by Jaimela King

Created on: December 09, 2009

The search for vegan friendly make up can take you on tireless jaunts through department stores, cosmetic counter and health and nature food stores. The results can disappointing to say the least, and vegan friendly makeup is still in limited supply in mainstream department stores. Buying vegan friendly cosmetics is not as easy as picking out what you want; it is a more involved task that requires education on the subject of animal cruelty, an eagle eye and lots of persistence.

One of the most important things to know when buying vegan friendly cosmetics is what to look for. There is a difference between animal friendly and vegan; while vegan cosmetics contain no animal ingredients or animal derived ingredients, animal friendly cosmetics can contain animal ingredients. So for true vegans, you will not want to use cosmetics that contain animal ingredients even though they claim to be animal friendly. Animal friendly can simply mean that the makeup is not tested on animals; not that animals were not killed to make the cosmetics, or that dead animals and animal  by products were not used in the making of these cosmetics.

In the case of cosmetics that are described as vegan, is still important to check to see if the ingredients have not been tested on animals. In the majority of cases, we assume if it says vegan, it  is  animal friendly and in most cases it is, however, you still want the added assurance that it is clearly stated “no animal testing”. You don't want animal products or derivatives in your cosmetics, but you also don't want make up that is not cruelty free.

Some of the cosmetic companies that have received Proggy awards from PETA  as animal friendly companies include Urban Decay for the best cruelty free cosmetic line. Urban Decay  takes a strong stance against animal testing and clearly labels items so one can differentiate between  vegan cosmetics and those that contain animal products. While MAC Cosmetics does not test any of their products on animals they do carry some cosmetics that are clearly labelled vegan. The list put out by PETA and other groups, indicate which items are vegan which is very helpful when trying to separate vegan from cruelty free.

Vegan Essentials carry a variety of vegan brands of makeup and you can get a list of all the ingredients in the makeup. Eco Bella and Sevi Cosmetics are all vegan friendly. Sevi Cosmetics describe their makeup as honest products that are created by hardworking hands and passionate hearts. Other great vegan choices are Script Peek-a-Boo Mineral Veil, Beauty without Cruelty Lip Gloss and VonNatur Eye Color Natural Minerals.

Being vegan is not easy when it comes to selecting makeup. Shopping for vegan friendly makeup means you have to be vigilant, read all labels (even those that claim to be cruelty free) and educate yourself about the different types and forms of animal ingredients.

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