What exactly is Cruelty Free makeup?

Cruelty Free makeup is makeup that has not been tested on animals. 

Navigating the cruelty-free makeup world can get a little confusing because some companies falsely identify their product as cruelty free to profit off the trendiness of the term and the growing interest in organic products.

A simple search for Cruelty Free Makeup in Google Trends shows that interest in this type of makeup has seen a spike in recent years:

WOC Friendly Cruelty Free Makeup Brands

Women of Colour already have challenges finding makeup products in the right shades so adding additional restrictions can make the list of choices limited. We have curated this list of products so you can feel less restricted in your choices!

This list is a mix of companies exclusively targeted to black women, general skincare companies and non-black owned companies that have some products in shades flattering on darker skin tones.

• • 100% PURE
  • Aida Cosmetics
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills 
  • Ardell
  • Becca Cosmetics 
  • BH Cosmetics 
  • Black Radiance
  • B.L.A.C Minerals
  • Body Shop
  • Burt's Bees
  • Buxom
  • Carol's Daughter
  • ColourPop
  • CoverFx
  • Dermalogica
  • EcoTools 
  • E.l.f
  • Hourglass
  • Hue Noir
  • Illamasqua
  • Kat Von D
  • Kiss my Face
  • Lorac 
  • Morphe Brushes
  • Plain Jane Beauty
  • PÜR Minerals
  • Real techniques
  • Shea Moisture 
  • Sugar Pill
  • Tarte cosmetics
  • Too Faced

Interested in cruelty-free but have no idea where to start?  The easiest way to identify that a makeup company is cruelty-free is with one of these three trusted bunny logos:

                                     Leaping Bunny                                   PETA                                                   CCF

Any company using one of these three logos has gone through a certification process.

Another good but tricky way to identify a cruelty-free brand is if they sell products in mainland China. Any company selling products in mainland China tests on animals because it is required by law for beauty products sold there to be tested on animals.

So what is Vegan Makeup?

Vegan Makeup and Cruelty-free makeup often overlap. While Cruelty-free makeup is makeup that has not been tested on animals, Vegan Makeup is makeup that is free of animal by products.  Most people using or interested in using vegan or cruelty-free makeup are concerned about the poor treatment of animals and animal death involved in the testing process.

However, Cruelty-free and Vegan makeup products tend to have the added benefit of being better suited for sensitive skin and less likely to contain harmful toxins.