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I’m glad it matters to you whether or not your makeup was tested on animals.
Happily, you don’t have to pay extra for it, either.
Today, you’ll see reviews of the best cruelty-free drugstore foundations.
You can save money and enjoy makeup that performs well, too.
Contents
If you don’t have time to read the complete article, here are our top picks.
Let’s begin with Covergirl since they are one of the most popular and enduring brands of makeup.
They were well-known and trusted before they achieved the Leaping Bunny certification. Now, I suspect that they are enjoying even more sales.
Their Outlast foundation provides SPF 20 sunscreen with the active ingredient Ensulizole. It filters out UVB and some UVA radiation. It’s also rated low hazard on the EWG Skin Deep Database.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation is liquid makeup that mattifies the complexion to keep it looking natural, not shiny, for hours.
Covergirl also makes one of the best cruelty-free foundations for mature skin.
I’m conflicted about adding it here as it was created in conjunction with Olay. Regrettably, Olay is not a cruelty-free company.
On the plus side, Covergirl’s cruelty-free vegan foundation touts it as Leaping Bunny-certified. Who am I to argue?
This anti-aging cruelty-free vegan foundation improves skin tone and disguises dark circles and blemishes. While you wear it, hyaluronic acid hydrates while Vitamin C corrects tone and is suitable for normal to dry skin.
Our final pick from Covergirl is one of the best cruelty-free powder foundations.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation comes in a pressed powder compact, but it becomes liquid once you apply it to the skin.
Once it dries, it feels lightweight although it hides imperfections well. Vitamins nourish the skin in the meantime.
Also, it offers SPF 20 sunscreen. Choose from a dozen shades and is suitable for normal to dry skin.
Catrice makes a cruelty-free sweat-proof foundation that lasts up to 24 hours.
This long-wearing cruelty-free vegan foundation is available in 24 shades, too. Those include different undertones.
Use their customized color finder to help you pick the right one.
But those aren’t the only reasons why you’ll love it. It’s also vegan and free of parabens.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation is a high-coverage foundation that looks astonishingly natural on the skin. It reduces oiliness throughout the day.
What is the best cruelty-free foundation out of all of these?
If I were pressed to pick one, it would be a tie between the one above and this liquid here.
This brand has been around for decades. This buildable coverage foundation has always been cruelty-free, plus they sell vegan products.
The Photo Focus liquid foundation has buildable coverage. These cruelty-free foundations have been tested under seven different photo lighting conditions.
The result is a perfected, flawless complexion that has a natural matte finish and doesn’t require extra filters.
If you want to try Smashbox, but don’t have the budget for it, get this foundation a try instead. This is also suitable for sensitive skin.
The Megacushion Foundation isn’t a powder – it’s liquid in a compact. Compare it to the Covergirl AquaSmoothers foundation above.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation is a water-based gel that comes with its own blender sponge.
You can build the coverage without worrying about it caking or cracking. It also provides SPF 15 sunscreen.
The sunscreen comes from chemical and mineral filters.
If you’re well-informed about ingredients, you should also know that this makeup contains parabens and a fragrance.
Milani is a company based in Los Angeles. They make products for real people, not supermodels.
If you have trouble finding the right shade for your skin, you’re going to love these cruelty-free foundations and they come with a natural finish. It’s available in 45 shades.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation is a liquid formula that sets to a satin-matte finish. Since it’s oil-free, it won’t clog pores.
Moreover, the medium to full coverage is water-resistant. It’s both foundation and concealer in one bottle.
While you can pump the bottle to apply the foundation above, you’re going to need a puff or brush to put on this one.
The powder is buildable, though. You can also use it to bake your makeup or touch up your face during the day.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation has reflective particles to give your complexion a soft-focus while it blurs imperfections.
The downside of this cruelty-free vegan foundation is that it only comes in seven shades, from Shell to Golden Beige and these come with a natural finish.
If you have acne-prone skin, Pacifica makes a non-comedogenic cruelty-free foundation, which is perfect for acne-prone skin.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation or acne-fighting foundation reduces shine to a satin finish for hours.
I also love the fact that it’s free of harsh chemicals like parabens, phthalates, talc, drying alcohols, petroleum derivatives, and silicone.
Yes, it’s vegan, too.
The water-based makeup is surprisingly moisturizing for something that mattifies. That’s probably since it’s packed with hydrating ingredients like squalane and coconut water and will your skin looking fresh.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation also has anti-aging nutrients from seaweed and Damascus Rose.
Clinical testing showed that 93% of users found their skin looked healthier after six weeks of using it.
Did you know that e.l.f. stands for “eyes, lips, face”?
This cruelty-free vegan foundation is good news for your face. It’s oil-free and it sets to a semi-matte finish.
The full coverage will last for hours. You can get even more mileage out of it if you apply primer first. Or if you prefer sheer coverage, mix it with your moisturizer.
As a rule, this company avoids parabens, phthalates, and other problematic components. Besides being 100% cruelty-free, they are also vegan.
You don’t have to worry about irritating oily, acne-prone skin when you wear this foundation.
It says it’s creamy, but it resembles a powder. The mattifying effect is kind to dry skin, too.
The package of this cruelty-free vegan foundation includes an applicator sponge for even coverage.
And like the foundation above, it’s certified vegan and cruelty-free by PETA. We this cream foundation is better than the dewy finish stick foundation that is available out there.
NYX makeup isn’t available in all drugstores, but Target and CVS tend to have it.
The brand has achieved a cruelty-free certification from PETA.
The Total Control Drop Foundation comes with an applicator that makes blending colors a snap. It also simplifies building coverage and is also suitable for dry skin.
The finish of this cruelty-free vegan foundation is matte, but not flat.
For full, flawless coverage, try this liquid foundation from NYX.
This cruelty-free vegan full coverage foundation highly pigmented and comes in 45 shades.
Better yet, the waterproof finish of this cruelty-free foundation lasts up to 24 hours without transferring or smudging. This cruelty-free foundation reduces shine better than many drugstore makeup brands.
Luckily, this cruelty-free foundation is safe for sensitive normal, combination, and oily skin types.
You gotta love pump applicators like this one since they prevent the drugstore foundation from becoming contaminated.
LA Girl’s liquid foundation comes in 15 shades. If those don’t match your skin tone, use their White Mixer to alter the color.
The finish of this cruelty-free vegan foundation is buildable from medium to full. It goes on equally well with a brush or sponge and has a flawless finish.
Furthermore, this drugstore foundation is free of parabens and boosted with antioxidants, and is suitable for all skin types ranging from oily to combination skin. We feel this liquid foundation is better than the dewy finish stick foundation that is available out there.
If you have oily or combination skin, check out this lightweight liquid foundation.
LA Girl that comes with a matte finish promises that it sets to a “suede-like” finish and not a dewy finish. That sounds pretty soft and enticing to me.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation blurs fine lines and pores as well as freckles, plus it mattifies.
The addition of vitamins B5 and E ensure that blemishes heal more quickly and are perfect for oily skin types.
I’m ashamed to admit that I’d never heard of Pixi Foundation before I began researching these reviews.
It’s a brand that doesn’t have wide distribution. But it definitely has a devoted following.
Pixi’s medium coverage foundation is enriched with peptides to keep your skin healthy and young-looking.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation is also packed with antioxidants from coffee and superfruit to prevent premature aging and is perfect for oily skin types.
The silky texture starts with medium coverage but layers to full blemish camouflage. Auspiciously, it doesn’t cake or feel heavy.
Hard Candy is another brand without widespread distribution. That’s a shame as this foundation has a lot going for it.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation is oil-free liquid makeup that endures up to 16 hours and is suitable for all skin types ranging from oil to combination skin.
Fans say the full coverage doesn’t oxidize, crease, or cake. We feel this is the best drugstore foundation for dry skin out there.
Instead of bareMinerals, try Mineral Fusion. It’s an inexpensive alternative that’s well worth the experience.
This liquid foundation offers full coverage and anti-aging benefits.
This cruelty-free vegan foundation contains mineral extracts to mattify and nourish normal to oily skin without clogging pores.
Then, it has licorice root and lavender to soothe redness, plus aloe to moisturize and promote healing.
Choose from eight different shades, from light coverage to dark tones and is suitable for normal to dry skin.
Not only is it not tested on animals, but it’s also paraben-free.
Mineral Fusion’s pressed powder is made in the USA from natural ingredients. It’s gluten-free, vegan, and hypoallergenic.
In other words, this high-end cruelty-free vegan foundation is paraben-free, free of dyes, fragrances, talc, or phthalates. You can’t get much more natural than this.
The powder calms and soothes the skin with anti-aging ingredients. A blend of kelp, tea, and pomegranate make the complexion more radiant. They also heal the damage caused by free radicals.
You might have the beauty filter turned on for your phone’s camera, but what if somebody else takes your portrait?
If you can’t find what you need among the drugstore brands, it’s time to step up your game.
Stop worrying about your appearance when you use PUR’s foundation/concealer. (Since’s it a 2-for-1 product, you’re not spending as much as you think.) We feel this is the best drugstore foundation for dry skin out there.
You’ll never be disappointed that you can’t find the right shade range anymore. This makeup comes in 100 colors with warm, cool, and neutral undertones. The only problem is deciding which one you like best.
Fortuitously, it’s both vegan and cruelty-free.
There are four standards that a company must meet if they want their product to be certified as cruelty-free.
It’s not just that the finished makeup isn’t tested on animals.
It’s also that there is no animal testing done during any part of the manufacturing process. That’s right – the suppliers shouldn’t be testing the ingredients or raw materials on our furry friends.
The manufacturer also shouldn’t contract with a third-party lab to do testing.
And finally, they avoid selling in markets like China where it’s required to test on animals.
One recent example of a brand that’s gone cruelty-free is Covergirl.
They achieved a Leaping Bunny certification from Cruelty-Free International.
That was not an easy task. It took months and much effort and evidence.
Part of the problem is that Covergirl is a subsidiary of Coty. They had to make their entire supply chain (with hundreds of companies) independent of Coty as Coty is not cruelty-free.
Yes, Leaping Bunny has what some call “rigorous criteria.” That’s good as they don’t bow to money or power. They look at every detail.
Plus, you can check their site to verify whether or not a brand is cruelty-free.
Many companies under the aegis of corporations like L’Oreal and Estée Lauder still test on animals.
That’s unfortunate as they owned many of the makeup brands we see in drugstores and they still test on animals.
It’s doubly sad when you consider that the US government does not require animal testing. Places like the European Union have already outlawed it.
Some brands claim that their products are not tested on animals, but if they’re not on the Leaping Bunny list, they might be bending the truth.
They might be asking other companies to do their dirty work for them.
When in doubt, check the official Leaping Bunny site or their app.
You can also try PETA’s site instead. The advantage here is that you can find both vegan and cruelty-free products.
Feel better about your complexion and your place in this world. Switch to a cruelty-free foundation.
One small purchase like this sends a message. The world is changing.
Big business needs to respect the environment and all the creatures that live in it.
If you found new makeup today that you love using, tell us about it in the comments below.
Sources:
1. https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/animal-testing-china-the-road-to-market-for-cruelty-free-beauty-brands/Animal Testing & China: The Road To Market For Cruelty-Free Beauty Brands, by Allie Rooke,
2. https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/415019-covergirl-becomes-largest-makeup-brand-to-go-cruelty-free by Morgan Gstalter,
3. https://www.leapingbunny.org/about/faq
4. https://www.peta.org/living/personal-care-fashion/completely-vegan-beauty-and-body-product-brands/
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