The Best Zero-Waste & Refillable Beauty Brands (That Are Actually Vegan & Cruelty-Free)
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3/26/20253 min read
If you’re looking to cut down on waste without sacrificing decent products, here are some of the best UK-based cruelty-free and vegan beauty brands doing it right.
1. UpCircle
Best for: Skincare made from upcycled ingredients.
If you like the idea of giving ‘waste’ a second life, UpCircle is perfect for you. They take things like used coffee grounds and discarded fruit stones (yes, really) and turn them into skincare products that are surprisingly lovely. Their packaging is refillable, recyclable, and plastic-free where possible, and they even offer a scheme where you can send back empties to be refilled.
Sustainability Wins: - Upcycled ingredients = less waste
- Plastic-free or refillable packaging
- Return-and-refill scheme
Top Picks:
Cleansing Face Balm – Melts away makeup without stripping your skin.
Face Scrub (Made from Coffee Grounds!) – Gently buffs away dead skin, smells amazing.
Best for: A fully closed-loop, zero-waste system.
Beauty Kitchen doesn’t mess around when it comes to sustainability. They have a Return · Refill · Repeat system where you send back your empty bottles, and they wash, refill, and reuse them. No single-use anything. They also make solid beauty bars, meaning no plastic waste at all. The best part? The products actually work—no weird textures or ‘eco-friendly’ formulas that don’t do much.
Sustainability wins
-Returnable, refillable packaging
- Certified B Corp and zero-waste company
- No plastic where it can be avoided
Top Picks:
Abyssinian Oil Night Cream – Super nourishing without being greasy.
Shampoo & Conditioner Bars – Solid bars that lather properly.
3. BYBI
Best for: Simple, effective skincare that’s good for you and the planet.
BYBI doesn’t just focus on sustainable packaging (though they do that well, with glass bottles and sugarcane-based bioplastics). They also work to reduce their carbon footprint across the board—right down to using low-energy production methods. Their return-and-refill scheme means you can send back empties to be sterilised and reused instead of chucked in the recycling bin.
Sustainability Wins:
- Glass and bioplastic packaging
- Carbon-neutral company
- Returnable bottles for refilling
Top Picks:
Bakuchiol Booster – A plant-based alternative to retinol that won’t freak out sensitive skin.
Strawberry Booster – A simple, hydrating face oil made from upcycled strawberry seeds.
Best for: Skincare that’s natural but still does something.
Evolve Beauty makes small-batch skincare using organic, vegan, and cruelty-free ingredients. Their glass jars and bottles are fully recyclable, and they’ve introduced refills for some of their bestsellers. Plus, because everything is handmade in small quantities, there’s less waste from overproduction.
Sustainability Wins:
- Glass and aluminium packaging (no plastic where avoidable)
- Some refillable products
- Made in small batches to reduce waste
Top Picks:
Hyaluronic Serum 200 – Hydrating, lightweight, and doesn’t leave skin feeling sticky.
Gentle Cleansing Melt – A balm-to-milk cleanser that actually removes makeup.
5. Flawless
Best for: Affordable, zero-waste beauty without the fluff.
A lot of ‘eco’ beauty brands come with a pretty hefty price tag, but Flawless proves that it's possible to shop sustainably and affordably. They offer skincare, haircare, and beauty tools in completely plastic-free packaging, and their formulas are simple but effective. No unnecessary chemicals, no wasteful packaging, just good products that do the job.
Sustainability Wins:
- 100% plastic-free packaging
- Vegan, cruelty-free, and handmade in the UK
- Affordable compared to many sustainable brands
Top Picks:
Micellar Water – Removes makeup gently without needing a million cotton pads.
Bamboo Makeup Brushes – Soft, well-made, and zero plastic.
Sustainable Beauty Without the Greenwashing
It’s easy for brands to slap a ‘sustainable’ label on their products and call it a day, but true sustainability means more than just ‘recyclable’ packaging. The brands I've listed are genuinely working to reduce waste—whether that’s through refillable systems, plastic-free packaging, or upcycling ingredients that would otherwise get wasted.
So, if you’re looking to make your skin care and make-up routine a little less wasteful (without giving up products that actually work), i think these brands are a great place to start.