The Best Cruelty-Free & Vegan Lipsticks You Need In Your Stash
If you’re living a vegan lifestyle, lipstick might seem harmless enough, but there could be some questionable animal products lurking in your favorite products. For example, cochineal dye (a.k.a. carmine), which is made from the shells of insects, is sometimes used to produce vivid red or pink colors in makeup. Tallow, another common animal product found in lipstick, is a rendered animal fat that's sometimes used to give lipstick a smooth, emulsifying texture.
While some beauty brands certainly still use animal products in their formulas, there are also hundreds of vegan lipstick brands that purposefully steer clear of the stuff. Instead, they often feature natural, plant-based, and organic ingredients that you can feel good about using every day.
Whether you're looking to totally overhaul your makeup bag or simply add a few clean beauty products to it, here are nine of the best vegan lipsticks–all of which have been vetted by Ipsters who received these products in past Glam Bags.
1. DOSE OF COLORS Liquid Matte Lipstick in Campfire
This liquid lipstick applies like a cream but quickly dries to reveal a long-lasting matte finish. The red shade features orange undertones that will flatter all skin tones. However, it can be particularly striking on olive and deep skin tones. To condition the lips, DOSE OF COLORS uses synthetic beeswax. Traditional beeswax is not considered to be a vegan product since it's taken from the combs where bees raise their young and store pollen and honey. Instead, synthetic beeswax is made by combining a blend of mineral waxes to achieve a similar result.
2. HALF CAKED Super Glazed in Semi-charmed
Here is a top-notch vegan and cruelty-free lipstick option. The dusty rose color features a unique hydrating finish that falls somewhere between a lip balm and a lip gloss. The subtle pigment is well-suited for every skin tone and even smells like strawberries and cream, making application a real treat.
"Great color saturation, staying power, and shine," writes one Ipster. "It's not sticky, has a great scent and a subtle, sweet flavor. Works great alone or over lipstick."
3. FOLLY FIRE Matte Manipulation Creamy Matte Lipstick in Sunset Blvd.
If you're looking for a color that's similar to the HALF CAKED option but a little bit brighter, look no further. Here is a universally flattering mauve rose shade that's perfect for everyday wear. This matte formula avoids drying out the lips by infusing them with hydrating argan oil.
"This lipstick is a perfect pop of color," writes one Ipster. "It's more on the nude side but still bright and it stays on the lips."
4. COLOURED RAINE COSMETICS Liquid Lipstick in Red Sea
All of COLOURED RAINE's liquid lipsticks are cruelty-free, vegan, and FDA approved. You can really ramp up the drama factor with this vampy maroon shade. Also, the brand's long-wear formula is no joke. This is a beauty product that will only come off using an oil-based makeup remover. To prep for this kind of all-day color, make sure to exfoliate the lips and apply a moisturizing lip balm beforehand.
After trying this matte liquid lipstick, Ipster mhagen73 wrote, "I finally found a shade of red for my dark skin. I love how smoothly this applies. My lips don’t feel dry at all."
5. PHASE ZERO MAKE UP Matte Liquid Lipstick in Undercover
This cruelty-free liquid lipstick is an ideal everyday color. Complete with a sleek matte finish, the mauve rose color is flattering on all skin tones and is fast-drying. The result is a classic color that will stay put all day.
After trying this vegan lipstick, jfhetzel13 wrote, "This is the first liquid lipstick that I have really wanted to use repeatedly. Perhaps it's the soft color, which is very brightening for my skin coloring. It looks great on camera and does not flake off. It also tastes and smells nice."
6. TARTE Tarteist™ Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint in Sis
Bold, matte finishes get an enthusiastic thumbs up from us. Overdrying matte formulas that leave the lips flaking and parched? Not so much. Thankfully, this lip paint manages to get that sought-after matte effect while also infusing the lips with moisture and clean ingredients. This is a gluten-free formula that's made without parabens, phthalates, and of course, animal products.
"I love, love, love this lip paint," writes one Ipster. "It is by far the best I've ever had and I've tried a lot. It goes on smoothly, stays on forever, and best of all, it is not sticky!"
7. NATURE’S CARTEL Lip Stick in 90’s Nostalgia
One swipe of this mauve-brown lippie and you'll be transported straight back to the '90s. The vegan, cruelty-free formula is so creamy that it feels like more like a lip balm than a lipstick. It also features buildable color. Swipe on a quick coat for a sheer lip tint or layer up for full coverage.
"Super cute shade and very moisturizing," says one Ipster. "For my dark skin tone, it's a 'my-lip-but-better' type of shade!"
8. BELLE EN ARGENT Auteur Crème Lip Color in Click Your Heels
Meet the perfect go-to red lipstick that's free of all the bad stuff. This vegan formula is Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free and is also free of parabens and fragrances. The creamy formula features a semi-satin finish that keeps the lips soft throughout wear by infusing them with hydrating jojoba and argan oils.
"This is an extraordinary shade," writes Ipster carpenter_blair. "It has a beautiful pigment that was great for my skin tone, it was easy to layer, and the formula felt really good on my lips."
9. JOLII COSMETICS Luxe Crème Matte in Lavanda
This creamy lip color comes in a refreshingly romantic berry pink. While the liquid formula dries matte, it also keeps lips moisturized with shea butter and jojoba oil. The vegan formula uses a creamy combination of waxes and oils to create a long-wearing lipstick that's still incredibly comfortable.
"OMG, I absolutely love this lip stain," one Ipster writes. "It’s amazing quality and it feels buttery smooth when applied and then it dries and doesn’t budge for hours! It’s awesome!"
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