12 Cruelty-Free Makeup Brands to Shop in 2026
A verified shortlist of 12 cruelty-free makeup brands, with certification route, vegan status, price position, and the product categories each brand does best.
You came for cruelty-free makeup brands, so here is the list first: 12 recognizable options covering drugstore basics, complexion makeup, bold color, mineral makeup, and prestige formulas. We checked each brand’s current public policy or certification statement in September 2026 and show the verification route instead of treating every bunny icon as equal.
Cruelty-free status can change when a brand changes owners, suppliers, certification, or markets. Use this as a current shortlist, then recheck the certifier’s live directory before a future purchase. “Vegan” is listed separately because it describes ingredients, not animal testing.
12 cruelty-free makeup brands at a glance
| Brand | Verification shown by brand | Entire brand vegan? | Best known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| e.l.f. Cosmetics | Leaping Bunny + PETA | Yes | Affordable full-face makeup |
| CoverGirl | Leaping Bunny / Cruelty Free International | No — check the product | Drugstore mascara and complexion |
| Milk Makeup | Leaping Bunny | Yes | Makeup sticks and modern basics |
| ILIA | Leaping Bunny | No — most products are vegan | Skin tint and complexion |
| Kosas | Leaping Bunny | No — most products are vegan | Concealer and everyday makeup |
| Glossier | Leaping Bunny | No — check the product | Minimal, easy makeup |
| jane iredale | Leaping Bunny + PETA | No — check the product | Mineral complexion makeup |
| Thrive Causemetics | Leaping Bunny | Yes | Tubing mascara and eye makeup |
| Tarte | PETA approved | No — vegan items are labeled | Concealer, mascara, and palettes |
| Urban Decay | PETA certified | No — vegan items are labeled | Eyeshadow and long-wear color |
| Honest Beauty | PETA mark + brand policy | No — check the product | Accessible clean makeup |
| Pacifica | Certified cruelty-free brand claim | Yes | Affordable color, skincare, and hair |
Want the shortest answer? Start with e.l.f. or CoverGirl for a drugstore budget; Milk Makeup, ILIA, Kosas, or Glossier for prestige everyday makeup; jane iredale for mineral complexion products; and Thrive Causemetics for tubing mascara. Choose Tarte or Urban Decay when you want a larger traditional color range, but check the separate vegan label if animal-derived ingredients also matter to you.
Best affordable cruelty-free makeup brands
1. e.l.f. Cosmetics
Best for: building a full makeup bag on a budget. e.l.f. states that the brand is both Leaping Bunny and PETA certified, and that all products are vegan. Its range covers primer, foundation, concealer, cheeks, brows, eyes, lips, brushes, and skincare, making it the easiest one-brand starting point on this list.
2. CoverGirl
Best for: drugstore mascara, foundation, and everyday staples. CoverGirl says its global supply chain undergoes audit under Cruelty Free International’s Leaping Bunny criteria. The brand is cruelty-free as a whole, but do not assume every formula is vegan; check the exact product if ingredients such as beeswax or carmine matter to you.
3. Honest Beauty
Best for: accessible makeup with a published “made without” approach. Honest Beauty states that it does not test during development or production and does not allow third-party testing of its products; current product pages display the PETA cruelty-free mark. Vegan status varies by item.
4. Pacifica
Best for: affordable makeup plus skincare and hair care from one vegan brand. Pacifica labels its products 100% vegan and certified cruelty-free, including current makeup pages. It is a practical choice when you want both no animal testing and no animal-derived ingredients without checking each shade separately.
Best prestige cruelty-free makeup brands
5. Milk Makeup
Best for: portable sticks, easy cheek color, and modern complexion products. Milk Makeup states that the entire brand is Leaping Bunny certified and 100% vegan, covering both testing policy and animal-derived ingredients. It is one of the simplest choices for shoppers who want both standards brand-wide.
6. ILIA
Best for: skin tint, complexion, and natural-looking makeup. ILIA says all products are Leaping Bunny certified and that it does not sell in countries where animal testing is required. The range is not entirely vegan; the brand maintains a current list of exceptions, so check before buying mascara, liner, or certain lip and cheek formulas.
7. Kosas
Best for: concealer, brows, and a quick everyday face. Kosas states that it never tests on animals and is Leaping Bunny certified. Most products are vegan, but the brand is not fully vegan, so the two claims should not be merged.
8. Glossier
Best for: minimal makeup and sheer, user-friendly color. Glossier says it is Leaping Bunny certified, works only with vendors that follow the same no-testing standard, and undergoes regular independent audits. It offers many vegan products rather than claiming a completely vegan catalog.
9. jane iredale
Best for: mineral foundation and complexion-focused makeup. jane iredale states that it is recognized by both Leaping Bunny and PETA and that its policy covers every stage of product development and manufacturing, including third-party testing for registration. Check individual formulas for vegan status.
10. Thrive Causemetics
Best for: tubing mascara, eyeliner, and eye-focused makeup. Thrive Causemetics identifies the brand as Leaping Bunny certified and 100% vegan. Like e.l.f. and Milk Makeup, it removes the need for a second ingredient check when your goal is both cruelty-free and vegan.
Best cruelty-free brands for bigger color ranges
11. Tarte
Best for: concealer, mascara, cheek products, and palettes. Tarte’s current FAQ says it is a certified cruelty-free brand and PETA approved. It is not a completely vegan brand; products that qualify are labeled individually.
12. Urban Decay
Best for: eyeshadow, eyeliner, and long-wear color. Urban Decay says it does not test or allow others to test on its behalf, requires suppliers to certify that raw materials are not animal-tested, and is PETA certified. Only marked products are vegan. The brand is owned by L’Oréal, whose wider corporate policy may matter to shoppers who also screen parent companies.
How we chose the brands
- A named verification route: preference went to current Leaping Bunny certification; we also included recognizable brands with a current PETA approval or explicit certified cruelty-free statement.
- Real makeup range: each brand sells enough color cosmetics to answer a makeup-brand search, rather than appearing because it has one tinted skincare product.
- Useful variety: the list covers drugstore and prestige prices, minimal and bold makeup, mineral formulas, and both vegan and non-vegan cruelty-free brands.
- Current public evidence: status was checked against live brand or certifier information in September 2026, not copied from an undated roundup.
Leaping Bunny, PETA, and brand claims are not identical
| What you see | What it means | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Leaping Bunny | A company-wide standard with supplier monitoring, recommitment, and provision for independent audits | Our preferred evidence when available |
| PETA approved/certified | The company has joined PETA’s animal-test-free program | A named third-party program; verify in its live directory |
| Brand says “certified cruelty-free” | A stronger statement than an unexplained icon, but the certifier should be named | Read the policy and look for supplier and third-party coverage |
| Unattributed bunny icon | Whatever the brand has chosen it to mean | Treat as a claim, not proof of independent review |
| Vegan | No animal-derived ingredients in the product or brand covered | Check separately; it does not answer the testing question |
The FDA explains why that distinction matters: “cruelty-free” and “not tested on animals” have no legal definitions in the United States, and some claims cover only the finished product while suppliers or contract laboratories may test ingredients. A named certification gives you a clearer scope than a bunny drawn by the brand itself.
Cruelty-free does not always mean vegan
A cruelty-free brand can still use beeswax, carmine, lanolin, or other animal-derived ingredients. Conversely, a vegan formula could be sold by a company without a sufficiently broad no-testing policy. On this list, e.l.f., Milk Makeup, Thrive Causemetics, and Pacifica state that their full ranges are both vegan and cruelty-free. For the other brands, use the product-level vegan filter or label.
What about the parent company?
A brand can meet a certifier’s cruelty-free requirements even when its parent company does not carry the same certification across every subsidiary. Some shoppers support the certified brand because they want demand for its practices to grow; others avoid any brand whose parent company does not meet their standard. That is a personal purchasing rule, so we do not silently remove otherwise certified brands from the main list. We call out the distinction and let you decide.
How to recheck a brand before buying
- Search the live Leaping Bunny shopping guide.
- If the brand cites PETA instead, search PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies database.
- Read the brand policy for ingredients, suppliers, contract manufacturers, third-party testing, and markets where testing could be required.
- Check vegan status separately if animal-derived ingredients also matter to you.
This article now gives you the useful shortcut the search calls for — a real brand list — while the live directories remain the final check when a status may have changed. If formula standards are your priority instead of testing policy, see our separate guide to clean beauty brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Current options include e.l.f. Cosmetics, CoverGirl, Milk Makeup, ILIA, Kosas, Glossier, jane iredale, Thrive Causemetics, Tarte, Urban Decay, Honest Beauty, and Pacifica. Their verification routes differ, so the article lists whether each brand cites Leaping Bunny, PETA, or another certified cruelty-free claim.
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e.l.f. Cosmetics is the strongest all-around budget option because it offers a broad makeup range and states that the entire brand is both Leaping Bunny and PETA certified and vegan. CoverGirl is another widely available Leaping Bunny-approved drugstore brand. Honest Beauty and Pacifica are useful alternatives depending on the category.
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e.l.f. Cosmetics, Milk Makeup, Thrive Causemetics, and Pacifica state that their full ranges are both vegan and cruelty-free. Other cruelty-free brands may offer many vegan products without making the claim for every formula, so look for a product-level vegan label.
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Only when the logo belongs to a named program and the brand appears in that program’s current directory. An unattributed bunny can be a self-created marketing icon. Leaping Bunny and PETA use their own program marks, and their live databases are the best place to confirm participation.
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Yes. Certification can apply to the individual brand rather than every company owned by the same parent. Some shoppers accept the certified subsidiary; others avoid the parent group. Decide which rule matches your values and check ownership because acquisitions can change.
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Brands can change suppliers, owners, markets, policies, or certification status. That is why this article includes a review date and why you should recheck the live Leaping Bunny or PETA directory if you are reading it well after the last update.