Vegan Forum

What vegan makeup and cosmetics you would recommend? (It's for a gift not for me )

Hang on Sergio! I haven't quite got my shop running!

What kind of cosmetics would you (your friend) like? Most vegans seem to prefer natural beauty to heavy make-up - but is that due to lack of choice?

Let me know her style and colouring (which famous person does she look like?) and I will try to suggest something

I had a few discussions with friends about this over the week. I have to confess, I only rarely buy makeup...

There are only a few cosmetics listed in the Vegan Directory, and I haven't tried most of them! However, I can recommend the following:
- Barry M Cosmetics: lip liners, body glitter shaker pots, dazzle dust, and loose translucent powder. These are really fashionable and you can buy them at most chemists. They are suitable for younger/teenage girls, and women who like bright colours
- Molton Brown cosmetics: lip gloss/glaze, powder and liquid foundations, loose powder, blusher and bronzing gel. Molton Brown are very classy and luxurious - the recepient is sure to love you! You can buy their products at department stores and some chemists, but they can be expensive. They also make really nice toiletries
- many lip balms are vegan, because they are made with either vaseline or vegetable oils. You can buy tinted balms and use them instead of lipstick.

As a general rule, avoid lipstick - it is usually made with either whale blubber or lard

I am quite distanced from cosmetics. Luckily my wife almost doesn't use cosmetics.
But sometimes during big holidays she might use some lipstick and eye shadows.
So the question is what non vegan ingredients are used in these products and how I can find out.

I started looking into this, and then I wished I hadn't!

There's a section on animal-derived additives in the back of the Animal Free Shopper (from the Vegan Society). Mine's a little out of date, but it lists the following as potential ingredients in cosmetics:
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)*, amniotic fluid, beeswax (E901), chitin, collagen, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)*, elastin, lanolin, oleic acid*, oestrogen*, placenta, propolis, ribonucleic acid (RNA)*, shellac (E904), silk, spermaceti wax, squalene*, stearin*, urea*, vitamin A*,

* indicates that the substance can be animal derived or synthetic.

I also happen to know that some lip glosses are, or contain, lard. Some liquid cosmetics contain glycerin(e)/glycerol(E422)

Finding out is tricky, since the ingredients are usually printed on a tiny little folded up label I think that it's best to look for powder cosmetics, and products that look oil-based rather than creamy?

@BigBecca that is a disturbing list of ingredients.

Urban Decay is not a vegan company but they have a line of gorgeous vegan products.
http://www.sweetvegan.net/urban-decay-s ... n-palette/

I'm also looking for vegan make-up products for gifts this Christmas. I have a few friends who are vegans and are using only vegan cosmetics. Thanks for the recommendations. Much appreciated...