Hey guys! It feels like it’s been an eternity since I dedicated a post to cruelty free, and I’m here to tell you, I didn’t fall off the wagon! Full disclosure, I have problem skin, (especially in the winter months) so no, my entire routine isn’t cruelty free. BUT, if cruelty free isn’t something that’s ever crossed your mind, I am here to give you some food for thought. If you feel like you can’t even fathom reading the rest of this totally irrelevant post… do a quick Google image search of animal testing… that’ll change your mind real quick.
I think there’s somewhat of a stigma around cruelty free makeup. That it doesn’t work as well, expires too quickly, and has a very limited selection. On the contrary! With just a little research, there’s a whole world of drugstore and high end makeup out there from brands that truly care about our furry friends. I’m going to give you the run down of my cruelty free full face!
Primer As you all know, I am a huge fan of First Aid Beauty. I’ve been using their Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer as a primer and I love it! This time of year, my makeup breaks up on the dry patches in my skin and this is a great remedy for it that. Try the mini if you’re skeptical!
Foundation A few years ago my dermatologist recommended that I switch all of my face makeup to Bare Minerals. I was super pumped to learn that their products are cruelty free. They have a huge selection of liquid and powder foundations, but during the winter, I really love their Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream. The coverage is buildable and it has a really nice natural finish.
If you have oilier skin, I would suggest Bare Minerals ORIGINAL Foundation as a great year round product. Prime Time Foundation Primer is the best to use with the powder foundation!
At the drugstore, everyone raves about Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer!
Concealer This is where cruelty free really shines. Obviously, everyone and their mother loves Tarte Shape Tape. It’s the best concealer I’ve ever owned, and I don’t really need to sing its praises beyond that. There are also some great drugstore concealers too! Try NYX High Definition Concealer Wand or Kokie Be Bright Illuminating Concealer.
Setting Powder I remain in a constant state of shock that none of the beauty gurus recommend Mineral Veil Finishing Powder, also by Bare Minerals. It’s feather light and disappears on the skin.
Eyes and Cheeks Fortunately for all of us, all of the awesome eyeshadow palette brands are cruelty free. Think Too Faced, Urban Decay, and Anastasia Beverly Hills. My favorite right now is the Too Faced Sweet Peach palette. At the drugstore, be sure to check out NYX and Physicians Formula.
Mascara has been somewhat difficult for me, but I have finally stumbled across a couple that I like. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes is a great volume building mascara that separates lashes nicely. At the drugstore, Essence has a variety of nice mascaras to try out. I recommend waterproof though, just from personal experience, haha.
For eyeliner, I have two equally great suggestions, NYX Super Skinny Eye Marker and Physcians Formula Eye Booster Lash 2-in-1 Boosting Eyeliner. They are easy to apply, and their pigment definitely one-ups their high end competition.
When it comes to cheeks, I have all the same suggestions. Right now, I switch back and forth between Tarte’s Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush and (the ever popular) Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso.
Bronze and Highlight I have raved about this before, but Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer is my favorite that I’ve ever owned. It smells amazing and the color is super subtle. When I’m looking for a darker, matte bronzer with great color payoff for contouring, I turn to Too Faced Chocolate Soleil.
I think that we can all agree that designer feel on a drugstore budget is basically the dream. When it comes to highlight, I always go for Colourpop. There’s a huge variety of options and I’ve tried both pressed powder and super shock highlighters and love them both equally! They can be used as a subtle glow, or easily built for a blinding highlight.
Lips When it comes to matte lips, Colourpop does it best.Their formula is far more comfortable than any other brand, and their prices are just as good, if not better, than the drugstore. With several formulas and a million colors to choose from, you’ll be sure to find the perfect lippie for you!
Phew. That seemed like a ton of information! This is just what I’ve fallen in love with, but find out for yourself. I’ve linked al list of cruelty free brands here, and you’ll be surprised to find that you’re probably already loving a lot of them!
What are your favorite cruelty free makeup products?
xoxo crazycatlady (still)
laughingatleighann.com 
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