Changing up your makeup routine is a great way to become more sustainable in everyday life. Some conventional makeup products use plastic containers that can't be recycled, contain harmful chemicals, and/or test on animals, which would all lead to negative impacts on the environment. On the other hand, zero-waste and ethically produced makeup products often come with a price tag, and they are not as readily available as the conventional brands. Although it'd be ideal to buy all makeup items from sustainable brands, it's sometimes necessary for me to turn to the affordable drugstore brands. You may think cheap products = bad for skin and environment, but you'll be surprised by how thoughtful some brands are! Let me share some of the brands that are vegan and cruelty free. 1. e.l.f. Cosmetics Started in New York, e.l.f. is one of the well-known drugstore skincare/makeup brands. They have a wide range of products from makeup to skincare, such as primer, foundation, and face masks. Most of the products are less than/around $10, and it might seem too good to be true, but they're a legit brand. They are certified vegan and cruelty free - which means that all of their products do not contain any animal-derived ingredients and are not tested on animals. On top of that, they also support and donate to social causes such as LGBTQ+ community, BLM movement, shelter dogs, etc. Find more about their projects here. Vegan：✅ Cruelty Free：✅ Available At：Longs Drugs, Walgreens, Walmart, Target 2. NYX Cosmetics Founded in LA, NYX Cosmetics is another well-known makeup brand that is inexpensive and widely available. They have anything from vibrant lipsticks and eye shadows to highlights and bronzers, prices ranging from $3 - $25. The product quality is pretty good for a drugstore brand, I've used some of their products in the past and liked them. While they are not entirely vegan, they are expanding their vegan product line. You can see the list of vegan items here: https://www.nyxcosmetics.com/featured/vegan/ Just a note that the brand itself is cruelty free, but their parent company, L'Oréal still conducts animal testing. Vegan：🔺 Cruelty Free：✅（parent company is not❌） Available at：Longs Drugs, Target 3. Emani Emani is a great brand if you have a sensitive skin. Their products are a bit more expensive than the first 2 brands, but most of the them are still under $50, which is cheaper than other higher end brands. They are known for using natural, gentle ingredients. You can find their ingredient list here. This brand is 100% vegan and cruelty free, plus they do not use gluten nor parabens. It seems like they are working on their environmental impacts - the website states that they are committed to minimizing their carbon footprint. They also use certified recycled, biodegradable paper, non toxic ink, and recyclable packaging materials. Vegan：✅ Cruelty Free：✅ Available at：Target 4. EcoTools EcoTools is not a makeup brand, but they have essential tools like makeup sponges and brushes. Often times, we see makeup brushes made from animal hair, but EcoTools makes vegan brushes. They also use sustainable ingredients such as recycled aluminum, recycled plastic, and bamboo. It comes in a tree-free package, preventing further deforestation. It's also biodegradable, which means it can be composted. Their products are a lot cheaper than other brand name makeup tools, so I definitely recommend checking them out! Vegan：✅ Cruelty Free：✅ Available at：Walgreens, Walmart, Target 5. Pixi Another affordable brand Pixi, is from London, and they have a variety of makeup as well as skincare products. All of their products are vegan and cruelty free, and their products offer a natural look. They are on the inexpensive side, but they use decent quality ingredients and received great reviews online too. The only thing is that they use plastic for packaging, so this won't help in reducing waste. However, if you just want to try a vegan/cruelty free brand while on a budget, this brand would be a great place to start. Vegan：✅ Cruelty Free：✅ Available at：Longs Drugs, Target What did you think about the affordable & vegan/cruelty free brands? Even if you are on a budge or don't have too much time to shop, you can still check these brands out conveniently at the nearby drugstore or shopping center. By choosing a cruelty free and vegan makeup product, you can protect animals from being used for testing and avoid using any chemicals that could be harmful to human. Let me know in the comment section if you try any of the brands mentioned here! Thank you for reading till the end <3