Testing on animals is often used for ingredients which may not be safe for humans. So many products with cheap, and potentially dangerous chemicals are tested on animals. The only "winner" is companies profiting from selling the products. The poor animals suffer, and the customer still does not necessarily get a safe and amazing product.
Natural products and ingredients are usually more expensive to create so companies are often looking for cheap ingredients that will give them better profit margins. Because many customers are unaware of this, they are using chemical and toxin laden products that are tested on animals, harmful to your health and skin and also polluting our water ways.
What is makeup made from?
When you find out what is actually in these products such as eye shadow and lipstick, you'll realise how little of them you'll want to apply to your face. Our friends from One Green Planet have listed a few ingredients derived from animals that you may not have known about previously.
Some of these ingredients are Tallow, a substance which is created through boiling the carcasses of slaughtered animals until a fatty substance is produced. Guanine; a crystalline that is shimmering or light diffusing found in crushed fish scales or cochineal dye collected form crushed cochineal beetles to create the red substance that is found in most lipsticks or blush.
How to choose cruelty free makeup products
We recommend downloading an app called CCF (Choose Cruelty Free) to find a list on certified companies.The organisation does thorough checking on brands and you can find their list on the app on on their website. You can also check the PETA listings for cruelty free brands.
We’ve rounded up our favourite vegan makeup brands for animal-friendly beauty lovers.
Eco-minerals
Eco minerals was started by two friends in Byron Bay with the intention of a purely vegan range to make their skin feel healthier. After selling to their friends, they now sell to amazing retailers world wide while still keeping a personal friendly culture for their customers ensuring they have the best products for the beauty of their skin.
Their products include mineral powder foundation makeup, lipsticks, mascara and eco-brushes. You can also purchase samples if you'd like to try them before you buy.
Nude By Nature
Nude By Nature was created in Sydney in 2008 off the premises that we are now so concerned about what we put in our bodies, but what about on our bodies? In a world where we now strive for good food and good health, our makeup should be good for us too.
Over the past decade they have dedicated themselves to creating high quality cruelty free makeup that works well with your skin. They have a huge range of foundations, BB creams, eye shadows, blushes, bronzers, lipsticks and more.
Neek skin Organics
This Australian made and owned company has made it their goal to ensure ethics, and a responsibility to our animal friends plays a predominant role in their business. Neeks products are vegan from the inside out, everything from the products ingredients to their packaging in vegan and cruelty free.
Their products range from lipsticks and lipglosses to skin care items such as face cleansers and moisturisers.
Inika
A well-loved animal-friendly makeup brand, Inika creates its formulas with natural, organic ingredients. Their products are vegan, cruelty-free and halal, containing botanical ingredients which aim to quench your skin’s thirst. Plus, all packaging is made from material that is recyclable. The brand also stocks a range of ultra-soft makeup brushes, including everything from foundation brushes to kabuki brushes to powder brushes.
Adorn cosmetics
Adorn is driven by a dislike for waste, frustration with natural brands disguising toxic ingredients and powered by heartbreak over child labor and animal cruelty.
Adorn has gone the distance to back its ethical beauty claims and is proudly certified cruelty free, vegan, Australian made, allergen and toxin free. Adorn have everything from liquid foundation to BB cream, eye shadow, bronzer and more.
They also have eco-refill packs for bronzer and blush which are fantastic. They provide sample packs and provide personalised online skin assessment and colour matching services! Amazing!
While being certified ethical, animal and eco friendly sounds like the best option for any brand, this is not an easy thing to do, and costs can be significantly higher when ensuring these claims to be true.
This is why we will continue to try and raise awareness for the brands who truely do care about our animals and the environment, and hope to make a difference together as more and more of us become mindful that our health and existence on this little planet we call earth is very much up to us. xx