The tricky bit is that “sustainable” can feel like a velvet veil for marketing — pretty words, fuzzy math. So I gave myself a hard cap: £100, cash only, to rebuild the basics in a way I could defend to a friend. Less stuff. Better choices. An experiment you can see on a face.
On a rainy Saturday in London, I walked into a tiny refill shop that smelled faintly of rosewater and pencil shavings. My old bag rattled with plastic tubes, impulse buys, and three dried-up nude lipsticks that all looked the same. I put £100 on the counter and told the shopkeeper I wanted make-up that wouldn’t outlive me in a landfill. She grinned, slid over a tray of weighty glass pots and cardboard sleeves, and said, “Let’s build your everyday face.” Then the mirror did something odd.
The £100 experiment: what actually changed
The first surprise was the feel. Glass jars have a quiet heft, like they mean what they’re doing. Cardboard compacts whisper shut; nothing clicks too loud. Colours leaned into skin rather than sitting on top of it. The ritual slowed by half a beat, and that pause made room for better blending and fewer layers. My face looked less “done” and more rested, as if it had finally been given the right bedding.
Here’s what £100 bought me: a refillable lipstick in a berry-brown (£18), a multi-use cheek-and-lip tint (£16), a glass-jar concealer (£20), a pressed mineral powder in recycled aluminium (£22), a bamboo brow gel (£12), and a compostable packet of cleansing cloths I’d only use for travel (£12). On day three, a colleague asked if I’d slept more. I hadn’t — I’d just swapped the heavy foundation for a sheer tint and leaned on that concealer where it mattered. The mirror stopped arguing back.
My quick maths shifted too. That old impulse to chase five different “nude” lipsticks? Gone. One **refillable lipstick** and the **multi-use tint** handled office and dinner without fuss. Cost per wear started to look silly-low after two weeks. My skin also calmed; fewer fragrances, fewer layers, fewer surprises. In a month, my bathroom bin held a small forest of empties I hadn’t created. And something else happened that felt almost private: *my skin stopped sulking*.
How to shop sustainable make-up without losing your mind
Start with an audit. Lay your kit flat and ask one question per item: do I use it three times a week? If not, it’s a museum piece. Replace like-for-like when you empty it, not when you’re bored. Choose one multi-use product in a shade family you actually wear — think “warm berry” or “dusty rose” — and let it do cheeks, lips, even eyelids. Patch test new formulas on the jawline, then give it two days to whisper back.
Labels can be loud. Look beyond vague leaves and soft greens. Check for refill systems, recycled or compostable packaging, and short ingredient lists you can pronounce aloud without sounding like a robot. We’ve all had that moment when a £9 tube seduces us at the till. Give yourself a 24-hour rule for non-essentials. Let’s be honest: nobody really does that every day. You’ll dodge duplicates and save your budget for the workhorse formulas that never flake on you.
Two small habits changed everything for me: buying in shades that love my undertone, and tracking cost-per-wear in the notes app for a month. That’s it.
“Under £100, focus on complexion, one multi-use colour, and brows,” said the shopkeeper. “If your base is calm, everything else behaves.”
- Capsule list: glass-jar concealer, mineral powder, **multi-use tint**, **compostable wipes**, bamboo brow gel, refillable lipstick.
- Shade tip: swatch in daylight on the side of your face, not the wrist.
- Packaging rule: buy the refill after you love the case, not before.
- Routine anchor: three steps for weekdays; add one extra for nights out.
Life after the switch
A month on, the routine felt embarrassingly sensible. My morning went from eight steps to four, and the results skewed glowy, not glossy. Friends borrowed the tint and did that tiny gasp people do when a colour simply suits them. I kept the plastic I already owned in rotation until it truly emptied — throwing it out would have been theatre — and slowly replaced only what earned its keep. The joy crept in around the edges. Less choice meant sharper taste. Fewer products made room for better light. I still chase a statement eye on a Friday. I just no longer need an entire drawer to make it happen.
| Point clé | Détail | Intérêt pour le lecteur |
|---|---|---|
| £100 capsule works | Six essentials cover base, colour, and brows | Saves money and time without sacrificing finish |
| Refills beat trends | Buy the case once, replace the pan or bullet | Cuts waste and keeps favourites consistent |
| Audit before buying | Replace only what you use three times a week | Stops duplicates and regret purchases |
FAQ :
- Will sustainable make-up perform as well as my usual brands?Short answer: yes, if you pick modern formulas. Mineral bases and plant waxes have come a long way and hold up for a nine-to-five day.
- Is £100 really enough for a full refresh?For everyday looks, absolutely. Prioritise base, one multi-use colour, and brows. Add mascara later when your budget breathes.
- How do I avoid greenwashing?Look for refills, recycled or compostable packaging, and clear ingredient lists. Certifications help, but so does brand transparency on supply chain and end-of-life.
- What if my skin is sensitive?Choose fragrance-free where possible and patch test on the jawline for two days. Mineral pigments and simple balms tend to behave kindly.
- Do I have to bin my existing plastic products?No. Use them to the end, then switch. Throwing away a half-full tube proves nothing except haste.
