Finding a red cruelty-free, vegan lipstick is no easy feat! Most red coloring used for any commercial product comes from carmine, a derivative of crushed beetles. Famous coffee peddler Starbucks even made headlines recently as it was discovered that some of their strawberry-based drinks contained the crushed bugs for visual appeal — yuck! Because most red lipsticks contain carmine, many vegans had to give up their love affair with crimson lips in the name of ethics. But fear not! We have compiled a list of some of our favorite lipsticks that are various shades of beautiful red, without the nasty ingredients!
ZuZu Luxe is a company that proudly produces both gluten free and vegan makeup. Whereas many beauty companies derive their squalene from sharks, ZuZu Luxe extracts it from olives, and when many companies derive their red pigment from beetles, ZuZu Luxe derives their red pigment from St. John’s Wort extract. ZuZu Luxe features a gorgeous candy apple red, with a blue creme base, called “Starlet”. For those looking for a more bright red, they also have a beautiful red wine color called Vino de Amor. To take a look at both Starlet and Vino de Amor, visit their website.
For those who require a red lipstick with orange undertones, Inika vegan lipstick may be just up your alley. Inika is a natural, vegan and cruelty free makeup company that was created out of founder Miranda Bond’s having a hard time conceiving. After visiting a holistic doctor, she decided to detox her life and at that time learned about all of the toxic ingredients found in many commercially available cosmetics. Miranda detoxed her life, and was pregnant within 3 months. Inika cosmetics are registered with the UK Vegan Society and registered with the Australian Choose Cruelty Free Association. Their red lipstick, named “Electric Red,” and is described as being a burnt red color with orange undertones. Check out the Inika website to learn more about their wonderful makeup and the Electric Red lipstick.
If you are looking for more of a full coverage lipgloss option, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics has a signature piece called “Lip Tar.” Lip Tar, chosen as one of Allure Magazine’s “Editor’s Favorite,” is a mix of lipstick and lip gloss and offers the full coverage color of lipstick with the ease of application of lip gloss. OCC commits to never using ingredients derived from animals believes that it is not just an animal rights issue, but that animal ingredients are often the culprits of allergic skin reactions. OCC offers their Lip Tar in various shades of red that are sure to please everyone. They offer “Queen,” a neon red/coral, “Harlot,” a vibrant coral red, “NSFW” a true red and “Stalker,” a blue-based red.
To learn more about OCC and explore their vibrant Lip Tar’s, check out their website.