The 12 Best Vegan Makeup Brands of 2023

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. 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.

Jillian Dempsey

Celebrities agree: This brand is the creme de la creme of vegan beauty. Everyone from Leslie Mann to Lisa Rinna have waxed poetic about the brand. The Kohl eyeliners are a standout (we recommend scooping up the new electric blue hue!) and the cheek tint is the ultimate multi-tasker. But wait, it gets better. Dempsey, who is an animal activist, has made the brand an official PETA Business Friend, and supports the organization in their fight to stop animal abuse. 

Milk Makeup

Chances are you’ve seen a TikTok (or two, or five) about the amazingness that is the HydroGrip Primer. And we have good news: the primer—along with the rest of the line—is committed to creating cruelty-free, paraben-free and vegan products. If you’re new to the brand, we suggest scooping up the mascara or the brow tint—they’re some of the best out there. 

Merit

This makeup brand may have only launched last year, but it’s quickly become a beauty editor favorite thanks to its minimalist M.O. Majority of the products come in stick form, making them ideal for on-the-go application. Basically, the brand is the MVP for a five-minute face. Our favorite product? The Minimalist, which is the creamiest, most hydrating concealer and foundation duo. 

Velour Beauty

We love false lashes as much as the next person. Unfortunately, the most natural looking falsies are sometimes made from mink fur. That’s where Velour Beauty comes in. The 100 percent vegan brand has spent years sourcing fine materials to mimic the appearance of mink lashes—without harming any animals in the process. As an added bonus, the lashes are designed to last for over 25 applications, making them a more sustainable alternative to one-and-done strip lashes. 

Róen

For a vegan beauty brand that feels luxe as can be, Róen is the way to go. From the packaging to the formulas, the beauty brand has created a high end and non-toxic aesthetic. While they have high-performing staples (their clean mascara is one of the best), we love the brand for their shimmers. The eyeshadows are unmatched and their lip oil balm is one of the most nourishing options out there. 

Bodyography

If this brand isn’t on your radar, you’re missing out. It is a staple in makeup artists’ kits, but I could go on and on and on about their high performance products, which are vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free, talc-free, and paraben-free. Their lipsticks and complexion products deserve five stars, but their Glitter Pigments will exceed your wildest expectations—trust me. They go on like a dream, are finger friendly, and never, ever crease. 

Rose Inc

Rosie Huntington Whitely delivered—big time—with her vegan makeup line. While new launches continue to roll out, the overall vibe of the line is soft, minimalistic glam. You can expect lots of liquid and cream products with buildable finishes. The blushes and newly-launched bronzer are summer staples, but her Skin Enhancing Tinted Serum is by far the most innovative product in the range. It has micro-encapsulated pigments that burst when applied with a brush. 

Cover Fx

If you’re looking for high performance, long-lasting products that still meet vegan standards, turn to Cover Fx. The PETA-approved line is best known for its Drops Collection. They can be applied exclusively to the high points of the face, but a makeup artist hack is to mix a bit in with foundation for an all-over glow. 

Rare Beauty

Selena Gomez somehow churns out one viral beauty product after the other. The good news? Every single item in the line is vegan. So whether you want to hop on board with her liquid blush or try the TikTok-famous tinted moisturizer, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that no animals were harmed in the making. They’re also cruelty-free and a part of PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies database. 

Valde Beauty

Anyone with a love for lipstick should check out the high-end, luxe formulas from Valdé Beauty, a lipstick-only brand. The cruelty-free, vegan line is known for their elaborate packaging, which mimics the look of armor. The formulas themselves are gorgeous: the shades are pigmented, the texture is flawless, and the ingredients leave lips feeling soft and hydrated.