Vegan Hair, Makeup, and Skin-Care Brands That You Can Feel Good About Buying

Summer Fridays
Summer Fridays
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The market for vegan beauty products has been around long before buzzwords like "clean," "green," "organic," and "natural" started popping up on the packages of products, but the category in recent years has been fast growing. In fact, Economist reports that searches for "veganism" have doubled in the US since 2015, and that doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

When a makeup, skin-care, or hair-care brand claims to be vegan, that means it doesn't use any animal byproducts in its formulations — no beeswax, no lanolin (an emollient derived from sheep wool), no shellac (a nail-polish ingredient created from lac bugs), or any other animal-derived ingredients. Instead, those are typically swapped with plant-based alternatives, like collagen and squalene.

The tricky part is that it's not always easy to spot ingredients containing animal byproduct on the back of a beauty label; you'll never see a lip balm list "from sheep wool" on the pack, for example. Some brands have obtained independent certifications from organizations like PETA and the Vegan Society, but not all. That means your best course of action is to research and familiarize yourself with commonly used ingredients before buying. To help make it a little easier, PETA has a list of animal-derived ingredients often found in beauty products for easy reference.

It's also worth noting that vegan does not equal cruelty-free. While many vegan brands don't test on animals out of principle, it's not always a given. (It works the other way, too; just because a brand is cruelty-free doesn't mean it's also vegan.) You can tell if a brand is cruelty-free and doesn't test on animals by looking for the Leaping Bunny certification or symbol on the brand's website or packaging or checking the Leaping Bunny Shopping Guide (which also occasionally lists whether a brand is vegan, too).

Decoding the many different terms in the beauty industry can be tricky, but after doing some research, you'll be a wiz at deciphering what the claims on your products actually mean. To get you started on your vegan beauty journey, we rounded up a few of our favorite vegan skin-care, makeup, and hair brands ahead.

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: RĂ³en
roenbeauty.com

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: RĂ³en

RĂ³en's mission is to make luxurious, high-quality makeup products without compromising on ingredients. All of the products are made with clean, nontoxic ingredients and are vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free. The 11:11 Eye Shadow Palette ($42) is a richly pigmented, metallic shimmery eyeshadow palette that will help make your eyes pop.

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: E.l.f. Cosmetics
ulta.com

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: E.l.f. Cosmetics

E.l.f. Cosmetics is 100 percent vegan and cruelty-free. It's even recognized by PETA as a member of its Beauty Without Bunnies program. If you're looking for affordable vegan cosmetics products, this is the brand for you. The Poreless Putty Primer ($8) is a TikTok-famous primer that helps makeup go on flawlessly.

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: Thrive Causemetics
thrivecausemetics.com

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: Thrive Causemetics

Minimalists will swoon over Thrive Causemetics' selection of multipurpose, vegan, and cruelty-free products. The brand carries skin care and makeup, and its Triple Threat Color Stick ($36) is a long-time bestseller.

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: Cover FX
ulta.com

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: Cover FX

Cover FX is 100 percent vegan, cruelty-free, and PETA-approved. The brand is a one-stop shop for all things makeup and even makes brushes and other beauty tools. The Custom Blending Moisturizer ($42) is a makeup-skin-care hybrid that moisturizes the skin while providing a smooth base for makeup application.

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: The Lip Bar
target.com

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: The Lip Bar

You can spot The Lip Bar's products on the shelves of your local Target. Rest assured, the brand's products are all vegan and cruelty-free. Once you try The Lip Bar Vegan Matte Liquid Lipstick ($13), you'll be hooked on its long-lasting color payoff.

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: Bite Beauty
sephora.com

Best Vegan Makeup Brands: Bite Beauty

Bite Beauty and all of its cosmetic products are all clean, cruelty-free, and vegan. The brand is known for its lip products, but its new Upswing Full Volume Mascara ($28) deserves a spot in your makeup stash, too.

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: Pacifica
ulta.com

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: Pacifica

It's written in Pacifica's logo: 100 percent vegan and cruelty-free. The brand offers makeup, skin-care, and hair-care products at an affordable price point. The Vegan Collagen Overnight Recovery Cream ($24) is made with plant-derived collagen and designed to deeply nourish your skin while you sleep.

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: Youth to the People
sephora.com

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: Youth to the People

Youth to the People is vegan and cruelty-free, proving you don't need animals to make effective skin care. For glowing skin, add the 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum ($68) to your morning regimen.

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: SerumKind
completone.us

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: SerumKind

SerumKind is certified vegan and cruelty-free by PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies program. The Black Blossom Drop ($53) is formulated with royal black tulip from the Netherlands and helps strengthen the skin's barrier.

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: Pai
paiskincare.us

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: Pai

All Pai Skincare products are independently certified by the Vegan Society and are also cruelty-free. The Instant Kalmer ($79) is a hydrating and soothing serum that helps repair the skin's barrier with ceramides.

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: Summer Fridays
sephora.com

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: Summer Fridays

Summer Fridays was founded in 2017 right out of the gate as a vegan, cruelty-free, and clean skin-care brand. In just the short time since it launched, the brand's collection of face and body products have made their way onto many editor-approved lists. The Cloud Dew Oil-Free Gel Cream ($42) is a lightweight gel formula packed with three types of hyaluronic acid.

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: Nuria
nuriabeauty.com

Best Vegan Skin-Care Brands: Nuria

Making vegan and cruelty-free skin-care products with ethical, eco-friendly ingredients is a top priority for Nuria. The brand's Defend Gentle Exfoliator ($18) is a gentle chemical exfoliator made with ginkgo, a tree native to China, which provides the skin with antioxidants.

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Aveda
aveda.com

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Aveda

On Jan. 1, Aveda announced that its portfolio of 500-plus products will be 100 percent vegan moving forward, as well as cruelty-free. The brand has a variety of hair products to fit every need, but the Be Curly Curl Enhancer ($27) is perfect for combating frizz and adding shine to curly and wavy hair.

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Function of Beauty
functionofbeauty.com

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Function of Beauty

Function of Beauty makes custom-made hair, body, and skin-care products that are formulated just for you. While you can pick and choose what goes into your products, all of the ingredients are vegan and cruelty-free. The Function of Beauty Purple Shampoo ($30) will keep blond hair bright and animal-lovers happy.

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Rahua
rahua.com

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Rahua

All of Rahua's hair products are made with vegan, sustainably sourced ingredients and are cruelty-free. The Classic Shampoo ($34) leaves hair feeling soft and refreshed, thanks to its omega-9-rich formula.

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Maria Nila
marianila.com

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Maria Nila

Maria Nila is a vegan, cruelty-free hair brand produced in Sweden that's certified by both PETA and the Vegan Society. Try the brand's Styling Cream ($33), which adds texture and a subtle shine to the hair with medium hold.

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Joon Haircare
joonhaircare.com

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Joon Haircare

Joon Haircare is 100 percent vegan and never tests on animals. The brand carries a variety of hair products, but its Saffron Hair Elixir Oil ($50) is a bestseller and can be used for everything from detangling to a protectant for heat styling.

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Cake Beauty
cakebeautyusa.com

Best Vegan Hair Brands: Cake Beauty

Cake Beauty is an affordable hair brand that's certified cruelty-free and vegan by PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies. The Cake The 'Do Gooder Dry Shampoo ($9) adds a burst of instant volume to limp hair while also soaking up excess oil.