Top five vegan make-up brands

There are so many perks to buying make-up in store. It’s usually cheaper and you get to play with it, so you can see exactly how it looks and wears. But a big downside a lot of the time is that many of the brands in store test on animals, and if they claim they don’t it may be that they sell their products in places such as China, who have a law which states that cosmetic products can be subject to random animal testing. It is out-of-date and often out of the hands of the actual make-up brands, however, they continue to put monetary gain before animal’s lives.

We’ve compiled a short list of completely vegan free make-up brands, so at last you can enjoy your make-up knowing a rabbit isn’t dying for it.

Kat Von D

Kat Von D and her eponymous brand are big supporters and advocates for animal rights. We do have a strong belief that she would say if any of her own products did contain any harmful ingredients against animals. As it is common knowledge that her make-up line did not start off as completely vegan, the changeover was completed successfully last year, and from a business standpoint the innovator would have been financially setback from this. Not enough to make a large impact, however, with the cost of research and the change to the formula, one can assume that Miss Von D decided to become vegan out of the goodness of her heart.

Kat Von D is a gem in the make-up world, and while the price tag is high, the quality is good, the packaging is sleek and it represents the inner rebel that the lady herself will always be known as. We have also heard many rumours which state that her liquid lipsticks are lover-proof, so what isn’t there to love?

Packaging: 4/5
Reputation: 4/5
Quality: 5/5

 

Lime Crime

If you had spoken to us about this time last year we would have sung Lime Crime’s praises straight to the pearly gates. However, after a whole re-education in make-up and ethical standards, and regularly wearing their products, they quickly lost our love. From vicious rumours (and possible truths) surrounding whether Lime Crime were just repacking other (cheaper) products and claiming them as their own, to letting their database get hacked resulting in loyal customers getting their bank information stolen. There is more hate in the make-up community for Lime Crime than there is love, however, their packaging will forever be the most visually appealing on the market. 

It is at your own discretion if you want to trust and buy from this brand. We think their colours are amazing, the packaging is Instagram worthy and their morals come from a good place.

Packaging: 5/5
Reputation: 1.5/5
Quality: 3/5

 

Jeffree Star

You might have heard of the infamous Jeffree Star, best known for his highlighters and velour lipsticks. With a sassy attitude and vibrant colours, his brand became one of the most spoken about on the internet.

Jeffree Star is a cult favourite, and his long-lasting liquid lip glosses do stand the test of time. While low-key rumours have circulated questioning the authenticity of the brand, their official website still states that the products are 100% vegan.

If you can get over the ambiguous accusations, and Star’s cutting responses on twitter, then you will still enjoy his products.

Packaging: 3.5/5
Reputation: 3/5
Quality: 4.5/5

 

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC)

OCC are one of the few brands we know of which was founded by a genuine make-up artist, David Klasfeld. We have absolute faith that there is no need to worry when buying from this brand; they are even on PETA’s certified list. We were impressed.

OCC emit vibes of a medicinal theme, and they follow through all the way down to the packaging. The colours used are quite clinical, white packaging with black writing, and the shape of the bottles remind us of little syringes.

The price is a little high, but in the same ballpark as the other brands on this list (£15 is the average price). They do deliver to the United Kingdom; however, the delivery fee isn’t attractive. Fortunately, you can buy OCC from third party sites such as lookfantastic.com and love-makeup.co.uk.

Packaging: 4/5
Reputation: 5/5
Quality: 4/5

Make-up Geek

This is another brand to praise. Founded by the YouTube star, Marlena Stell, Make-up Geek focuses on not only selling vegan and animal-friendly products but also shows you how to apply them. From the website, Marlena considers herself to be a “make-up educator, not necessarily a make-up artist”.

It is refreshing to see a brand that doesn’t just want to sell you their product, but also assist you in applying it. Unfortunately, PETA doesn’t want to put the brand on the certified list, due to the association Make-up Geek has with the brand, Palladio. Make-up Geek sells other brands as well as their own, and because Palladio doesn’t make PETA’s list, neither do Make-up Geek. But rest assured, Make-up Geek is independently owned and features on many other cruelty-free lists which are floating around the internet.

In terms of packaging, there is no real theme or standout appeal. What you see is what you get with Make-up Geek, and their clear plastic pots of eyeshadow reflect that. Their products cost around £6 for a single eyeshadow to £40 for a highlight palette.

There is worldwide shipping on the brand’s official website, however, no one likes those shipping fees. So, for those who are obsessed with little animal friendly pots of glitter and the like, then you can buy this brand from beautybay.com.    

Packaging: 2.5/5
Reputation: 4.5/5
Quality: 4/5 

Ella Jackson