Make-up is a MAJOR part of the magic and illusion of drag AND my life.
And i love me some of everything – cheap, expensive, over-priced . . . you name it, i have it, or want it!
But i am also a fierce advocate for animal rights. i love my non-human friends and i go to great lengths to practice and live my life in Ahimsa (non-harm). i’ve been a vegetarian since i was 16, am an on and off again vegan (it’s the CHEESE!!), and i try to be conscious of the products and clothing that i buy.
One of the biggest questions i get asked is what cruelty free make-up and beauty products i recommend that are stage, performance, and most importantly stage ready 🙂 .
Here’s a list (with links) to my favorite cruelty-free brands.*
:: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
:: Wet-n-wild
:: Urban Decay
:: Smashbox
:: Kryolan
:: Sugarpill
:: NYX
:: Milani
:: Cover FX
:: Tarte
:: E.L.F
!NEW!
:: Lime Crime
:: Too Faced
:: Kat Von D
i LOVE all of the above and highly highly recommend them – not just because they are cruelty free, but because they are BAD ASS products.
Some of these companies – like NYX, Smashbox, and Urban Decay – are owned by companies who DO test on animals. While it’s a hotly debated topic whether or not it’s ethical to buy from these companies, here’s my rule of thumb:
If the company makes PETA’s list of cruelty free make-up, then i will buy them.
Because they are hard.motherfucking.core.
There are however a few products and companies that i love that give off mixed signals as to whether or not they test. Some sites say yes while other’s have statements from the company that say no. The following list is of products i use, but i’m not comfortable enough to be swayed one way or another.
Unsure products
:: Makeup Forever (According to the 2016 Peta list, Makeup Forever tests on animals. So no mas for me).
:: Ben Nye
:: Nars
:: Jeffree Star – According to their website, they do not nor do they support or buy from companies that do. i’m would go with a solid yes – even though they don’t show up on PETA’s list.
*sigh*
Now for the bad news.
i am human – which is not an excuse and i’m not using it as such – but i have a major weakness for M.A.C. makeup. i own and buy A LOT of their products and they are no longer (and haven’t been for a while) cruelty free. i have been trying to move away from buying from them, but its hard.
As of May 2016, i no longer buy MAC make-up. There are far too many other UH MAZ ING bunny free cosmetic companies that i would rather support.
And {still} the one company that SUCK IT is:
L’Oreal
They can go fuck themselves.
While i never claim to be perfect, i really do strive to make the most conscious, aware, and cruelty free decisions that i can. That’s all that we can do – be informed consumers and live with whatever decisions we decide to make.
Do you have a favorite bunny free make-up not listed? Share it with us in the comments below!!
Love, light + cruelty free lashes,
P.S. Curious about my own makeup transformation from day to drag? Check out one of my favorite Kiki Queen’s video i’ve done, The Power of Makeup, here!
* i compiled my list based off of PETA’s 2014 cruelty free product list. Download the latest PDF version here. There’s a lot of lists out there, but i know PETA is serious about animals so they are my only go-to source for cruelty free information.
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