Vegan food is a big trend but did you know it's a growing area in the beauty industry too? Before we tell you about our top 20 beauty products , we're going to get some of the basics down.
So, vegan, veggie or cruelty-free - what’s the difference?
‘Vegan means it does not contain any animal product, by-product or derivative and has not been tested on animals,’ says Dominika Piasecka, from The Vegan Society.
Vegetarian products don’t include ingredients that involve animal slaughter, though animals could still be used in their production (and actually, they could even be killed, for instance honey bees sometimes die when honey is harvested as they sting the beekeeper).
Cruelty-free only means that the product and its ingredients are not tested on animals. And that in itself is complex because not testing on animals is actually a legal requirement across the EU. The sticking point is that in China all products must be tested on animals, so if a brand sells in China, vegans argue it’s not cruelty-free.
How can you tell if it’s really vegan?
Vegan cosmetics are not regulated by law, but can be registered by The Vegan Society or PETA. ‘Look for the Vegan Society trademark symbol, which guarantees products comply with requirements,’ says Dominika. PETA approved products can be ‘Cruelty-free’ without being vegan, so look for their Cruelty-Free & Vegan stamp. Or ask the brand directly - they’re usually very happy to say if they are. And if they’re not, be suspicious.
Is vegan beauty becoming more popular?
Yes, and it’s not just expensive or niche brands. Superdrug has seen a 20% increase in vegan products across makeup and skincare. Many big names have a good vegan offering and you can shop specific vegan sections on some websites like Urban Decay and Kat Von D make-up. ‘The number of cosmetics we have registering with the Vegan Trademark is growing exponentially,’ says Dominika. ‘We’ve had to employ more members of staff to help us process incoming applications.’
What’s in the non-vegan stuff?
Beetles, fur, beeswax, oil from sheep’s wool, dairy products like egg, milk or yoghurt, keratin from horses hooves, gelatin from pig bones, snail slime, emu intestines, animal fat - the list is long. Ingredients can be also listed ambiguously on the label,’ says Dominika. ‘For example glycerin can be derived from plant or animal sources. ‘Cetyl alcohol’ is often added to face products; it’s a fancy name for sperm whale oil.’ Unless the product specifies that they are vegan versions of these, they’re probably not.
Best vegan beauty products
1. Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner, £16 at Debenhams
Long-lasting products can be a tricky ask but this beautifully black liner has staying power. Most of Kat’s products are vegan (see the #VeganAlert tab on her website to shop those ones specifically) and she’s vowed to convert the rest by the end of the year.
2. Benecos Vegan Volume Mascara, £7.95
This brand has been quietly championing natural beauty for years with great emphasis on organic ingredients. Around 80% of their products are also free from animal derivatives - they’re each marked on this website with a ‘vegan’ stamp. This new beeswax-free mascara already has vegan fans a-flutter.
3. B. Cassie Lomas Limited Edition Bronzer, £8.99 at Superdrug
Proving that you can have a high street brand that’s 100% vegan and you still don’t have to compromise on quality. Celebrity make-up artist Cassie Lomas loves this brand so much she’s designed a whole range of animal-free products for them. This hit of instant sunshine is our favourite.
4. Barry M Metallic Lip Kit, £6.99
A lip pencil and a metallic gloss kit - a new addition to this British brand that takes its cruelty-free pledges very seriously. They have a great vegan selection covering about 80% of the range. On their website, look for the ‘vegan’ stamp on the ingredient lists).
5. The Ordinary Serum Foundation, £5.70
New, affordable, effective and they just happen to also be 100% vegan. It’s no wonder this new skincare brand is racking up waiting lists for its products - they are in such high demand. This soft, silky foundation is outstanding - we loved it even before we found out how planet-friendly it is.
6. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, £19 at Debenhams
Not everything from this brand is vegan, but a lot of it is - there’s a full list of their vegan products under the Frequently Asked Questions section on their website and it’s pretty comprehensive. The best news is that it includes this hero product which is one of our favourite mascaras on the market anyway. The fact that it’s vegan too is just a cherry on top.
7. Nailberry L’Oxygene Nail Lacquer in Glamazon, £16.50
Healthy nails need healthy nail varnishes according to this brand which is why they are proud to be certified 100% vegan and cruelty-free by PETA. Oh by the way, they’re also halal and free from not just the usual five nasty chemicals that nail polish fans worry about, but 12 nasties you might find in other polishes: DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, Xylene, Ethyl Tosylamide, Triphenyl Phosphate, Alcohol, Parabens, Animal Derivatives & Gluten.
8. Mavala Delicate Collection Mini Nail Colours, £4.95
We love these mini pots of colour - if you’re the sort of person who has too many old, drying-out pots of nail varnish lying around, they’re the perfect size. You get to try a new look without having to wear it for a whole season. Pick from over 100 shades including plenty of reds that don’t contain any crushed beetles. However, if you’re very strict on animal cruelty policy, Mavala do trade in China (where animal testing is mandatory for beauty products).
9. Urban Decay Vice Cream Lipsticks, £15.50
Red lippy is one tricky area: if the label says ‘carmine’, ‘cochineal extract’, or ‘natural red 4’ the colour is from crushed beetles. But some of the most impressive lippies on the market don’t have it in and Urban Decay’s Cream Vice fall into this category. For the full vegan range, look under the ‘What’s New’ section on their website where there’s a ‘vegan’ tab. Be cautious though - they have other vice lipsticks (eg, the Matte finish ones) which contain beeswax.
10. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, £4.19
Collection do not have a huge vegan range, which makes us think they might be more accidentally vegan than trying very hard, but they are brilliantly clear about which of their products are vegan and exactly what they have in them (you can download the list here ). Among the best is this excellent concealer, as well as the foundation and powder from the same line.
11. Lavera Regenerating Night Cream, £23.90
This brand has a great selection of make-up, skincare, body, baby, sun and haircare - and even a selection of fake tans and men’s products under their vegan tab. It’s not the entire range, but certainly enough to feel like you’re not missing out in any area, and in particular, it’s nice to see serious anti-ageing creams for mature skin that don’t contain animal-derived ingredients.
12. Spectrum 10-Piece Essentials Set, £39.99
If you like unicorns and rainbows, or even just applying your make-up with professional precision, you’ll love this 100% vegan brand. Make-up brushes can be made from weasel, squirrel, mink, badger, pony or goat hair - animals which may be farmed, caged or slaughtered - but not these.
‘Non-vegan make-up brushes are very common,’ they told us, ‘Which is a shame when there are so many great alternatives to using animal ingredients, and animal testing. As vegans ourselves, we believe strongly in never testing, or allowing third parties, to test on our fury friends, and vegan beauty is not only cruelty free, it’s also ethical.’
13. PureChimp 100% natural facial oil, £11.95
Beeswax and honey are probably the most controversial non-vegan products, thanks to a myth that the honey industry helps bees thrive. But bees are not thriving. When honey is harvested, it’s replaced in the hive with a sugar substitute which is significantly worse for the bees. Bees are also selectively bred and culled, leading to a smaller gene pool, disease and die-offs. Beeswax is in products from mascara to face cream, and it’s difficult to replace.
Dean Lagg from 100% vegan brand PureChimp told us, ‘Producing vegan products hasn’t been without its challenges; finding a totally natural replacement for beeswax was tough. We started working with hemp seed wax, but as we grew we needed larger batches and found it wasn’t as stable as we’d hoped. In the end we made a tough decision and stopped producing our face cream which relied on the wax base, instead launching this new oil, which requires no wax. It’s had a fantastic reception - now performing better than the cream used to.’
14. Lush None of Your Beeswax Lip Balm, £6.75
Around 70% of Lush’s products are suitable for vegans, (the rest is vegetarian) - look for the Vegan Society trademark on individual product pages or search ‘vegan’ on the homepage. The non vegan products may contain eggs, honey, yoghurt or lanolin but they’re very proud of sourcing even their products from the most ethical and sustainable sources they can, in line with their very strong ethical policies and they’re also vocally against animal cruelty. This rather addictive lip balm smells like lemon curd. Squee.
15. Eco Tools 6-piece Starter Set, £11.99
This amazingly environmentally conscious brand is 100% vegan and certified cruelty-free by PETA. They use recycled aluminium and plastic in their products, as well as renewable bamboo and tree-free paper. They’ve also donated nearly £80,000 to charity over the last decade. All that and they’re reasonably priced. We are big fans.
16. e.l.f. Baked Eyeshadow Palette in California, £12.50
This US brand is entirely free of animal derivatives and has recently landed in Superdrug - 123 of their products will be available instore and online. It’s not their full range (see elf.co.uk for that) but it does include some gorgeous, great value eyeshadow palettes like this one.
17. Illamasqua Precision Brow Gel, £18.50
This brand don’t have that many vegan products, but they are all neatly held together under a ‘Vegan’ tab on the Shop section of their website. This brow gel in four shades - a product that a lot of brands don’t manage to bring out vegan versions of - is one of the stars of the range. If you’re into brow perfecting, check out the powder brow cakes too.
18. Inika Organic Eyeliner Pencil, £14.50
Certified organic, natural, cruelty-free and 100% vegan, this mineral make-up brand is not the cheapest but it does do everything you could need for an animal-free face. We’re especially taken with the good range of eyeliner pencils in nine shades including black, brown, green and purple.
19. St Tropez Express Bronzing Mousse, £22
Probably the most iconic tanning brand out there and it’s entirely vegan… which rather makes you wonder why they all aren’t. This quickie tan mousse isn’t their newest product but tan addicts in our office swear it’s still the best.
20. Bryt Skincare Eye Make-up Remover, £10.50
Cute, colourful and 100% vegan (they’re certified by PETA), Bryt are a nicely trustworthy brand: using only ingredients which are kind to the planet, ethically sourced from Fairtrade partners and sustainable projects, and organic where possible. The range is small but perfectly formed and we love this no-nasties eye make-up remover for removing all your animal friendly make-up!