Sustainability 101
15 Cruelty Free Makeup Brands You Should Know
august 23, 2021Cruelty free makeup has become a well-known and popular consumer category. These products don’t harm animals in any way throughout the manufacturing process. Moreover, cruelty free makeup brands also use fewer harmful chemicals than their competitors. This makes them better for animals and the planet in addition to your skin.
There is currently no requirement for companies to state whether they test on animals. This makes finding cruelty free brands more difficult than it otherwise could be. To help you in this regard, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 best cruelty free makeup brands.
Criteria To Determine Cruelty Free Beauty Brands
To establish whether a brand is truly cruelty free, the four key questions below must be answered.
Does Your Brand Test On Animals At All?
The answer to this question must, of course, be “no”. Yet, many companies sidestep this issue by soliciting third parties to test products for them. In such cases, these companies can stamp their products as cruelty free, when in reality they are not.
Do Your Suppliers Test On Animals At All?
Companies should confirm that none of their suppliers test on animals. Those that cannot definitively state this are not cruelty free brands.
Do Any Third Parties Test On Animals On Your Behalf?
As previously stated, some companies will work with third parties to test on animals on their behalf. The answer here should be “no”, in order for products to genuinely be cruelty free.
Do You Test On Animals In Countries Where It’s Required By Law?
In some parts of the world, companies are legally required to test cosmetics on animals. For example, any company that wants to sell in mainland China must do this. As such, companies selling their products in these territories will not be cruelty free.
For a cosmetic brand to truly be cruelty free, it must answer “no” to all of these questions.
For a cosmetic brand to truly be cruelty free, it must answer “no” to all of these questions.
The Top Makeup Brands That Are Truly Cruelty Free
The following fifteen brands have all achieved this. They are the best cruelty free makeup companies on the market.
1. Lush
Best For
Lush offers an amazing selection of products for your face, hair, eyes and body. However, they are particularly well known for their range of bath and shower goods. Treat yourself to a Butterball bath bomb or make your hair extra soft and manageable with one of their cruelty-free conditioners.
Sustainability
Lush is 100% vegetarian, totally cruelty free, and offers many vegan products. The brand has also made commitments to undertaking renewable and environmentally friendly practices. These are set out in their renewable energy, recycled materials and environmental policies.
Price Range
With an expansive catalog of goods, Lush’s items are offered at anything from £1.50 for a bath bomb holder to £300 for The Planets Spa Treatment. To help you shop in line with your budget, they helpfully divide their products up into the following categories: under £15, £15 - £30, and over £30.
Sustainability
Lush is 100% vegetarian, totally cruelty free, and offers many vegan products. The brand has also made commitments to undertaking renewable and environmentally friendly practices. These are set out in their renewable energy, recycled materials and environmental policies.
Price Range
With an expansive catalog of goods, Lush’s items are offered at anything from £1.50 for a bath bomb holder to £300 for The Planets Spa Treatment. To help you shop in line with your budget, they helpfully divide their products up into the following categories: under £15, £15 - £30, and over £30.
2. Hourglass
Best For
Hourglass Cosmetics’ catalog offers a wide assortment of makeup items, skincare products, and brushes, all of which are of an exceptionally high quality. They are particularly well known for their bronzes and blushers.
Sustainability
There is a terrific selection of vegan only products on the Hourglass website. Beyond this, the brand had pledged to go completely vegan by the end of this year, with none of their products even being derived from animals. This makes them one of the leading PETA certified vegan cruelty free makeup brands.
Price Range
You can expect to pay anywhere between £14 and £640 for individual products from Hourglass.
3. Herbivore
Best For
One area where Herbivore performs particularly well is their fantastic range of skincare products. This includes the Emerald Deep Moisture Glow Oil and the Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum.
Sustainability
Herbivore really stands out as a company dedicated to sustainability. As well as their commitment to producing cruelty free makeup, they are also driven to run the company in a way that minimizes any hard to the planet. As such, goods are packaged in glass and paper. The brand only uses recycled and recyclable plastic when it’s an absolute necessity.
Price Range
The Herbivore catalog has items for sale in the price range of £8 to £70.
4. Fenty Beauty
Best For
Fenty Beauty has gained worldwide fame in large part due to being established by the pop singer Rihanna. But the brand is also very popular because of its inclusive approach to cosmetics, offering products that cater to a wider range of skin tones and genders than most companies.
Sustainability
Aside from being a 100% cruelty free makeup company, Fenty Beauty is also committed to wider issues of sustainability. They have embraced what they term “the three Rs”: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Price Range
Fenty Beauty products range from $7 to $125.
Sustainability
Aside from being a 100% cruelty free makeup company, Fenty Beauty is also committed to wider issues of sustainability. They have embraced what they term “the three Rs”: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Price Range
Fenty Beauty products range from $7 to $125.
5. Too Faced Cosmetics
Best For
Too Faced Cosmetics is a fun-loving brand that is best known for its life-style themed products that are designed to meet the needs of party animals. This includes their Hangover Replenishing Face Primer and their Better Than Sex Mascara.
Sustainability
Too Faced Cosmetics only sells 100% cruelty free products, and has been a member of PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies cruelty-free program since 2001. They even have a dedicated vegan friendly section on their website.
Price Range
Too Faced Cosmetics products are available from £12 to £45.
Sustainability
Too Faced Cosmetics only sells 100% cruelty free products, and has been a member of PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies cruelty-free program since 2001. They even have a dedicated vegan friendly section on their website.
Price Range
Too Faced Cosmetics products are available from £12 to £45.
6. Glossier
Best For
Glossier offers a full range of exciting cosmetics products. Head to their store if you’re looking for highly effective skincare items like their Priming Moisturizer.
Sustainability
As well as being a completely cruelty-free company, Glossier is determined to operate sustainably. Their shipping boxes are now made from 100% recycled material. They have removed all unnecessary liners from their boxes and have discontinued products that contain glitter.
Price Range
Glossier is one of the more affordable brands, with products starting at £8. Even their most expensive item, the Three Serums Super Pack, only comes in at £60.
7. Pangea Organics
Best For
Pangea Organics is an ethical company that provides a range of skin, body, and lip care products as well as essential oils and Matcha green tea. Their specialty, though, is skincare creams and lotions. Their Balancing Oil Serum for All Skin Types is a real winner.
Sustainability
Sustainability is a subject that Pangea takes seriously. They source organic materials, and use sustainable packaging for their products.
Price Range
Products are priced from between $18 - $100.
8. The Body Shop
Best For
While they sell a vast range of cosmetics and bathroom products, the Body Shop’s best sellers are the Hemp Hand Protector, Coconut Body Butter, and Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo.
Sustainability
The Body Shop was one of the first cosmetics companies to ban animal testing for their products, and they launched their own Community Fair Trade program in 1987. This is the biggest fair trade project in the cosmetics sector.
Price Range
Prices at the Body Shop are very affordable, ranging from between £4 and £40.
9. Charlotte Tilbury
Best For
You can purchase many high-end cosmetics from Charlotte Tilbury. Amongst the best of these are Charlotte's Magic Cream moisturizer, Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder, and Luxury Palette - Pillow Talk.
Sustainability
As well as being cruelty free and offering a number of vegan products, Charlotte Tilbury also has a number of refillable products such as their Hot Lips 2 Lipstick.
Price Range
Charlotte Tilbury’s prices range from £20 to £200
10. Urban Decay
Best For
Urban Decay’s most popular line of products is their Naked Palettes collection, which includes a number of great shadow palettes, such as their Naked Honey Eyeshadow.
Sustainability
A number of Urban Decay’s products are vegan friendly, and the entire company is committed to only selling cruelty free cosmetics.
Price Range
Urban Decay’s products cost between £8.50 and £130
Sustainability
A number of Urban Decay’s products are vegan friendly, and the entire company is committed to only selling cruelty free cosmetics.
Price Range
Urban Decay’s products cost between £8.50 and £130
11. e.l.f. Cosmetics
Best For
Among the brand’s rich catalog of products, e.l.f. Cosmetics is best known for providing low cost but high quality makeup and makeup tools such as their Total Face Sponge and Bite-Size Eyeshadow.
Sustainability
e.l.f. Cosmetics is dedicated to achieving sustainability. Alongside only offering cruelty free cosmetics, they have committed to lessening their environmental impact. In 2020 they celebrated eliminating around 650,000 pounds of packaging material from their sold products.
Price Range
e.l.f. Cosmetics products cost between £4 and £60.
12. 100% Pure
Best For
The best sellers amongst 100% Pure’s catalog of high-quality products are their Fruit Pigmented Ultra Lengthening Mascara and their Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream.
Sustainability
100% Pure has implemented a number of policies and measures to mitigate their impact on the environment. This includes producing cruelty free makeup, planting thousands of trees, using renewable energy sources such as solar power, and much more.
Price Range
Purchase 100% Pure cosmetics for between £6 and £50.
13. KVD Beauty
Best For
The most popular items in KVD Beauty’s collection are their Good Apple Skin-Perfecting Foundation Balm, Prime-to-Finish Complexion Bundle, and Easy Speedy Complexion Bundle.
Sustainability
KVD Beauty is committed to providing cruelty free and eco-friendly cosmetics. Their goods come in 100% recyclable boxes and are made from 40% recycled material.
Price Range
Products from KVD Beauty cost $20 to $90.
Sustainability
KVD Beauty is committed to providing cruelty free and eco-friendly cosmetics. Their goods come in 100% recyclable boxes and are made from 40% recycled material.
Price Range
Products from KVD Beauty cost $20 to $90.
14. Marc Jacobs Beauty
Best For
Marc Jacobs Beauty are famous for their Extra Shot Caffeine Concealer And Foundation and their Highliner Matte Matte Gel Eye Crayon.
Sustainability
All Marc Jacobs Beauty products are cruelty free, and the brand is a member of PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies program.
Price Range
Marc Jacobs Beauty products come in anywhere between $14 and $115.
Sustainability
All Marc Jacobs Beauty products are cruelty free, and the brand is a member of PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies program.
Price Range
Marc Jacobs Beauty products come in anywhere between $14 and $115.
15. NYX
Best For
Of all the excellent cosmetics products offered by NYX, the highest rated items are their Hydra Touch Primer, Slide On Lip Pencil and Suede Matte Lipliner.
Sustainability
NYX offers a range of vegan options, as well as only selling cruelty free cosmetics.
Price Range
Products in the NYX catalog range from £8 to £16.
Of all the excellent cosmetics products offered by NYX, the highest rated items are their Hydra Touch Primer, Slide On Lip Pencil and Suede Matte Lipliner.
Sustainability
NYX offers a range of vegan options, as well as only selling cruelty free cosmetics.
Price Range
Products in the NYX catalog range from £8 to £16.
Purchasing From Cruelty Free Makeup Brands
As can be seen, there are numerous cruelty free makeup brands out there offering high-quality cosmetics products. The list above is an excellent place to start your cruelty free makeup shopping.
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