Vegan cosmetics easier to find

Smashbox was born in an LA photo studio, and its Camera Ready BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 35 is one of the brand’s most sought-after products. While the brand is not 100 percent vegan, a large number of its products contain no animal products, and it is certified cruelty-free. The BB cream is both a tinted moisturizer and a primer, and also offers sun protection. $42. www.ulta.com (Ulta)

For 38 years, Arbonne has offered botanical-based, vegan, cruelty-free formulas. Its new products include RE9 Advanced Firming Body Cream, which promises to create a lifted, firmer, more toned skin appearance. Ingredients such as sea buckthorn ceramide, vitamin and peptides help give skin moisture and improve the look of fine lines. $75 at www.arbonne.com (Arbonne)

CoverFX is known for its array of products to match any complexion, and its newest product, Power Play Foundation, is a liquid formula that offers a long-wearing, modern-matte finish. The company has 40 shades available in liquid, cream and powder, and the foundation is suitable for all skin types: oily, combination, normal and dry. In addition to being vegan, it’s also free of parabens, fragrance, gluten, mineral oil and talc. The brand is 100 percent vegan and cruelty-free. $44, www.coverfx.com (CoverFX)

Skin care brand Drunk Elephant offers Shaba Complex Eye Serum, which uses black tea ferment and copper peptides that work together to support a firmer-looking appearance around the eyes. It’s free of the top skin irritants, such as silicones, chemical screens and sensitizing colorants. Although the line is not 100 percent vegan, Drunk Elephant has several products (including the eye serum) that do not contain any animal products. Not tested on animals. $60 www.drunkelephant.com (Drunk Elephant)

Found in many cosmetology schools and salons, OFRA Cosmetics is a 100 percent vegan and cruelty-free line. One of its newest products is the 3D Pyramid Egyptian Clay Bronzer, which is made with high-grade pearls and pigments to give a natural glow. $40, www.ofracosmetics.com (OFRA)

Beverly Hills esthetician Sonya Dakar’s newest vegan skin care treatment is a powder, polish, peel and mask treatment. The customizable powder turned paste renews pores while improving the tone, texture and health of skin. $88, www.sonyadakar.com (Sonya Dakar)

One of Finland’s most popular beauty lines, Lumene offers a number of vegan skin care products that are not tested on animals. Among its newest products available in the U.S. is Valo Glow Boost Essence. Lumene uses Arctic and Nordic ingredients in its line, and the essence is made with Arctic cloudberry extract. Brightening vitamin C enlivens fatigued and dull-looking skin. $24.99, www.target.com (Target)

Want luxurious skin care, beautiful makeup palettes with a side of feeling good? Consider vegan cosmetics.

Vegan beauty products contain no animal ingredients. Instead they are made from plant- or mineral-based ingredients, and many eschew common cosmetic chemicals that irritate skin. Once only found in health-product stores, vegan cosmetics now compete with the top luxury brands at chains like Ulta and Sephora.

Many vegan brands have a fashion-forward design and look, with colors and textures suitable for teenagers and mature skin, said James Vincent, artistic director of The Makeup Show, and a celebrity makeup artist who has worked with Barack Obama and Lady Gaga.

With more consumers focusing on buying ethically and concerned about ingredients, even old-school cosmetics brands are taking notice, said Rachel Weingarten, beauty historian and author of “Hello Gorgeous! Beauty Products in America ’40s-’60s.” “It makes them seem very relevant,” she said.

Thinking of going vegan? Start by seeking products that contain no animal products and are cruelty-free, to ensure they’re not tested on animals, Weingarten said.

Be adventurous, and try a new brand — many up-and-coming companies have mostly or all-vegan offerings. Note that it’s easier for small companies to source ingredients to develop a small-batch skin care line than a makeup line, Vincent said.

Vegan cosmetics are appropriate for people with sensitive skin, but Weingarten says watch for ingredients like citrus or ginger in high concentrations; those can sometimes inflame sensitive skin.

Debbie Carlson is a freelance writer.