Brand Rating:

Sheglam

Avoid

2/10

Score 2/10

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Rated: January 20, 2026
Category: Beauty care
Subcategory: Makeup

Overview:

Sustainability 2.1/10

Non-toxicity 5.5/10

SHEGLAM is a budget-friendly cosmetics brand launched by SHEIN in 2019.

Sustainability

score : 2.1/10

Packaging

Virgin plastics are prevalent across their product line (many compacts, tubes, and caps are plastic), and no refill or take-back programs are offered. Packaging is generally single-use. Beyond their FSC certificated to reduce plastic consumption, there’s no evidence of recycled content or compostable materials in use.

The brand meets basic expectations by ensuring all packaging components are labeled and presumably recyclable, but it has not implemented circular systems like refills or bulk packaging.

Ingredient Sustainability

Despite marketing itself as a “clean” brand, SHEGLAM’s choice of ingredients and materials is not very sustainable from a sourcing and environmental perspective.

Many core ingredients are petroleum-derived or linked to unsustainable agriculture:

Their Skinfinite Hydrating Foundation contains a silicone-heavy formula (water, dimethicone, isododecane) with multiple petroleum-derived synthetics. It also contains Ethylhexyl Palmitate and other palm oil derivatives, which raise deforestation concerns if not sustainably sourced.

Other products include talc, mica, magnesium stearate, dimethicone, etc.. Talc and mica are mined minerals; without fair-trade or certified sourcing, these can carry high environmental and social costs (talc mining can scar landscapes and has been associated with child labor, similar to mica). The formula also includes Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate and Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, synthetic emollients often derived from palm oil or petrochemicals.

Their Expert Eyebrow Gel notably contains Cera Alba (beeswax) and Hydrogenated Palm Oil/Palm Acid as key binders. Beeswax is an animal by-product (not vegan) and its harvesting can stress bee populations if not managed sustainably. Palm oil is a high-risk ingredient due to rainforest destruction and biodiversity loss when unsustainably produced. The formula also includes microcrystalline wax (Cera Microcristallina) and multiple synthetics. It does use talc and silica for texture.

SHEGLAM’s formulations don’t use truly “green” ingredients. There is minimal presence of organic, fair-trade, or regenerative materials. Instead, the brand leans on conventional cosmetics industry inputs that are cheap and effective but often non-renewable or tied to environmental harm.

Energy & Carbon Footprint

As a subsidiary of SHEIN, SHEGLAM operates at a massive scale with rapid global logistics, and unfortunately has low transparency and performance on carbon emissions.

The company does not release brand-specific carbon data. However, SHEIN’s latest sustainability report reveals a significant rise in emissions, implying that mitigation efforts are lagging. In 2024, SHEIN’s supply chain emissions grew ~9.7% to 11.2 million metric tons CO₂e, and transportation/distribution emissions rose 13.7% to 8.5 million tons CO₂e.

SHEGLAM benefits from the same infrastructure: fast turnaround manufacturing and international distribution, which prioritize speed over sustainability. SHEIN claims to be working with suppliers to transition to renewables and improve efficiency, and requires ISO 14001 environmental management from manufacturers, which may include energy management.

Waste Management

The brand has not shared data on manufacturing waste, water use, or effluent treatment for its cosmetics production.

The dyeing and chemical processes in cosmetics (for pigments, etc.) can cause water contamination if not properly managed, and the brand provides no assurance on this front. Given SHEIN’s record, it’s worth noting that the company overall has been criticized for contributing to water pollution and lacking supply chain wastewater transparency (though these critiques often target textile production). For SHEGLAM, which produces things like liquid lipsticks, foundations, etc., hazardous manufacturing waste (e.g. solvent emissions, pigment heavy metals) isn’t addressed publicly.

From a post-consumer waste perspective, as a driver of affordable, trend-driven products, SHEGLAM encourages high consumption, which inevitably leads to waste. Product packaging waste is a concern. Regardless of their FSC certification, the brand provides no program for recycling or reusing packaging.

Another aspect is microplastic pollution from product use. Although SHEGLAM has eliminated certain pollutants (the brand claims to have “proactively banned” some ingredients beyond regulatory lists), it still uses ingredients that can pollute. For example, older glitter products contain polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic glitter, and many formulas have non-biodegradable silicones and polymers that can persist in the environment.

Business Model

SHEGLAM’s business model is fundamentally that of ultra-fast fashion applied to beauty, which runs directly counter to the principles of conscious consumption. Like its parent SHEIN, SHEGLAM thrives on rapid trend cycles, frequent new launches, and impulse buys at very low prices. This encourages consumers to treat makeup as a throwaway commodity. The brand regularly rolls out themed collections (sometimes weekly or monthly), often tied to viral social media trends or pop culture. Such strategy drives constant novelty and purchases, a hallmark of fast consumption patterns.

Non-toxicity

score : 5.5/10

We reviewed and analyzed the full ingredient lists of a representative sample of SHEGLAM products. Each formula was reviewed for the presence of potentially harmful substances (synthetic colorants, petrochemical silicones/polymers, controversial preservatives, undisclosed fragrance, PEGs/ethoxylated ingredients, and talc) and for any positive ingredient choices.

Although marketed as clean, alcohol-free, fragrance-free, their Skinfinite Hydrating Foundation reveals a formulation heavily based on silicones and petroleum-derived compounds. Its first ingredients include multiple silicones: Dimethicone and Trimethylsiloxysilicate (for a smoothing effect). It also contains Diphenylsiloxy phenyl trimethicone and Caprylyl Methicone, indicating a strong reliance on petrochemical emollients for texture. On the preservation front, it contains Phenoxyethanol as the primary preservative, and also uses Ethylhexylglycerin as a preservative booster. Phenoxyethanol is a paraben alternative but still a “preservative of concern” in clean beauty due to potential skin irritation and restricted use levels. Its heavy use of silicones, synthetic polymers, and a PEG compound places it in a moderate category for non-toxicity.

Their 9-Pan Eyeshadow Palette uses Talc and Mica, primary base ingredients in most shades. Talc especially is listed first for many colors. Talc is a natural mineral but is controversial due to possible asbestos contamination if not rigorously purified; Shifting Gaia’s criteria flags talc unless it’s certified asbestos-free.

SHEGLAM advertises some products as “talc-free,” but clearly not all; this palette does use talc. Mica (a naturally occurring mineral shimmer) is also prevalent. The use of synthetic mica eliminates risks of natural mica (which can be contaminated with heavy metals or ethically sourced poorly) and is considered inert and safe. Beyond talc/mica, the palette’s formulas include binding and texture agents: e.g., Silica, Magnesium Stearate, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, and Dimethicone. Many of these are petrochemical-derived emollients or fillers.

The brand labels some products “Silicone-Free”, which is true: review of the ingredients shows no dimethicone or siloxanes. However, “silicone-free” does not equal “free of synthetics,” instead, the formulas use a variety of polymers, waxes, and emulsifiers to achieve long wear and lash coating.

Social Responsibility

score : 2.4/10

Fair Labor

Labor practices are a critical concern for SHEGLAM given its supply chain is closely tied to SHEIN’s notorious fast-fashion manufacturing network. The majority of production takes place in China, which is categorized as an “extreme risk” and is recognized for extremely harsh labor conditions and practices.

On labor transparency SHEGLAM does not disclose its specific suppliers or audit results. We don’t know if the cosmetic ingredient sourcing (like mica, palm oil, etc.) involves child or forced labor upstream, and the brand hasn’t provided that level of detail.

The ultra-fast model inherently puts pressure on labor. When 10,000+ new SKUs are added daily across SHEIN, factories are pushed to the limit. Even with audits, the business model incentivizes cost-cutting and quick turnarounds, often at the expense of workers’ well-being. This systemic issue isn’t resolved by sporadic audits.

Animal Welfare

Achieving Leaping Bunny approval (2022) is a strong indicator of the brand’s commitment to animal welfare in testing. The brand clearly labels which products are vegan on each product page under the “About” section, so consumers can make informed choices, a transparency best practice.

However, it’s important to note that not everything is 100% vegan. Some products do contain animal-derived components: Certain red shades use Carmine (CI 75470), a dye made from cochineal insects, their eyebrow gel includes beeswax.

Community Engagement

The brand does not have any publicized long-term community initiatives such as sustained charity partnerships, volunteering programs, or local community development projects.

One could argue that SHEGLAM’s core mission of accessible beauty (“Beauty for All”) is a form of social good, providing affordable cosmetics to consumers who might not afford high-end clean beauty. However, this should not come at the expense of workers and the environment..