Cruelty-free Makeup: The More Ethical Makeup Brands

We all want to look our best, but sometimes beauty comes at a price. Even in this day and age, many makeup brands are still testing their products on animals or obtaining ingredients from unethical sources. 

In this short guide, we are going to introduce you to ten amazing ethical beauty brands. Whether you are looking for a cruelty-free powder foundation or a vegan-friendly mascara, there is sure to be a brand here you’ll fall in love with. 

1. Milk Makeup

Milk Makeup never tests their products on animals, and they are made from 100% vegan ingredients. In fact, this company’s products aren’t even sold in countries where animal testing is a legal requirement. 

Milk Makeup offers a vast selection of products, from mascara to lip plumper, and brow gel. No matter what kind of look you want to create, you are sure to find everything you need here. Even the packaging of Milk’s products looks amazing. 

2. Fenty Beauty

Rhianna’s makeup brand, Fenty Beauty, is best known for having a huge range of foundation shades. No matter what your skin tone, Fenty will have a shade which will blend seamlessly for a natural look. In fact, the brand has recently added even more tones to the line, bringing the total to a rather impressive 50. 

Not only that, but the brand is entirely cruelty-free and never tested on animals. However, the products themselves are not all suitable for vegans, as some contain animal products. 

3. The Body Shop

The Body Shop was the first beauty brand to stop testing its products on animals back in 1989, long before it became illegal in many countries. The brand is also known for using Fair Trade ingredients from sustainable sources across its range of products. 

Along with Cruelty Free International, The Body Shop launched an international campaign against animal testing – Forever Against Animal Testing. The goal of this initiative is to eventually wipe out animal testing across the globe. 

4. Lush

Lush is not only against testing on animals, but also has a vast range of vegan products for customers to choose from. And although the brand might initially bring bath bombs to mind, there is also a reasonable range of makeup items available. 

Added to all of this, Lush also has an excellent recycling scheme where customers can return empty pots to be melted down and made back into new pots, ready to be filled again. Also, a sizable percentage of the brand’s products can be purchased ‘naked’ – without any packaging at all. Any plastic packaging that is used, is either made from recycled or recyclable materials. 

5. bareMinerals

bareMinerals not only doesn’t test any of their products or ingredients on animals, but the whole makeup range is also free from fragrances, preservatives, and other harmful chemicals. 

If you sometimes struggle to find a shade to suit your skin tone, bareMinerals has got you covered. With an impressive 40 shades for your lips alone, there is sure to be something in bareMinerals’ range you will love.  

6. 100% Pure

100% Pure has an impressive number of claims to its name – the products are organic, vegan, and completely cruelty-free. Not only that but they are also made in the USA and packed in packaging made from recycled materials. 

As the name suggests, 100% Pure’s product range uses all-natural ingredients to ensure your skin reaps the benefits. You’ll find essential oils, antioxidants, and naturally-occurring vitamins across the range, so your skin is sure to look and feel amazing. 

7. Urban Decay

There’s a lot to love about Urban Decay, from the sparkly Moondust Eyeshadow to the double-ended, multitasking brushes. Not only is it a great product range, but it is also completely vegan and cruelty-free. This means that no animal by-products are used in the range, and the products and ingredients are never tested on animals. 

Urban Decay is another excellent brand for those who struggle to find the correct shade for their skin tone. The Stay Naked Foundation for example, comes in an impressive 50 different shades and feels just like natural skin. 

8. W3ll People

Although the entire range isn’t vegan, the majority of W3ll People’s best-selling products are. They are also made using natural ingredients and are produced in the USA so reduce your carbon footprint. 

Your skin will thank you for switching to W3ll People, as the company doesn’t use harmful chemicals like those found in many other makeup brands. This is sure to make your skin feel wonderful, as it is thought to absorb up to 80% of the products we use on it. 

9. Anastasia Beverly Hills

This brand is known to be a favorite among celebrity makeup artists, so you can be sure it will make you look incredible! Not only that, but it is also cruelty-free with no ingredients or final products tested on animals. The brand doesn’t use any suppliers or third parties to do this on their behalf. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills makeup is also not sold in countries where animal testing is a legal requirement, so you can feel good about using this brand. Even Peta has certified this brand’s cruelty-free status. Unfortunately however, usome products do contain ingredients derived from animal sources, so they are not 100% vegan. 

10. Elate Cosmetics

The final ethical makeup brand we recommend is Elate Cosmetics. Not only are the products completely vegan and cruelty-free, but they are also non-toxic, ingredients are obtained from ethical sources, and the packaging is environmentally-friendly. Around 90% of Elate Cosmetics’ ingredients are organic as well as ethically-sourced, with the remainder coming from Fair Trade sources. 

The brand also aims to be zero-waste, using beautiful, reusable bamboo packaging. This can either be refilled or composted after use, depending on the product. Their Bamboo Blush Compact comes in an aluminum tray held in place in the bamboo pot using a magnet. You can simply pop out the old tray and recycle it, replacing it with a new one using the same bamboo holder.