All makeup should check a handful of basic boxes. Pigment payoff, great texture, lasting power—that’s the bare minimum, the baseline for any beauty product deserving of your money. But there’s other factors to consider too, and if you’re an animal lover, a vegan composition tops the list. The best vegan makeup brands are free of “any animal sourced ingredients or animal by products,” explains cosmetic chemist and BeautyStat CEO Ron Robinson(opens in new tab). We’re talking no beeswax, no animal testing, no pigment extracted from beetles (yes, that’s how it’s done).
Formulating intensely pigmented eyeshadow, lipsticks, or liners without using certain animal extracts, like carmine, or nailing down the texture of a mascara sans beeswax can be difficult. But there’s no shortage of natural makeup brands that have succeeded—without compromising the look and feel of their products. Here, we’ve rounded up the best vegan makeup brands that any animal (and beauty) lover can feel good about using.
TOWER 28
I cannot say enough positive things about this brand—every product in the lineup is formulated to perfection. The SunnyDays Tinted Sunscreen is a beach staple (the glow!!!) and the blushes and bronzers are creamy dreams. In addition to a vegan makeup, all the products, including skincare, are designed with sensitive skin in mind. They’ve been dermatologist-tested and have the National Eczema Association’s stamp of approval.
HOURGLASS
If you’re a makeup lover, there’s no way Hourglass isn’t on your radar. They turn out holy grail after holy grail, have some of the sleekest packaging in the game, and are loved by celebrity makeup artists. From the cult-favorite Veil Translucent Powder to the Glitter Pigments, which in my humble opinion are wildly underrated, all the products deliver. And since 2020, everything has been free of any animal-derived ingredient or animal byproduct.
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