Best Vegan Makeup Products to Replace Your Beauty Staples

Looking for high-performing vegan makeup that's healthier for you and the planet is easier than ever.

Veganism has been around for ages, but thanks to the increasing awareness around it, it’s becoming easier to live a fully vegan lifestyle. We’re talking about more than just eating a vegan diet. There’s also the question of making the beauty products in your bathroom cabinet vegan-friendly too. With so many new vegan makeup brands popping up, and many making the switch, it’s finally possible to go fully vegan and still ace your makeup look while you’re at it. Just making the switch yourself? We’ll give you all the pointers you need to know about vegan makeup.

What’s considered vegan makeup?

Vegan makeup refers to makeup that’s free of animal-derived ingredients and byproducts. While that might seem easy at first glance, once you think about what exactly goes into your favorite makeup products, it makes sense why some brands might be reluctant to go vegan. Love your red lipstick? More often than not, it’s pigmented with carmine, which is made from crushed cochineal beetles. Then you have ingredients like beeswax, honey, or lanolin that make your makeup feel super smooth on skin, but are absolutely not vegan. Even glycerin isn’t always vegan! That’s why simply scanning an ingredients list won’t always cut it, and you’ll want to go to a trustworthy brand instead.

Vegan makeup doesn’t automatically mean that it’s cruelty-free makeup too. While a product can be free of animal byproducts, it might still be tested on animals. So make sure to double check on the labels and with each brand first!

Finally, vegan makeup doesn’t automatically mean that it’s healthier for humans. That’s true for vegan food too. To compensate for removing animal-derived ingredients, some brands might go for harsh synthetic chemicals instead, which end up polluting the environment again (and hurting any animals living there). In addition, they’re often not great for your skin and internal health. It’s helpful to look for vegan makeup products made by brands that have your health as their priority, and use only high quality natural ingredients as their star ingredients.

Is vegan makeup really worth it?

It totally is! With so many big name brands going vegan, and smaller indie vegan brands making waves in the beauty world, so many stellar products are being churned out amidst all the competition and interest. Forget about underperforming formulas and lackluster color payoff. Vegan makeup is quickly becoming the new standard. It’s now possible to find cruelty-free brands that use organic ingredients to make robust vegan formulas that promise stunning pigmentation and long lasting wear to suit even the most savvy makeup artists. Not convinced yet? We’ll introduce to you our favorite vegan makeup products to get you started and make the switch with ease.

Best vegan makeup products

All of the products below are both vegan and cruelty-free, because we’re all about helping the animal world in every way we can. We’ve vetted the brands and products to make sure not only they’re vegan, but are also free of harmful synthetic ingredients. Finally, we’ve looked for the highest performing products that work just as well (or even better) than conventional beauty products. Without further ado, let’s get started!

Dream Big Lash Extending 7 in 1 Mascara from Pacifica
Cruelty-free, vegan
Sticking to vegan or natural makeup doesn’t mean you have to settle for a meh look. This mascara offers both length and volume worthy of your biggest lash dreams. Keep on layering coats of this mascara on to achieve stunning pigmentation and statement lashes. Plus, it’s fortified with coconut and kelp (plant power baby!) to keep your lashes hydrated and strong, and help enhance their look for the long run. It’s long lasting and conditioning, without needing to relax on ingredients like beeswax or lanolin.

Fruit Pigmented Pomegranate Oil Anti Aging Lipstick from 100% Pure
Cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free
It’s notoriously difficult to find a good vegan red lipstick, because it’s become such a conventional thing to use carmine to pigment them. Luckily you can still get a highly pigmented lipstick that’s vegan too. Enter this lipstick from 100% Pure that’s pigmented with antioxidant-rich fruits instead! You’ll love how soft the anti-aging pomegranate oil and shea butter feel on your lips. It comes in over a dozen shades too. There’s no reason not to go vegan with this rainbow range of shades.

Creme Minerals Organic Foundation from Plain Jane Beauty
Cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free
Sure, it might be easy to put together a vegan foundation. Then you have to test whether it clogs your pores and actually creates the flawless complexion you want. If there’s a shade that matches your skin, that is. Thankfully vegan products are becoming more inclusive now. Take this foundation from Plain Jane Beauty for example, that offers a vegan foundation in 17 shades. It’s ideal for all skin types, thanks to the jojoba and carrot seed oil that are light enough for even oily skin.

Gel Eyeliner from Hush + Dotti
Cruelty-free, vegan
Who says you can’t amp up the drama with vegan eye makeup? Apply this gel eyeliner to achieve a bold cat eye for your night out. It’s creamy smooth on your eyelids, thanks to the carnauba and candelilla wax that make this formula vegan-friendly and soothing for skin. Bonus: it’s a waterproof liner that’s perfect for sensitive eyes, as well as for people who wear contact lenses.

Satin Matte Blush from Alima Pure
Cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free
What better way to create a healthy-looking flush on your cheeks than with a natural blush that’s vegan too? This mineral blush offers a smooth matte finish that’s easily buildable and blendable. The best part is that it’s ideal for all skin types—even oily and acne-prone skin—since it won’t clog your pores. It comes in a range of natural shades to suit different skin tones. Don’t forget to pair it with a vegan makeup brush!

Phyto-Pigments Illuminating Primer from Juice Beauty
Cruelty-free, vegan
Our favorite thing about this primer (besides the fact that it’s both cruelty-free and vegan) is that it doubles as a face serum! When applied to your skin, it blurs imperfections for a flawless complexion and natural glow, while also nourishing for smoother-looking skin in the long run. Some of the superstar ingredients are coconut alkanes, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid that all help support aging skin.

Fruit Pigmented® Pretty Naked Palette from 100% Pure
Cruelty-free, vegan, gluten-free
Did you know? The first ever “naked palette” that launched was vegan and pigmented with fruits! That’s right, these soft pink and rosy taupe shades are actually pigmented from antioxidant-rich fruits like pomegranate and raspberry, and vegetables too. In addition to its anti-aging benefits, this natural formula comes with a hint of sparkle from mica to add a natural radiance to your complexion.

Looking for high-performing vegan makeup to replace your beauty staples is easier than ever. From anti-aging ingredients to the chicest shades in season, vegan makeup products have so much more to offer than just their vegan formulas. You don’t have to sacrifice style to be more ethically conscious of the planet, and that’s true for everything from foundations to mascaras. Vegan is looking to be the next standard for the beauty world. Are you ready to make the switch?