Packaging

Caliray has taken meaningful steps toward sustainable packaging across its product line. The brand uses post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials wherever possible. The mascara tube is made from 100% recycled ocean plastic. Lip gloss tubes are made from sugarcane bioplastic with 94% post-consumer recycled caps. All outer cartons are made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper that is FSC certified. The brand uses algae and vegetable-based inks and minimal decoration on packaging to facilitate easier recycling.

The brand has partnered with Pact Collective, a nonprofit mail-back program for hard-to-recycle beauty packaging. Caliray covers the collection and processing fees for consumers who mail back empties.

Caliray has also partnered with Element Beauty Group and Oco (Carbon Upcycling Technologies) to develop packaging that integrates captured carbon dioxide from power plant emissions into post-consumer recycled plastic. This carbon-captured packaging has been launched at Sephora and integrates 15 to 30% trapped carbon. This essentially works by utilizing sequestered carbon from power plants (that would otherwise be emitted), and mixing it with a synthetic silicate to produce a powder that’s then incorporated into recycled plastic production. This is a genuine incremental improvement, not greenwashing in the cynical sense. Permanently mineralizing CO₂ into a physical product is real chemistry, and pairing it with PCR rather than virgin plastic is a defensible choice. But it's best understood as "less bad" packaging rather than a climate solution.

Some plastic remains in the product line (pumps, certain caps, and primary containers that are not yet bioplastic or PCR). The brand has not achieved fully plastic-free packaging, and not all components are curbside recyclable. However, the combination of ocean plastic, sugarcane bioplastics, PCR materials, FSC-certified paper, carbon-captured plastic, refillable formats, and the Pact mail-back program represents a strong and multi-faceted packaging sustainability strategy, particularly for a beauty brand of this size.

Ingredient Sustainability

Caliray formulates according to Clean at Sephora standards, which excludes parabens, sulfates, phthalates, formaldehyde, mineral oil, talc, microplastics, cyclic silicones, and a number of other controversial ingredients. The brand uses RSPO-sourced palm oil where palm derivatives are present.

However, the formulations do include a number of synthetic ingredients with moderate sustainability concerns. Isododecane (skin tint) is a petroleum-derived volatile solvent that is not biodegradable. Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer and Acrylates Copolymer (mascara) are synthetic film-forming polymers that are persistent in aquatic environments and non-biodegradable. Microcrystalline Wax (mascara) is a petroleum-derived wax that is non-biodegradable and persistent in the environment. Hydrogenated Polydecene and Polybutene (lip gloss) are petroleum-derived viscosity agents. Ceteareth-20 and Polysorbate 60 (lip + cheek tint) are ethoxylated emulsifiers with limited biodegradability and potential 1,4-dioxane contamination. Diphenyl Dimethicone and Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone (lip + cheek tint) are silicone-based emollients that are non-biodegradable.

The brand does not prominently disclose specific sourcing practices for its natural ingredients (e.g., whether avocado oil or argan oil are organically or sustainably sourced). There is no mention of organic certifications for botanical ingredients. The brand states it sources from "factories who help us fulfill our clean & sustainability mission."

Energy & Footprint

Caliray does not publish a sustainability report, carbon footprint data, or emissions targets. The brand does not make claims of carbon neutrality. There is no public disclosure of whether the brand's manufacturing facilities use renewable energy.

The brand manufactures "both domestically and internationally,” but does not provide specifics about factory locations or supply chain distances. As an indie brand without its own manufacturing facilities, Caliray relies on contract manufacturers, which makes direct energy oversight more complex. For a small indie brand, formal carbon accounting is resource-intensive and may not be feasible. However, even basic public statements about energy sourcing, supply chain footprint, or emissions goals would strengthen the brand's profile. The absence of any carbon transparency limits the score.

Waste Management

Caliray's waste management strategy centers on its partnership with Pact Collective, a nonprofit that collects and repurposes hard-to-recycle beauty packaging. Caliray covers the collection and processing fees, and consumers can use either Pact's in-store collection bins at Sephora locations or a mail-back program. This addresses a genuine gap in beauty packaging recycling, since most beauty containers are too small for municipal recycling facilities to process.

The Endless Sunset palette is a refillable format housed in a compostable bamboo compact, allowing consumers to purchase replacement pans rather than an entirely new product. The brand uses sugarcane bioplastics and ocean plastic as upcycled materials in its primary packaging, repurposing waste streams into functional product containers.

There is limited publicly available information about waste management practices within Caliray's manufacturing operations, including water treatment, production waste reduction, or factory-level waste diversion. The brand does not publish data on waste metrics.

Business Model

Caliray maintains a moderately sized product catalog of approximately 15 to 20 SKUs across face, eye, lip, and accessory categories. The brand releases new products periodically, including seasonal and trend-responsive launches (e.g., the SoCal Superbloom lip + cheek tint, the Lipguard SPF gloss balm). While the brand is not a fast-churn operation, it does introduce new products with some regularity and markets them through Sephora's promotional ecosystem, including sales events. The brand does not actively discourage overconsumption in its messaging the way a true slow-consumption brand would. Its marketing, while playful and brand-forward, is ultimately designed to drive product sales.