Vegan Makeup

vegan cosmetics beauty without cruelty nail varnish polish

What's in your nail polish? Crushed bugs?

Not all makeup is vegan, largely due to the inclusion of animal ingredients but also because animals are used to test the makeup, meaning that the mascara you just bought, or the eyeliner you’re lusting after is probably not an example of a cruelty-free cosmetic. Most major brands will use animals in testing or will include ingredients that they’ve had another company test on animals for them. Vegan makeup brands will usually state their cut-off date for animal testing, as well as be transparent about the use of cruelty-free cosmetic ingredients in their products.

Vegan Makeup

I’m sure many vegans remember days where no vegan makeup brands were available that made cruelty-free mascara or vegan foundation. Luckily, by the time I started thinking I should wear make-up there were lovely people like Beauty Without Cruelty around. I have about as much skill when it comes to makeup as a panda wearing a boxing glove applying eyeliner to a fidgety ferret. However, research is my forte so here are some of the leading vegan cosmetic brands that provide cruelty-free makeup for anyone wanting that smoky-eyed look or the no-makeup-makeup-look. And, before you ask ‘but what’s not vegan in makeup?’ let me answer that for you here.

Vegan Makeup Brands

A quick round-up of makeup brands which are either totally vegan or happen to have vegan cosmetics in their product range:

For vegan foundations and concealers try the following brands: Zuzu Luxe (liquid foundation, pressed powder, concealer), Beauty Without Cruelty (pressed powder, liquid foundation, tinted moisturisers, and concealer), and Cheeky Cosmetics, along with other vegan makeup brands.

shellac nail varnish polish

Nail polish is not always vegan, check out vegan makeup brands instead.

Vegan lipstick and other lip products can be found in the product ranges of Crazy Rumors (Hibiskiss Lip Tints), Zuzu Luxe (who also do lip gloss and lip liner), Emani (for organic lip gloss), Kuumba Made (lip shimmers), and Ecco Bella (FlowerColour Lipstick), amongst others.

More in-depth reviews of some of these brands are available by clicking on the above links, some just take you straight to their ethical policy statements, vegan product lists, or sites, and there are a couple of affiliate accounts in there too, just to help me get maintenance costs for the site! Let me know of any other vegan makeup brands you know and love and I’ll add them in.


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