Nearly 8 years of being vegan has taught me a lot. One of the most important things I learned, however, is that nothing can be complete. No one is infallible. Everything comes in compromise and no matter how dedicated or meticulous you are, there are certain things you just can’t control. So, when it comes what I can control, I take pride (and much relief) in being able to stand behind products which aim to abstain from the subjugation of animals, just like I try my best to with my dietary choices.
Here are some vegan/cruelty-free makeup products I would use in a heartbeat to look my best while feeling my best:
Foundations
Au Naturale Zero Gravity C2P Foundation
Afterglow Cosmetics Infused Mineral Foundation
Valana Minerals foundation cream
Valana Minerals foundation powder
I use foundation regularly and am always delighted to see vegan & cruelty-free brands that are fairly inexpensive with a wide array of shades and types available. Often times, I mix shades of inexpensive foundation to impeccably match my skin tone. It is how you use the tool.
Concealers
Full-coverage Au Naturale Completely Covered Creme Concealer
Full-coverage Afterglow Cosmetics Infused Aloe Concealer
Full-coverage Afterglow Cosmetics Infused Total Cover Concealer
Light-coverage Afterglow Cosmetics Infused Calm Cover: Balancing Redness Solution
Another fundamental item: concealer. Concealer varies in opacity, which affords better management of different “problems areas”, like blemishes, acne scarring, redness, eye circles, and visible pores. Sometimes full, opaque coverage is appropriate, and sometimes it isn’t – it depends upon the severity of what you are trying to cover up. You should familiarize yourself with what amounts of coverage you need, if any at all, so you can maximize your use of concealer in balancing your complexion.
Highlighters
Au Naturale All-Glowing Creme Highlighter
Afterglow Cosmetics Infused Glow Bronzer
Don’t be afraid of highlighters! Believe me–the shinier, the better (within reason). No, really: the stigma of a shiny nose or forehead is fairly counter-intuituve when it comes to the concept of makeup. I’m no sucker for the appeal to nature fallacy, but it is scientifically true that skin is not naturally matte, so subduing the natural sheen of the skin, which so many makeup users do, reduces the realism of the makeup and makes it very obvious on the face.
All the time, I see women and men who are clearly adept in makeup application – they do a clean job with the brows and whatnot – but, you know, if it is your goal to advertise that you have something on your face, you could just use paint. Lots and lots of paint – beautiful paint – but opaque paint nonetheless.
By applying a highlighter or illuminator to key points on the face, it helps simulate the appearance of the natural skin, and adds dimension. When used right, it makes a huge difference!
Brushes
Au Naturel Cream Foundation vegan brush
AfterGlow Cosmetics Vegan Kabuki Brush
Valana Minerals Elite Series vegan brush
A single brush is imbued with the essence of 10 unicorn manes. Not. Thank God. They’re vegan.
But remember what I said earlier? “It is how you use the [single] tool”. Though this might sound a little flippant coming from an artist who works exclusively with one implement, I mean it. I find from personal experience that most if not all makeup work can be accomplished with your standard foundation brush, if not your fingers alone.
Au Naturale Signature Brush Collection
Orabel – Morphe 18 Piece Vegan Brush Set
If you’re ambitious, or are a professional makeup artist, brands may offer convenient packages with all their vegan brushes assembled. Or, maybe you’ve just had a bellyfull searching for vegan versions of all the different types and want a straightfoward bundle. I remember when I first tried to find different vegan brushes, it was hairy…so to speak. Either way, a c omplete vegan toolkit is a fairly foolproof investment for anyone who wishes to expand the range of their tools.
If you’re a makeup enthusiast, you have the option of supporting Au Naturale Cosmetics for free, too
