Why I Adore Athr Beauty Eyeshadow

A Review of Athr Eyeshadow, Including a Discussion on Sustainability

This post contains affiliate links.

I have a weakness for eyeshadow palettes. But as I discussed in 5 Steps to a Sustainable Beauty Routine, using what you already have and buying less is a core sustainability practice. Unfortunately for me, Athr Beauty (formerly Aether Beauty) keeps releasing new eyeshadow palettes. And everyone looks gorgeous!

Right now, I have the Summer Solstice Palette. Because this specific palette is no longer available, I will generally review Athr Beauty’s eyeshadows. Like my other product reviews, this one includes a discussion of the product’s sustainability and claims. If you just want to know if I like the eyeshadows, skip to the end. (Spoiler alert: I love them!)

I couldn’t take good swatch shots, but you can see the swatches on different skin tones here.

You can get ĀTHR Beauty at Sephora, Credo, and other online retailers.

Athr Eyeshadow Sustainability

Best: Athr Beauty is more sustainable than most other makeup brands.

Packaging

Athr Beauty claims “the industry’s first zero-waste eyeshadow palette.” Zero-waste means everything is recyclable or compostable. In Athr Beauty’s case, “zero-waste” means all packaging components are recyclable. Athr uses cardboard palettes made with FSC-certified paper. Text is printed with water-based soy ink to ensure recyclability. The eyeshadows are also in recyclable aluminum pans. You might notice that Athr’s eyeshadow palettes don’t include mirrors or magnets. That’s because mirrors and magnets aren’t recyclable. And be honest, do you need another mirror? But no need to worry that it will flop open. The palette includes an elastic band that you can upcycle into a hairband.

Ingredients

In addition to great packaging, Athr has a strict ingredient code. They only use RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil. Most of their ingredients are also certified organic. Clean beauty lovers will be happy to know that Athr Beauty has a banned ingredient list of 2,700. All ingredients have an EWG rating of 1 or 2.

Carbon Footprint

Athr Beauty partners with Cloverly to provide a carbon-neutral shipping option for purchases made through their website. Athr Beauty informed me that they reduced their carbon footprint by 25% by using recycled materials for packaging. They also told me that they power their office with solar power. They manufacture their products in the United States, Canada, and/or Europe; all areas regulate carbon emissions.

Ethics 

Ethics is another area where Athr Beauty shines. Athr Beauty is Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free and certified vegan and cruelty-free by PETA. Athr is a member of 1% for the Planet, meaning that 1% of all sales goes directly to an environmental cause.

You can also trust that they treat people right. They only produce in regions and facilities where they can ensure ethical treatment of employees. They use mica only from sources verified not to use child labor. If they cannot ensure ethical mining of mica, they use synthetic.

Athr Eyeshadow Claims

Athr Beaty claims their eyeshadow is “Infused with organic moringa seed oil and organic prickly pear oil to boost collagen, brighten the skin, and calm inflammation.”

Much of this claim seems to rest on the prickly pear oil. Prickly pear seed oil includes many components that support this claim. Three fatty acids (linoleic, oleic, and palmitic) improve barrier function and nourish the skin. Vitamin E, an antioxidant, protects skin cells from free radicals in the environment. And sterols (beta-sitosterol and campesterol) provide anti-inflammatory benefits.

I don’t look for skin benefits in my eyeshadow. I only ask that it doesn’t harm my skin.

Athr Eyeshadow Review

I cannot overstate just how much I love Athr Beauty’s eyeshadows. It has been so hard to limit myself to just one palette. They offer all the finishes you would expect: matte, shimmer, metallic, and duo-chrome. I like my eyeshadow to be pigmented and blendable, and ĀTHR comes through.

Would I buy again?

Absolutely! The palette I have is no longer available, but the Desert Sunset Palette ($48.00) looks similar. If $48.00 is more than you would like to spend, check out ĀTHR Beauty’s eyeshadow quads, like the Rose Quartz Quad that sells for $20.00.

Have you tried Athr eyeshadows? What are your thoughts?

Shop the Post