Cruelty-Free Makeup Dominates The Beauty Industry – If you’re still wondering whether you should ditch the brands that test on bunnies for the ones that don’t, let me save you the Google spiral: yes. Yes, you should. The numbers don’t lie, the customers don’t lie, and the brands that are slow to switch are getting left in the dust.
I get the pushback I hear all the time. “Is cruelty-free actually better, or is it just marketing?” “Does it perform as well as the regular stuff?” “Will I go broke buying it?” “Is it really cruelty-free or is the label total BS?”
Let’s talk about all of it – no fluff, no sponsored vibes, just what’s actually happening out there right now in 2025.
Table of Contents
Why Cruelty-Free Makeup Is Straight-Up Taking Over
The stats hit different when you see them back-to-back:
- The global cruelty-free beauty market went from $13 billion in 2020 to a projected $30+ billion by 2030
- 63% of Gen Z won’t even look at a brand that still does animal testing (that’s not a survey flex, that’s actual purchasing data)
- Sephora’s “Clean + Planet Positive” section grew 180% year-over-year
- Even luxury houses like Gucci, Chanel, and Armani are entirely cruelty-free now
It’s not a niche anymore. Cruelty-free makeup dominates the beauty industry because customers forced it to.
The Performance Myth Is Dead
I used to think cruelty-free meant “okay-ish” coverage and three-hour wear. Wrong.
Here’s what actually happened once brands stopped wasting money on animal labs and started investing in real science:
- Hourglass dropped the Ambient Lighting Powders that stay flawless for 14 hours
- Rare Beauty gave us a liquid blush that doesn’t budge even if you cry in the club
- Fenty Beauty released 50-shade foundations that oxidize less than most “regular” ones
- Saie and Kosas made clean, high-pigment formulas that rival Dior and YSL
I wear Kosas Revealer Concealer almost daily. It covers my dark circles better than Shape Tape ever did, and I don’t have to think “rabbits suffered for this” at 7 a.m. Win-win.
The Brands That Quietly Run the Game Now
Everyone knows the big vegan billboards, but these are the ones actually moving units:
- e.l.f. – still under $15 and somehow keeps getting better
- ColourPop – drops a new viral palette every 45 seconds
- Milk Makeup – Kush mascara that holds a curl like no one’s business
- Tower 28 – sensitive-skin queen
- Glossier – yeah, still cruelty-free, still everywhere
- Merit – minimalist luxury that actually works
- Danessa Myricks – pro-level pigments for every skin tone
How to Spot Real Cruelty-Free (Because Greenwashing Is Wild)
Not every “bunny logo” is legit. Here’s the cheat sheet I give my friends:
- Look for the Leaping Bunny logo (the gold standard – requires audits)
- PETA’s logo is good, but easier to get, so double-check
- Check if the parent company tests (example: Urban Decay is CF but owned by L’Oréal, which still tests for China in some cases – gray area)
- Use apps like Cruelty-Cutter or Bunny Free – scan the barcode, done
- China rule: if it’s sold in mainland China stores (not just online), it’s likely still tested on animals unless they jumped through new loopholes in 2023-2024
My “I Switched Cold Turkey” Story (You’ve Probably Lived This Too)
Three years ago, I threw out $400 worth of makeup in one weekend. Not because it was expired – because I found out half the brands I loved were still paying labs to drip stuff into rabbits’ eyes. I felt sick. Like, actually nauseous.
I thought I was about to downgrade my whole routine. Spoiler: I didn’t. My skin looks better now, my lashes are still dumb-long, and my bank account barely noticed. That’s when I realized the “cruelty-free is expensive and doesn’t work” myth is exactly that – a myth.
The Big Fat Lies We’ve All Heard (And the Truth Bombs)
Cruelty-free means vegan. Nope. Cruelty-free = no animal testing. Vegan = no animal ingredients (think beeswax, carmine, lanolin). You can have one without the other.
It’s always more expensive. Drugstore winners like e.l.f., NYX, Wet n Wild, and Essence have been cruelty-free forever and still cost less than a Starbucks habit.
Performance sucks. Tell that to Hourglass, Charlotte Tilbury, Rare Beauty, Fenty, and Ilia – all cruelty-free and all sitting at the top of every bestseller list.
Lie #4: The labels can’t be trusted. They can if you know the logos: Leaping Bunny and PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies are the gold standard. Anything that says “we don’t test on animals” with no certification? Side-eye it.
How to Spot Real Cruelty-Free vs. Greenwashed Garbage
Here’s the cheat sheet I wish someone had handed me years ago:
- Look for the Leaping Bunny logo (strictest standard, random audits)
- CCF (Choose Cruelty Free) if you’re in Australia/New Zealand
- Check parent companies – L’Oréal owns Aesop and The Body Shop (both CF), but L’Oréal itself still tests where required by law.
- China used to force animal testing. Most brands selling there now use the “pre-market testing exemption” loophole, but a few (like Herbivore and The Ordinary) still refuse to do so and stay out of physical stores in mainland China.
- Apps: Cruelty-Cutter, Bunny Free, Leaping Bunny app – scan the barcode and know instantly
Best Cruelty-Free Finds That Actually Slap (2025 Edition)
Foundations that don’t move
- Ilia True Skin Serum Foundation
- Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech
- Kosas Revealer
Mascaras that give fake-lash energy
- Too Faced Better Than Sex (now CF)
- Tower 28 MakeWaves
- Maybelline Sky High (yes, really – they went fully CF in 2024)
Lip products I repurchase on repeat
- Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush (still undefeated)
- Merit Signature Lipstick
- Lisa Eldridge Luxuriously Lucent
Setting powders that make you airbrushed
- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder
- Givenchy Prisme Libre (finally CF)
Budget queens under $15
- e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter
- NYX Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Foundation
- ColourPop Pretty Fresh Hyaluronic Hydrating Foundation
The Brands That Switched (And the Ones Still Dragging Their Feet)
Made the jump in the last 3 years:
- Maybelline
- L’Oréal Paris (select markets)
- Too Faced
- Urban Decay (again – they flipped back and forth, now solid)
Still testing or selling in mainland China physical stores (as of Dec 2025):
- Estée Lauder
- Lancôme
- MAC
- NARS
- Bobbi Brown
How to Switch Without Losing Your Mind (Or Your Money)
- Don’t toss everything at once – use up what you have, replace as you run out
- Start with mascara and foundation – the two categories where CF has the clearest winners
- Follow cruelty-free influencers who actually swatch and demo (Alexandra Anele, Kackie Reviews Beauty, Allana Davison)
- Use Temptalia’s foundation matrix or Findation to dupe your old shades
- Shop sales – Ulta, Sephora, and Cult Beauty do 20-25% off cruelty-free brands multiple times a year
The Bottom Line – Cruelty-Free Makeup Dominates The Beauty Industry
Cruelty-free makeup dominates the beauty industry because we voted with our wallets, and the industry finally listened. You’re not “behind” if you’re starting now – you’re right on time. The performance gap is gone. The price excuse is crumbling. The only question left is how much longer you want to keep supporting the old way.