ Walker Split End Smoothing Hair Serum $9.00

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Highlights

Improves the appearance of split ends
Made with nourishing oils (including marula, baobab, and pomegranate)

Byrdie Clean

Learn more: This New Haircare Brand Honors the 100 Year Legacy of Madam C.J. Walker

"I've always dealt with a lot of split ends and try to find products to help minimize this between trims. This treatment is designed to improve the appearance of split ends instantly and visibly reduce the signs of damaged hair. Plus, the formula is loaded with nourishing oils (including marula, baobab, and pomegranate)."
-Olivia Hancock, editor

09 of 12

The Curl Enhancer

Maui Moisture Frizz Free + Shea Butter Elongating Gel $9.00

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Highlights

Ideal for natural hair textures
Lightweight
Non-flaky

"I rely on gels to define my curls and keep them looking good for days until my next shampoo. Over the years, I've learned that all gels aren't created equally–especially those catered to curls. Some cause clumping and flaking, and some can make your hair feel super dry. Maui Moisture's Elongating Gel does the opposite. It's lightweight but not too filmy, so it coats the hair just enough to define it without weighing it down. I rake in a quarter-sized amount of gel in small sections of my hair and then diffuse my curls when I've distributed it throughout my head. The results are always super-defined curls (never crunchy or flaky) and soft to touch."
-Aimee Simeon, senior beauty editor

10 of 12

The "Good Lighting" Base

Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream $10.00

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Highlights

Non-drying matte formula
Controls shine all-day
Oil-free formula

Learn more: These are our favorite drugstore BB creams for an airbrushed finish.

"I typically associate matte products with dry, flaky, and full-coverage finishes—but this product is none of those things. Covergirl absolutely nailed it; this BB cream has just the right amount of coverage to even out my skin tone and brighten my dark circles without making it feel like I'm wearing a full face of makeup. It features a light, airy finish that doesn't settle into my fine lines or leave my complexion looking flat, and it keeps my oily T-zone in check all day long."
-Holly Rhue, senior editor

11 of 12

The Eight-Hour Faker

The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream $10.00

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Highlights

Soothes, hydrates, and brightens under-eyes
Contains caffeine to reduce puffiness
Inkey List reports its progress towards carbon neutrality every three months

Learn more about The Inkey List products.

"You can’t beat Inkey List formulas in terms of value. I use this eye cream daily (especially before applying concealer), and it soothes and hydrates just enough to refresh my under-eyes in the morning. Caffeine (a natural diuretic that can prevent water retention), bark extract, and the brand’s trademarked Matrixyl 3000 formula help reduce puffiness, stimulate collagen production, and soothe skin. Plus, the brand’s mission is to spread skincare transparency at every touchpoint (just check out their ingredients index). The product range is 74% recyclable, but the brand is constantly adding new initiatives to offset its carbon impact, like its current offset project with the Tamil Nadu community for reforestation."
-Madeline Hirsch, news director

12 of 12

The One-Swipe Staple

E.l.f. Hydrating Camo Concealer $7.00

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Highlights

Hydrating formula infused with sodium hyaluronate and rose flower water
Full-coverage
24 shades

Learn more: 10 E.l.f. Makeup and Skincare Buys So Good, You'll Want Them All

"Dark circles are my most prominent skincare concern. I'm extremely fair-skinned, and the skin under my eyes is quite thin, so I have a perpetual purple-ish hue in my under-eye area (even if I got 10 hours of sleep). But for $7, I can erase my dark circles with this e.l.f. formula. Just a tiny dot of Hydrating Camo Concealer leaves my under-eyes looking bright, plump, and creamy—it's truly worth every ounce of hype."
-Holly Rhue, senior editor

The Best Under-$25 Eco Beauty Products

The Hydration Hero

The Skin Soother

The Instant Facial

The Magic Mask

The Overnight Miracle

The Do-It-All Healer

The Cleansing Oil

The Damage Control

The Curl Enhancer

The "Good Lighting" Base

The Eight-Hour Faker

The One-Swipe Staple

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