This blog post is written in collaboration with Anita, an ethical beauty expert on Instagram.
If you think cruelty-free, organic or vegan make-up is as dull as plain tofu, after this post, you might rethink it. So, you are already doing your best: not eating meat, not buying (new) leather or fur and using only cucumber sponges when washing dishes. However, there is still one sneaky place that animal-derived ingredients or synthetics may be hiding: your makeup.
So here’s what you need to know about ethical make-up products:
- Ethical beauty – beauty products that are fairly produced, with nature, animals and humans in mind.
- Vegan makeup – make-up that doesn’t contain any animal products.
- Cruelty-free – make-up products that do not harm animals, nor the raw materials involved. And that weren’t tested on animals.
- Organic makeup – makeup formulated exclusively with natural and organic ingredients.
Nowadays, more and more beauty brands are focused on developing vegan formulas, turning away from testing on animals and adding organic components. However, finding truly vegan brands takes a bit of research and digging. But don’t worry, we did it for you. Below, we’ve selected five most exciting vegan, cruelty-free & organic make-up brands. Additionally, we’ve selected 2 of their best products. Which brands will you give a try?
1. Kosas
Firstly, we’d like to introduce you to Kosas, an American beauty brand established in 2015. With a focus on products that can keep up with an active lifestyle, you’ll be sure to be ready in a second. It’s quick, easy, really-works makeup that also doubles as skincare. While it’s packed with clean treatment ingredients.
2. ILIA
ILIA is another American based brand. By blending brilliant pigments with super nourishing ingredients, ILIA Beauty distinguishes itself from the other organic makeup brands on the market. Therefore ILIA can also be considered as a luxury brand.
3. Ere Perez
Third up is Ere Perez, an Australian brand offering clean beauty and make-up products, all based on natural ingredients. Their products are PETA certified cruelty free, and mostly vegan except for beeswax. Their ingredients do not come from GMO sources. Lastly, they’re also certified carbon neutral.
4. Kjaer Weis
Kjaer Weis is a visionary and forward-thinking cosmetics line. It’s an American brand with Danish roots, that recognises health and beauty equally, while also being socially responsible. Kjaer Weis is leading the movement with high-performing, luxury makeup that is, as everything should be, organic and sustainable. For example, with their reusable luxury packaging, you’ll be able to use them over and over again with just a refill of their products.
5. Milk make-up
Milk Makeup believes in good ingredients and tremendous results. They’re cruelty-free, paraben-free, and 100% vegan. As Milk Makeup says: “It’s not just about how you create your look; it’s what you do in it that matters.” Milk is based in NYC, the United States.
6. Eye of Horus
Another Australian based brand that creates ethically sourced products with only the finest, naturally derived, organic ingredients. All of what they offer is paraben-free, gluten-free and harsh chemical-free. Eye of Horus wholeheartedly believes in positive change, something we enhance at this blog too. Besides that, their packaging is truly aesthetically pleasing.
7. Phb Ethical Beauty
This UK based brand produces locally with only vegan and cruelty-free ingredients. They’re PETA certified. Besides that, they’re palm oil free, an oil that’s strongly linked to deforestation and animal cruelty. Also, the products are alcohol free and halal. Lastly, 20% of their profits go to charity.
8. Jane Iredale
The Jane Iredale brand has launched in the good year of 1994 in the US. Since then, they’re bringing you PETA, CCIC and ECO CERT certified products, all to enhance your beauty with natural care. Besides that, their clean beauty products are recommended by the skin cancer foundation. As the brand explains: “We exist to serve and enhance women’s lives by providing a safe, comfortable and knowledgeable community for exploring their own beauty and feeling more alive.”
9. Madara
Madara is a cruelty-free & organic make-up and skin care brand based in Latvia. Here they produce only high quality products that help you survive the colder climates. They differentiate themselves with effective ingredients, honest claims, environmentally friendly packaging, care, passion and respect.
10. RMS Beauty
RMS Beauty ia a natural cosmetics brand from the US with a careful focus on ingredients. All their products are formulated with raw, food grade and organic ingredients in their natural state, allowing their living, healing attributes to penetrate and rejuvenate the skin. Besides that, RMS Beauty products are free of harmful chemicals, synthetic preservatives, synthetic vitamins, and genetically modified ingredients (GMO) etc. Therefore, their products do not harm nature nor the environment.
11. INIKA Organic
Also INIKA is an Australian cruelty-free & organic make-up and natural beauty brand. INIKA Organic has created the world’s only 100% natural, organic skincare line infused with 5% active botanicals – and with proven results. They’re vegan, halal, cruelty-free & organic certified. Accordingly, all products are free from fillers, texturisers, synthetics and toxic chemicals.
12. CONTENT Beauty
Last but not least: CONTENT. This brand from London was founded in 2008 to provide a home for the new wave of natural cruelty-free & organic make-up. While this is more a department store rather than an individual brand, as they sell many brands from this list, I’d still like to add them to the list.
Because what’s really likeable about CONTENT is the fact that they’re trying to do their absolute best for people and the environment. This means, they assure their energy is green, their money’s at an ethical bank and of course all products are sustainable and cruelty-free. Also they state: “Bye, Bye Perfect: Removing the word perfect from all CONTENT product descriptions on our website since 2017. Why? We think you are good enough just the way you are.” How mindful is that? Needless to say, I really love their approach to changing the industry on so many levels. Since I’ve written a blog post about beauty and perfection, which you can read here btw, I love this unique statement.
In the final analysis, we’d say it’s always better to pay a little more for a better product you can use a longer period of time. Obviously all of us do not want to harm our skin with toxins and chemicals. Therefore we hope this blog post will give you some sort of overview to find a cruelty-free & organic make-up brand you’ll love.
Feel inspired and wanna turn your beauty routine into something green as well? Then check out this easy daily beauty routine here, to learn more about skin care as well.
