10 Best Affordable Cruelty-Free Makeup Brands for All Skin Types

Looking flawless shouldn’t come at a high cost — or at the expense of animals. These 10 budget-friendly, cruelty-free makeup brands prove you can have it all: quality, inclusivity, and ethical beauty.

The 10 winners of this Green Matters Approved contest are listed below. Read more about our Green Matters Approved contests here.

Colourpop is best known for its numerous pop culture collaborations, including with the Twilight, Harry Potter, and Pokémon franchises. The company is cruelty-free, and you can find a list of all of its vegan products on the brand's website. Colourpop also prides itself on being "priced to play" or being affordable enough that anyone can pick up its colorful palettes.

E.L.F. Cosmetics, which stands for "eyes, lips, face," rose to viral fame on social media for its functional and affordable products, which are available in many stores. E.L.F. is known for being Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free and 100 percent vegan. The company has also taken several sustainability measures, including committing to using less packaging with Project Unicorn and a partnership with How2Recyle.

Since 1996, Pacifica's core values have revolved around compassion — for the environment, animals, and consumers. The company is PETA-approved cruelty-free and vegan. Pacifica's products include makeup and skincare. The company uses PCR (post-consumer recycled plastic), glass, and/or aluminum in its packaging alongside Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper in its outer cartons. Additionally, Pacifica partners with environmentally friendly causes like the Gentle Barn, the ACLU, and the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network.

For over 20 years, Milani Cosmetics has been passionate about creating makeup that feels luxurious without busting consumers' budgets. The company is PETA-approved and Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free, with a collection of vegan makeup listed on its website. Milani is best known for its viral and award-winning products, like its baked brush and cream bronzer.

Zero-waste brand Axiology's makeup products include multi-use makeup sticks, as well as a unique "Fungdation" with reishi and snow mushrooms. The company is cruelty-free, palm oil-free, and vegan, with products available at select locations, including Grove Collaborative, Anthropologie, and Urban Outfitters.

Since 2022, the company has been plastic-free, and its Multi-Stick tubes are made from FSC-certified paper. Axiology's Balmies are tube-free, so consumers can recycle the wrapper and the box.

Winky Lux is about being "thoughtfully joyful and intentionally extra," per its website. Since 2015, the company has made PETA-approved cruelty-free makeup and skincare products designed to be aesthetically pleasing and bold. The company has a partnership with RePurpose and, since 2021, has aimed to become entirely plastic-neutral. Winky Lux is accomplishing this mission by pledging a portion of every product purchase and partnering with RePurpose Impact projects.

Honest Beauty, an arm of actress Jessica Alba's Honest Company, makes Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free and organic makeup products. The company's goal is to provide simple, everyday products that won't cause allergic reactions or breakouts. The Honest Company is partnered with a number of organizations like Baby2Baby, March of Dimes, How2Recycle, and Plant-My-Tree.

Medusa's Makeup makes PETA-approved cruelty-free and vegan makeup. The company's bright colors and shimmery hues live up to its promise that you'll "never get bored" with its products. Medusa's Makeup also makes hair dye in fun colors like Riptide and Misfit. Since the 1990s, Medusa's Makeup has embraced a Halloween-friendly attitude, as seen in its Witchy Vibes collection that includes sparkly gothic shimmers and deep, haunting reds. Medusa's Makeup is also available as a subscription box.

Tower 28, with its orange-and-purple packaging, has made headlines for products like its viral mascara. The company's goal is to craft fun, clean makeup for sensitive skin — which it succeeds by being PETA-approved cruelty-free and vegan. Tower 28 also makes skincare that is accepted by the National Eczema Association, and its product packaging is made from at least 50 percent post-consumer recycled plastic.

About-Face, founded by musician Halsey, is inspired by artists and creatives. All About-Face's products are cruelty-free and vegan, and the saturated, bright colors are perfect for concertgoers or everyday experimenters. The company has a full list of "Made Without" ingredients on its website, which includes phthalates, parabens, and retinyl palmitate.