AORA México named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 for plastic-free makeup
The Mexico-born beauty brand has been named to TIME's list of 300 extraordinary innovations for its entirely plastic-free packaging and high-performance formulas.
AORA México, a beauty brand founded in Mexico City in 2022, has earned a place on TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list for tackling what the industry has largely sidestepped: creating cosmetics without plastic packaging. The recognition, announced in October, names AORA among 300 innovations selected by the publication for their originality, efficacy, ambition and impact.
The brand, founded by Nour Tayara and Rodrigo Peñafiel, claims the distinction of being the first makeup line to launch at Sephora with no plastic in its packaging whatsoever. This achievement addresses a significant industry bottleneck: according to the brand, the global beauty sector produces 120 billion packaging units annually, with the vast majority relying on plastic, mixed-material compounds or formats too diminutive for standard recycling systems.
Materials and Mexican identity
AORA replaces conventional plastic with aluminum, tin and wood, while developing formulas that incorporate Mexican-origin ingredients such as chiles, tepezcohuite and cactus flower. The brand pairs this material and botanical foundation with Spanish-language naming and design rooted in artisan traditions.
Plastic recovery program
The brand holds certification as Plastic Negative through rePurpose Global, a credential that commits AORA to finance the removal of plastic from the environment at a rate nine times the weight of each item sold. According to the company’s report, this mechanism has resulted in the elimination of over 2,390 kilograms of waste so far—a quantity the brand expresses in consumer terms as equivalent to roughly 5.6 million straws, 132,000 bottles or close to 400,000 shopping bags.
Co-founder Nour Tayara described the TIME recognition as proof of concept for the brand’s central proposition. “The beauty industry is full of trash, and we’re on a mission to change that, not just by eliminating plastic from our products, but by helping clean up the industry’s waste,” Tayara said in the announcement. “Years of research, development and innovation later, being named one of TIME’s Best Inventions proves the answer is a big, resounding yes.”
How TIME made its selections
TIME gathered submissions from its global editorial staff and through a public application portal before evaluating candidates against criteria that included originality, efficacy, ambition and impact, with heightened focus on emerging categories. The full list of 300 inventions is available on TIME’s website.
This article was compiled by the Glamorade editorial desk from the official announcements and reporting listed under Sources.
