Best Vegan Foundations

Many of you have emailed me to ask for the best vegan foundations. These are my picks for the best vegan complexion perfection products. I’ve also noted which skintype the foundations are best suited for, according to the brands.

My skintype used to be combination / oily, but after I went on rosacea medication it’s been normal to dry on my cheeks and slightly oily on my t-zone. Under my eyes is super dry, but my eyelids are oily. I’ve always had sensitive skin. My skintone is quite pale, though I know people who are paler than I am.

All pictures taken with studio lighting, no flash, no primer, on freshly cleansed skin. I first applied a stripe to my left cheek. Then I applied the foundation to the left side of my face only. After doing all of these foundations I ended up causing a rosacea flare up because I irritated my skin from the repeated application and cleansing process. All the redness you see in the swatch pictures is because of the repeated cleansing of the skin. I have not edited out my skin’s imperfections. The images have only been cropped.

One thing I learned from doing all of these foundations back to back – when in doubt, try a damp makeup sponge, the UD Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush or the Sigma F88 to apply the product. These are my go-to tools for getting good looking skin.

For me, because oftentimes a foundation will be too dark, I use Illamasqua Skin Base in 1 or Face Atelier Pro Foundation in Zero Minus to adjust the color of liquids, creams, etc. If you fall on the opposite end of the skintone spectrum from me, you probably have the opposite problem that I do, where foundations are too light for you. You can make products darker with Face Atelier Pro Foundation in Zero Plus Plus and Illamasqua Skin Base in 18.

All brands in this post are cruelty free. Please see my cruelty free brand list for more information on what cruelty free means to me. To see more of my favorite foundations, check out my Makeup Wars Favorite Foundations.

All Cover FX products are cruelty free and vegan. They offer 4 different complexion perfection products.

Cover FX CC Cream in N Light applied with damp makeup sponge

Cover FX CC Cream Time Release Tinted Treatment SPF 30 – $45 for 1 fl. oz.
This is my favorite, as you know. It’s available in 9 shades. I wear N Light. It’s a synergistic complex of ingredients produce retinoid-like, anti-aging results without irritation or sun sensitivity. Contains an advanced multi-sphere microsome technology which delivers time release anti-wrinkle actives and treats skin continuously for 8 hours. Infused with Licorice Root Extract to naturally and effectively reduce hyperpigmentation and prevent future discoloration. Includes a built-in Primer plus SPF 30. See my review.

This is my hands down favorite complexion perfection product. It’s so comfortable to wear. I prefer to apply it with a damp makeup sponge but it looks great with a brush too. I feel like I get a better shade match to my skintone with a damp makeup sponge.

Great for all skin types, but especially sensitive

Cover FX Total Cover Cream Foundation in N10, applied with a damp makeup sponge

Cover FX Total Cover Cream Foundation – $42 for .33 oz
28 shades available. I wear shade N10. Because it’s a cream formula, you can sheer it our or build it up to full coverage and it doubles as a concealer. Provides optimum coverage of skin imperfections such as acne, redness, under eye circles, uneven skin tones, post-surgical bruising, vitiligo, and tattoos and protection from wind, sun and pollution. See my review.

Great for all skin types, but especially sensitive

Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation in N10, applied with flat top kabuki brush

Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation – $35 for .43 oz
24 shades available. I wear shade N10. This foundation provides a healthy, sheer to full coverage matte finish with oil-absorbing microspheres and moisturizing benefits. Its finish is never cakey or drying to the skin.

Before I was diagnosed with rosacea, this is the type of pressed powder foundation I would reach for. Sadly, my dry skin doesn’t often handle powder foundations well, though there are a few exceptions.

Best for oily skin types

Cover FX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation, applied with Cover FX liquid foundation brush in a stippling motion

Cover FX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation – $40 for 1 fl. oz.
24 shades available. I wear shade N10. This silky smooth foundation provides buildable, sheer-to-full coverage for comfortable all-day wear. Vitamins C and E soothe inflammation and reduce redness while protecting against premature skin aging, and anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties protect against damaging environmental factors. Available in an array of shades, it was designed to achieve a natural-looking, soft finish in a long-wearing water-resistant formula.

Recommended for dry skin, normal skin and oily skin

All Silk Naturals products are cruelty free. Over 95% of their products are vegan and gluten free. They have other foundations too.

Silk Naturals HD Cream Foundation in N10, applied with the Sigma F88

Silk Naturals HD Cream Foundation – $11.99 for 12 gram tube (.42 oz roughly)
25 shades available. I wear N10. This HD Cream foundation has Ceramic Microspheres for a flawless airbrushed finish. Lightweight 100% natural formula won’t crease or settle into fine lines. Natural matte finish that blends beautifully, and looks like healthy skin. Sets to a dry finish so you won’t leave grease marks on your clothes or phone. Gluten free. See my review.

Great for all skin types, including the ultra sensitive.
If you have super oily skin, avoid this.

All Urban Decay products are cruelty free and Leaping Bunny Certified. They have many vegan products.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid Foundation in .5, applied with the UD Optical Blurring Brush

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup – $39 for 1 fl. oz.
18 shades available. I wear shade .5. This formula helps skin achieve a natural, illuminated and bright finish— like the beautiful skin you were born with. Naked Skin is formulated with light-diffusing spheres, transforming you to look professionally retouched. Buildable coverage allows women to customize their look. See my review.

Recommended for all skin types
If you have sensitive skin use the Vitamin B-6 prep spray first
If you have oily skin, set this with De-slick powder

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm in Naked Light, applied with UD Optical Blurring Brush

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm SPF 20 – $34 for 1 fl. oz.
3 shades available. I can wear Naked Light, but I really need to mix it with something to lighten it to better match my skintone. It’s supposed to minimize pores, lines, wrinkles and redness instantly. It’s a lightweight, velvety, oil-free product. Dries down to a demi-matte finish. See my review.

Recommended for all skin types
If you have sensitive skin use the Vitamin B-6 prep spray first
If you have oily skin, set this with De-slick powder

All Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics products are vegan and cruelty free.

OCC Tinted Moisturizer in Y0 and Y1 mixed together, applied with OCC foundation brush & damp makeup sponge

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics OCC Tint: Tinted Moisturizer – $29.50 for 1 fl. oz.
12 shades available. I wear Y0 and Y1 mixed together. It’s a high-opacity, adjustable-coverage tinted moisturizer. Featuring a unique moisturizing complex made from purified water, coconut, and wild berry extracts, this foundation product nourishes as well as hydrates skin.

Recommended for all skin types

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Skin Conceal in R0 and Y0, R0 is on the left, Y0 is to the right

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics OCC Skin Conceal – $20 for .28 oz
12 shades available. I use both R0 and Y0. If you’re using OCC Tint, you should combine it with Skin Conceal for a finished look. It nourishes and hydrates the skin with cocoa extract, aloe leaf extract, and vitamin E for coverage that feels as good as it looks. This is really an amazing concealer. I feel like R0 is nice and brightening under the eyes and along the cheekbones, in that magical triangle zone. I feel like Y0 is great for covering up imperfections and red marks on my face.

Recommended for all skin types

All Geek Chic Cosmetics products are cruelty free. Many are vegan and gluten free.

Geek Chic Cutie Face Foundation in Kahlan, applied with flat top kabuki

Geek Chic Cosmetics Cutie Face Foundation – $9.99 for 5g (roughly .176 oz)
6 shades available. I wear shade Kahlan, aka the Confessor. A lot of testing goes into the formulation of good foundation: pH balancing, color matching, and limiting abrasiveness.

Recommended for all skin types, but especially for sensitive oily skin

All Meow Cosmetics products are cruelty free. Many products are vegan. Meow offers 3 different foundations but I’m listing my favorite here.

Meow Cosmetics Pampered Puss foundation in Inquisitive Siamese, applied with flat top kabuki

Meow Cosmetics Pampered Puss Foundation – $25.95 for 3 oz jar
Available in 86 shades. I wear Inquisitive Siamese, but I can also wear Inquisitive Sphynx. Sometimes I have to tweak with Snow Lynx to lighten my shade. Designed to soothe and calm, it will amaze you with it’s sheer, layerable coverage. Matte finish. See my review.

Before I was diagnosed with rosacea, I loved this foundation because of how nicely it would meld with my skin.

For all skin types but excellent with sensitive skin

All Paula’s Choice products are cruelty free and most are vegan. A few items use beeswax. All foundations are vegan. Paula’s Choice is Leaping Bunny Certified.

Paula’s Choice RESIST Instant Smoothing Anti-Aging Foundation in 0 Porcelain, applied with a damp makeup sponge

Paula’s Choice RESIST Instant Smoothing Anti-Aging Foundation – $25 for 1 fl. oz.
8 shades available. I wear 0 Porcelain. I’m happy that they added 2 darker shades. Enjoy light to medium coverage that smooths wrinkles and leaves a soft, luminous finish. See my review.

Best for combination and oily skin

Paula’s Choice Barely There Sheer Matte Tint SPF 30 in Fair Light, applied with finger tips plus a damp makeup sponge

Paula’s Choice Barely There Sheer Matte Tint SPF 30 – $17 for 1 fl. oz.
Available in 4 shades. I wear Level 1 Fair Light, but sometimes I have to mix in a few drops of a white foundation to lighten it for a better match. This light and silky tint evens out your complexion with a hint of color while keeping out the sun’s rays. See my review.

Suitable for all skin types.

Paula’s Choice RESIST Instant Smoothing Satin Finish Powder in Porcelain Fair, applied with a flat top kabuki

Paula’s Choice RESIST Instant Smoothing Satin Finish Powder – $15
4 neutral shades available. I have the Porcelain / Fair shade.RESIST Instant Smoothing Satin Finish Powder instantly perfects and refines skin so it looks smoother, softer, and younger with a hint of natural color. This ultra-fine powder provides light, buildable coverage.

Suitable for all skin types but especially for those with rosacea, breakouts and sensitive skin

All Dreamworld Hermetica products are cruelty free. All of their foundations are vegan.

Dreamworld Hermetica Cloud Foundation – Arianrhod 1, applied with flat top kabuki

Dreamworld Hermetica Cloud Foundation – $17.50 for 45 gram jar (roughly 1.58 oz)
170 shades available. I wear shade Arianrhod 1 or Hecate 1. Cloud is formulated without mica. It has rice powder and some kaolin clay to help soak up excess oils. Yes, you read that right, there are 170 shades available, from the palest to the deepest. From neutral to olive to pink to blue undertones. For the cheek, left to right, Hecate 1 – Astrild 1 – Arianrhod 1.

Suitable for all skin types but best for oily skin

Too Faced Cosmetics is cruelty free and there are several vegan products.

Too Faced Air-Buffed BB Crème in Snow Glow, applied with the Sigma F88

Too Faced Air-Buffed BB Crème – $39 for .98 oz.
5 shades available. I wear Snow Glow. Our Air Buffed BB Crème may look demure, but this is one hard-working lady. Our Air Buffed BB Crème is where skincare and makeup meet. The cream-to-powder formula provides long-lasting, complete, buildable coverage with 5-in-1 benefits: Treats, Perfects, Mattifies, Primes and Protects with SPF 20 See my review.

Suitable for all skin types, but especially dry

Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm SPF 20 in Snow Glow, applied with my fingers, then dabbed at with a damp makeup sponge

Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm SPF 20 – $34 for 1.5 oz
6 Shades available. Snow Glow is a little dark for me, but works if I add a bit of Illamasqua Skin Base 1. It provides tinted, sheer coverage that goes on quick and works all day to protect, prime, mattify and perfect.

Suitable for all skin types, but especially dry

Illamasqua offers some vegan friendly products. All of their products are cruelty free.

Illamasqua Skin Base in 2, applied first with finger tips then with damp makeup sponge

Illamasqua Skin Base – $42 for 1 fl. oz.
Available in 26 different shades. I wear 2 or a mix of 1 and 4. It smooths, softens and conditions your skin whilst providing natural, buildable coverage. I use 1 to make foundations that are too dark but have a nice finish, light enough for my skintone. See my review of 1, 2, 4, and Au.

Suitable for all skin types

Face Atelier is cruelty free. Ultra Foundation is vegan.

Face Atelier Ultra Foundation in Zero Minus

Face Atelier Ultra Foundation – $48 for 1 fl. oz.
Available in 16 shades. Heat adds warmth. Zero Minus lightens foundation, while Zero Plus or Zero Plus Plus deepens foundation. This is silicone-based, hydrating, yet oil-free. I use it to lighten foundations that are too dark for me.

Suitable for all skin types

Tarte is cruelty free and they have many vegan products.

Tarte Amazonian clay 12-hour full coverage foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 in Fair Sand, applied with finger tips & then damp makeup sponge

Tarte Amazonian clay 12-hour full coverage foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 Sunscreen – $38 for 1.7 fl. oz.
Available in 16 different shades. Fair Sand is too dark for me unless I mix it with Face Atelier Zero Minus. This formula has a satin-matte finish.

Suitable for all skin types

Tarte Amazonian Colored Clay Liquid Foundation SPF 15 in Fair, applied with UD Optical Blurring Brush and then a damp makeup sponge

Tarte Amazonian Colored Clay Liquid Foundation SPF 15 – $39.56 for .68 fl. oz.
Available in 5 shades. I have Fair, which is too dark for me unless I mix it with Face Atelier Zero Minus or Illamasqua Skin Base 1. This lightweight liquid foundation smooths over skin with ease to deliver a satin, full coverage finish. Infused with Amazonian colored clay, the antioxidant-rich formula camouflages imperfections and diffuses the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I think the finish on this foundation is gorgeous.

Suitable for all skin types

The All Natural Face is cruelty free and vegan. They’re listed on Leaping Bunny’s website.

The All Natural Face Vegan Cream Foundation in Porcelain Kissed by Honey, applied with my fingertips

The All Natural Face Vegan Cream Foundation – $16.10
Available in 50 shades. I wear Porcelain Kissed by Honey. Cream foundation made with organic jojoba oil, organic argan oil,candelillia wax, mica, oxides, tuitanium dioxide and zinc oxide. The great thing about this is that it comes in a compact and you can buy refills for it, so it’s a very ‘green’ product.

Suitable for normal to dry skin

The All Natural Face Pressed Powder Foundation – $16.10
Available in 50 shades. I wear Porcelain Kissed by Honey. Pressed powder foundation made with Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Oxides for Color, Boron Nitride, Purified Water, Vegetable Glycerin, Potassium Sorbate ( food grade preservative),Cosmocil CQ( non-formaldehyde, non-paraben preservative, used in baby wipes and contact lens solution), Xanthan Gum. It comes in a compact with a mirror and you can buy refills for it.

Suitable for normal to oily skin

Purely Cosmetics is 100% cruelty free and some products are vegan.

Purely Cosmetics Pure Mineral Foundation – $18 for 6 grams net weight
9 shades available, plus custom blends are offered. Lightweight, hypoallergenic and will not clog your pores. This is a nice foundation but I can’t currently wear powders very easily. My skin is too dry for it.

Best suited for normal to oily skin types, and for those with very sensitive skin.

Pur Minerals is cruelty free.

Pur Minerals 4 in 1 Pressed Mineral Foundation SPF 15 – $26 for .28 oz
12 shades available. This will emphasize dryness in dry skin. While it doesn’t work for me I know several people who swear by it.

Suitable for normal to oily skin types

Hourglass is cruelty free. Several products in their lineup are vegan.

Hourglass Veil Fluid Makeup SPF 15 – $60 for 1 oz.
11 shades available. A super-luxe medium coverage treatment foundation with short and long-term benefits for the skin. Fortified with a pair of powerful anti-aging actives, Veil Fluid Makeup creates the appearance of younger-looking skin.

Best for oily skin

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation – $55 for 1 fl. oz.
16 shades available. A breakthrough liquid-to-powder foundation formula that absorbs oil, camouflages imperfections, and delivers a long-lasting, velvet-matte finish.

Best for oily and acne-prone skin

Brands with the best shade range, covering from the lightest to the darkest

Cover FX – 28
Urban Decay – 18
Illamasqua – 26
Face Atelier – 16
Silk Naturals – 25
Meow Cosmetics – 86
Dreamworld Hermetica – 170
The All Natural Face – 50

What do you think of my roundup of the best vegan foundations? Have you tried any of these foundations? Do you have trouble finding the right shade of foundation? Which do you like best?

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