The beauty industry is full of greenwashing claims, so much so that it has turned many consumers into unbelievers.
What is greenwashing? It is when companies claim that their products are more sustainable or environmentally friendly than they really are.
How do we sort out the wheat from the chaff? Which are the brands that are actually sustainable and which are just claiming to be?
We've pulled together a list of 10 British beauty brands that we think get it right.
These small artisan brands have products that are not only effective, but are also eco friendly.
Some we stock in our shop. Some we simply admire. All of them share a few things in common: they're transparent about what goes into their products, they keep packaging waste to a minimum, and they don't charge the earth for it.
Many share the same principles that led us to set up Green Trading Store in the first place.
What we look for
Before we get into the brands, here's what we think matters when it comes to "sustainable beauty" — and what we looked for when putting this list together:
• Ingredient transparency — can you actually understand what's in the product?
• Low-waste or recyclable packaging — glass, aluminium, compostable materials, refill schemes
• Cruelty-free and ideally vegan
• Made in the UK, preferably in small batches
• A price point that doesn't make you wince
Now let's get into it.
UpCircle started when sibling founders Anna and Will Brightman discovered that over 500,000 tonnes of coffee grounds go to landfill in the UK every year. They began collecting grounds from London cafés and turning them into skincare. Since then they've expanded to upcycle ingredients from the argan, tea, juice, olive, date and wood industries too.
What we like: the whole concept is built around the circular economy — taking waste ingredients and giving them a second life. Their packaging is 99% plastic-free (glass and aluminium), they're B Corp certified, Leaping Bunny approved and Vegan Society certified. Products are made in the UK and most are under £25.
We stock a range of UpCircle products in our
skincare collection.
Founded in Sheffield in 2015, Facetheory takes a science-first approach to sustainable skincare. Everything is formulated and made in their Sheffield factory using vegan, cruelty-free ingredients. They use organic and upcycled ingredients alongside active compounds backed by clinical research.
What we like: the price point. Most products are under £20, which makes them one of the most accessible sustainable skincare brands on the market. Packaging is glass and recyclable aluminium. They're B Corp certified and offer carbon-neutral shipping. They also run a 365-day money-back guarantee, which tells you a lot about their confidence in the products.
Pai was founded in 2007 by Sarah Brown after she developed urticaria (severe skin hives) and couldn't find products that didn't make things worse. She started formulating her own range in a garage in West London. Today Pai exports to over 50 countries and is stocked in M&S beauty halls, John Lewis and Whole Foods.
What we like: Pai is COSMOS certified by the
Soil Association, B Corp certified, Leaping Bunny approved and Vegan Society registered. Everything is formulated and manufactured in-house in London. Their founder story resonates with us — it's remarkably similar to our own journey of finding better skincare after a skin crisis. They also won't use the phrase "anti-ageing" — their mature skin range is called "Age Confidence" instead. We respect that.
Founded by Laura Rudoe in 2009, Evolve makes handmade skincare in a small studio in Hertfordshire. They have over 40 COSMOS-certified organic products across skincare, body care and wellbeing. This year, 12 of their products won awards at the Beauty Shortlist Awards. No mean feat.
What we like: they're B Corp certified, Leaping Bunny approved and Vegan Society registered. Products are made in small batches to keep the natural oils and antioxidants as fresh as possible. Most senior roles in the company are held by women, and all staff are paid a living wage. It's a genuinely independent operation doing things properly.
Beauty Kitchen was the first UK beauty company to become B Corp certified and is also ranked a top European beauty brand by B Corp itself. Founded by Jo Chidley in 2014 after studying chemistry at university, the brand runs a "Return, Refill, Repeat" programme — send back your empty bottles and they'll wash and reuse them. They've saved over 4 million single-use bottles so far.
Nutrient-rich marine micro-algae is one of their top ingredients. One of their proudest moments was when they've created the world's first carbon-negative skincare product*, Pure Source Collagen Serum.
What we like: they combine genuine scientific rigour with a zero-waste mindset. Products are 100% natural, vegan and cruelty-free, manufactured in the UK, and most fall under £25. They also plant a mangrove tree with every order over £10. It's a lot of substance behind the sustainability claims, which is refreshing.
Rachael founded hobo + co in 2013 in her kitchen inspired by scents from her travels. Today the brand makes handmade soy candles, reed diffusers and wellness products from a dedicated studio on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.
What we like: hobo+co uses soy wax rather than petroleum-based paraffin, which means a cleaner, longer burn with no nasty chemicals released into your home. We love their divine custom blends of essential oil scents. Everything is vegan, cruelty-free and comes in recyclable packaging. These are proper aromatherapy candles made with essential oils — not synthetic fragrances. The kind of product that makes your living room feel like a spa without the spa price tag.
We stock
hobo+co. candles in our home and fragrances collection.
Moksa was born from founder Chloe's travels through India and a love of Ayurvedic skincare rituals. Based in Exeter, Devon, the brand creates nourishing plant-based facial oils, cleansing oils and body products that are 100% natural, organic, cruelty-free and vegan. All products come in plastic-free packaging.
What we like: Moksa is a brilliant example of a truly artisan brand. Everything is handcrafted in small batches with waterless formulations, which means the products are more concentrated and last longer. Their Wild Rose Facial Elixir has a loyal following for good reason — it's been a lifesaver for people with sensitive skin, rosacea and eczema.
Check out the
Moksa serums in our skincare collection.
This Cornish brand is co-founded by make-up artist Julie Wieczorek who wanted to create a range of make up suitable for sensitive skin that was also kind to the environment and animals.
Their standout innovation is their Pots for Life" — reusable containers made from sustainably sourced beechwood and 100% recycled fishing nets salvaged from Cornwall's coast.
What we like: their ethically sourced mineral blend is naturally anti-inflammatory with antibacterial qualities, making it suitable for sensitive or problem skin. All products are bismuth-free (a common mineral makeup ingredient that can cause skin irritation). They offer refills for their full range, which means you buy the pot once and just top it up.
Another Cornish brand, Scence makes natural deodorants, moisturisers and balms by hand in their seaside lab in Falmouth, Cornwall. Their packaging is 100% plastic-free — paper tubes that you can compost at home.
Their passion for sustainable skincare is second to none.
What we like: with around 225 million deodorant containers used every year in the UK, switching to a compostable alternative is a meaningful change. Scence products are vegan, cruelty-free and free from parabens. A small operation trying to make a big difference.
Tuna Yoney founded Ziver Organiques in 2020, giving up a career in finance to focus on his passion for sustainable science-led high performance skincare. Their products are carefully formulated by Tuna himself, handmade in small batches, using sustainably sourced and upcycled ingredients wherever possible. From targeted serums and nourishing lip care to botanical home essentials, every product is designed with quality, simplicity, and purpose in mind.
We’re particularly impressed with the quality of their rosehip oils and hyaluronic acid serum.The brand stood out among 85 global startups at the Makeup New York 2023 Beauty Tank competition. It's a genuinely innovative, one-person artisan brand with real science behind it.
A note on greenwashing
Not every brand that uses the word "natural" or "clean" on its label deserves it. Here are a few things to watch out for:
• Vague claims like "inspired by nature" with no certifications to back them up
• Highlighting one or two natural ingredients while the rest of the formula is synthetic
• Packaging that looks eco-friendly but is actually non-recyclable mixed materials
• No ingredient list on the website (if they're not transparent, ask yourself why)
Learn more about greenwashing on the United Nations website and how it is an obstacle to tackling climate change.
The bottom line
Sustainable beauty in the UK has come a long way. You don't need to spend £50 on a moisturiser or compromise on quality to make better choices for your skin and the planet.
The brands on this list range from under £5 to around £30, and they're all doing something genuinely different — whether that's upcycling coffee grounds, composting their packaging, or saving fresh water with seaweed biowater.
At Green Trading Store, we spend a lot of time researching the brands we stock. Our goal isn't to sell you as much as possible — it's to help you find products that are good for you, your pocket, and the planet.
