We’re all looking for a smudge-free, long-lasting, bold eyeliner and, luckily, there are plenty of them to be had. Here, we’re sharing some of the best vegan eyeliner options including liquid, gel, stamps and pencils.
Taking a More Detailed Look at these Vegan Eyeliners
Many eyeliner brands still test on animals, which should be avoided if you want an ethical or vegan eyeliner. Some eyeliners still contain animal-based ingredients. Luckily, there are a growing number of eyeliners out there that are completely vegan. Read on to discover the best vegan eyeliner out there.
The Best Vegan Liquid Eyeliners
Founded in 2008 by Kat Von D, this vegan eyeliner takes the top spot. The former tattoo artist took on the beauty industry to offer a high-performance eyeliner that was cruelty-free. It comes in black or brown and is waterproof with a precise brush tip. Kat Von D has since stepped away from the brand, and it is owned by the animal testing LVMH company.
This NYX eyeliner has a slender tip for precision lines. It’s perfect for travel to hot climates as it can last through humidity, sweat, tears and rain! The only mark against it is the fact that L’Oreal, the parent company, is not cruelty-free.
This is a great precise liquid eyeliner. It’s perfect for creating a dramatic cat’s eye look that lasts up to 12 hours. The tip of the pen has a soft-flex applicator for even coverage. It’s also vegan and certified safe for contact lens wearers. However, the parent company, Kose, still tests on animals.
With up to 16 hours of wear time, this is one of the longest-lasting eyeliners. It’s got a precision tip that lets you make thin or bold lines, it’s up to you. The liner is completely waterproof as well as being vegan and cruelty-free.
If you want an ultra-black look, this is the liner for you. It’s got a flexible tip for better precision. And, it glides over the skin smoothly when applying the color. It is quick-drying and vegan.
The Best Vegan Eyeliner Pencils
This brand offers 100% vegan and cruelty-free products. The pencil is water-proof and very smooth, making it great for beginners. It’s got a good color hit and uses shea butter and jojoba oil to keep your skin nourished. There are only three different shades available though.
This pencil offers a vivid color and uses a gel formula to do so. There are 35 shades available and, as the name suggests, it lasts a long time. It uses jojoba and cottonseed oil as well as vitamin E to keep you hydrated. However, it is owned by L’Oreal, which tests on animals.
This is a very creamy, highly pigmented pencil that offers a waterproof, all-day eyeliner. It’s easy to use and glides on. It can also be blended very well. While there is a range of colors, only cocoa, ash, bronze and black are vegan.
This eye pencil is very soft so that it doesn’t pull on your skin when you use it. It’s also made of natural pigments that are all long-lasting. Additionally, it’s vegan and gluten-free. It does only come in six colors though.
This brand comes from Rhianna and offers up a fully vegan eyeliner. It’s highly pigmented and is easy to wipe off and reapply in case of mistakes. It is owned by LVMH though, and this is a company that still tests on animals.
Best Of The Rest Vegan Eyeliners
This is a water-resistant gel liner. It applies good color smoothly and although it works like a pencil, it acts more like a gel. It’s free of carbon black as well as being vegan. It can be used flexibly too and can be blended for a smokey eye effect. While ILIA is cruelty-free, Clarins owns it and this company is not.
This is the perfect combination of a pen and pencil liner. It’s two-in-one and has a liquid liner on one side and a pencil on the other. Both are equally long-lasting. The pencil uses gel to ensure strong definition, while the pen is thin for clean lines. Unfortunately, this vegan eyeliner is owned by Kose, which is not cruelty-free.
This is a winged eyeliner that’s almost impossible to apply incorrectly. It comes as a dual-ended eyeliner pen and there are two pens per pack. One is the right eye stamp, the other is for the left eye. It holds 7ml of product over the usual 0.5ml.
This eyeliner comes from a parent company that doesn’t test on animals and is fully vegan. It’s also waterproof, which really puts this ahead of the game. This eyeliner is long-lasting, dries quickly and is highly pigmented. Better still, it’s got a felt-tip applicator making it very easy to put on. And, it’s got the antioxidant vitamin E for nourishing your skin.
This is a double-ended winged eyeliner stamp. It’s smudge-free and has two different wing styles available. The eyeliner is also waterproof and long-lasting for a night out. There are no soy, parabens or gluten ingredients.
What is vegan and cruelty-free eyeliner?
Vegan and cruelty-free eyeliners are liners that have been certified ethical and do not use animal products in any form. On top of that, they can’t test on animals either.
Being vegan means that no animal products are used. This doesn’t just mean a part of an animal like their fat, but also products that are produced by animals too. Milk and eggs come under this as they are animal by-products. So are things like honey or beeswax.
Cruelty-free is something separate. A product can be cruelty-free, essentially it’s not tested on animals, but may still not be vegan.
To be truly vegan, the product can’t contain animal products and can’t be tested on animals. So, even if an eyeliner uses no animal products if it’s tested on animals, it doesn’t make it on the list.
That being said, while some of the best vegan eyeliners listed here are vegan and cruelty-free, the parent companies are not. This is noted for you throughout.
What animal ingredients are usually used in eyeliner?
It may come as a surprise to find that there are still animal products in eyeliners, but there are. For instance, some of the more commonly found animal ingredients (these can be directly from the animal or a by-product) include beeswax, pearl powder, stearic aid and carmine.
These animal ingredients are used for a number of different reasons. For instance, beeswax is used to thicken the liner. It also helps the liner to stick to the skin. But why is using beeswax bad? Well, this is because it’s important for bees and helps them to survive in the winter months as it’s where all their honey and pollen is stored.
Carmine, another animal ingredient is used to create color. This is a direct animal product as its cochineal beetles crushed up.
Stearic acid comes from animal fat and is an emulsifier. However, there is the possibility that it can come from vegetable fat and is used in vegan liners.
What other ingredients should you avoid?
If you want to keep a healthy lifestyle and look after your skin, then there are other ingredients to avoid when eyeliner shopping.
Avoiding ingredients such as sulfates and phthalates is essential. These are preservatives or anti-caking agents. As such, they can irritate the skin. In some cases, they even have a cancer risk when used in large amounts.
Carbon Black is another ingredient to avoid. It’s been linked to cancer and organ system toxicity. It can be listed under a number of different names. These include lamp black, thermal black and furnace black.
To avoid clogging the skin, avoid carnauba wax eyeliners. This is used to create stiffness in the product — essentially to make them waterproof. It can cause dry eye disease as it clogs the eye’s oil glands.
You can avoid some of these by foregoing waterproof makeup in all forms. Additionally, instead of using some of the harsher makeup removers, use coconut oil. And, read the label carefully. Even if it says natural or hypoallergenic, it’s not necessarily safe.
Is vegan eyeliner more expensive than regular eyeliner?
No, vegan eyeliner is not more expensive than regular eyeliner. The only reason some brands are more expensive than others is because that brand is always more expensive. There are many very affordable vegan eyeliners out there.
Why should I buy vegan eyeliner?
At the end of the day, whether or not you buy a vegan eyeliner is up to you. However, if you’re aiming to be more ethical and avoid animal cruelty, then a vegan eyeliner is the best way forward.
As we’ve outlined, there are a growing number of truly excellent vegan eyeliners that offer the same high-level performance as eyeliners that use animal products. In fact, for many eyeliners, there’s no difference between a vegan and non-vegan one. Except that you’re helping the animals.
Where can you buy vegan eyeliner?
These days, it is increasingly easy to find an array of different vegan eyeliners. Most of the top supermarkets and high-street shops will stock a few different vegan brands. For instance, you can shop in Superdrug or Walmart and easily find some of the best vegan eyeliners as listed here by us.
What are the best vegan eyeliners out there?
The best vegan eyeliner really depends on your preference. However, we have made a list of the top options. These include eyeliners with strong colors. Our list also includes those that are easy to apply, long-lasting and waterproof. Take a look at our best vegan eyeliner list and choose the one that meets your specific needs.
Summary
Whether you’re using a vegan eyeliner from an ethical or health-related perspective, there are a lot of options out there. We all want to get that cat-eye look, but let’s do it without harming any animals in the process.
As we’ve outlined, there are numerous top brands offering vegan eyeliners in different formats. Not only are these vegan, but in many cases they are eco-friendly too. And, because more natural ingredients are used, you can also avoid putting more harmful chemicals near your eyes (we’re talking parabens and sulfates here).
With no collagen, lanolin or synthetic dyes, these eyeliners are less likely to give you problems such as redness, allergies or irritation.
Instead, get that great eyeliner flick in an animal-friendly way. And you’re helping yourself too!