Until then, there are plenty of affordable cruelty-free options we can shop. Here are the 10 best drugstore makeup brands that are also cruelty-free.
1. Covergirl
Covergirl recently teamed up with the Leaping Bunny program to pull out of China and go cruelty-free. They made drastic changes in order to make to comply with the Leaping Bunny's requirements, and they're now Leaping Bunny certified and cruelty-free. Covergirl is the biggest drugstore brand to gain a cruelty-free status.
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Elf offers a ton of affordable makeup options, and they're widely available in drugstore across the world as well as online. Their full makeup line is 100% vegan as well, and although their makeup is manufactured in China, they avoid any potential animal testing by refusing to be sold there in stores.
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3. LA Girl
LA Girl offers some great quality makeup for their low price, and they're available in drugstores like CVS and Ulta. Their foundations are often raved out, and they even offer an affordable white foundation which can be used to lighten any foundation that's too dark.
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4. Essence
Another super affordable brand, Essence offers quite a few products that perform amazingly for the price point. Most of their products are even priced under the $5 mark, and I've read great reviews about their mascaras, lip glosses, and blushes.
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5. Jordana
Jordana also offers super affordable makeup, mostly priced under $5 per item. Their lip liners and lipsticks in particular receive rave reviews. They also have a vegan section on their website, which makes it easy to find all their vegan-friendly makeup.
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6. Hard Candy
Availably exclusively at Walmart locations across the US and Canada, Hard Candy offers fun, affordable makeup. If you're looking for a colorful mascara or any glittery products, this is your brand.
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Colourpop is an online-only brand, but they offer a ton of great and affordable makeup. Their lip products are $7 a pop, and their eyeshadow palettes start at $12. They also offer free shipping over $30 to the US, or over $50 internationally.
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8. Nyx
NYX is a great makeup brand available worldwide, and they even have their own stores in some locations. They have affordable and high-quality makeup. If you don't purchase from cruelty-free brands with non-cruelty-free parent companies, keep in mind they're owned by L'Oreal.
Buy from: Walmart
9. Milani
One of the best cruelty-free drugstore brands, although they're a little bit higher priced than Wet n Wild. Milani offers a ton of great products, from their blushes to their lipsticks, and they also offer a full coverage foundation that's great for oily skin.
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10. Pacifica
Pacifica's makeup might be a little bit pricer than most brands here, but they're also a highly committed 100% vegan brand. Their products are more "natural", and they're still quite affordable and available in drugstores and at Ulta.
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Feel free to leave your favorite drugstore or affordable makeup brands below!
Don't forget to take advantage of ELF's 50% off discount on your entire order!
It's the perfect time to show some love and stock up on affordable makeup. Their whole makeup range is 100% vegan as well.
Photographer: Tom Medvedich
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Nice
Can you recycle the Wet n Wild plastic mascara and primer tubes with product still in them? Asking for a friend…
Just FYI Colourpop is sold at Sephora too
NYX – not so sure about that one!
What about Physicians Formula?
Although the brands are cruelty free I thought Elf and NYX were own by non cruelty free companies now? As is Covergirl.
What about Joah?
Cruelty free doesn’t mean vegan so be sure to check ingredients.
Thank you so much for letting us know about wet and wild! I was just getting ready to purchase a few things from them and SO glad I didn’t!! Unless they pull their products out of China than I’ll no longer be purchasing anymore of their products.
Thank you Suzana. If it wasn’t for people like you, we would never know these things happen; because the companies themselves will not take responsibility. They want it all; the buyers who care about animals and those who do not. It’s always about the money; I should imagine China is a huge market and temptation for companies to go to. Its a shame their morals are not as high as the pound signs in their eyes.
Love this article!
Isnt physicians formula cruelty free as well?
Will put that on all my social media and ask all my friends to do the same.
Keep trying to find out if Color Wow is cruelty free but they don’t answer my inquiries. I suppose I should take that as their answer, but wondering if anyone knows for sure. Thank you.
thank you! so disappointing, but glad there are so many (better quality!) alternatives.
NYX products say made in China on them!!! Can’t be cruelty free!
Made in China is different from sold in China. Made in China is not automatically tested on animals. Sold in China is. I would love it if China could change their damn laws ugh ?
*I mean would, not could. Chinese law simply chooses to refuse to change their laws requiring animal testing.
Thanks for informing us about Wet and Wild. Very disappointed!
Ugh! Thanks for the update. So frustrating! Glad that CoverGirl is now officially cruelty free tho, I’m so used to boycotting them ?
Thanks so much for bringing us all this information! I use Wet n Wild specifically because of their cruelty free status and without your info I wouldn’t have known that had changed. I definitely won’t be using them again. Thanks also for the alternatives. It’s fantastic to here that Cover Girl is getting on board. It is sad though that we have to wait for things like that before decent ethical practices are normalised.
Thanks Suzana – really appreciate your commitment and communication – very pleased about Cover Girl.
Your updated list shows hard candy is not cruelty free but in your list of 10 drugstore brands you say hard candy is cruelty free so is it or not???
Hey, if you use the search bar on her home page and search it, the hard candy page says it is cruelty-free
Thank you!
Physicians formular for another drug store brand.