There are some wonderful cruelty-free makeup brands out there, and luxury beauty lovers have plenty of choices. I’ve selected the best and most luxurious ethical beauty brands that don’t test on animals. If you’ve got questions about what it means to be cruelty-free, check out this article where I break it all down for you. Otherwise, let’s dive into the best cruelty-free luxury makeup brands on the market. 

Chantecaille Beauté

Even the name “Chantecaille” sounds luxurious. This high-end French cosmetics company has been putting out high-performance botanical products since 1997. It also supports a range of philanthropic causes, such as ending child hunger and preserving endangered species. 

I highly recommend the Chantecaille Future Skin foundation; it’s absolutely beautiful and gives a flawless finish. Their Lip Chic lipsticks are perfect for those who prefer a glossy pout and their Luminescent Eye Shades are just exquisite. Each shade is dedicated to an endangered African animal and a portion of each sale goes towards its protection. 

All of Chantecaille’s products are cruelty-free and vegan. The company isn’t part of a larger cosmetics conglomerate, so you can indulge totally guilt-free. 

Urban Decay 

Urban Decay is famous for its Naked eyeshadow palettes and legendary setting spray. It’s also a cruelty-free brand with a range of vegan products. It’s a fun and edgy brand that’s perfect for those who love to experiment with makeup. However, it’s part of the Estee Lauder group, who do test their products on animals. This presents something of a moral dilemma for many cruelty-free makeup lovers. On one hand, your money is still going towards a company who conducts tests on animals. On the other hand, you’re showing the parent company the value of cruelty-free status. This may eventually influence them to make their other brands cruelty-free too. 

Huda Beauty 

Huda Beauty is one of the best luxury cruelty free makeup brands out there. It’s the brainchild of makeup influencer extraordinaire, Huda Kattan. Since its launch in 2013, the brand has produced an impressive range of now-iconic products, such as the cult Nude Obsessions eyeshadow palettes and Legit Lashes mascara. Not all of Huda’s products are vegan but the brand is 100% cruelty free. It doesn’t retail anywhere in the world that requires animal testing, including mainland China. 

Milk Makeup 

Milk Makeup is now Leaping Bunny certified and 100% vegan, making it one of the absolutely best luxury cruelty-free makeup brands out there. There’s a lot of hype surrounding its Hydro-Grip primer in particular and I have to say, it lives up. I’m also a huge fan of its multi-purpose Lip + Cheek sticks – they’re perfect for beauty on-the-go.

Kylie Cosmetics

You might be rolling your eyes a little at this one, but trust me. When the youngest Kardashian released her makeup line, she did not come to play. I usually hate liquid lipsticks because they’re so drying, but Kylie’s lip kits are so comfortable to wear despite their uber-matte appearance. This brand regularly releases fun collections and I can’t lie, I love the pretty pink packaging. 

Kylie Cosmetics is cruelty-free and doesn’t sell products in China. Its parent company is Coty, which does test on animals. 

KVD Vegan Beauty 

If you want long-lasting makeup, KVD Vegan Beauty is the cruelty-free brand for you. Seriously, from the legendary Tattoo Liner to the Lock-It Setting Powder, these products just don’t budge. It’s the perfect brand if you live somewhere hot where makeup is prone to melting – like my home city of Miami! 

KVD is 100% vegan, cruelty-free and don’t sell in China. Its parent company is Kendo, which is also cruelty-free. However, Kendo does own Marc Jacobs beauty, a brand which sells products to mainland China and so has to test on animals. Again, this is a bit of a grey area. I think it’s safe to say that as a parent company, Kendo is more animal-friendly than say, Estee Lauder and L’Oreal, but still not perfect.

Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Cosmetics’ Ambient Lighting palette has taken the makeup industry by storm. The days of full-beam highlighters are over; now, it’s all about an ulta-flattering, soft focus glow. Hourglass Cosmetics is all about enhancing your natural beauty rather than wearing a makeup mask. I just love its luxe packaging, too. 

Hourglass has always been cruelty-free and in 2020 they became a fully vegan brand too. I’d say it’s one of the best companies around in terms of luxury cruelty-free cosmetics. It’s a subsidiary of Unilever, who aren’t cruelty-free. However, the consumer goods giant has made some impressive strides in the right direction of late, upping the number of cruelty-free brands in its portfolio and voicing support for a global animal testing ban. 

What are your favorite luxury cruelty-free makeup brands? Let me know in the comments below!

For more on beauty, why not check out this list of the best luxury hair care products or my guide to slugging, the latest kooky skin care trend?