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Makeup· Bend, Oregon, USA · Updated 14 May 2026

Ericka Rodriguez

Vegan and zero-waste from day one, Ericka Rodriguez founded Axiology in 2014 to prove that lipstick could be made from a 10-ingredient deck, hand-rolled in palm-oil-free formulas, and packaged in recycled paper instead of plastic.

"If we can make a lipstick that's better for the planet, we can rebuild every category."

— Ericka Rodriguez
Background

Rodriguez moved to Bend, Oregon and founded Axiology in 2014 as one of the first fully vegan, palm-oil-free, zero-waste lipstick lines.

The brand's hero — Balmies, multi-use lip-and-cheek crayons hand-rolled by women in a Bali cooperative and wrapped in recycled paper — became the proof point for plastic-free decorative cosmetics.

Philosophy

Vegan + palm-oil-free is the floor, not the ceiling.

Packaging is a formulation decision, not a marketing one.

Career timeline
  • 2014
    Founds Axiology in Bend, Oregon
  • 2019
    Launches Balmies — hand-rolled, plastic-free multi-use lip crayons
Press & appearances
  • Axiology's Plastic-Free Lipsticks

    feature
    Vogue
  • Ericka Rodriguez on Building a Zero-Waste Beauty Brand

    interview
    Beauty Independent
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Timeline