12 Best Cruelty-Free Eyeshadows (2024) – According To An Expert
Give your eye makeup a new dimension with a suitable shade to highlight their natural beauty.
Abhilasha Singh is one of the top bridal makeup artists and a celebrated Bollywood makeup artist with a decade of experience. She was the Creative and Business Head of Makeup for Jean Claude Biguine Salons and Spa - India. She is now a USA-certified cosmetologist and a bridal hair and makeup artist based out of the Bay Area, California.
Read full bio of Abhilasha Singh
Baishali is a beauty and lifestyle writer and holds a master's degree in English from Assam University. She specializes in makeup and fashion and is also a certified Style and Image Consultant. Prior to this, she was a part of a digital marketing company in Kolkata where she wrote stories on travel, beauty, and home décor.
Read full bio of Baishali Bhattacharya
Experience: 2 yearsSrijita De is a makeup and fashion enthusiast with a passion for empowering readers through practical tips and tricks to present their best selves with confidence. Armed with a postgraduate degree in English and Literature from the University of Calcutta, she has honed her writing skills and developed an in-depth understanding of the beauty and fashion world.
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Experience: 3 yearsSrijani is an associate commerce editor with a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal. She is certified in makeup techniques and is also a certified style and image consultant.
Read full bio of Srijani Roy Chowdhury
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What could be a better way to show our love towards animals than wearing products not tested on them! Since an eyeshadow is a product none of us can go without, you should invest in the best cruelty-free eyeshadow palette. Opt for eyeshadows made from plant-based ingredients that keep your eyes glowing and your heart happy to show even more love and consideration for the voiceless. To help you make that switch, we have curated a list of the best cruelty-free eyeshadow palettes considering formulations and reviews that you can test out to add to your collection. Keep scrolling to check them out!
In This Article
Best Cruelty-Free Eyeshadows
1. Best Long-Lasting:Ebin New York Eyeshadow Palette
The Ebin New York Eyeshadow Palette comes with highly pigmented shades that help create long-lasting and luxurious eye makeup. All shades in this cruelty-free makeup brand’s palette are smooth and soft in texture to allow you to hone your makeup artistry skills; they never cake or crease. These soft earthy shades look flattering on all skin tones, especially those with fair skin tones.
Pros
- Highly pigmented
- No caking
- No creasing
- Long-lasting
- Good packaging
Cons
- None
"This eyeshadow palette is my favorite. The shades stay for a long time and make my eyes appear bright. I like that the shades settle without feeling greasy."
Pro Tip2. Best Highly Pigmented: NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette
The NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette has 16 shadows with intense pigments that glide onto the lids effortlessly. This celebrity-endorsed brand palette has a mix of satin, shimmery, metallic, and matte shades of eyeshadows. With these complementary, velvety-rich, and blendable colors, you can easily create multiple day and night statement-making makeup looks. It is suitable for every skin tone.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Long-lasting
- Buildable
- Blends easily
Cons
- None
"This eyeshadow palette gives me long-lasting coverage. The shades stay for a long time without irritating my skin. They make my eyes appear vibrant without any cakiness."
3. Best Travel-Friendly:Milani Most Wanted Eyeshadow Palette
The Milani Most Wanted Eyeshadow Palette features 6 gorgeous shades that are glamorous and long-lasting. The vibrant color eyeshadows come in a compact case that is travel-friendly. They are a mix of matte and shimmery finish shades that can be worn individually or mixed to create a gorgeous eye look. The product is not tested on animals, and the soft shades are best suitable for individuals with warm-toned skin for enhanced beauty of their eyes.
Pros
- Long-lasting
- Richly pigmented
Cons
- None
"I like how this formulation is kind to sensitive eyes. It goes on smoothly and stays put all day. The color palette is suitable for both daily wear and special occasions. It's a versatile mix of shades, all well-pigmented."
Quick Tip4. Best Versatile:e.l.f. Bite-Size Eyeshadows
The e.l.f. Bite-Size Eyeshadows is a collection of small, compact eyeshadow palettes that feature four complementary shades that are highly pigmented, easy to blend, and long-wearing. It contains a mix of matte and shimmer shades that can be used as a highlighter for enhanced features, and to brighten the eye area. The vegan eyeshadow palette is designed to be convenient for on-the-go use, as they are small enough to fit in a purse or travel bag. The texture is very creamy and soft allowing for a seamless finish. The alluring shades in your makeup routine will have your day-to-night plans all sorted and guarantee you endless compliments.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Travel-friendly
- Vegan
- Long-lasting
- Phthalate-free
- Paraben-free
Cons
- None
"This eyeshadow palette gives me a natural look. It blends without making my eyes look cakey. I like that I can layer the colors without worrying about tackiness."
5. Best Blendable:Honest Beauty Eyeshadow Palette
The Honest Beauty Eyeshadow Palette contains shades that will help you transition from day makeup look to a night makeup look. This celebrity-endorsed trendy palette has a mix of mattes, shimmers, and satin finish vibrant colors. All these eye-enhancing shades are highly pigmented and have a velvety texture that blends seamlessly. The neutral tone eyeshadows are dermatologist-tested. They are formulated without animal testing, parabens, mineral oil, or talc.
Pros
- Dermatologist-tested
- Blendable
- Paraben-free
- Talc-free
- Mineral oil-free
- Long-lasting
- Highly pigmented
Cons
- Not suitable for sensitive skin
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The product has received 1,809 positive Amazon reviews from its users, stating its numerous benefits.
6. Best Make Up Base:wet n wild Eyeshadow Color Icon 10-Pan Eye Makeup Palette
The Wet n Wild Color Icon 10-Pan Palette features a range of shades in various finishes, including mattes, shimmers, and metallics with long-lasting wear. The vibrant shades are all highly pigmented and highly bendable with a buttery-soft texture. It lets you blend the shades seamlessly and make stunning eye looks. This cruelty-free and vegan eyeshadow palette is a great option for those who want to improve their makeup artistry and experiment with different eye looks and color combinations, without breaking the bank.
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Rich pigment
- Affordable
- Fragrance-free
- Paraben-free
Cons
- None
7. Best Crease-Free:Harvest Natural Beauty Organic Eyeshadow
The Harvest Natural Beauty Organic Eyeshadow is non-toxic. It is highly pigmented and is infused with luxurious organic ingredients that help create a velvety-smooth and creaseless finish, delivering exceptional results. The eyeshadow is free from parabens, artificial colors, and fragrances. It also contains no sulfates or petroleum.
Pros
- Highly pigmented
- Crease-proof
- Paraben-free
- Sulfate-free
- No artificial colors
- Fragrance-free
- Gluten-free
- Petroleum-free
- Non-GMO
- No preservatives
Cons
- None
"This eyeshadow glides on smoothly. It makes my eyes appear radiant. I like that it does not weigh my eyes down or trigger the delicate skin around my eyes."
Did You Know?8. Best Talc-Free:Honeybee Gardens Eyeshadow Palette
The Honeybee Gardens Eyeshadow Palette is an award-winning product. The palette comes with 4 gorgeous shades that can be used to create dozens of looks ranging from the timeless beauty of a simple nude shade to the sexy charm of smokey eyes. The shades are highly pigmented and blendable. The product is vegan and free from parabens, gluten, alcohol, talc, fragrances, preservatives, and chemical dyes. It also does not contain petroleum-based oils. The product comes with a mirror and dual end brush that allows for easy application.
Pros
- Blendable
- Highly pigmented
- Paraben-free
- Gluten-free
- Alcohol-free
- Talc-free
- Fragrance-free
- No preservatives
- No chemical dyes
- No petroleum-based oils
Cons
- None
"This palette has vibrant shades. I like that they settle without any flakiness. The shades are pigmented and give me consistent coverage."
9. Best For Sensitive Eyes:BaeBlu Eyeshadow
The BaeBlu Eyeshadow is highly pigmented. It has a buildable formula and a velvety texture that provides uniform pigment distribution and allows for effortless blending. It has a long-lasting, wet to dry formula. The product is fragrance-free, vegan, gluten-free, and paraben-free. It also is free from animal testing, alcohol, talc, fillers, preservatives, and petroleum-based oils. The eyeshadow is suitable for sensitive eyes.
Pros
- Blendable
- Highly pigmented
- Long-lasting
- Hypoallergenic
- Fragrance-free
- Paraben-free
- Gluten-free
- Non-irritating
- No alcohol
- No talc
- No fillers
- No preservatives
- No petroleum-based oils
- Suitable for sensitive eyes
Cons
- None
"I like how this eyeshadow does not irritate my eyes. Its matte finish gives a natural look that lasts all day without irritating my skin. I also like that the formula is creamy, blends well, and is vegan."
10. Best Buildable Coverage:The Mellow Store Baked Eyeshadow
The Mellow Store Baked Eyeshadow is long-wearing and smudge-proof. It comes in 12 different colors that can help you create various eye looks. It has an ultra-fine texture that does not crease. The eyeshadow gives a flawless finish. It is highly pigmented and has buildable coverage to help you get all the celebrity-inspired eye looks you have itching to try. Additionally, it is cruelty-free and paraben-free.
Pros
- Ultra-fine texture
- Highly pigmented
- Paraben-free
- Long-lasting
- Crease-free
Cons
- None
"I use this eyeshadow on my eyes and cheeks as well. It is long-lasting and applies flawlessly. I like that it settles without any greasiness."
11. Best Organic:Jillian Dempsey Lid Tint Eyeshadow
The Jillian Dempsey Lid Tint eyeshadow is created by celebrity MUA Jilian Dempsey. The eyeshadow adds a sheer tint of color to the eye. It is easy to blend and gives an instant pop and glow to the eyes. The product is formulated with organic ingredients.
Pros
- Organic ingredients
- Easy to use
Cons
- Not long-lasting
12. Best Metallic Shades:Milani Everyday Eyes Eyeshadow Palette
The Milani Everyday Eyes Eyeshadow Palette is highly pigmented. It helps you create endless long-lasting looks. The palette contains 6 beautiful shades that are a mix of matte and metallic colors. These subtle shades can be used to achieve looks that are neutral as well as vibrant and glamorous. Reviewers have found that the product from this cruelty-free brand works well with sensitive eyes and does not cause irritation.
Pros
- Long-lasting
- Highly pigmented
Cons
- None
"The Milani eyeshadow palette is great for my eyes. It stays for a long time, even without the use of a primer. It does not flake or fade. The best part is that it gives me a natural finish."
The Bottom Line
Eyeshadow palettes enhance your makeup look. But, the regular eyeshadow palettes might contain animal byproducts or may be tested on animals. Well, its time to make some conscious decisions in terms of the products we use. Cruelty-free eyeshadow palettes are a great alternative to regular ones as they are not just safe for the animal kingdom but are much safer for your skin too. The Ebin New York Eyeshadow Palette does not crease, while the Milani Most Wanted Eyeshadow Palette is perfect for travel. If you are looking for fragrance-free options, try the Harvest Natural Beauty Organic Eyeshadow. The products listed in the article are long-lasting, cake-free, highly pigmented, paraben-free, sulfate-free, and blendable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cruelty-free eyeshadow safe?
Yes, cruelty-free eyeshadows are paraben- and sulfate-free, long-lasting, and safe for your skin.
Why should we use cruelty-free eyeshadow?
Cruelty-free eyeshadow is devoid of harmful chemicals, such as parabens, sulfates, or synthetic colors. It is made from natural ingredients that are safe for your skin and last longer.
How do you know if eyeshadow is cruelty-free?
The quickest and easiest method to determine if an eyeshadow is cruelty-free is to look for a verified cruelty-free logo on product packaging.
What is the difference between vegan and cruelty-free makeup?
Cruelty-free means the product was manufactured without animal testing, whereas vegan means the product contains no animal-derived ingredients.
Are cruelty-free products more expensive?
No. Cruelty-free does not have to be more expensive than regular products. Cruelty-free companies price their products based on the key ingredients and formulations.
Why Trust StyleCraze?
Baishali Bhattacharya is a certified makeup expert. She went through hundreds of online reviews to compile a list of the best cruelty-free eyeshadows. She conducted thorough research to ensure that the brands are certified for being cruelty-free. Before curating the list, she has also checked online feedback to understand the product efficacy, blendability, pigmentation, and color range.
Read full bio of Abhilasha Singh
Read full bio of Baishali Bhattacharya
Read full bio of Srijita De
Read full bio of Srijani Roy Chowdhury
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