I really admire all the zero waste ladies out there who DIY their own makeup. You go girls. For me, I'm not too eager to buy kohl in bulk and experiment with mascara recipes until I have a product that doesn’t A) smear all over my face B) burn my eyes C) look like a pinterest fail.

Instead, I’ve been doing lots of research on various makeup companies that have either refillable or recyclable products. I just wish I could try them all in one spot instead of buying online and hoping for the best. I’ve already tested out two products that I had high hopes for and ended up being disappointed both times.

One was Kjaer Weis mascara. I was so excited to try this one—a primarily organic mascara made in Italy and sold in a refillable stainless steel tube. I really splurged on this one, $38 online from Barneys (gulp). When it came, I was like a kid on Christmas -  a kid that opens their present to find a tiny tube of mascara wrapped in layers of bubble wrap. To be fair, this was Barney’s bad, I’m sure Kjaer wouldn’t be happy about this brand/packaging disconnect.

The mascara itself came in a beautiful red cardboard box (très chic) and when I opened the tube, a lovely rose scent wafted to my nose. Unfortunately, the pros ended there. The mascara glided on easily but you could barely tell I was wearing anything. I just paid $38 for a mascara that I couldn’t see. I read on Paris To Go’s Instagram that she was able to sell her tube of Kjaer Weis mascara on the secondhand makeup market in France, but I was left with no such option.

I did end up finding an amazing natural mascara that’s vegan, recyclable and best of all it’s from a local Bay Area company, 100% Pure. I was able to try their fruit-pigmented Ultra Lengthening Mascara at their Berkeley store before I purchased and I love it. It doesn’t smear or clump, goes on smooth but also gives my lashes volume and definition. You can buy it here for $25.

I did some digging on their recycling program and it sounds pretty cool. First, they state on their website that “all of our packaging is sourced from recycled materials—post-consumer recycled glass, plastic, tin and paper.” And, they have a Recycle and Be Rewarded Program where you can bring back used, empty 100% Pure products—they take care of the recycling and you receive a stamp card. Once you receive 10 stamps, you get a free product!

My next search is for a zero waste eyeliner. Similar to the mascara quest, I have already tried one product that smeared all over my eyes—more on that in a future post. In the meantime, if anyone has any recommendations on a smudge-less eyeliner that's good for cat eyes, please comment below.