14 Best Vegan Foundations That Favor Your Skin And the Planet

Written by Sayantani Deb, Makeup & Beauty Writer
Updated on Feb 09, 2024
Vegan Foundations That Favor Your Skin And the Planet
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Vegan products take the upper hand when it comes to giving your skin the best of everything! Ask us how? These best vegan foundations are made of naturally-extracted ingredients to bless your skin with skin-friendly components. They are cruelty-free and don’t charge a hefty price to the environment, to say the least. Embrace the second-skin-like finish that won’t cause any harm to your face. On the other hand, people, who are unaware, often tend to confuse cruelty-free products with vegan ones.

“Not every cruelty-free product is vegan, as many products that are considered cruelty-free still may contain milk, honey, or lanolin,” Sally Malanga, founder of an organic beauty company. To help you with this, we have shortlisted some of the vegan foundations that are currently raging in the beauty industry. Take a look–

14 Best Vegan Foundations

While we cannot endorse Dermablend’s products enough for the fantastic coverage they offer, this vegan foundation exceeds our expectations with its overall benefits. To begin with, this foundation consists of broad spectrum SPF 25, which not only beautifies but also protects your skin. Its formulation is delightfully hydrating, so you won’t feel any tightness or discomfort in your face, almost as if you aren’t wearing any makeup! In fact, your skin will look that way too as the natural finish of this foundation is ideal for no-makeup makeup looks! All in all, it wouldn’t be wrong to consider this product as a holy grail foundation. 

Pros
  • Allergy-tested
  • Non-comedogenic
  • Suits almost all skin types
  • Medium, buildable coverage
  • Incredibly long-lasting
  • Gives a radiant finish
  • Creamy, delectable consistency
Cons
  • Expensive
  • NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Total Control Pro Drop Foundation

    NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Total Control Pro Drop Foundation
  • Your journey to the vegan foundation is incomplete without NYX which boasts of delivering cruelty-free and PETA-approved products. The foundation is already a cult classic among beauty lovers and it is indeed worth the hype! With a lightweight formula, the long-lasting makeup product stays on your face for a really long time to aid in a flawless appearance. The demi-matte formula ensures no cakiness, greasiness, or settling in fine lines while keeping your skin hydrated for up to 12 hours.

    Pros
    • Lightweight
    • Long-lasting
    • Cruelty-free
    • PETA-approved
    • Smooth consistency
    • Affordable
    Cons
    • Not for dry skin
  • Milani Even Touch Powder Foundation

    Milani Even Touch Powder Foundation
  • The first-of-its-kind powder foundation leaves you with an option to explore a new kind of formula that won’t make you disappoint! Specially curated for oily skin beauties, this product lets your skin enjoy a matte finish all day long. Trust us when we say, the premium packaging is what will keep you hooked long after you get the product. With a lightweight consistency, the foundation feels like a feather on your skin without making it cakey! Furthermore, it gives smooth coverage without settling down in the fine lines.

    Pros
    • Long-lasting
    • Smooth consistency
    • Premium packaging
    • Matte finish
    • Best for oily skin
    • Lightweight
    Cons
    • Contains talc
  • OVERGIRL Clean Makeup Foundation

    OVERGIRL Clean Makeup Foundation
  • The water-based foundation blesses your skin with the natural and youthful look that you have been dreaming of! With a non-comedogenic formula, the smooth consistency glides over your skin to give you a flawless appearance in the most hassle-free way. The sensitive formula ensures that the product doesn’t react adversely while providing a great appearance. It is one of the best drugstore vegan foundations with an oil-control formula that ensures a coveted finish effortlessly.

    Pros
    • Non-comedogenic
    • Smooth consistency
    • Suits sensitive skin
    • Oil-control formula
    • Natural finish
    • Doesn’t settle in lines
    Cons
    • Weird smell
  • Hypoallergenic

    bellapierre Loose Powder Mineral Foundation

    bellapierre Loose Powder Mineral Foundation
  • Include a clean beauty formula in your makeup routine with this vegan foundation. The product serves you 5 purposes at the same time. It comes with SPF 15 protection to work as a sunscreen, concealer, setting powder, finishing powder, and foundation. Your foundation will stay in place throughout the day giving you great coverage and a smooth finish. With 15 shades available, the easy-to-use product requires just your powder pad or a beauty blender to give you the skin of your dreams!

    Pros
    • Protects from UV rays
    • Stay in place for a long time
    • Smooth texture
    • Even complexion
    • Hypoallergenic
    • Paraben-free
    • Cruelty-free
    Cons
    • Contains sparkle
  • Wander Beauty NUDE ILLUSION LIQUID FOUNDATION

    Wander Beauty NUDE ILLUSION LIQUID FOUNDATION
  • Achieve a radiant look with the full coverage foundation that quickly sets in your skin with an undetectable finish. The foundation ensures all your redness, blemishes, and discoloration disappear in a jiffy. The buildable foundation allows you to go for the coverage you want while the lightweight texture ensures a second-skin-like finish. With naturally extracted ingredients like lotus extract and black currant extract, the product fights redness, calms irritated skin, and gives a youthful glow.

    Pros
    • Gives a radiant finish
    • Cruelty-free
    • Soothes skin
    • Hydrates skin
    • Color-corrects
    • Weightless
    Cons
    • Packaging could be better
  • Skin-loving ingredients

    Gaya Mineral Makeup Powder Foundation

    Gaya Mineral Makeup Powder Foundation
  • Gaya Mineral makeup blesses you with a formula that helps to hide out imperfections and bring out your natural glow. This is one of the best vegan foundations for oily skin that comes with four-in-one perfecting features that include foundation, setting powder, concealer, and sunscreen. Delve into the luxurious lightweight formula that gives you a uniform finish without clogging your pores. Loaded with soothing green tea extracts and zinc oxide, the product helps reduce breakouts, redness, etc.

    Pros
    • Four-in-one
    • Boosts radiance
    • Lightweight
    • No mineral oil derivatives
    • Skin-loving ingredients
    • Preservatives free
    Cons
    • Cakey finish
  • Gabriel Dual Powder Foundation

    Gabriel Dual Powder Foundation
  • The Dual Powder Foundation gives a smooth matte finish and absorbs excess oil from your face to give you a velvety appearance. With naturally extracted ingredients like kaolin clay, jojoba seed oil, and sea fennel, the gluten-free product is already a star among enthusiasts. The plant-based formula also ensures that your pores don’t get clogged. The cruelty-free product suits all skin types and the paraben-free formula ensures your skin doesn’t suffer in the long run.

    Pros
    • Velvety-finish
    • Doesn’t clog pores
    • Minimizes shine
    • Naturally sourced ingredients
    • Luxurious texture
    • Cruelty-free
    • Non-GMO
    Cons
    • Packaging could be sturdy
  • Suits All Skin Types

    M. Asam Magic Finish Make-up Mousse

    M. Asam Magic Finish Make-up Mousse
  • Get the ultimate finish and hide your imperfections with the Magic Finish Mousse from M. Asam. This top vegan foundation has a buildable formula that helps you to cover dark spots, uneven tone, and redness while minimizing the appearance of wrinkles. The 4-in-1 formula ensures you get the benefit of primer, foundation, concealer, and powder at the same time. The silky consistency leaves your face looking radiant and flawless like your second skin. Get an even complexion and an envy-worthy finish in a minute powered by natural minerals.

    Pros
    • Full coverage
    • Mattifies
    • Blends seamlessly
    • Buildable
    • Suits all skin type
    • Paraben-free
    Cons
    • Not long-lasting
  • Shimarz Liquid Mineral Foundation

    Shimarz Liquid Mineral Foundation
  • This all-natural mineral foundation has a cruelty-free formula that hydrates your skin infusing nourishing ingredients. The light and breathable formula gives you a refreshing feeling when you apply it to your skin. It beautifully covers your dark circles, blemishes, pimples, and spots for a flawless glow. The gluten-free formula ensures no allergic reaction is caused to your face by keeping your face away from the nasty chemicals. Create a natural look that won’t crease for a long time.

    Pros
    • Causes no irritation
    • No parabens
    • No nasty chemicals
    • No creasing
    • Full coverage
    • Lightweight
    • Breathable
    Cons
    • Doesn’t smell good
  • Scientifically Formulated

    Ecco Bella Plant-Based Vegan Foundation

    Ecco Bella Plant-Based Vegan Foundation
  • The scientifically formulated vegan foundation is one of the best natural vegan foundations that are not just like your regular ones. It is made ethically and comes with a built-in eco-shield for you to protect your skin from environmental damage. Loaded with crucial ingredients like titanium dioxide and iron dioxide, the plant-powered product works as a shield to sensitive skin beauties. It thoroughly evens out the skin and hides blemishes while nourishing your skin at the same time.

    Pros
    • Even coverage
    • Works as a shield
    • Gluten-free
    • Paraben-free
    • Cruelty-free
    • Scientifically formulated
    • Long-lasting
    Cons
    • The texture could be better
  • WELL PEOPLE - Vegan Bio Stick Foundation

    WELL PEOPLE - Vegan Bio Stick Foundation
  • The Bio Stick foundation comes with a ton of benefits that cannot be put into words! The vegan-friendly product gives a refreshing and healthy glow that lasts all day while ensuring a weightless formula for a skin-like feeling. The dermatologist-developed product imparts a healthy glow that claims to stay last all day. The silky, smooth, and weightless formula melts into the skin to give you a radiant finish. With no synthetic fragrance, parabens, oxybenzone, or sulfates, the brand has come up with a really good foundation that is worth the hype.

    Pros
    • Adds a healthy glow
    • Lasts all-day
    • Has a creamy formula
    • Weightless
    • Cruelty-free
    • No nasty chemical
    Cons
    • A bit drying
  • Non-comedogenic

    Ageless Derma Mineral Baked Foundation Makeup

    Ageless Derma Mineral Baked Foundation Makeup
  • Welcome the latest sensation in the beauty world, baked foundation, to your kitty! The press mineral powder made foundation is made with skin-friendly ingredients to give you a flawless look. With the goodness of green tea, lavender extract, rosemary extracts, and various types of vitamins, the vegan foundation brand provides you with the best version of yourself! The light-refracting pigments are great for flaky and mature skin to make the base flawless and even.

    Pros
    • Blends seamlessly
    • Buildable
    • Naturally extracted ingredients
    • Paraben-free
    • Chemical-free
    • Doesn’t clog pores
    Cons
    • Gets crumbled easily
  • HALEYS RE:FORM Liquid Lux Foundation

    HALEYS RE:FORM Liquid Lux Foundation
  • The Liquid Lux Foundation covers your unwanted pigmentation to give you a flawless finish that feels like your second skin. With a wide range of shades, the product ensures that it gives a healthy-looking glow with its buildable formula. Extracted from plant-based ingredients, the vegan-friendly foundation stays on your face all day and night without making you feel uncomfortable, The hydrating formula doesn’t clog pores and gives a smooth coverage with a coveted luminous finish.

    Pros
    • Long-lasting
    • Hides signs of aging
    • Wide range of shades
    • Blends seamlessly
    • Gives a silky smooth finish
    • Plant-based formula
    • No fragrance
    Cons
    • Smells weird

    How to Choose the Best Vegan Foundation?

    a) Skin type- Picking the best vegan foundation is similar to picking the regular one! And picking the right kind of foundation depends a lot on your skin type. If you have oily skin, go for a liquid foundation that is oil-free and non-comedogenic. On the other hand, people with dry skin should pick the product which has more moisturizing ingredients and gives a hydrating feel.

    b) Skin tone- Laying importance on finding the right kind of foundation, our contributor Ghanima Abdullah, a certified cosmetologist, says, “It's totally worth it to spend time and maybe even money in finding the foundation that's the right type and shade for you. Instead of wearing something that doesn't suit you, getting the right shade can make such a big difference to your entire makeup application. The right type of foundation can help normalize your appearance, bringing a matte finish or a beautiful glow.”  The journey to picking the right kind of foundation starts with determining your skin tone. The perfect foundation will blend on your skin seamlessly and will match the color of your neck without leaving a whitish or brownish cast.

    c) Undertone- Undertone is what we often undermine when it comes to picking the perfect makeup product. If you have a cool undertone(blue veins), go with a foundation that has a pinkish hue. On the other hand, if you have a warm undertone(green veins), go for something that has a golden hue.

    c) Ingredients- Ingredients like parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and other toxic ingredients must be avoided if you are concerned about your skin health.

    d) Texture- Textures like matte, dewy, and shimmery finish depend on your requirement and skin type. People with oily skin mostly prefer a matte finish that will absorb the excess oil from the skin. Similarly, dry-skin beauties will go with the dewy finish that will make their face luminous in no time.

    These best vegan foundations are your ultimate calling to make the much-required change to your beauty routine for the sake of your skin health and environment. These are undoubtedly worth the price for the features they are offering! If you want to keep your makeup stash clean, start your journey with the base makeup. So, which one is making its way to your kitty today?

    Contributor: Ghanima Abdullah, Cosmetologist, Top Trends Guide

    FAQ's

    Is vegan foundation good for the skin?
    Of course, vegan foundations are the best for your skin as they are made from naturally extracted products that won’t harm your skin. Other than that, they are free of nasty chemicals and harmful preservatives that could hamper the health of your skin.
    Is vegan makeup better than regular makeup?
    Well, truth be told, yes! If you put the skin of your health above all, vegan foundations are your answer. However, they contain a lot fewer ingredients than the regular ones which may give you a more drool-worthy finish.
    Is MAC makeup vegan and cruelty-free?
    MAC Cosmetics is not vegan-friendly! However, the brand never tests its products on animals.Sayantani Deb, the author, likes to spend her time researching the best beauty and makeup finds trending across various online platforms to bring her readers a curation of the top picks. Here, she has carefully shortlisted a list of the best vegan foundations to help you select the one most suitable for your needs and fancy.

    Why Trust Pinkvilla

    Sayantani is a certified makeup expert who believes that vegan foundations play a key role in supporting plant-based makeup and ethical consumption. They perform just as well or even better than regular foundations while being a sustainable alternative at the same time. After giving all the suggested options a try, she concluded that there was one clear winner. The Total Control Pro Drop Foundation from NYX Professional Makeup felt light on the face and gave her a flawless complexion all through the day. Additionally, it has a demi-matte formula that is non-greasy and doesn't get cakey at all!

    Our product experts study the specifications of every product we suggest and try them out to bring what’s proven to be worthy of your money, time, and energy. We also have subject matter experts from various fields like Fashion, Skincare, Haircare, Home Decor, and Health & Fitness onboard to make sure our suggestions are credible and trustworthy. You can trust Pinkvilla to be your faithful shopping guide for all the right reasons!

    Author BIO
    reviewer
    Sayantani Deb
    Makeup & Beauty Writer

    Sayantani is a certified hair and makeup professional turned writer with 2+ years of experience in the same genre. Ap More