Eco Awards 2022 Makeup Winners

2022 eco beauty awards

The Best Eco Makeup Products

By

Updated on 04/20/22

Thanks to changes in our technology—and our culture—it's easier than ever to find color cosmetics that go beyond their baseline purpose. We're talking about products that don't just use ingredients that are safe for the skin, but ingredients that work to treat and improve it; brands that use savvy packaging and sustainable sourcing to create products that are as good for the planet as they are for your aesthetic; and cosmetics companies that create innovative makeup and give back to the community.

After testing countless blushes, bronzers, eyeliners, and (much) more, we've compiled a list of 19 of our favorite products that are pushing the boundaries of what makeup is—and can be. Keep reading for our 2022 Eco Beauty Award winners in the makeup category.

01 of 19

Best Foundation

Tower28 SunnyDays Tinted Sunscreen

Tower28 SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation $30.00

A 2-in-1 buildable coverage foundation with SPF 30
100 percent mineral sunscreen
Received the National Eczema Association's Seal of Acceptance

"This is the formula I credit with making me a full-on Tower 28 stan. Everything about it is perfect in my book: the ideal amount of buildable, medium coverage, an exact shade match, a skin-like, natural finish, and mineral SPF. But don’t just take my word for it—this foundation is also the first complexion product to receive the National Eczema Association’s stamp of approval. It’s safe for sensitive skin, non-comedogenic, and harnesses protective ingredients sourced from California deserts. Plus, the brand embraces continuous improvement in their sustainability efforts, which includes initiatives like using 50%+ PCR materials, a carbon-neutral packaging printer, and paper from sustainably managed forests."
-Madeline Hirsch, news director

02 of 19

Best Primer

Youthforia Pregame Primer

Youthforia Pregame Primer $38.00

Hydrates skin and holds makeup in place
Leaves a soft, radiant finish on your skin
Protects against blue light and digital pollution

"Youthforia founder Fiona Chan is passionate about creating clean and sustainable makeup that's good for your skin (and safe enough to sleep in). The brand's newest launch, Pregame Primer, has become a staple in my beauty routine. Whenever I use it, my skin feels hydrated, looks radiant, and my makeup glides on like silk. Chan loaded the formula up with proprietary skincare actives focused on reducing redness, controlling sebum, and protecting against blue light. It's been certified by USDA BioPreferred to contain 100% biobased ingredients. This primer is also plant-based, D5- and silicone-free, cruelty-free, and vegan."
-Olivia Hancock, editor

03 of 19

Best Tinted Moisturizer

Rose Inc Skin Enhance Tinted Serum

Rose Inc Skin Enhance Luminous Tinted Serum $49.00

Squalane and hyaluronic acid help plump and hydrate the skin
Bottle, cap, and box are all recyclable
A clinical study found that the serum instantly increases hydration an average of 144%

"It's rare to find a color complexion product that actually improves your skin's texture and clarity, but this tinted serum actually does just that. A truly unique product, it presents itself as pigmented capsules suspended in a hyaluronic acid serum that burst on contact and blend out. Despite feeling more like skincare than foundation, the level of coverage is quite impressive and delightfully buildable. But perhaps the best part is that even after it's washed off, my skin continues to look radiant and more even-toned. I'm a massive fan."
-Lindsey Metrus, associate general manager

04 of 19

Best Concealer

Kosas Revealer Concealer

Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer $28.00

Easy-to-blend formula
Buildable coverage
Sets with a skin-like finish

Read our review: Kosas' New $28 Concealer Applies Like a Dream

"My no-makeup makeup routine isn’t complete without a few sweeps of this creamy, easy-to-blend concealer. It buffs out to hide areas of hyperpigmentation (caused by my face-picking) and redness, drying down to feel like skin. The end result: a visibly radiant and more even complexion."
-Jesa Marie Calaor, editor

05 of 19

Best Mascara

Kjaer Weis Im-Possible Mascara

Kjaer Weis Im-Possible Mascara $32.00

Flake-free formula
Opthalmalogist-tested
A dual-sided brush features a flattened portion for length as well as a curved portion for volume

"To be honest, mascaras marketed as 'natural' don't do it for me. My sparse, short lashes need a formula that thickens and lengthens, and I rarely get that from something that's less, well, synthetic. That is, until I tried the 'first certified organic' mascara from Kjaer Weis. Not only is it friendly to lashes with ingredients like raspberry fruit water and marula oil, it also volumizes and lengthens on the same level as some buzzy mainstream favorites. Better yet, you can layer with abandon, with no clumpy spider lashes in sight. The cherry on top: The sleek aluminum tube is recyclable and refillable."
-Lindsey Metrus, associate general manager

06 of 19

Best Cream Blush

Saie Dew Blush Liquid Cheek Blush

Saie Dew Blush Liquid Cheek Blush $24.00

Highly pigmented
Easily blendable
Available in six shades

"Saie's Dew Blush Liquid Cheek Blush delivers exactly what I require in a blush: versatility. It's highly pigmented (trust me: You really only need to start with one conservative dot on each cheek), but blends out easily and layers beautifully. This means that whether you're going for a soft flushed look or dramatic draping, you can achieve your desired outcome with total ease. Saie also has some impressive eco bona fides: The company is certified Climate Neutral, Plastic Negative, and Leaping Bunny certified, and 1% of all sales go toward environmental non-profits, such as ocean conservation projects including The Coral Restoration Foundation and The Rozalia Project."
-Eden Stuart, associate editor

07 of 19

Best Powder Blush

2022 Byrdie Eco Beauty Awards best blush

Honest Lit Powder Blush $16.00

Made with sustainably sourced mica pearl
Metal compact is refillable and recyclable

"A blush-highlighter hybrid, this luminous blend offers big color payoff with a subtle hint of sheen to wake up your complexion instantly. I'm a big fan of the shade Flirty for my fair, neutral skin tone. A subtle dusting on the apple of my cheeks and up into my temples offers a refreshed, 'lifted' effect."
-Lindsey Metrus, associate general manager

08 of 19

Best Liquid Highlight

LYS Aim High Liquid Highlighter

LYS Beauty Aim High Multi-Use Liquid Highlighter $19.00

Available in three shades (champagne, rose gold, and warm bronze)
Formulated with mango fruit extract and sodium hyaluronate
Can be used over, underneath, or mixed into your foundation

Learn more: Get to Know LYS Beauty Founder Tisha Thompson.

"When I want to enhance my skin's radiance, I use this highlighter. Applying a few dabs gives me a lit-from-within glow. I also love using it because of the skincare benefits the formula provides. Myrciaria dubia fruit extract helps even my skin tone, mango fruit extract helps to replenish my skin, and sodium hyaluronate revitalizes my complexion. To help protect the environment, LYS Beauty uses FSC-certified folding cartons and packaging and glass and tubes using 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials."
-Olivia Hancock, editor

09 of 19

Best Powder Highlight

Lawless golden highlighter

Lawless Lucid Skin Highlighter $38.00

Warm-glow highlighter with a hint of peach
Velvety powder texture that blends easily
Provides a luminous sheen that isn't overly glittery

To me, there is nothing better in life than a good highlighter. Extra points for one with a peachy sheen and velvety-powder finish. It offers just enough high-shine luminosity without looking glittery or over-the-top. I love to wear it for a night out when I want to feel especially romantic and lit up all over. For transparency, the brand writes they're "working towards more sustainable packaging and manufacturing practices every day," so while they're not there yet they're working on it.
-Hallie Gould, editorial director

10 of 19

Best Bronzer

Milk Makeup Matte Cream Bronzer Stick

Milk Makeup Matte Cream Bronzer Stick $21.00

Easy-to-use and buildable formula
Formulated with mango butter and apricot oil for smooth, easy blending
Provides a matte and natural glow

"Whether you're looking for a wash of color or more sculpted contour, Milk's Matte Cream Bronzer stick offers a buildable formula for all your needs. Mango butter and apricot oil work to make for a creamy and blendable glow. This is a foolproof product and works well with a brush, fingers, or sponge."
-Erika Harwood, senior style editor

11 of 19

Best Eyeliner

Kulfi Beauty Kajal Eyeliner

Kulfi Beauty Underlined Kajal Eyeliner $20.00

Available in five shades
Formulated with aloe vera and vitamin E
Delivers long-lasting, smudge-proof, and pigmented color

Learn More: The Benefits and Uses of Vitamin E for Skin

"Kulfi Beauty's Underlined Kajal Eyeliner is everything an eyeliner should be—pigmented, creamy, moisturizing (it's formulated with aloe vera and vitamin E), and smudge-proof. In terms of sustainability, the brand's shipping mailers are 100% compostable, biodegradable, and recyclable. The unit cartons are made in an FSC and SFI certified facility that uses 100% wind energy and have a water-based coating which makes them 100% recyclable. Kulfi Beauty also works with TerraCycle which ensures that the brand's eyeliners are melted down and turned into pellets that can be used to produce new products."
-Olivia Hancock, editor

12 of 19

Best Glitter

TooD Body Bioglitter

TooD Bioglitter Body Glitter $26.00

One-swipe biodegradable glitter gel
Plastic-free
Available in five pigments

Learn more: The Founder of TooD Beauty Shares Her Story

"In case you missed it: traditional glitter is a source of microplastic that can be harmful to people and animals when ingested. So while glitter is super fun, it’s not good for the environment. That’s why TooD made the world’s first innovative BioGlitter that is made from plastic-free plant cellulose, making it totally biodegradable. But the best part is that this glitter is even better than traditional glitters I’ve tried. It goes on in a gel so it’s easy to stick anywhere on your body without any fallout. Plus, it comes in five iterations to satisfy all of your glitzy needs."
-Star Donaldson, senior social media editor

13 of 19

Best Eyeshadow

RMS Beauty Eyelights

RMS Beauty Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow $26.00

Long wearing
Recyclable packaging
Formulated with organic green tea and natural peptide quinoa extracts

"I think the most intimidating thing about eyeshadow is blending it out, so I love to have products that you can dab on quickly and go. This RMS Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow is easy to apply with only your fingertips, and, despite the cream texture, it’s really buildable too. For a subtle tint, I apply one layer of product. And because it dries down so fast, it’s easy to decide if you want to add more color on top (which you can do sans pilling). It has a metallic finish and doesn't crease after hours of wear like other cream shadows."
-Star Donaldson, senior social media editor

14 of 19

Best Multi-Use Makeup Product

Ilia Multi-Stick Cream Blush, Highlighter + Lip Tint Palette

Ilia Multi-Stick Cream Blush, Highlighter + Lip Tint Palette $42.00

Ingredients include shea butter, avocado oil, and orange peel wax
Offers a skin-first, glowy finish
Can mix, match, and layer every formula

Learn more: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Shea Butter

"I'm obsessed with this thing; it's everything I've ever wanted in a palette and more. Every shade—including champagne pearl, golden peach, soft pink, and bronze—can be used on your eyes, lips, and cheeks. It's a perfect, skin-first palette of fresh, easy-to-use formulas to highlight as well as add flush and dimension. Mix, match, and layer it all for a super glowy, luminous, natural-looking finish. Ilia is also now working with Pact Collective to recycle anything that feels hard-to-recycle—just send back up to 10 products per month and they'll take care of the rest."
-Hallie Gould, editorial director

15 of 19

Best Lipstick

Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick

Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick $26.00

Long-lasting
Hydrating lip balm-mimicking texture infused with plant-derived squalane and sunflower oil
Available in eight nude shades

Learn more: Merit Debuted a '90s-Inspired Lipstick Collection—So We Tried It

"If you love the way lipstick looks but hate the way it feels, allow me to introduce you to your new favorite lip product. The smooth, creamy, lightweight texture makes it feel like lip balm, but the color payoff is comparable to a classic bullet. Merit's ethos is to cut through the clutter and provide slow, conscious products you'll actually use, and this is something I truly use every single day—and I feel really good about it. The component is made from 30% post-consumer plastic, and the Signature Lip will always ship in packaging that's either recyclable or compostable."
-Holly Rhue, senior editor

16 of 19

Best Tinted Lip Balm

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm $23.00

Made with shea and murumuru seed butter to soothe and hydrate lips
Sheer-beige tint

"Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm is my latest and greatest obsession. It hydrates and soothes my lips instantly while providing a lovely sheer tint. The formula is packed with shea and murumuru seed butters to moisturize, soothe, and condition lips, as well as vegan waxes to boost shine all day long. Also, Summer Fridays has a program where you can send back empty packaging to be recycled and you even receive a free product in return."
-Jasmine Phillips, social media editor

17 of 19

Best Lip Gloss

Ami ColÃ© Lip Oil Treatment

Ami Colé Lip Oil Treatment $20.00

Formulated with baobab, camellia, and passionfruit seed oil
Adds sheer color and shine to lips
Available in a universally-flattering shade

Learn more: Here's our full review of the entire Ami Colé line.

"I never leave home without a tube of Ami Colé Lip Oil Treatment. It leaves my lips looking shiny and with a beautiful, natural tint. The Lip Treatment Oil also conditions your lips while you wear it, thanks to ingredients like baobab, camellia, and passionfruit seed oil. Since Ami Colé is focused on providing safer solutions for people of color, all of the products are vegan and cruelty-free. The brand also strives to make planet-friendly decisions by using less plastic and materials made from reusable, recyclable, or recycled materials."
-Olivia Hancock, editor

18 of 19

Best Brow Product

Espressoh Hey Broh Brow Gel

Espressoh Hey Broh Brow Gel Espressoh Hey Broh Brow Gel $25.00

Clear gel
Sets and defines brow hair

"This is the best brow product I’ve tried, period. The brow look of the moment is that fluffy and brushed-up look and this Espressoh Hey Broh Brow Gel delivers in one swipe. My eyebrow hairs are a bit coarse and heavy, so I’ve been searching high and low for products that can push my brow hairs up and make them stay. I’ve been obsessed with this product for a year and I was delighted to find out it’s also vegan and cruelty-free. Guilt-free brows!!"
-Star Donaldson, senior social media editor

19 of 19

Best Nail Polish

Tenoverten Nail Polish

Tenoverten Nail Polish Tenoverten Nail Polish $12.00

Opaque formula
Beautiful shades
Recyclable outer packaging

Byrdie Clean

"Everything about TenOverTen's nail polish feels luxe, from the weighty glass bottle featuring the brand's minimalist logo to its opaque formula. One coat of this polish will reveal how high-impact its curated hues are; two will show off its glossy finish. Even better is its commitment to eco-conscious production: The brand opts to use sustainable materials when possible (like glass). It also ensures each product’s boxes are free of unnecessary inserts and coatings (making it easier to recycle) and are printed with soy ink."
-Jesa Marie Calaor, editor

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