Cruelty-free & Vegan Drugstore Makeup Starter Kit
I wasn’t sure what to call this post. The alternate titles were:
Bunny-Approved Budget Makeup Guide
A Full Face of Cruelty-free Makeup for Beginners
“I’m new here”: How to start your vegan & cruelty-free makeup journey without going broke
But, title-indecision aside, you can see that the point I’m trying to get to is that I want to provide a resource for those switching out their usual cosmetic products for cruelty-free alternatives. I want to make sure you have an easy guide to selecting cruelty-free, vegan makeup options that also perform well! I’ve tried a lot of duds, so you don’t have to.
Luckily, there are so many cruelty-free drugstore brands on the market that some of your favourites are probably already cruelty-free. You can use the Leaping Bunny list to check. The Logical Harmony and Ethical Elephant databases are also helpful resources.
But, if you discover a product you use isn’t cruelty free, I’m giving you some great alternatives to try out below. Everything I’m suggesting is something I personally use and enjoy. There are also alternatives provided in some cases, and although I haven’t necessarily tried all the alternatives, I’ve ensured they have positive reviews. As mentioned, everything vegan friendly! And I’ve stuck to drugstore (or drugstore priced) options so that it is accessible to everyone.
So, let’s jump right in:
Base:
Moisturizer: I use the Alba Botanica Hawaiian Moisture Cream (note: I do not like the “oil-free” version as much, but it’s okay. Both work well under makeup.)
Primer: E.L.F Poreless Putty Primer
Foundation: I wear PUR Love Your Selfie foundation which can be found at some drugstores in their fancy makeup section, but it’s not a drugstore price. But it comes in over 100 shades(!!!) and is a beautiful foundation so I really think it’s worth the price. (Alternatives at a more reasonable price: Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation Stick, Covergirl Clean Fresh Skin Milk Foundation, Pacifica Alight Clean Foundation)
Concealer: E.L.F Camo Concealer (Alternatives: Milani Conceal + Perfect Longwear Concealer)
Setting powder: Milani Prep + Set + Go Transparent Face Powder and NXY Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Setting Powder (I use Banana).
Blush: Milani Baked Blush (I like “Baked Peach”)
Bronzer: Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer (Smells like summer, I swear)
Highlighter: E.L.F Metallic Flare Highlighter
Eyes:
Eyeshadow pallet: I’m not a huge fan of most drugstore eyeshadow - it can be hit or miss. But, I love my Pacifica Pink Nudes as a matte neutral go-to. (Alternative: Colourpop is sold online, not in drugstores, but has drugstore prices. Also, the quality is fantastic! I love their formula. I think a little pallet like Citrus Fizz or Sparkler would get you far for only $9, or $18 for both. Additionally, Wild nothing, Boudoir noir, Wild child, Grandeur, Good as gold and Ballad are all great neutral, everyday vegan choices.)
Eye liner: I wear (and love) Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner which can be found at some drugstores in their fancy makeup section, but it’s not a drugstore price. From what I understand this is a vegan formula, but I am still in the process of confirming that with Stila. A confirmed vegan formula which I also love and performs very similar at a similar price is the KVD Vegan Beauty Ink Liner.(Alternatives at a more reasonable price: Essence eyeliner pen or super fine eyeliner pen)
Mascara: Essence I Love Extreme volume mascara
Eyebrow gel: E.L.F Wow Brow Gel (Alternatives: NXY Tinted Brow Mascara, Essence make me brow eyebrow gel mascara)
Eyebrow pencil: NYX Micro Brow Pencil
Eyebrow pallet: E.L.F Eyebrow kit is my fav and it never seems to run out. I’ve had mine for over a year and haven’t hit pan.
Lips:
Lip liner: Milani Color Statement Lipliner (My go to colour is 09 Spice)
Lipstick: Milani Bold Color Statement Matte Lipstick and Color Fetish Lipstick. (Alternative: NYX Soft Matte Metallic Lip Cream. Please note that only the metallic shades are vegan. I am in touch with NYX about their non-matallic shades and will add any vegan ones here.)
Lip Gloss: Essence Shine Shine Shine lipgloss. (Vegan formula depends on the shade - I just use 01 behind the scenes)
Lip Balm: My fav lipbalm is Hurraw, but I’m not sure how wildly available it is in drugstores, but it is super affordable. (I know EOS cruelty-free and is widely available. Their Crystal balms were vegan, but seem to be discontinued, although you can still find them in some places. The rest of their line is not vegan due to beeswax, but the all the other ingredients are plant-based.)
Misc:
Setting spray: I swear by the NYX Makeup Setting Spray to make sure all my powder products melt into the skin, and to get highlighter and sparkly eyeshadow to really pop
Beauty blender: I’ve been using the EcoTools perfecting blender duo, but I am so excited to try the bioblender, which is the first biodegradable makeup sponge. (Alternatives: Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, E.L.F total face sponge.
Brushes: E.L.F & EcoTools are what I use most often, but there are lots of options!
I have made this guide as affordable as possible, so that you could replace all your makeup with cruelty-free and vegan options in one swoop! However, we should also be cognizant of our environmental impact and the waste we may be creating. I suggest that you save this list to your phone, and any time you run out of your regular product, you pull this list up to look for replacement options to try.
Also, keep in mind our skin and body chemistry (not to mention our wants and preferences) are different, so what works for me might not work for you. I tried to give alternatives to most products, but also, because these are so affordable, it’s not too much of a financial hit if you don’t love the product. But these are products I’ve tried and enjoyed, so I’d love to know if any of these become a ride-or-die for you too!
I hope this helps you get started on your cruelty-free and vegan makeup journey. As always, if you have any questions or thoughts, know that you can hit me up on Instagram. I always love hearing from you!
Happy shopping,
Kassia