The pressure on brands to stop animal testing and make the switch to becoming cruelty-free is greater than ever before. Unfortunately, as the Chinese government require products to be tested on animals, many of the leading brands are unwilling to forfeit this major market in order to become cruelty free and as a consequence, cruelty-free and vegan makeup brands tend to be harder to find. Just to add confusion, many products are vegan, meaning they contain no animal products, but not cruelty-free as they have been tested on animals. Cruelty-free products are usually clearly marked with the Leaping Bunny logo, indicating that no animal testing has taken place at any stage of product development, and labelled ‘vegan’ if they contain no animal products. If you’re unsure, there are some great apps to help you out! Both the leaping bunny app and PETA’s ‘Bunny Free’ app are free and let you search for brands or scan a product’s barcode to find out if it’s cruelty-free!

Here we’ve put together a list of excellent brands turning their back on animal testing, taking the stance that looking good does not have to come at the expense of animal welfare.

Cover FX
This brand is not only PETA approved for not testing on animals, they are also vegan and free of the ‘inflammatory five’ (parabens, mineral oil, fragrance, talc and gluten). Their bestselling ‘Power Play Foundation’, available in 40 shades, was included in the 2018 ‘most valuable products’ category by Redbook, and their website features a helpful foundation finder to help you unearth the perfect shade and formula. To achieve a natural holiday glow, also be sure to check out their cosmopolitan beauty award-winning ‘custom enhancer drops’.

Jane Iredale
Jane Iredale is another brand which deems the use of animals in the testing of cosmetic products ‘cruel’ and ‘unnecessary’, and their website clearly outlines which of their products are also vegan and gluten-free. Their bestselling ‘enlighten concealer’ helps to hide pigmentation, bruising and those dreaded dark circles, whilst the pure brow gel’ tints brow hairs in a natural way and contains algae extract to condition and restore hairs. Their handy ‘how-to’ video guides for each of their products on their website is particularly useful for those of us who aren’t makeup artists!

The Body Shop
As the first global cosmetics company to campaign against ending animal testing back in 1989, The Body Shop continues to lead the way when it comes to cruelty-free products. Together with their campaign partners ‘ cruelty-free international’, they are committed to campaigning against animal testing and encouraging people to sign a petition and spread awareness using the hashtag #ForeverAgainstAnimalTesting. Many people aren’t aware that The Body Shop has an extensive makeup range. The ‘Loose Face Powder’ in their vegan range is perfect for setting makeup and ensuring your look has a flawless finish and lasts throughout the day (because who has time to apply twice!?) and the ‘shine lip liquid’ is a non-sticky moisturising lipstick ideal for a natural everyday look.

Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna has the tagline ‘The New Generation of Beauty’ and their progressive and revolutionary stance extends to their simple answer ‘never’ to the question ‘does Fenty beauty test on animals?’ Rihanna’s favourites include ‘Flyliner’, their long wear and water-resistant liquid eyeliner’, and the ‘stunna lip paint’, a perfect shade of red that lasts for 12-hours, making it ideal for a dinner date, night out at the bar or a day in the office! Their products are also paraben and phthalate free.

BH Cosmetics
Not only do BH Cosmetics not animal test, they also have a vegan range to fulfil all your beauty needs and are extremely affordable! The vegan range includes two 42- colour eyeshadow palettes, along with a full array of synthetic makeup brushes! They are stocked by Beauty Bay in the UK to avoid shipping costs!

words by Harriet Prior

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