I recently did a poll on my Insta Stories to see if you would be interested in a “what’s inside my makeup bag” post, and 95% of you said “heck yes!!!”, so here it is! Putting this post together has also been a good way of filling the lack of recipe creation lately. I’m currently on an elimination diet to test for allergies (the worst!!) and basically can’t eat anything fun, so there hasn’t been much testing going on over here. It isn’t forever though! I keep telling myself that I will be a normal human being again someday, hah. But I’m soooo grateful that I’m already seeing improvements in my allergic reactions since cutting out the ingredients that my test found I’m sensitive to. I’ll keep you guys posted if you’re interested.
Read on for the deets on my current go-to makeup products. If you haven’t checked it out yet, be sure to read my Favourite Skin Care Products post too.
Lips:
I’m going to kick this off with my favourite category—lips!
Shade: Black Cherry
Cruelty-free, vegan
This tinted balm is perfect for kicking around the house! I love the subtle hint of colour this black cherry hue adds.
Shade: WCW
Cruelty-free, vegan (Note: Tarte is now owned by a parent company, KOSÉ, which is not cruelty-free.) :(
One of my fave lip gloss colours of all time. *heart eyes for berry tones* Biggest gripe? The tube is messy and lip gloss always explodes out the sides when I close it.
Shade: 805 Raspberry Red
Cruelty-free, vegan
This is a close runner-up for my favourite gloss shade. I actually like this one’s ingredients and packaging better than Tarte’s (no explosions!).
Cruelty-free, vegan
Ohhhhh yeah. You know I’m obsessed with this gloss. I talked about it in my Favourite Skin Care Products post too. I think of it as a 2-in-1 product because it’s a good lip moisturizer when you’re just lounging around the house (a little bit goes a long way), and it works as a fantastic “top coat” on top of lip colour to add a glossy sheen.
Dr. Hauschka Lip Gloss (*new)
Shade: 03 – Blackberry
Cruelty-free
Silky soft and made with mineral-based pigments, this is my newest go-to lip colour! It’s long-lasting and the Blackberry shade (03) is just perfection!
Foundation + concealer:
Physicians Formula Spotlight Illuminating Primer
Shade: Glow
Cruelty-free
This is a primer, but I use it on top of foundation as a highlighter on my cheekbones, temple area, and bridge of nose. I love how refreshed it makes my skin look even when I haven’t slept much. I tried it as a primer and wasn’t overly wowed, so I prefer to use it on top.
Physicians Formula The Healthy Foundation with SPF 20
Shades: LN4 and MN4 (I mix the two shades in the summer)
Cruelty-free, vegan
Oh BOY have I tried out a lot of vegan foundations. So, so many misses. This one was good enough to keep using, so that’s progress! My biggest complaint is the packaging (it’s awful, quite frankly, because it’s hard to get the product out and I’m not a fan of the applicator stick). Their shade selection is also quite limited. I have to mix two shades in the summer to get my perfect match! I also wish the ingredients were more natural, so I guess you could say I’m still on the hunt for my holy grail vegan foundation! This one will definitely do in the meantime.
Physicians Formula Concealer Twins Cream Concealers
Shade: Yellow/Light
Cruelty-free
I don’t use the yellow shade as I find it’s too noticeable on my skin tone, but I do use the light shade for around my eyes. I’m not sure if I’ll repurchase this concealer as it’s super light and doesn’t cover that much. I also wish they had more shades!
Blush + brush:
Shade: Sassy Salmon
Cruelty-free
I don’t normally go for such a bold blush shade, but I fell in love with this one! It really pops off my cheeks and a little bit goes a long way. It’s my new go-to.
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush
Shade: Paaarty
Cruelty-free
This blush was sent to me as a free sample from Sephora a year ago, and I used it until every last bit was gone! I’m not sure if I’ll repurchase because I’m loving the Benecos so much.
Tarte Bronze & Glow Double-Ended Contour Brush
I love this double-ended brush. I use the small end for blush and the large end for translucent powder.
You might be wondering…Ange, where is the bronzer? The contour powder?! Lol. I don’t use them because anytime I have tried to apply them I turn out looking like I have dirt on my face. So I just kind of gave up! But this tempting 50% off sale at Sephora is making me want to try the Tartiest PRO Glow Highlighter & Contour Palette!
Eyebrows:
My brows have always been light and pretty much nonexistent (thank you to my dad for those genes!), so if I want to feel put together, I will ALWAYS do my brows. I first use the Benecos pencil to fill in patchy areas, and then I use the Tarte mousse with the bamboo angle brush (which is included!!) to bring it all together. Really love this combo for my brows! So easy, long-lasting, and doesn’t smudge.
Benecos Natural Beauty Eyebrow-Designer
Shade: Blonde
Cruelty-free, vegan
Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse
Shade: Ash Blonde
Cruelty-free, vegan
Eyeshadow + eyeliner:
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio
Shade: Warm Nude
Cruelty-free
I don’t use eyeliner everyday, but I always use it when I’m going out somewhere special, especially in the evening. I love this trio because it comes with black, brown, and bronze shades, which are the ones I normally gravitate toward.
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips All-In-1 Custom Nude Palette For Face & Eyes
Shade: Natural Nude
Cruelty-free
I love this all-in-1 palette because you can use it as a cheek bronzer, over your eyelids, or anywhere you want a pop of shimmer on your face!
Mascara + eyelash curler:
Pacifica Beauty Stellar Gaze Length & Strength Mascara
Shade: Supernova (black)
Cruelty-free, vegan
I’ve tried out a lot of vegan mascaras and this is my favourite “everyday” mascara that I’ve been using for a few years. It’s light and perfect for daytime, but you can layer it for a slightly more dramatic look too.
My eyelash curler is by Sephora!
Powder + concealer:
Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-free Mineral Face Powder
Shade: Translucent Light
Cruelty-free
I have to say, this isn’t my favourite setting powder by any means. In fact, I find it goes on too powdery and I wish it were more dewy, so I use a very light hand when applying it. In the past I would use powder all over my face thinking that I had to get rid of any and all shine, but lately I only use a bit on my nose and a tiny bit on my forehead. I find using less powder really lets my natural (and makeup-accentuated!) glow shine through.
Update: I’ve been using 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Foundation Powder and I quite like it! It is vegan, cruelty-free, and free of 1,000 toxins.
Physicians Formula Gentle Cover Concealer Stick, Light
Shade: Light
Cruelty-free
I use this occasionally if I need to cover a pimple. I think the shade is a bit too light for my skin tone though so I probably won’t repurchase.
PS: My black and gold makeup bag is from Shoppers Drug Mart!
Do you have any fave makeup products to share? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
Angela, this is such a great post! I’ve long wanted to find a good highlighter and eyeliner. My skin likes to react to a lot of stuff. ?
I’ve been in the elimination diet mode before, and I can relate to the “nothing fun” feeling. Hopefully, your testing will give direction *and freedom from the rashes, irritations and misery. Sending healing! I’m free of a lot of the acne, digestive and sleep issues since cleaning out my nutrition. OSG has been a huge part of that shift!
So glad you saw positive changes from the elimination diet….gives me hope, haha. It sure is hard! Especially when you create recipes for a living. ;)
Oh, I loved this!
I struggle with wearing makeup at all! At almost 45, you think I’d have figured it out. Alas – I can’t tell what color my skin is!
I’m excited to try the mascara. I currently use Too Faced Better than Sex mascara, and I like it, but can never wear it on the bottom lashes because it weeps. Typically use Tarte for that, but it’s getting annoying having 2.
I wear mostly Too Faced eyeshadows too – it’s like paint by numbers with instructions!
So next post idea. Skin care! :)
Crissie
hah I think that’s a struggle many of us share! I know I do. Thanks for the product recs!
I do have a skin care post (linked in the intro above) but it does need a bit of an update (though most of the products I still use!)
I enjoyed this post also!
Thanks Amy! :)
Hi Angela! I’ve had a heck of a time finding beauty thangs that love my skin and the world of animals too. Recent find = It! Cosmetics… Their Your Skin but Better SPF CC+ cream/foundation is my new love.
xoxox – Bri
Thanks for the brand rec…can’t wait to check them out!
Thanks for sharing! I enjoy these posts as well. My favorite cruelty free foundation (and I think a majority of their products are vegan) is from face atelier. It has really great coverage and you can get a custom color with their plus and minus foundations.
Ohh the plus and minus has me intrigued..haha…I’ll check them out. Thanks!
Hi Angela,
Very interested in learning more about the elimination diet you’re on! What kind of allergies are you testing for? What kind of symptoms were you experiencing that made you think about testing? you also mentioned that its working which I’m happy to hear! I love following your posts and your healthy living so I am very curious!
Hey Michele, Happy to share (and I hope to update in the future as there seems to be interest!). I started getting allergic reactions several years ago, but they started to get super frequent since early 2018. I’ve been getting them about every 2 weeks…ugh. The reactions are very puffy, red, itchy eyes and itchy rashes on my chin area. And I’ve had a whole slew of other ongoing symptoms on top of the “visible” reactions. In short, I haven’t felt like myself in about 6-8 months or longer. I had two kinds of allergy testing done – blood IgE testing and electrodermal allergy testing (I’m still waiting on my blood results). From what I’ve read neither test has much support in the medical community. (I have had the skin prick/scratch test allergy testing done 4-5 years ago and it turned up nothing) I’ll be sure to update when I have some more to share. :)
I love that you are conscientious of cruelty free brands, also how some parent companies are not-cruelty free. Sad that this still exists nowadays…seems so outdated and wasteful, not to mention totally inhumane. There is an app that lets you scan the barcode of any product, from makeup to household items, and see if they are not tested on animals; this app is called Cruelty Cutter. Kat Von Dee is a great line of makeup to start with if you want totally cruelty free and vegan. Thank you for all you do!!!
Oh thanks for the tips, Kerrylynn! I hadn’t heard of that app before.
Hi Angela- I love posts like this! I really struggled to find cruelty-free, vegan makeup that actually worked until I found Root (rootpretty.com)!
Thanks for letting us take a peek into your life!
Thanks Lauren! I will check them out :)
Hi Angela, Thank you for this post and your post on skincare. I haven’t worn makeup much since becoming vegan three or so years ago because choosing products is too overwhelming. It is something I have wanted to get back into though, and this guide has been super helpful. I agree with other commenters: I like the lifestyle posts as much as recipes!
Thank you so much, Anya! So glad it is helpful for you :)
Try the Physician’s Formula BB cream. I like light to medium coverage and find it worka well enough as a foundation! In summer I just mix a bit of the medium shade with my light one and it’s perfect :)
Oh I was wondering about their BB cream…good to hear you like it. And I’m all about mixing colours when need be, hah.
Thank you very much for this post, it’s really helpful. I usually feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of products on the market and give up altogether lol.
Would love to hear about your elimination diet experience!
Thanks Olya…I will be sure to update!
Jane Iredale – Pure Pressed Mineral Powder is my absolute fave + vegan, gluten & cruelty free!
Have you ever tried out any Arbonne products? Vegan and gluten free! My skin has never felt so great and the makeup is to die for! I think you might find the foundation you like ?
Elimination diets are really hard! I had to do one while breastfeeding my youngest, and had to be careful about what I ate the whole time. Then I stopped producing around 10 months, tried all formula’s, and around 11 months, I just had to put him on milk (ripple or almond milk), because he couldn’t handle any formula.
I would love to hear details about what/how you did it, and how you noticed sensitivities. That was the hardest part for me. Also, what were your sensitivities? Were they big groups of items, like grains, wheat, etc.? Or just specific foods? have you gotten allergy tests done to test for sensitivities/allergies?
Thanks! and best of luck with the elimination!
Hey Stephanie, I’ll definitely keep those questions in mind when I write my next update (I also shared some more in the comments here if you are curious in the meantime). I keep telling myself it’s not forever! But I have to admit, it’s such a boring way to eat.
I love this post! I’ve got to agree with Britt on Jane Iredale makeup and skincare – I think the Smooth Affair primer, Glow Time BB cream, and Liquid Minerals foundation are awesome. Their products are cruelty-free and some are vegan and/or gluten-free. I’d love a suggestion on makeup removers – I haven’t found one that, you know, actually removes makeup.
Good to know…thanks Laura! I can’t wait to check out their products. Can’t believe I haven’t tried them before!
Not a consultant…But ever since I was first pregnant seven years ago, I’ve been obsessed with Beautycounter. I would even order it from the States before it was available here in canada….Doesn’t disappoint! Avid lover.
Thanks Jackie! Do you know if their foundation is vegan? I’ve heard great things about their makeup. I do have their oil cleansing balm and like it a lot.
Hi Angela, both the tint skin (foundation) and dew skin (tinted moisturizer) have beeswax as an ingredient.
Thanks for the info!
Hi Ang!
I saw that you mentioned gut healing and that reminded me that a health store employee told me about aloe vera juice being really soothing for irritated guts. (Doesn’t irritated guts sound kinda gross though? lol) I did buy some organic aloe vera juice, but never quite worked up the nerve to try it, so I can’t tell you if it works at all! But you are braver than me, and it might help! Best of luck. I did an elimination diet years ago when I was nursing my son who was reacting to cow’s milk protein. Actually, that is how I discovered you – he still seems to have a milk sensitivity and we are mostly still dairy free. Take care, S
Hey Sandy, Thank you so much! I have read that tip before and I made a note to myself to try it but never got around to it. Thanks for reminding me. And I’m glad you found my blog when you were looking for recipes :)
I am never without my Hurraw in this exact shade! It makes my pale face go from non-living to living being! Also, I don’t know if you know this or if it doesn’t concern you, but the blush you feature has carmine, which is produced from insects. No judgement, just an fyi. Looking forward to your food allergies post and hope you find some relief!
Glad you love the shade of Hurraw too! It’s the best. Anything to feel a bit more human some days, right?
I was aware that the blush is only cruelty-free (and not vegan), but I hadn’t looked into which specific ingredients made it not vegan. Thanks for sharing! :)
Well, this post lead to an eye-opener for me!
I was planning to give my recs for a wonderful, dewy foundation (Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation) but when I double checked it, I learned that Becca has been acquired by Estee Lauder and its cruelty-free status is at risk (the rumour is they will expand to sell in China, where animal testing is mandatory). As well, it was misrepresented to me as a vegan company. Although the particular foundation I use from them is on their vegan list, many of their products are not, including the blotting powder I was using (and totally hooked on):(
As well, I learned that while Aveda is PETA approved, and all of their hair and bodycare products are vegan, the lip products I love from them contain beeswax, something to consider.
So, thank you for the eye opener! I learned that it is important to check in occasionally on the status of my fave products as they can change !
Thanks for sharing, Nicole! I agree about how discouraging and confusing it can be to try to find products that you feel good about. I’ve been enjoying https://www.crueltyfreekitty.com/ website lately for tips!
I really love the brand Erin’s Faces! Super clean, vegan & cruelty free! Lots of organic ingredients too. :) I have & am obsessed with the blush, lip gloss & lip stick, eyeshadow primer, liquid eyeshadow, & highlighter pen! It’s one of the few “natural” make up brands I’ve tried where I don’t notice a difference in quality/effectiveness/staying power. The skin care is great too & I’m a big fan of the eye cream, serum & moisturizer- the pumpkin enzyme peel is also ridiculous. :)
Googling now…thanks! :)