What Are Cruelty-Free Makeup Brands and Why They Matter

Cruelty-free makeup brands are reshaping the beauty industry by creating products without testing on animals. Choosing these brands promotes ethical practices, supports animal welfare, and encourages sustainable beauty.

Beyond compassion, cruelty-free cosmetics often use cleaner, safer ingredients for healthier skin. With growing awareness, more consumers seek products that align with their values.

In this guide, we’ll dive deeper into What Are Cruelty-Free Makeup Brands, why they matter, and highlight the best options that combine ethics, quality, and style.

Cruelty-Free Makeup Brands

1. Urban Decay

Urban Decay is a bold, cruelty-free cosmetics brand founded in 1996 in Southern California by Wende Zomnir, Sandy Lerner, Pat Holmes, and David Soward.

Created to challenge the pink and red-dominated beauty industry, Urban Decay introduced edgy shades like “Roach” and “Smog,” reflecting urban style.

The brand gained rapid popularity for its high-pigment, long-lasting products, including eyeshadows, lipsticks, and setting sprays. Known for innovation and cruelty-free commitment, Urban Decay has influenced modern makeup trends worldwide.

In 2012, L’Oréal acquired the brand, which continues to release iconic products such as Naked palettes and All Nighter Setting Spray.

Top Urban Decay Products

1. Naked Eyeshadow Palette

A cult-favorite featuring 12 neutral shades, perfect for creating versatile eye looks.

2. All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray

Keeps makeup in place for up to 16 hours with a lightweight, breathable formula.

3. Vice Lipstick

Available in a wide range of shades and finishes, offering intense colour payoff.

4. Perversion Mascara

Delivers ultra-black, volumized lashes with a creamy, buildable formula.

2. Too Faced

Too Faced is a vibrant, cruelty-free cosmetics brand founded in 1998 by Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson. Originating from their shared passion for makeup and creativity, the brand quickly gained popularity for its playful approach to beauty, featuring innovative products with whimsical packaging.

Known for its commitment to cruelty-free practices, Too Faced became a part of The Estée Lauder Companies in 2016. Despite the departure of its founders in 2022, the brand continues to thrive under new leadership, maintaining its reputation for bold, high-quality makeup products that empower self-expression.

Top Too Faced Products

1. Better Than Sex Mascara

Dramatic volume and length for bold lashes.

2. Born This Way Foundation

Buildable coverage with a natural finish.

3. Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette

Matte and shimmer shades infused with cocoa powder.

4. Melted Matte Lipstick

Bold, long-wearing matte lip colour.

3. Tarte Cosmetics

Tarte Cosmetics is a cruelty-free makeup brand founded in 1999 by Maureen Kelly in New York. The brand emphasizes natural, high-performance ingredients like Amazonian clay, offering products that are both skin-friendly and eco-conscious.

Known for its innovative formulations and playful, colourful packaging, Tarte quickly gained popularity for delivering long-lasting, vibrant makeup. The brand supports ethical practices, being 100% cruelty-free and primarily vegan.

Over the years, Tarte has expanded its product range to include foundations, eyeshadows, lip products, and skincare, maintaining a reputation for quality, creativity, and sustainability while empowering individuals to express themselves through makeup.

Top Tarte Cosmetics Products

1. Shape Tape Concealer

Full-coverage, long-lasting concealer with a creamy finish.

2. Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Foundation

Lightweight, long-wearing foundation for smooth, even skin.

3. Tartelette In Bloom Eyeshadow Palette

Versatile palette of matte and shimmer neutral shades.

4. Maracuja Juicy Lip

Hydrating, richly pigmented lipstick with a glossy finish.

4. Fenty Beauty

Fenty Beauty is a cruelty-free cosmetics brand launched in 2017 by global superstar Rihanna. Known for its high-performance, innovative formulas, Fenty Beauty emphasizes long-wearing, versatile makeup with a modern, sleek aesthetic.

The brand is entirely cruelty-free, with many vegan-friendly products, gaining rapid acclaim for redefining industry standards.

Its iconic foundations, highlighters, and lip products celebrate diversity and self-expression, making professional-quality makeup accessible to everyone while maintaining ethical practices, quality, and creativity in every product.

Top Fenty Beauty Products

1. Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Foundation

Lightweight, long-lasting foundation with a natural matte finish.

2. Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter

Buildable, radiant highlighter for a glowing complexion.

3. Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Colour

Bold, long-lasting liquid lipstick in universally flattering shades.

4. Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

Hydrating, shimmering lip gloss suitable for all skin tones.

5. e.l.f. Cosmetics

e.l.f. Cosmetics is a cruelty-free makeup brand founded in 2004 by Joseph Shamah and Scott Vincent Borba in California.

The brand focuses on creating high-quality, affordable cosmetics accessible to everyone, emphasizing innovation, inclusivity, and ethical practices.

Known for its wide range of vegan-friendly products, e.l.f. combines performance with affordability, offering foundations, eyeshadows, lipsticks, and brushes that rival higher-end brands.

With an unwavering dedication to cruelty-free and sustainable techniques, e.l.f. empowers self-expression. The company is well-known among makeup lovers all over the world for its stylish, useful, and reasonably priced items.

Top e.l.f. Cosmetics Products

1. Poreless Putty Primer

Smooths skin and creates a flawless base for makeup.

2. 16HR Camo Concealer

Full-coverage, long-lasting concealer suitable for all skin tones.

3. Bite-Size Eyeshadow Palette

Compact palette with versatile, high-pigment shades.

4. Matte Lip Colour

Smooth, bold lipstick with a long-wearing matte finish.

6. Milk Makeup

Milk Makeup is a cruelty-free cosmetics brand founded in 2016 by Mazdack Rassi, Zanna Roberts Rassi, and Georgie Greville in New York.

Known for its innovative, multi-use products, the brand emphasizes clean, vegan-friendly formulations designed for modern, on-the-go lifestyles.

Milk Makeup focuses on self-expression, individuality, and bold, creative looks while maintaining ethical standards, including being 100% cruelty-free.

With a minimalist aesthetic and highly functional products, it has gained popularity among makeup enthusiasts and professionals alike.

The brand continues to expand its line with skincare-infused makeup and tools that blend performance, sustainability, and artistry.

Top Milk Makeup Products

1. Kush Mascara

Volumizing mascara infused with hemp-derived ingredients for soft, lifted lashes.

2. Hydro Grip Primer

Long-lasting, hydrating primer that smooths skin and locks in makeup.

3. Lip + Cheek

Multi-use cream stick for a natural flush colour

4. Flex Concealer

Full-coverage, blendable concealer with a lightweight finish.

7. Anastasia Beverly Hills

Anastasia Beverly Hills (ABH) is a cruelty-free cosmetics brand founded in 1997 by Anastasia Soare in Beverly Hills, California.

The firm first became well-known for its eyebrow cosmetics, which used the “Golden Ratio” technique to revolutionize brow shape.

Known for high-quality, innovative makeup, ABH offers eyeshadows, contour kits, lip products, and brow tools loved worldwide. Committed to cruelty-free practices, the brand also features many vegan-friendly items.

Its bold colours, rich pigmentation, and professional-grade formulas have made it a staple among makeup artists and enthusiasts, combining artistry, precision, and accessibility in every product.

Top Anastasia Beverly Hills Products

1. Dipbrow Pomade

Creamy, waterproof brow product for sculpted, long-lasting brows.

2. Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette

Highly pigmented palette with warm matte and shimmer shades.

3. Liquid Lipstick

Long-wearing, highly pigmented liquid lipstick in various shades.

4. Contour Kit

Blendable powders for sculpting and highlighting facial features.

8. Kat Von D Beauty (KVD Vegan Beauty)

KVD Vegan Beauty is a cruelty-free and 100% vegan cosmetics brand founded by tattoo artist Kat Von D in 2008. Known for its bold, edgy aesthetic, the brand combines high-performance formulas with artistic, expressive packaging.

KVD emphasizes inclusivity, offering a wide range of shades suitable for diverse skin tones. Famous for long-wearing, highly pigmented products, it includes eyeliners, lipsticks, foundations, and eyeshadow palettes.

The brand maintains strong ethical values, rejecting animal testing while creating innovative, fashion-forward cosmetics that empower self-expression and individuality. KVD continues to influence the beauty industry with its distinctive, alternative style.

Top KVD Vegan Beauty Products

1. Tattoo Liner

Precision liquid eyeliner with long-lasting, smudge-proof formula.

2. Everlasting Liquid Lipstick

Bold, long-wearing liquid lipstick in various shades.

3. Lock-It Foundation

Full-coverage, long-lasting foundation for all skin tones.

4. Shade + Light Contour Palette

Blendable contour and highlight powders for sculpted features.

9. Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Cosmetics is a cruelty-free, luxury makeup brand founded in 2004 by Carisa Janes in California. Renowned for its innovative formulations, the brand emphasizes high-performance, clean beauty with a focus on sustainability and ethical practices.

Hourglass creates long-lasting, pigment-rich products including foundations, lipsticks, highlighters, and powders, blending science with artistry to deliver flawless results. The brand is 100% cruelty-free, with many vegan offerings, and is committed to eco-friendly packaging.

Celebrated for its luxurious textures, modern aesthetic, and ethical standards, Hourglass has become a go-to brand for professional makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts worldwide.

Top Hourglass Cosmetics Products

Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick

Full-coverage, blendable foundation in a convenient stick format.

Ambient Lighting Powder

Soft-focus finishing powder for a radiant, natural glow.

Confession Ultra Slim High-Intensity Refillable Lipstick

Bold, long-lasting, highly pigmented lipstick in a slim, refillable tube.

Veil Translucent Setting Powder

Lightweight, blurring powder to set makeup flawlessly.

10. bareMinerals

bareMinerals is a cruelty-free cosmetics brand founded in 1995 by Leslie Blodgett in the United States. The brand pioneered mineral-based makeup, emphasizing skin-friendly, natural ingredients that provide coverage without harsh chemicals.

Known for its lightweight, buildable foundations, bareMinerals focuses on enhancing natural beauty while maintaining ethical standards. All products are cruelty-free, with many vegan options, and are formulated to promote healthy, radiant skin.

Over the years, bareMinerals has expanded into a full range of makeup and skincare products, combining innovation, quality, and sustainability to deliver professional results accessible to all makeup enthusiasts.

Top bareMinerals Products

1. Original Foundation SPF 15

Lightweight, buildable mineral foundation for a natural finish.

2. BarePro Performance Wear Powder Foundation

Full-coverage, long-wearing powder foundation with a flawless look.

3. Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolor

Smooth, highly pigmented liquid lipstick with a comfortable matte finish.

4. Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream

Hydrating, lightweight tinted moisturizer for natural coverage.

11. Cover FX

Cover FX is a cruelty-free, vegan-friendly cosmetics brand founded in 2000 by Dennis Paphitis in the United States. The brand focuses on clean, high-performance makeup, offering products free from parabens, talc, and mineral oil. Known for its customizable, long-lasting formulations,

Cover FX provides foundations, concealers, powders, and primers designed to suit all skin tones and types. The brand emphasizes inclusivity, ethical practices, and innovative solutions for flawless skin.

Professional makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts alike adore Cover FX's versatile, skin-friendly cosmetics, which combine sustainability, quality, and ethical responsibility to enhance natural beauty.

Top Cover FX Products

1. Custom Cover Drops

Liquid pigment drops to customize foundation coverage and shade.

2. Power Play Foundation

Lightweight, long-wearing foundation with buildable coverage.

3. Perfect Setting Powder

Finishing powder that blurs imperfections and sets makeup.

4. Glowing Setting Spray

Hydrating mist for long-lasting makeup with a radiant finish.

12. Pacifica

Pacifica is a cruelty-free, vegan cosmetics brand founded in 1996 by Brook Harvey in the United States. The brand emphasizes ethical beauty, offering 100% vegan products free from parabens, phthalates, and harsh chemicals.

Known for its colourful, innovative makeup and skincare, Pacifica combines natural ingredients with high-performance formulas.

The company's dedication to sustainability includes using eco-friendly packaging and supporting environmental programs.

Popular for its lipsticks, eyeshadows, and face products, Pacifica empowers self-expression while maintaining ethical and eco-conscious values. Its approachable, playful aesthetic appeals to makeup enthusiasts seeking cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, and environmentally responsible beauty products.

Top Pacifica Products

1. Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream

Lightweight, illuminating BB cream for natural coverage.

2. Colourr Quench Lip Tint

Hydrating, pigmented lip tint for vivibrant colour.

3. Wakep Beautiful Eyeshadow Palette

Versatile palette with bright, long-lasting shades.

4. Kale Coconut Nourishing Face Oil

Moisturizing oil infused with natural botanicals for radiant skin.

13. ILIA Beauty

ILIA Beauty is a cruelty-free, clean cosmetics brand founded in 2011 by Sasha Plavsic in the United States. The brand focuses on high-performance, skin-conscious makeup made with natural, non-toxic ingredients.

ILIA emphasizes sustainability, using eco-friendly packaging and responsibly sourced materials while offering a wide range of products, including foundations, mascaras, lipsticks, and highlighters.

Known for its wearable, modern aesthetic, the brand combines beauty with skincare benefits, delivering products that enhance natural radiance.

ILIA is 100% cruelty-free, primarily vegan, and committed to ethical practices, appealing to makeup enthusiasts seeking clean, sustainable, and effective cosmetics.

Top ILIA Beauty Products

1. Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40

Lightweight, hydrating foundation with sun protection.

2. Limitless Lash Mascara

Lengthening and volumizing mascara with clean ingredients.

3. Color Haze Multi-Use Pigment

Versatile cream pigment for eyes, lips, and cheeks.

4. Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil

Nourishing, glossy lip oil with subtle colour.

14. Huda Beauty

Huda Beauty is a cruelty-free cosmetics brand founded in 2013 by beauty influencer Huda Kattan in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The brand gained rapid global popularity for its high-quality, trend-driven products, particularly false eyelashes and eyeshadow palettes.

With a large selection of makeup products that suit a variety of skin tones, Huda Beauty emphasizes innovation, beauty, and inclusivity.  Committed to being cruelty-free, the brand also includes many vegan-friendly options.

Well-known for fusing creativity with performance, Huda Beauty is a favourite brand among cosmetics lovers all over the world because it encourages professional artistry, self-expression, and everyday glitz.

Top Huda Beauty Products

1. Faux Filter Foundation

Full-coverage, long-lasting foundation with a flawless finish.

2. Desert Dusk Eyeshadow Palette

Richly pigmented palette with matte and shimmer shades.

3. Liquid Matte Lipstick

Smooth, long-wearing liquid lipstick in various shades.

4. Easy Bake Loose Powder

Translucent, lightweight powder for a smooth, matte finish.

15. Glossier

Glossier is a cruelty-free cosmetics and skincare brand founded in 2014 by Emily Weiss in New York. The brand focuses on enhancing natural beauty with minimalist, user-friendly products that blend makeup and skincare.

Known for its “skin first, makeup second” philosophy, Glossier emphasizes clean, effective formulations, inclusivity, and accessibility. The brand’s aesthetic is modern and playful, appealing to a broad audience while remaining 100% cruelty-free.

With many vegan-friendly options, Glossier empowers individuals to feel confident in their own skin. Its iconic products combine functionality, simplicity, and style, creating a cult following worldwide.

Top Glossier Products

1. Boy Brow

Tinted brow gel for natural, groomed eyebrows.

2. Cloud Paint

Gel-cream blush for a sheer, buildable flush of colour.

3. Balm Dotcom

Multipurpose skin salve for lips, cuticles, and dry areas.

4. Lash Slick Mascara

Lengthening, defining mascara with a natural finish.

FAQ

1. What does cruelty-free mean?

No animal testing was done on the product or its ingredients.

2. Are cruelty-free and vegan the same?

No. Cruelty-free means no testing; vegan means no animal ingredients.

3. How to know if a brand is cruelty-free?

Check for PETA or Leaping Bunny certification.

4. Why choose cruelty-free makeup?

It’s ethical, kind to animals, and eco-friendly.

5. Are cruelty-free products good quality?

Yes, many are high-performing and gentle on skin.

6. Do cruelty-free brands sell worldwide?

Yes, but some avoid markets requiring animal testing.

7. Is cruelty-free makeup more expensive?

Not always—many affordable cruelty-free options exist.

Conclusion

Cruelty-free makeup businesses ensure ethical and humane practices by never testing their materials or products on animals.

Choosing these brands supports animal welfare, promotes sustainable beauty, and often means using vegan-friendly and eco-conscious products.

With so many innovative, high-quality options, consumers can enjoy professional results without compromising their values.

By understanding what cruelty-free makeup brands are, individuals can make conscious choices that reflect kindness, responsibility, and a genuine commitment to compassionate beauty.

I trust you enjoyed this article on What Are Cruelty-Free Makeup Brands and Why They Matter. Please stay tuned for more plant-based recipes, vegan travel tips, and lifestyle inspiration.

Take care!
— JeannetteZ

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