Glow Up With These 18 Vegan Beauty Brands in 2018

Cruelty-free companies are taking over the beauty industry, one liquid lipstick at a time.

No need to scan ingredient lists or research confusing animal testing policies here. These makeup and hair care companies are totally vegan. From ultra-glittery festival makeup to 100-percent organic products, there’s something for everyone. Make 2018 the year your beauty routine goes completely cruelty-free with these 18 beauty brands. 

1. Pacifica Beauty
We’re so not over the unicorn trend, and this beauty brand ensures that we can keep up our mystical obsession with its wide range of products. Unicorn-studded mascara wands and rainbow crystal highlighters, here we come!

2. Mented Cosmetics
Started by two Harvard Business School graduates, this brand sought to fill the need of creating nude makeup designed for women of color. Ranging in shades from “Peach Please” to “Dark Night,” this company ensures that anyone can find the perfect complement to their skin tone. 

3. Inika
This Australian-based company has quickly grown into a global brand, committed to offering consumers 100-percent organic and cruelty-free products. High-quality ingredients like Cacao Seed Butter and Macadamia Seed Oil makes our skin feel ready to take on the day.

4. Spectrum
Hot pink Mean Girls-inspired makeup brushes? You go, Glen Coco! Spectrum’s wide-ranging collection of cruelty-free products, with specialized collections inspired by the Mean Girls movie and Zodiac signs (divided by earth, air, water, and fire signs) make us want to pretend we’re beauty vloggers as we get ready in front of the mirror.

5. PHB Ethical Beauty
This UK-based, family-run company is sold in 40 countries worldwide, donates 20 percent of its overall proceeds to charity, and offers one of the world’s largest collections of vegan and Halal certified beauty products.

6. e.l.f.
Everyone’s favorite drugstore vegan beauty brand, e.l.f, has been revolutionizing affordable makeup for the past decade. You can find all of your beauty essentials (eyes, lips, face) for only a few dollars at your local convenience store for a fraction of the cost of the big beauty brands.

7. Au Naturale
Founded by Ashley Prange, a nuclear analyst in D.C., this company set out to start the Clean Beauty Revolution, encouraging consumers to seek transparency in their beauty products. We’re head over heels for its velvety smooth lipsticks and ethical ingredients!

8. Mixed Chicks
With everything from hair products specifically designed for different hair textures to foundation and bronzer formulated for varying skin colors, this cruelty-free brand was created by two women of color when they saw a lack in the market for vegan products that met the needs of their hair and skin.

9. The Lip Bar
Affordable lip wear that’s actually ultra-moisturizing? Count us in! We also love that this trendy brand is working to change the narrative of what an “It Girl” in the beauty industry is by focusing on inclusivity and representation.

10. Osea Malibu
Incorporate the rejuvenating powers of the sea into your skincare routine with these seaweed-based products. Beautifully packaged in recycled glass containers, this eco-friendly brand has a firm commitment to never use soft plastic packaging due to its environmental impact and negative health effects.

11. Concrete Minerals
Vivid eyeshadows in every color of the rainbow are inspiring us to create show-stopping looks, like the one pictured above. If you need us, we’ll be perfecting our dazzling look for this year’s Pride parade.

12. Black Moon Cosmetics
Unleash your inner witchy side with this gothic-inspired beauty brand. Vividly pigmented liquid-to-matte lipsticks in shades such as Mortis and Buried are sure to please any beauty lovers with a penchant for darkness.

13. Londontown
If you’re searching for the perfect vegan nail polish, look no further! With more colors than we could possibly ever choose from, in a multitude of colors such as shimmery Black Thorn and glittery Stargazing Royalty, we’re going to flash our glam nails all year long.

14. Ofra Cosmetics
From liquid lipsticks to brow gels, the range of products from this professional company is so expansive that we hardly know where to start. We’re enamored with its longtime commitment to cruelty-free beauty and its distinguished client list, from international celebrities to Olympic athletes.

15. Meow Meow Tweet
With packaging as adorable as the name itself, this small-batch skincare company is winning the game. We love its commitment to using the least amount of plastic packaging possible and a practice of giving back, with monthly donations given to animal-rights and social justice organizations.

16. Elate Clean Cosmetics
Beautiful bamboo packaging encapsulates this green brand’s ethos and drive towards sustainable practices—many of its products come packaged in seed paper that can then be planted in your garden to sprout wildflowers or herbs.

17. BEE-Q-BOX
With snarky products aptly named “F*CKBOY REPELLENT” and an appeal towards the millenial generation, the array of unapologetically glittery beauty collections from this trendsetting company are essential for your next music festival look.

18. Foxie Bombs Cosmetics
Handcrafted, packaged, and sold by hardcore punk musician and vegan of over 12 years, Kayla Phillips, this one-person run brand sets out to show that bath bombs and self-care are for everyone—regardless of gender.

Sarah McLaughlin is an assistant editor at VegNews who is never without her vegan liquid eyeliner.