From luxury counters to affordable finds, these standout clean makeup brands deserve a spot in your routine.
Nothing says loyalty like the love we can have for makeup. Whether they offer flawless coverage, gorgeous colors that complement our skin tone, or, let’s be real, prices that can’t be beaten, the makeup brands we support can be a near-religious experience.
There are lots of definitions, claims, and logos on makeup and skincare labels that can be confusing. If you’re looking for cruelty-free cosmetics, many brands will bear the Leaping Bunny certification that indicates there’s been no animal testing on the cosmetics.
Add to that the growing demand for clean skincare — ingredients that are sourced responsibly, organically, or Fair Trade, and it can be even more confusing. While there are certifications for Fair Trade and organically produced ingredients, a label may not qualify to include those logos on the packaging as they’re determined by the overall percentage of ingredients.
Clean department counter and drugstore makeup brands
Fortunately, both drugstore makeup brands and those at the finest department store counters are becoming more transparent about ingredients and policies, making it easier for consumers to support cruelty-free makeup brands and products.
1. Jones Road
Where to find it: Drugstore or online
Why it’s worth it: Founded by makeup artist Bobbi Brown, Jones Road is a clean beauty brand celebrated for its minimalist, multi-functional products designed to enhance natural beauty. Launched in 2020, the brand prioritizes high-quality, cruelty-free formulations free from harmful ingredients, appealing to those who value simplicity and efficacy in their routines. Its standout products, such as the Miracle Balm and What The Foundation, have gained a cult following for their skin-like finish and versatile applications. Jones Road Beauty embodies a “less is more” philosophy, emphasizing fresh, healthy, and radiant skin.
2. Sisley-Paris
Where to find it: Department store
Why it’s worth it: Luxury French skincare, makeup, and fragrance label Sisley-Paris was founded in 1976 by Hubert d’Ornano. Renowned for its commitment to plant-based and botanical science, the brand incorporates advanced research to create high-performance products. Sisley-Paris offers an extensive range of skincare items, from anti-aging serums to hydrating masks, as well as premium makeup infused with skincare benefits. Its iconic products, such as the Ecological Compound and Black Rose collection, have become synonymous with indulgence and effectiveness. Family-owned and rooted in innovation, Sisley-Paris is celebrated for blending nature and science to deliver results-driven luxury.
3. RMS Beauty
Where to find it: Credo or department stores
Why it’s worth it: RMS Beauty, established in 2009 by seasoned makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift, is a pioneering brand in the clean beauty movement. The company is dedicated to creating natural makeup and skincare products formulated with organic, raw, and food-grade ingredients. RMS Beauty’s offerings are designed to enhance natural beauty while nourishing the skin, reflecting Swift’s commitment to health-conscious cosmetics. Notable products include the Living Luminizer, UnCoverup Concealer, and Lip2Cheek, all celebrated for their skin-friendly formulations and versatile applications.
4. Milk Makeup
Where to find it: Drugstore or Sephora
Why it’s worth it: Don’t let its name fool you. Everything Milk Makeup makes is vegan. And now that it’s part of the first sustainable beauty powerhouse, you can continue to expect amazing things from the company. True to its ethos of building a better world, Milk starts by helping its customers feel better about themselves. The Sunshine Skin Tint Clean SPF 30 Foundation is a great place to start. Think of it as sun protection with something extra. Keep those UVs away with a sheer, clean skin tint that helps to even out skin tone for light coverage and an elevated glow.
5. Kjaer Weis
Where to find it: Credo and the Detox Market
Why it’s worth it: Kjaer Weis is committed to certified organic ingredients. And while that’s becoming increasingly common in skincare products, it’s a lot harder to find in cosmetics. But the attention to detail is at the heart of the brand from makeup artist Kirsten Kjaer Weis. She blends color and performance with sustainability. All products are cruelty-free, but some do still contain beeswax and carmine, as the brand transitions to cleaner formulations. Try the gorgeous eye pencils in Navy or Aubergine for a fun take on traditional eyeliner colors.
6. Kosas
Where to find it: Sephora and Credo
Why it’s worth it: Kosas, founded in 2015 by Sheena Yaitanes, is a Los Angeles-based beauty brand renowned for its clean, skin-enhancing makeup products. The company emphasizes formulations that combine skincare benefits with high-performance cosmetics, catering to a diverse range of skin tones and types. Kosas offers a variety of products, including foundations, concealers, blushes, and lip treatments, all formulated without harmful ingredients such as parabens, phthalates, and sulfates.
7. Too Faced
Where to find it: Sephora and Ulta
Why it’s worth it: Too Faced’s Born This Way Foundation offers great coverage for those with dark spots, but is also extremely lightweight. The Better Than Sex mascara is also a best-seller. While the brand was acquired by Estée Lauder, the founders are committed to keeping the brand vegan and cruelty-free.
8. Soshe Beauty
Where to find it: Credo
Why it’s worth it: Soshe Beauty is a Los Angeles-based cosmetics brand committed to sustainability and clean beauty. The company focuses on reducing single-use plastic waste by offering refillable makeup products infused with skincare benefits. Products include the Ceramide Refillable Lip Silk, which combines the hydration of a lip balm with the color payoff of a lipstick, and the Peptide Lengthening Mascara, enriched with peptides and biotin for lash health.
9. E.l.f.
Where to find it: Drugstore
Why it’s worth it: Who says that good cruelty-free makeup has to cost a ton? E.l.f. Cosmetics is the best of the best. There isn’t much that it doesn’t offer — from concealer to mascara and the whole gamut of skincare products. The entire range is free from phthalates, parabens, and sulfates, too. E.l.f. believes in being extra without paying extra, and that’s a motto that’s always in style.
10. Glossier
Where to find it: Sephora or Glossier
Why it’s worth it: It’s hard to read a cruelty-free and clean beauty round-up that doesn’t mention Glossier, and for a good reason. This cult-favorite brand is one of the best. What started out as a beauty website devoted to people sharing products they loved morphed into one of the biggest clean beauty brands around. Try the Cloud Paint cheek color and Boy Brow brow gel.
11. Charlotte Tilbury
Where to find it: Department store and Sephora
Why it’s worth it: Renowned British makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury launched her eponymous beauty brand in 2013, offering luxury makeup and skincare products. The brand is celebrated for its high-quality formulations and iconic products, such as the Magic Cream moisturizer and Pillow Talk lipstick. The brand’s success is attributed to making beauty accessible and user-friendly for everyone, constantly innovating rather than imitating.
12. Pacifica
Where to find it: Drugstore
Why it’s worth it: It’s nice when a cosmetics company starts off the right way. That’s the case with drugstore label Pacifica. From the beginning, it has been committed to clean and vegan ingredients. Try the Vegan Collagen Mascara for lashes that pop or the Color Quench Lip Tint for a soft color while also moisturizing your pout. Made with natural ingredients that feel like you’re spending a fortune, you’ll love that Pacifica doesn’t break the bank.
13. Ilia
Where to find it: Sephora and Credo
Why it’s worth it: Sasha Plavsic’s cult-favorite Ilia emphasizes transparency and sustainability, utilizing safe, effective ingredients to create products that enhance natural beauty. Ilia’s offerings include the Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40, a lightweight foundation that combines skincare benefits with sun protection, and the Multi-Stick, a versatile product for lips and cheeks.
14. Westman Atelier
Founded in 2018 by esteemed makeup artist Gucci Westman, Westman Atelier is celebrated for blending editorial-level luxury with clean, high-performance formulas. It embraces a transparent, skin-first philosophy: all ingredients undergo stringent safety vetting, with a strict blacklist that excludes parabens, PEGs, phthalates, mineral oils, PEGs, and synthetic fragrances—“Squeaky clean products that perform,” as the brand puts it. The brand’s signature Vital Skin Foundation Stick embodies this ethos, marrying medium-coverage pigment with moisturizing squalane, soothing phytosphingosine, and botanical antioxidants to create what fans call the ultimate “no‑makeup” foundation.
15. Merit
Merit Beauty positions itself as the antidote to overstuffed makeup routines — offering clean, vegan, and cruelty-free formulas designed for efficiency and elegance. founded by Katherine Power, who also co-founded Who What Wear and Versed Skincare, describes Merit as a minimalist brand created to ensure people “look like ourselves, but better”. European Union–clean standards guide its ingredient selection, and each product is crafted to multitask without unnecessary steps or additives. Good Housekeeping named it a top foundation stick for sensitive skin, praising its buttery texture and convenience. Meanwhile, the Flush Balm Cheek Color has surpassed one million units sold and earned celebrity endorsement, including from Sarah Jessica Parker, who wore it on the red carpet, solidifying its status as a cult-favorite multitasker usable on cheeks, lips, and eyes.
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