Vegan makeup: understand what it is, get to know brands and learn how to do it

Veganism is not just about food, but about a change in consumption habits in general. This rule applies to clothes, shoes, hygiene products, cosmetics and much more. So, better understand what vegan makeup is, get to know brands and also see how to make your own at home.

Vegan X natural X organic makeup

The world of cosmetics is very broad and it is common to confuse these types of makeup, after all, these concepts have only been talked about for a short time. The differences are in the details. Vegan makeup is one that does not contain any ingredients of animal origin and is cruelty free, that is, the brand does not test on animals. So, not every cruelty free product is vegan, but every vegan product is cruelty free.

However, vegan makeup is not always natural and may contain synthetic actives and, therefore, the types differ. To be natural, the product must be made up of at least 95% natural ingredients.

For makeup to be organic, it is necessary that, in addition to 95% of the ingredients being natural, they are also organic. This means that 95% of the composition cannot come from cultivation with pesticides and transgenics. Both organic and natural makeup are not always vegan, as they may contain ingredients such as beeswax, for example.

How to know if a makeup is vegan?

To know if a makeup is vegan, you can look at the seals on the packaging, when it comes to an industrialized product. Generally, the products have the PETA vegan brand certificate, in addition to the Cruelty Free seal, showing that they do not carry out tests on animals.

In addition, vegan makeup does not use any components of animal origin. Here are the main ingredients of animal origin present in makeup:

• Carmine, cochineal or carminic acid: is a red pigment of animal origin, extracted from the carmine mealybug (Dactylopius coccus, relative of the aphid).
• Beeswax, royal jelly, honey, pollen or propolis: may also appear on the label in English (bee wax, royal gelly, honey, pollen). They are ingredients extracted from bees and are very common in natural and organic makeup.
• Collagen and Elastin: Ingredients usually extracted from bovine leather. It may also appear on the label as gelatin.
• Lanolin or Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol: Natural oil produced from sheep’s wool.
• Silk powder or proteins: may also appear on the label as silk. It is an ingredient extracted from the cocoons of silkworms.
• Stearic acid or stearic acid: very present in eyelash masks, it is a derivative of bovine or porcine animal fat. However, it also has a plant-based version, so pay attention to the seals on the label when you see this ingredient.
• Hyaluronic acid: used to fill wrinkles in dermatology, but appears more and more in cosmetics. It can be of both animal and bacterial origin. Make sure the source of the ingredient before you buy the product, to make sure the makeup is vegan.

These are just some of the animal ingredients used in makeup. It is important to remember that they all have great substitutes of vegetable or synthetic origin.

7 affordable vegan makeup brands to know

A lot of people still have the thought that vegan makeup is expensive and only imported brands are inaccessible. However, there is a wide variety of prices and brands, including many are national and affordable. So here’s a list of cruelty-free makeup brands to try:

1. Vizzela – $

Vizzela is a fully vegan national brand. It presents a complete line of products for skin, eyes and lips. The highlight of the brand is the foundations and concealers, which have high coverage, in addition to a wide variety of shades. There are 18 shades of foundation and 12 shades of concealer available.

“Super positive first impressions! I found that the foundation has a super good coverage, it is more creamy, spreads very well and has an emollience.” – Nina Secrets

2. Baims – $$$

The brand is headquartered in Brazil and Germany. In addition to being vegan, Baims makeup is natural and organic, which makes it priced a little higher than the others on the list. The brand’s proposal is also to be sustainable in all processes, from the composition of the products to the packaging, which are made of glass and bamboo.

“This foundation is, for sure, one of the biggest surprises I’ve had. Before trying natural and organic makeup, I was very skeptical about the coverage and fixation ability, but look at this coverage! It’s almost like a moisturizer, only it’s not oily and still leaves your skin feeling very healthy.” – Nataly Neri

3. Vult – $

It is a national brand that is part of the O Boticário group. Although it is not 100% vegan, as some products have ingredients of animal origin, it is cruelty free and has several vegan-friendly makeup. Keep an eye on the label!

“Vult is a very accessible brand, it has several affordable products and several vegan products. It has eyeshadows, mascara, powder, all these products are vegan.” – Nox et Lux

4. Dalla – $

Dalla is a very recent national brand, 100% vegan and with affordable prices. It has foundations, concealers, eyeliners, lipsticks and a line for skin care, among other products.

“Of everything I tried in this video, what I really loved was the lip tint, the highlighter, which is beautiful, and the mascara. The end result of the makeup turned out really well!” – Carol Monteiro

5. Catharine Hill – $$

The brand is national and offers, in addition to the conventional makeup line, also an artistic and characterization line. So, it’s perfect for you who like to assemble and perform! None of the brand’s products are tested on animals and most products are vegan. Check the certificates and ingredient list before buying.

“Finally I found an eyeliner that was good and that was black on the eyes. This one from Catharine Hill is in gel and is very pigmented.” – Luana Rocha

6. Zanphy – $

For those looking for a lot of color and a lot of shine, Zanphy is a sure-fire brand. The highlights are the neon and glitter eyeshadow palettes. Lip tint is also highly recommended! The brand is not 100% vegan, but it is cruelty free and almost all products are vegan-friendly.

“This Zanphy palette has really cool colors. I found the pigmentation very good, I found the palette very valid, very wonderful. It was so neon!” – Maria Maria

7. Face It – $$

The brand is completely vegan and its highlight is the lipsticks. All are highly rated and the brand even won an award for best lipstick in 2019. In addition to being vegan, it has the EURECICLO seal, which means that the brand compensates for the environmental impact produced by the packaging it produces.

“The lipstick is very dry in the mouth, but without leaving that feeling of dryness. I thought the pigmentation was excellent, it’s really good! And, in addition to the pigmentation, the durability is also excellent. It’s the lipstick you put on and you don’t have to touch it up.” – Melissa Vieira

Now you know a good selection of vegan makeup brands to try. None of them have very expensive values, which demystifies that to be vegan you have to spend a lot.

How to make your own vegan makeup

A good alternative to getting your makeup vegan, natural and affordable is to do it at home. Check out the eco-friendly options below:

How to make vegan base

In this video, Nátaly Neri invites a naturologist and teaches how to make a vegan base. The interesting thing about making foundation at home, in addition to being vegan and affordable, is that you can get the right tone for your skin. After all, the cosmetics market still does not include all shades of black skin, for example. Watch the video to learn how to do it.

Homemade and vegan makeup kit

The video shows you how to make colorful balms, blush and vegan mascara. Mascara is made with few ingredients, easy to find, and you just need to mix them all together. Watch for quantities and how to make this and other items.

How to make annatto blush

Also known as paprika or colorific, annatto is widely used as a seasoning, but it can also be an ally in makeup. To make the blush, just mix coconut oil and annatto. Watch the video to learn step by step!

Natural lipstick with vegetable powder

The suggested pigments are beetroot, blackberry or açaí. Or, you can mix the three and get the color you want. The result is an ecological, moisturizing and completely natural lipstick.

In addition to knowing a little more about vegan makeup, you also checked out brand suggestions and how to make your own at home. Now, how about learning how to make biodegradable glitter?