The 3 Best Makeup Brushes that are Eco Friendly

What to look for in your Eco makeup brushes

Whilst some of us use them every day and others only on special occasions, nearly every women owns at least a couple of makeup brushes.

We are now more aware than ever the impact makeup products can have on the environment but whilst many of us carefully consider our lipstick or eye shadow, the staple of any makeup bag, the makeup brush, is often overlooked.

All animal lovers, especially vegans who do not use any animal products should be aware that the bristles in many makeup brushes can be made from the hair of squirrels, badgers, goats and ponies.

Although many companies claim the hair is obtained cruelty free it is hard to know where and how it has been sourced and much comes from the fur industry (Source).

The information on how the animals in question are treated is sparse at best.

You can avoid these animal hair makeup brushes by using synthetic alternatives.

Here are 3 of the best eco friendly makeup brushes available right now

EcoTools 6 Piece Bamboo Makeup Brush Set

EcoTools is a leading beauty brand creating quality beauty products for the eco conscious.

All the bristles in this EcoTools BAMBOO 6-pc Makeup Brush Set 1206 are made from the synthetic fibre Taklon meaning no animal hair is used.

The handles are made from bamboo; a fast growing, sustainable wood and the ferrules between the handles and bristles are made from recycled aluminium.

The set comes in a cosmetics case made from hemp and natural cotton.

Every thought has been made to make this set 100% cruelty free and as eco friendly as possible.

The EcoTools brand was created by actress and environmental activist Alicia Silverstone.

Nvey Eco Makeup Brushes

Not only do all the Nvey Eco makeup brushes feature synthetic bristles but the lightweight handles have been designed to be 100% compostable.

This means that the NVEY ECO – Concealer Makeup Brush is cruelty free and has less of an impact on the environment when the time comes to dispose of them.

There are a whole range of brushes available from lip liner brushes to concealer brushes in the Eco range.

Bdellium Tools Green Bambu Complete Makeup Brush Set

The Green Bambu range of brushes from Bdellium Tools is eco friendly and of a professional quality.

Each brush in the Bdellium Tools Bambu Complete Makeup Brush Set is made with sustainably sourced bamboo handles and soft synthetic bristles making them cruelty free and suitable for vegans to use.

This brush set comes in a roll up pouch made from natural materials.

The Pink and Yellow Bamboo range from Bdellium Tools also features these eco friendly qualities.

Although all the elements that go into making a makeup brush eco friendly are important make sure you look for synthetic bristles above all else.

After that you can take into consideration the material of the handles and packaging used.

Researching natural, eco conscious beauty companies can help you make your decision into the best brushes for you.

Now you know what features to look for and the ones to stay clear of you may be wondering is there such as thing as a truly eco friendly brush?

Whilst every effort is made by companies such as the ones mentioned to have minimal damage to the environment there will always be some impact created by the manufacturing of any product.

This could be from the energy used to power the factory the product is made in to pollution from transport used for distribution.

Individual makeup brushes and makeup brush sets are generally made in large factories and anything created in a factory will always have some impact on the environment.

As well as the manufacturing process, makeup brushes can affect the environment in another way. When they are no longer usable makeup brushes get thrown away and end up in landfill.

Unless made to be compostable such as the Nvey Eco range (above) even eco friendly brushes will eventually end their lives in a landfill site.

So whilst there may still be environmental factors such as manufacturing and recycling that future innovations and ideas may be able to tackle, by current standards these makeup brushes are about as eco friendly as you can get.

When purchasing the best makeup brush it is important to go for good quality brushes.

Brushes of a superior quality will make it easier to apply makeup and create a better finish. They will also last a lot longer.

There are ways in which you can test a brush to see how good the quality is

Simply rub the brush across the back of your hand. Good quality bristles will feel soft against your skin and lesser quality ones will feel rough and scratchy.

When rubbing the brush against your skin if any bristles fall out the brush is probably not very well made and should be avoided.

Also, a good rule of thumb for bristles is that the more densely packed they are, the better the brush.

Another element to consider when it comes to quality is how the brush retains makeup. Some can lose most of the powder almost immediately whilst others trap so much makeup there is none left for your face.

Luckily for those using eco friendly brushes these problems are more associated with natural bristles. Powder becomes trapped in the bristles leaving the brush caked in old makeup meaning it is less effective during application and a lot harder to clean.

Other indicators of quality include a securely fitted ferrule that does not spin or wobble and a handle that feels comfortable in your hand.

The last thing to remember is that different makeup brushes are made to do different things.

Make sure you get the best out of your makeup brushes by knowing your blush brush from your shadow blush and all the other variations. (Source)

With more and more of us becoming increasingly aware of the affect our daily routines have on the environment, eco friendly makeup brushes are more popular than ever.

With most makeup bags now equipped with makeup not tested on animals it makes sense to use cruelty free makeup brushes to apply it with.