It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in today’s massive beauty landscape. Within a $500 billion industry that continues to grow at a rapid pace, brands are churning out products at a speed that gives even me, a beauty editor, whiplash.

With all of those product launches also comes a ton of waste. According to Zero Waste, the beauty industry produced over 120 billion units of packaging in 2018 alone—most of which are not recyclable—and that number will continue to rise if we don't do something about it. In a piece I wrote last year questioning whether the beauty industry needs a czar I said, “Without strong, fast, and sustained reductions in carbon emissions, humankind will destroy the conditions necessary for our survival.” Simply put, we have to drastically reduce our overconsumption habits.

In the spirit of doing more with less, for Coveteur’s inaugural Beauty All-Stars, we’ve decided to reframe the conversation around beauty awards in a way that hasn’t been seen before: by presenting our readers with five winners. Yes, you read that correctly—just five. Instead of bombarding you with hundreds of products you don’t really need, we decided to highlight the brands distinguishing themselves in the space through their effective products, commitment to sustainability, and innovative vision. (You can read more about our vetting process, in partnership with Bluebird Climate, here.)

We’re not implying that these brands are perfect, but our winners are proof that a sustainable future doesn’t have to sacrifice quality or style. We hope you love them—and their founders—as much as we do.