The 13 Best Vegan And Cruelty-Free Lipsticks Of 2023
Get the dazzling, picture-perfect pout with these creamy and hydrating lipsticks.
Hillary ClarkEsthetician
Expertise: Makeup & Skin Care
Experience: 21 years
Hillary Clark is a third-generation beauty entrepreneur, celebrity makeup artist, and medical esthetician with 21 years of experience. Her stints as the youngest Beauty Director for Nordstrom and West Coast Beauty Editor for Sephora provide... more
Srijani Roy Chowdhury Certified In Makeup Artistry, Certified Style & Image Consultant
Expertise: Makeup & Fashion
Experience: 3 years
Srijani is an associate commerce editor with a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal. She is certified in makeup techniques and is also a ce... more
Expertise: Fitness & Lifestyle
Experience: 3 years
Rajeshwari is a dedicated fitness and lifestyle enthusiast, deeply committed to enhancing our readers’ well-being and vitality. She has a master’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication fro... more
Srijita DeCertified Style & Image Consultant
Expertise: Makeup & Fashion
Experience: 2 years
Srijita De is a makeup and fashion enthusiast with a passion for empowering readers through practical tips and tricks to present their best selves with confidence. Armed with a postgraduate degree in ... more
Image: Shutterstock
Choosing the best vegan lipstick is a must when you consider switching to cruelty-free makeup. Just a smidge of color to your lips adds a beautiful glow and elevates your look. Since time immemorial, people have used lip color unquestioningly. However, many of us don’t know that these colors have been formulated with by-products of animals, including animal fat, keratin, beeswax, honey, and lanolin; not to forget the carmine from the crushed shells of cochineal beetles to give the vivid hues of pinks and reds. It doesn’t sound so appealing anymore, does it?
Some lipsticks may not use animal byproducts but are still tested on animals. If you prefer food sans animal products, you should do the same with lipsticks. That’s why it is significant to choose cruelty-free vegan lipsticks from the market. These lipsticks are made using natural ingredients enriched with nourishing oils, minerals, and vitamins. So, if you want to have gorgeous lips without compromising the safety of innocent animals, take a look at our top picks of cruelty-free vegan lipsticks.
In This Article
13 Best Cruelty-Free Vegan Lipsticks Of 2023
1. Best Pigmented:Kuckian Liquid Velvet Supreme – Dinner At 8
Image: Kuckian Cosmetics
Join the numbers who have fallen in love with this delectable red lipstick with a velvet matte finish. It’s formula is ultra pigmented and long lasting and is designed to be applied in a single, light, and thin layer while giving you the full color. Its velvet formula gently enhances your lips without forming a thick layer that cracks or dries out. Every lipstick is gently enriched with vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant. You need to allow the formula to fully set for 1-2 minutes before pressing your lips together or drinking from a glass. This vegan lipstick will stay put for hours once dried, and only fades if it makes contact with very oily foods. Use a waterproof makeup cleanser for removal or maybe coconut or baby oil. In addition to the lipstick, there are 2 precision applicators included to help take your lipstick application to the next level.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Enriched with vitamin E
- Long-lasting color
- Smudge-free
- Matte finish
Cons
- Some may find the texture too dry for their liking.
Pro Tip2. Best Transfer-Proof:The Lip Bar Liquid Matte – Boy Trouble
Image: The Lip Bar
Who doesn’t like being a drama queen from time to time? Well, with this vegan lipstick, a little goes a long way and then lasts pretty much the entire day. The best part is that it goes on in virtually one swipe. It has a rich color and a texture so soft that you barely notice that you have something on. It nourishes and softens your lips as if it’s a lip balm. It doesn’t dry out your lips or smudge or transfer. It goes on creamy and matte with a great stay and coverage. These lipsticks have an 8-hour wearing time, as long as you don’t eat anything too oily. This Black owned vegan lipstick company is making great strides in the world of lip color!
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Long lasting
- Matte finish
- Rich color
Cons
- Application may not be smooth enough for everyone’s liking.
3. Best Long-Lasting:Honest Beauty Vegan Liquid Lipstick – Love
Image: Honest Beauty
This all-day wear clean vegan lipstick is the winner of the Allure Best of Clean Beauty Award of 2023. It offers hydration throughout the day powered by clean ingredients, especially hyaluronic acid. The best thing about this lipstick is that it doesn’t dry out your lips and in fact nourishes them, thanks to the avocado oil present in it. It has a high pigment payoff and has 8 richly colored shades in a shine to matte finish with a long staying power. For optimal results, let it dry for 5 minutes before you pucker up your lips.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Silicon-free
- No fragrance
- No synthetic film formers
- No isododecane or carmine
Cons
- Some find the finish cakey and the texture sticky
4. Best Matte Finish:Gabriel Cosmetics Vegan Lipstick – Clay
Image: Gabriel Cosmetics
Looking for that perfect lipstick? This lipstick has a long lasting formula that provides natural, luxuriant lip color with hydration, and is enriched with nourishing ingredients. Made from a petrochemical-free base of candelilla wax, jojoba seed oil, and aloe vera, this cruelty free vegan lipstick locks in moisture and protects your lips from environmental aggressors. It also contains other natural and mineral based ingredients like sesame seed oil, safflower seed oil, sea fennel extract, iron oxide, mica, st. john’s wort extract, and titanium dioxide to name a few. So, get ready to face the day or night with this luxuriant lip color.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Gluten-free
- Non-toxic
- Suitable for all skin types
Cons
- Some may find the color too shiny.
Quick Tip5. Best Hypoallergenic:Mineral Fusion Lipstick – Peony
Image: Mineral Fusion
If you are looking for a rich color with a velvet finish for your lips, look no further. This lipstick is a rusty plum color that nourishes and protects your lips. Its luxurious formula not only soothes your lips but also has a long staying power. It’s infused with cranberry, white tea, and vitamins C and E, which are antioxidants that protect your delicate lips from free radical damage. In addition, cocoa butter and avocado oil hydrate and condition, keeping your lips soft and supple. This pigment-rich, long lasting vegan lipstick has full color coverage and is infused with other botanicals like sunflower seed oil, sesame seed oil, aloe vera, and coconut oil to name a few. As it doesn’t tend to smudge or feather, you can always be ready with the perfect pout.
Pros
- Hypoallergenic
- Smooth application
- Has hydrating properties
- Cruelty-free
- Gluten-free
- Paraben-free
- EWG-certified
- No artificial fragrance
- No harsh ingredients
- Long lasting
Cons
- The base of the lipstick could be stronger.
6. Best For Sensitive Skin:Ecco Bella FlowerColor Lipstick – Rosewood
Image: Ecco Bella
Who doesn’t like a lipstick that also works as a lip balm? This gluten free vegan lipstick is created with a simple and healthy formula of vegetable oils, waxes, and mineral pigments that add creaminess to it and prevent it from feathering. Like a lip balm, this natural lipstick moisturizes without chapping or flaking. Infused with flower cutins, this lipstick is water-resistant so it has a longer staying power, and is free of gluten, petroleum, and fragrances. It’s infused with vitamin E, organic calendula oil, organic chamomile oil, and organic jojoba oil to bring you a high quality and authentic product. This natural and organic lipstick is hypoallergenic and formulated for sensitive skin. So, maybe it’s time to welcome one of the cleanest, safest, and prettiest lipsticks.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Hypoallergenic
- Paraben-free
- Lead-free
- Gluten-free
- No petroleum derivatives
- Dye-free
- Fragrance-free
Cons
- Some feel it could be more moist and creamy.
7. Best Fragrance-Free:True + Luscious Vegan Lipstick – Breathless
Image: True + Luscious
A satin finish with a luscious color payoff in just 1 swipe, who wouldn’t love that!
This product is made with pure pigments and plant-derived ingredients that are just as effective as they are safe. So no more dry, cracked lips, and flaky lipstick as its formula contains vegan sourced hyaluronic acid that locks in moisture and keeps your lips feeling hydrated throughout the day. Konjac root heals and repairs dry lips and natural botanicals along with vitamin E and grape seed oil condition, gently nourish, and pamper your lips. This natural vegan lipstick is all about clean beauty and the best quality product for you, so you can look and feel amazing.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Paraben-free
- Sulfate-free
- Phthalate-free
Cons
- Tends to melt at high temperatures
8. Best For All Skin Tones:Ready To Shine Vegan Lipstick – Stay With Me
Image: Ready To Shine
This vegan lipstick with a semi matte finish has a beautiful fresh fig red color with grapefruit undertones. It’s a lipstick with a long staying power and has a conditioning formula and vivid color. The satin sheen further adds a subtle touch of a dewy glamorous look. Infused with jojoba oil, rosehip oil, olive oil, and vitamin E, it softens and plumps up dry, thin lips! Just 1 swipe ensures a pure, pigmented color with a velvety finish and creamy texture. Its neon-tinged hue is designed to look stunning on every skin tone. Amp up your style and boost your confidence with this vibrant lipstick.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Buildable coverage
- Fade-resistant
- No GMOs
- Paraben-free
- No fillers
Cons
- The orange undertones may be too overpowering.
9. Best Highly Pigmented: 3ina 362 The Lipstick – 362 Pink
Image: 3ina The 3ina 362 The Lipstick is perfect for everyday wear. It is highly pigmented and has good coverage. The light pink color is soft, flattering, and perfect for all skin types. This product is highly-pigmented and covers the lips well with just one coat of color. It is made from high-quality vegetable waxes and nutrient-rich essential oils that enrich and nourish your lips. This lipstick is paraben-free, making it safe to use on sensitive skin, but it is recommended to perform a patch test before full usage. It provides high coverage with an extremely comfortable texture for you. It also has a magnetic case for proper closure.
Pros
- Moisturizing formula
- Highly-pigmented
- High-quality ingredients
- Offers full coverage
- Creamy formula
- Offers satin-matte finish
- Paraben-free
- Ideal for sensitive lips
Cons
- Might not last long
10. Best Gluten-Free:Manic Panic Nosferatu Lethal Lipstick
Ready for the Gothic look? This black vegan lipstick is a deep shade of opaque black, with a rich, velvety matte finish. This lipstick has long lasting color and is enriched with antioxidants and natural moisturizers that make this a great moisturizing lipstick. It’s cruelty-free and in fact is tested on celebrities, not animals. Do try out this lipstick for guaranteed super soft and supple lips, and to top it, this lipstick comes in a glamorous diamond-etched lipstick case.
Pros
- Paraben-free
- Gluten-free
- Lead-free
- Talc-free
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- May be prone to smudging
11. Best Moisturizing:Trophy Wife Lipstick – Anna
Not everyone wants to be a trophy wife but that shouldn’t stop you from trying this luxurious, cruelty-free vegan lipstick. Its long lasting, natural, and moisturizing formula has a creamy, semi matte finish. It includes natural ingredients like candelilla wax, castor seed oil, shea butter, almond oil, grape seed oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil. It’s also infused with strawberry to give the lipstick a subte sweet fragrance and flavor. As clean ingredients are the brand’s main priority, it’s made with plant based wax and not beeswax. Just 1 swipe is enough for a light look and 2 for a bold look. So, now you can maintain that perfect pout whatever the occasion!
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Long lasting
- Semi matte finish
- No harsh chemicals
- Plant based ingredients
Cons
- Some may find its texture too dry
12. Best Creamy Formula:Evxo Organic Lipstick – Red Wine
This organic vegan lipstick is designed to keep your lips feeling soft and supple through the day. It’s supremely creamy and rich in hydration which improves the elasticity of your lips so you can say goodbye to dry, cracked lips! It glides on your lips very smoothly, leaving them with a glossy finish and lasting color. Infused with coconut, avocado, and jojoba oils, it helps to keep your lips safe from the damaging rays of the sun. It also has organic butters like mango, cocoa, and cupuacu that are packed with nutrients and antioxidants that are soothing, hydrating, and have regenerative properties. Highly pigmented, it gives full color and coverage to your lips!
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Gives a luxurious feel
- Antioxidant-rich
- Organic
- Gluten-free
- No unhealthy preservatives
Cons
- May be too drying for some
13. Best Lightweight:Kaja Air Heart Lightweight Natural Finish Lipstick – Sprung
Image: Kaja
Tired of those sticky, greasy lipsticks? This vegan lipstick has a lightweight, natural finish and feels like air on your lips. It’s a heart-shaped lipstick with a very light, cushiony formula that gives your lips a highly saturated color and feels ultra light on them. It is infused with rose extract that hydrates your lips, keeping them soft and supple. Just glide the heart-shaped, pointed tip of the lipstick along the edges of your lips to contour and line them, and then fill in the color. With beautiful packaging and an imaginative formula, this lipstick is a powerhouse of Korean innovation, and is suitable for all skin types and skin tones.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Organic ingredients
- Non-drying
- Comfortable wear
- Paraben-free
- Sulfate-free
- Phthalate-free
Cons
- Some may not like the taste of the lipstick
Now that you have been through our review of the 13 best vegan lipsticks, let us tell you what a vegan lipstick really means and which non-vegan ingredients you need to look out for while buying your lipsticks.
What Does Vegan Lipstick Mean
A PETA-certified vegan lipstick is one that not only does not contain animal ingredients but also has no animal-derived ingredients. These bold and intense colors are not only completely void of dead animals and beetles, but they are also ethically manufactured and sourced. Vegan lipsticks are not synonymous with cruelty-free lipsticks, which are lipsticks that are created without any sort of testing on animals and also include not using any raw materials that have been tested on animals.
Carmine, also known as cochineal, beeswax, lanolin, and squalane are some of the common non-vegan ingredients found in lipsticks.
Now that you are clear about what a Vegan society-certified lipstick means, let us give you a few pointers on what to look for while choosing your vegan lipstick.
How To Choose The Best Vegan Lipstick
- Check the ingredients
The first thing to check is that there are no animal products or animal by-products in the lipstick. Ingredients like carmine, beeswax, lanolin, tallow, and squalane are all derived from animals and should be avoided. Common plant based ingredients that are used in vegan lipsticks are avocado, marula oil, and vitamin E, which is a natural antioxidant. Other common ingredients found in vegan lipsticks are candelilla wax, shea butter, almond oil, argan oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil which also nourish your lips.
- Avoid non-transferable lipsticks
A good lipstick should moisturize your lips whereas non-transferable lipsticks tend to dry out your lips and cause chapping.
- Choose the right shade
Deeper shades make your lips look smaller and brighter shades make your lips look bigger. A nude, peach, pale pink, or soft mocha color are better for lighter complexions. Fuchsia, red, browns, and peaches work well on a medium skin tone, while copper, brown, red, wine and cranberry color look flawless on darker complexions.
- Personal preference
You need to consider what type of lipstick you would like to go for— cream lipsticks, matte finish lipsticks, lipsticks with frost finish or shimmer etc.
- Shelf life
Most lipsticks have a shelf life of 3 years, so it is important that you always check the date of manufacture and date of expiration.
Infographic: A Step-Wise Guide On How To Apply A Vegan Lipstick
Vegan lipsticks are great alternatives to the regular ones, especially if you have sensitive skin or advocate sustainability. The infographic below lists the steps to apply a vegan lipstick so that you can get the full glam look without compromising on your ethics and lifestyle. Scroll down and check it out.
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
Save the high-quality PDF version on your device now.
Download Infographic
The Bottom Line
There is something about lipsticks that make us all happy, and applying a pop of color on your lips can make even your gloomiest day bright. But if you are switching to clean beauty products, it is time to invest in the best vegan and cruelty-free lipsticks. These revolutionary lip colors reviewed above in the curated list are enriched with nourishing oils, minerals, and vitamins. Therefore, if you want vibrant shades to decorate your lips without compromising on safety, you should invest in these animal-friendly, vegan and cruelty-free lip colors. The Kuckian Liquid Velvet Supreme – Dinner At 8 offers a smudge-free, matte finish, while the Mineral Fusion Lipstick – Peony has hydrating and hypoallergenic properties. For sensitive skin, choose the Ecco Bella FlowerColor Lipstick – Rosewood. These lip colors are highly pigmented, long-lasting, and do not contain synthetic fragrances. Go through the ingredients list, avoid non-transferable lip colors, and consider the shelf life of the lipstick while purchasing the best vegan and cruelty-free lipsticks.
Why Trust StyleCraze?
Srijani Roy Chowdhury, the author of this article, is a fashion and makeup enthusiast who loves to keep up with the latest trends in the beauty industry and review makeup products. Having tried several lipsticks, she believes it is significant to choose cruelty-free vegan lipsticks. She has prepared this list of the best vegan lipsticks after checking reviews online and the ingredients in detail. The vegan lipsticks are long-lasting and smudge-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are vegan lipsticks healthy?
Yes, vegan lipsticks would be considered healthy as the raw materials that are used in cosmetics have been around for so long that they are well understood and have been thoroughly tested. Vegan lipsticks do not contain colorants that are made from insects and they do not contain ingredients that are derived from dead animals. Vegan lipsticks often use healthier ingredients and are usually more environmentally friendly. Because there are often fewer raw materials in vegan lipsticks they can also be hypoallergenic and they are usually not tested on animals. Most of them also come in sustainable packaging.
Which lipstick brands are vegan?
Apart from all the brands that we have reviewed for you, some other vegan lipstick brands are Biotique, Zuii Organic, Lotus, Iba Halal, The Body Shop, Wet N Wild, Soultree, Ruby’s Organics, Oriflame, Organistick, and Disguise Cosmetics to name a few.
What makes a lipstick vegan?
Vegan lipsticks have no animal-based ingredients or its by-products such as beeswax, lanolin, or squalane.
Is Maybelline lipstick vegan?
No, Maybelline lipsticks are not vegan.
Is L’Oreal lipstick vegan?
No, L’Oreal lipsticks are not vegan.
Is Revlon lipstick vegan?
No, Revlon lipsticks are not vegan.
Which lipstick does not contain animal fat?
None of the lipsticks listed in the article contain animal fat. All these lipsticks contain safe ingredients and have vegan formulations, meaning they do not have any animal based ingredients.
Recommended Articles
- Best Cruelty-Free Lipsticks For Soft, Luscious Lips
- Best Vegan Lip Glosses
- Bestselling Natural Lipsticks
- Best Organic Lipstick Brands You Can Try Today
