16 Best Vegan & Cruelty-Free Foundations For 2024

By Liis Hainla. Updated: January 2024.
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Vegan Foundations

In 2024, the selection of vegan foundations could not be more exciting. You can enjoy flawless coverage and a glowing complexion only thanks to plants.

Enriched with natural pigments, minerals, and vitamins, a vegan foundation is like a vegan diet for your face. Good for you, good for the animals, and good for our planet.

We are thrilled to bring you our favorite vegan foundations for 2024. No more long lists of strange ingredients – making a kind and informed choice just got easier.

See also: Vegan Tinted Moisturizers

Best Vegan Foundations 2024

Here are the best cruelty-free vegan foundations you will love. Discover vegan foundations for every skin fro from Tarte, KVD Beauty, and many other leading brands.

  1. Best Overall: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation
  2. Best Runner-Up: Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
  3. Best Organic: BaeBlu Organic Lux Liquid Foundation
  4. Best Affordable: E.l.f. Flawless Finish Foundation
  5. Best Luxury: Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick
  6. Best With SPF: Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation SPF 25
  7. Best For Fair Skin: Pür 4-in-1 Love Your Selfie Longwear Foundation
  8. Best For Dark Skin: Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Longwear Foundation
  9. Best For Asian Skin: Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation
  10. Best For Dry Skin: Lys Beauty Triple Fix Serum Foundation
  11. Best For Oily Skin: Too Faced Born This Way Matte 24-Hour Foundation
  12. Best For Combination Skin: KVD Good Apple Serum Foundation
  13. Best For Acne-Prone Skin: Oxygenetix Oxygenating Foundation
  14. Best For Mature Skin: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Liquid Foundation
  15. Best For Sensitive Skin: Ilia True Skin Serum Foundation
  16. Best For Men: War Paint For Men Foundation

Best Vegan Foundation Overall

1. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation Best Vegan Foundation
Courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation is the best vegan foundation. It gives you full, flawless coverage while feeling comfortable on the skin. It glides on smooth and hides pores, scars, blemishes, and wrinkles, and stays matte for the whole day.

  • What we like: beautiful airbrushed finish, lightweight feel
  • What we don’t like: it can look cakey (very covering)
  • What other reviewers say: great coverage, skin stays matte for the whole day, blurs pores, doesn’t feel heavy, recommended to prep the skin well and press it gently to the skin (do not drag) to avoid creasing

Key ingredients: MossCellTec (anti-aging moss culture), Replexium (peptide complex) | Coverage: full | Finish: matte | Shade range: 40+ | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free

Shop on: Sephora, Nordstrom

Best Vegan Foundation Runner-Up

2. Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation Best Vegan Foundation Runner-Up
Courtesy of Too Faced

If you are looking for a medium-coverage vegan foundation, go for Born This Way. I’ve used this vegan liquid foundation for many years and I love it for its natural healthy finish. You can adjust the coverage and it doesn’t cake or pill or oxidize during the day.

  • What we like: gives a natural complexion that doesn’t look done-up
  • What we don’t like: doesn’t take away dry patches
  • What other reviewers say: lasts all day, no touchups needed, very natural coverage that doesn’t necessarily hide every imperfection, non-greasy

Key ingredients: coconut water, alpine rose, hyaluronic acid | Coverage: medium to full| Finish: natural | Shade range: 30+ | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, oil-free, paraben-free, gluten-free

Shop on: Sephora, Ulta

Best Organic Vegan Foundation

3. BaeBlu Organic Lux Liquid Foundation

BaeBlu Organic Lux Liquid Organic Vegan Foundation
Courtesy of BaeBlu

BaeBlu offers the best organic vegan foundation. Made with organic aloe juice and botanicals, it gives such a healthy and balanced complexion. It also blurs pores and controls shine. The natural vegan foundation is free of fragrance, preservatives, artificial dyes, and gluten.

  • What we like: lightweight and breathable feel, soothes the skin
  • What we don’t like: runny texture
  • What other reviewers say: good natural coverage, skin feels soft and smooth, blends well, safe for sensitive skin, doesn’t clog pores

Key ingredients: organic aloe, glycerin, vegan squalane, vitamin E | Coverage: light to medium | Finish: semi-matte, natural | Shade range: 15+ | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, organic, clean, natural, fragrance-free, gluten-free, paraben-free, made in the USA

Shop on: Amazon, Walmart

Best Affordable Vegan Foundation

4. E.l.f. Flawless Finish Foundation

E.l.f. Flawless Finish Affordable Vegan Foundation
Courtesy of E.l.f. Cosmetics

E.l.f. Flawless Satin Finish is the best affordable vegan foundation. For under 10 dollars, you get a really creamy and well-blending foundation with buildable coverage and a semi-matte finish. It comes in around 40 different shades, so every skin tone can find a match.

  • What we like: excellent value for money, great coverage
  • What we don’t like: thick consistency
  • What other reviewers say: can achieve flawless full coverage, hides blemishes and dark circles, blends well with natural skin tone, a really good shade range

Key ingredients: vegan glycerin | Coverage: medium to full | Finish: semi-matte| Shade range: 40 | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, oil-free

Shop on: Amazon, Ulta (Flawless Satin)

Other affordable vegan foundations we like include NYX Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Foundation and
Covergirl Clean Fresh Skin Milk.

Best Luxury Vegan Foundation

5. Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick

Westman Atelier Vital Skin Luxury Vegan Foundation Stick
Courtesy of Westman Atelier

If you are looking for a luxury vegan foundation, we would splurge on Westman Atelier’s vegan foundation stick. The creamy stick covers and conceals well and gives such a beautiful satiny and smooth finish. It also moisturizes the skin with plant oils.

  • What we like: smooth and creamy, hydrates the skin
  • What we don’t like: difficult to blend
  • What other reviewers say: good amount of coverage, hides redness and imperfections, airbrushed finish, moisturizes well

Key ingredients: vegan squalane, phytosphingosine, berry extracts| Coverage: medium | Finish: natural | Shade range: 20+ | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, clean, natural, silicone-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, SLS-free, gluten-free

Shop on: Sephora, Official site

Best Vegan Foundation With SPF

6. Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation SPF 25

Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Vegan Foundation With SPF 25
Courtesy of Kosas

The best vegan foundation with SPF is the Revelear Foundation with broad-spectrum mineral SPF 25. This natural vegan foundation blurs pores, evens out the complexion, and gives a natural velvety finish. It’s the perfect vegan foundation for summer.

  • What we like: velvety finish, gentle, good sun protection
  • What we don’t like: weird smell
  • What other reviewers say: great for sensitive skin, does not cause breakouts, blurs pores and imperfections, lightweight and buildable, not transfer-proof

Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, niacinamide | Coverage: medium | Finish: natural | Shade range: 35+| SPF: 25 | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, natural, mineral-based, hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested, mineral oil-free, talc-free, silicone-free, fragrance-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalate-free

Shop on: Amazon, Sephora

Best Vegan Foundation For Fair Skin

7. Pür 4-in-1 Love Your Selfie Longwear Foundation

Pür 4-in-1 Love Your Selfie Longwear Vegan Foundation For Fair Skin
Courtesy of Pür Cosmetics

Pür 4-in-1 Love Your Selfie is our favorite vegan foundation for fair skin. It has the widest range of light shades such as Porcelain, Vanilla, Ivory, and Light Nude in various undertones. This vegan foundation gives full coverage while effortlessly blending into the skin.

  • What we like: buildable coverage, skin-friendly formula
  • What we don’t like: can accentuate crow’s feet and dry patches for dry skin
  • What other reviewers say: amazing coverage with just a light layer, blends well, stays on all day, doesn’t cake, doesn’t cause breakouts or clog pores

Key ingredients: Ceretin Complex (retinol, ceramides), green tea, ginseng, vitamin B | Coverage: medium to full | Finish: matte | Shade range: 100 | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, clean, natural, paraben-free, sulfate-free, talc-free, mineral oil-free, gluten-free

Shop on: Amazon, Ulta, Official site (most shade options)

Best Vegan Foundation For Dark Skin

8. Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Longwear Foundation

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Longwear Vegan Foundation For Dark Skin
Courtesy of Fenty Beauty

Rihanna’s beauty brand offers the best vegan foundation for dark skin. You’ll find a variety of deep and dark shades with neutral, cool, and warm undertones. Pro Filt’r foundation is loved for its smooth texture and natural matte finish that stays perfect for the whole day.

  • What we like: stays matte all-day, great at concealing
  • What we don’t like: contains fragrance
  • What other reviewers say: long-wearing, blocks shine even for very oily skin, feels silky smooth on the skin, hides all imperfections, does not clog pores or cause breakouts

Key ingredients: glycerin, talc | Coverage: full | Finish: matte | Shade range: 50+ | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, phthalate-free, non-comedogenic

Shop on: Sephora, Ulta

Best Vegan Foundation For Asian Skin

9. Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation

Rare Beauty Liquid Touch Weightless Vegan Foundation For Asian Skin
Courtesy of Rare Beauty

Rare Beauty Liquid Touch is the best vegan foundation for Asian skin. It has plenty of pink, peachy, golden, beige, and olive undertones to match Asian skin types. The vegan foundation has a light, buildable coverage that allows the skin to breathe.

  • What we like: lightweight and easy to blend, fresh and natural look
  • What we don’t like: not the strongest coverage
  • What other reviewers say: does not feel heavy, has great shade options, buildable, evens out combination skin, safe for sensitive skin

Key ingredients: lotus, gardenia, flower lily extracts | Coverage: medium | Finish: natural| Shade range: 45+ | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, dermatologist-tested, non-comedogenic

Shop on: Sephora, Kohl’s

Best Vegan Foundation For Dry Skin

10. Lys Beauty Triple Fix Serum Foundation

Lys Beauty Triple Fix Vegan Foundation For Dry Skin
Courtesy of Lys Beauty

Lys Beauty Triple Fix Serum Foundation is the best vegan foundation for dry skin. It hydrates dry skin with vegan hyaluronic acid, balances the skin with ashwagandha, and brightens the skin tone with turmeric. It feels comfortable, helps get rid of dry patches, and does not sit in lines.

  • What we like: most hydrating foundation we’ve tried
  • What we don’t like: it’s a bit greasy
  • What other reviewers say: very calming and hydrating for dry skin, does not accentuate dryness, great for mature skin, many shades for fair and dark skin tones

Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, ashwagandha, turmeric || Coverage: medium | Finish: natural | Shade range: 55 | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, black female-founded brand, clean, natural, paraben-free, phthalate-free, talc-free, SLS-free, synthetic-fragrance-free, gluten-free

Shop onSephoraCredo Beauty

Best Vegan Foundation For Oily Skin

11. Too Faced Born This Way Matte 24-Hour Foundation

Too Faced Born This Way Matte 24 Hour Vegan Foundation For Oily Skin
Courtesy of Too Faced

Too Faced Born This Way Matte is the best mattifying vegan foundation for oily skin. This long-wearing vegan foundation stays on all day and all night as promised. It blurs pores and imperfections and controls shine like no other foundation.

  • What we like: truly long-wearing, natural shine-free complexion
  • What we don’t like: not matte enough for some
  • What other reviewers say: very natural result for a matte foundation, easy to blend, doesn’t oxidize or pill during the day, well-assembled shades

Key ingredients: coconut water, alpine rose, hyaluronic acid | Coverage: medium | Finish: matte | Shade range: 35| SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, oil-free, waterproof

Shop on: Sephora, Ulta

Best Vegan Foundation For Combination Skin

12. KVD Good Apple Full-Coverage Serum Foundation

KVD Good Apple Full-Coverage Vegan Foundation For Combination Skin
Courtesy of KVD Beauty

This newest vegan foundation from KVD Beauty is perfect for combination skin. It provides enough hydration for dry areas without being greasy or shiny for the oily T-zone. A great full-coverage vegan foundation for an even and balanced complexion.

  • What we like: evens out combo skin, very lightweight for full coverage
  • What we don’t like: some shades run too yellow
  • What other reviewers say: actually full coverage, not drying, not greasy, does not cake or break, keeps shine away for hours

Key ingredients: apple extract, quince leaf extract, glycerin | Coverage: full | Finish: natural | Shade range: 40 | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, non-comedogenic

Shop on: Sephora, Ulta

Best Vegan Foundation For Acne-Prone Skin

13. Oxygenetix Oxygenating Foundation

Oxygenetix Oxygenating Vegan Foundation For Acne-Prone Skin
Courtesy of Oxygenetix

Oxygenetix Oxygenating Foundation is the best vegan foundation for acne-prone skin. Made with aloe juice and Ceravitae complex, this foundation is designed to clarify and soothe the skin and promote cell renewal. It covers spots and acne scars without feeling heavy or cakey.

  • What we like: lightweight, helps heal acne
  • What we don’t like: small shade range
  • What other reviewers say: doesn’t irritate or break out blemish-prone skin, light and breathable, not cakey, buildable coverage

Key ingredients: organic aloe vera juice, Ceravitae complex (oxygen complex)| Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, safe for sensitive skin

Shop on: Amazon, Dermstore (Yellow Undertones & Blue Undertones)

Best Vegan Foundation For Mature Skin

14. Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Liquid Foundation

Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Liquid Vegan Foundation For Mature Skin
Courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury

Beautiful Skin by Charlotte Tilbury is the best vegan foundation for mature skin. It has the most radiant and youthful finish. It also hydrates and plumps the skin with hyaluronic acid. The foundation provides smooth coverage without setting in lines or wrinkles.

  • What we like: great glow, great hydration, skin looks fresh
  • What we don’t like: too greasy for oily skin
  • What other reviewers say: good hydration for dry and combination skin types, skin-like medium coverage, great range of shades (recommended to pick a lighter shade)

Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, Bix’Activ (mattifying Red Lip Tree extract), rose, coconut extract | Coverage: medium | Finish: natural | Shade range: 30+ | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free

Shop on: Sephora, Nordstrom

Best Vegan Foundation For Sensitive Skin

15. Ilia True Skin Serum Foundation

Ilia True Skin Vegan Foundation For Sensitive Skin
Courtesy of Ilia

Ilia’s True Skin is a vegan foundation loved by sensitive skin. It’s fragrance-free, gluten-free, chemical-free, dermatologist-tested, and non-comedogenic. It gives enough coverage while allowing sensitive skin to breathe. Looks natural and doesn’t cake or sit in lines.

  • What we like: the perfect amount of coverage, light and airy
  • What we don’t like: oily texture
  • What other reviewers say: lightweight coverage, ideal for sensitive, dry, and red skin, doesn’t crease or crack, a bit greasy but blends well

Key ingredients: niacinamide, allantoin, aloe | Coverage: medium | Finish: natural | Shade range: 30 | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free, clean, dermatologist-tested, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, paraben-free, phthalate-free, talc-free, mineral oil-free

Shop on: Amazon, Sephora

Best Vegan Foundation For Men

16. War Paint For Men Foundation

War Paint For Men Vegan Foundation For Men
Courtesy of War Paint For Men

War Paint For Men Foundation is the best vegan foundation for men. Specially designed for men, lightweight, long-wearing, and looks completely natural and undetectable. It’s the perfect foundation to hide imperfections such as spots, redness, dark circles, and under-eye bags.

  • What we like: skin looks naturally even and smooth
  • What we don’t like: limited shade options
  • What other reviewers say: looks natural and skin-like, matches different skin tones well, controls shine, covers flaws and dark circles

Key ingredients: talc, coconut oil | Coverage: medium | Finish: natural | Shade range: 5 | SPF: no | Features: vegan, cruelty-free,

Shop on: Amazon, Official site

Best Vegan Liquid Foundations

Vegan Liquid Foundations
Courtesy of Fenty Beauty

These are the best vegan liquid foundations. These options absorb quickly and blend with your skin tone for a smooth and natural finish.

Best Vegan Serum Foundations

Vegan Serum Foundations
Courtesy of Ilia

Looking for a good-quality vegan serum foundation? These are our three favorite cruelty-free vegan options on the market.

Best Vegan Powder Foundations

Vegan Powder Foundations
Courtesy of Pür Cosmetics

From Pür to Bellapierre, these are the best vegan powder foundations. See the best loose powder vegan foundations and pressed powder vegan foundations.

Best Vegan Cream Foundations

Vegan Cream Foundations
Courtesy of Cover FX

Cream foundations are easy to apply and they give the most blurred and photo-ready look. Here are our favorite vegan cream foundations.

Best Vegan Foundation Sticks

Vegan Foundation Sticks
Courtesy of Westman Atelier

Foundation sticks are the quickest way to flawless coverage. These are our favorite vegan foundation sticks from BareMinerals to Milk Makeup.

Best Vegan Foundation Brands

There are the best brands for vegan foundations in 2024. These brands are 100% vegan and cruelty-free, so feel free to explore their whole selection.

Cover FX

Cover FX Vegan Foundations
Courtesy of Cover FX

New York brand Cover FX creates high-performance vegan foundations from clean and natural ingredients. The brand is PETA-certified vegan.

Shop on: Amazon, Official site

KVD Beauty

KVD Beauty Vegan Foundations
Courtesy of KVD Beauty

Created by the iconic Kat Von D, this vegan beauty brand is very rock-n-roll. KVD vegan foundations boast great coverage with a wide range of shades.

Shop on: Sephora, Ulta

Milk Makeup

Milk Makeup Vegan Foundations
Courtesy of Milk Makeup

From Milk Makeup, you will find vegan foundations combined with skincare benefits. Everything by Milk is vegan, cruelty-free & paraben-free.

Shop on: Amazon, Sephora

What Makes A Foundation Vegan?

What Makes Foundation Vegan

A vegan foundation does not include any animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax. Also, vegan foundations cannot be tested on animals or use ingredients that have been tested on animals.

The most common non-vegan ingredients in foundations are:

  • Glycerin: emollient derived from animal fats (can be also vegan)
  • Beeswax: waxy emollient substance from honeybees
  • Carbamide (Urea): preservative from animal bodily fluids
  • Acetyl glucosamine: a replenishing agent from shellfish

Instead, vegan foundations are made with non-animal oils and mushrooms such as plant-based glycerin, shea butter, jojoba oil, and glucosamine from mushrooms.

If you are looking for a vegan foundation, you need to be careful. When in doubt, go for products with a certified vegan label or pick a vegan foundation from our list.

What To Look For In Vegan Foundation?

The most important thing when buying a vegan foundation is to make sure it fits your skin type. That way, your vegan foundation is able to provide the right skincare benefits along with the right coverage and finish.

Vegan foundations for dry skin should include some moisturizing agents for a comfortable result. Hyaluronic acid, vegan glycerin, and vegan squalane are good hydrating ingredients. Oily skin foundations, on the other hand, should help mattify your skin and control shine.

If you have sensitive skin, make sure your vegan foundation is free from harsh additives and fragrances. When having problems with blemishes and clogged pores, go for a lightweight, oil-free vegan foundation.

How We Review Vegan Foundations

Our reviews of vegan foundations are based on two things: our personal experience with the foundation as well as peer reviews. When testing vegan foundations, we take into account these criteria:

  • Ingredients: The fewer harsh chemicals in a vegan foundation, the better. We prefer vegan foundations that are paraben-free and synthetic fragrance-free.
  • Coverage: Coverage is everything in a vegan foundation. Both medium- and full-coverage foundations should be able to cover basic imperfections and blur pores.
  • Finish: Whether the finish is radiant or matte, the vegan foundation should deliver on the finish it promises. The more natural and skin-like the finish, the better.
  • Longevity: Does the vegan foundation stay on or does it need frequent touch-ups? Does it cake, break, or oxidize over time? Longevity matters in vegan foundations.
  • Price: We expect to see a good price-quality balance in vegan foundations. We also include affordable options on our list along with some luxury picks.

Why Trust Us

Vegan Avenue has been testing and reviewing vegan skincare products for over 2 years. Our choice of the best vegan foundations is completely independent and none of our reviews has been incentivized by the brand or retailer.

FAQ About Vegan Foundation

What is a vegan foundation?

A vegan foundation is a foundation free from animal products and byproducts. A vegan foundation is also not tested on animals.

What makes foundation not vegan?

The most common ingredients that make a foundation not vegan are beeswax, animal-derived glycerin, carbamide, and acetyl glucosamine.

What is the best vegan foundation?

The best vegan foundation is Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation.

Where to buy a vegan foundation?

You will find the best selection of vegan foundations on Amazon and Sephora. See our list of the best vegan-friendly foundations you can order online.

Summary

Everyone loves flawless skin. But we also love a flawless conscience. This is why we always recommend choosing a cruelty-free vegan foundation.

A good vegan foundation is packed with natural, skin-friendly ingredients that give you beautiful coverage and a glowing complexion. With zero animals harmed.

We hope you found the perfect vegan foundation for your specific skin type. As cruelty-free companies launch new vegan foundations almost every season, we will make sure that the best ones are added to this list. Thank you for choosing vegan makeup.

See also: Vegan Tinted Moisturizers

Article updated on May 9 (2023): Changed the best vegan foundation for men from Cover FX Power Play Foundation to War Paint For Men Medium Coverage Foundation. Both foundations look discreet on man’s skin, War Paint’s Foundation is just specifically designed for man’s skin.

Article updated on May 3 (2023): Changed the best vegan foundation for acne-prone skin from Amazonian Clay 16-Hour Foundation to Oxygenetix Oxygenating Foundation. Both foundations are suitable to wear for acne, Oxygenetic is slightly more breathable and soothing.

Article updated on April 29 (2023): Changed the best vegan foundation for dry skin from Dermablend Smooth Liquid Camo Foundation to Lys Beauty Triple Fix Serum Foundation. After some testing, we decided the latter has a more hydrating formula.

My name is Liis. I've been a vegan for a long time and advocate for the vegan lifestyle. Through Vegan Avenue, I write about the latest vegan news, trends, events, and all things related to the vegan lifestyle.