Is Elf Cruelty Free?

Is Elf Cruelty Free?

The short answer is yes! Elf Cosmetics does not test on animals, does not use ingredient suppliers and laboratories who test, and does not sell their products in countries that require animal testing (like China). Elf (short for Eyes Lips Face) was founded in 2004 and (as of July 2017), elf is privately owned with a majority stake in the company owned by TPG Growth. So elf does not have a parent company that tests on animals. Elf is one of the best cruelty free drugstore makeup brands out there. You can find elf in their own retail stores, Target, Ulta Beauty, Walmart, CVS, Old Navy and other retail stores. For a regularly updated list of cruelty free beauty brands, click here.

Now that you know elf is cruelty free, here are some of our favorites! Written by My Beauty Bunny writer, Jenna Butz.

Cruelty Free Favorites from Elf

Do you guys remember the first time you realized you could buy quality, cruelty free makeup at the drugstore for $1? In high school, elf was always my go-to makeup line, and now, I find it still stands up to bigger beauty brands. Even better, they’re always adding new, fun products (have you seen their latest skincare line?). So, here are some of the recent products I’ve tried from elf.

First, I used the elf Baked Eyeshadow Trio in both Peach Please and Brown Bonanza. They’re both neutral palettes with a slight shimmer that can be built up for a more glittery color. I was impressed by the pigment and glide of these. They went on super smooth, and it didn’t take much work for the color to stay. The lighter shades are more intense if applied wet, which made the shimmer really stand out. The Peach Please shades are on the warmer side with more gold shimmer, whereas Brown Bonanza actually appears to have a cooler undertone, which you don’t see much in brown shades. They’re also infused with skin-loving ingredients like jojoba, rose, sunflower, apricot, and grape, so even sensitive skin can wear these nourish shadows.

For bolder colors, I tried the Prism Eyeshadow palette in Smoke. The rich jewel tones of this palette are beautiful, with a slight metallic finish. The eyeshadows are powder, but they almost feel like a cream, which helped them glide on and stay put. Plus, the blue, green, and purple shades can really add some drama to the traditional smoky eye. The pigment is great dry, but a little boost from a damp eyeshadow brush can really intensify the color too. It looks like Smoke has been discontinued, but you can find the other elf Prism palettes at Ulta. 

I also tested out a couple of the Velvet Matte Lipsticks in Bold Berry and Vampy Violet. Bold Berry is a punchier, brighter berry than the typical shades we see, and Vampy Violet is a deep blackened violet. Both shades go on a little lighter than I first expected them to, but I like to option to layer rather than having to dab some off. These lipsticks definitely have a lightweight, moisturizing element since they’re made with argan oil, rose, and Vitamin E to condition and soothe lips, so even though I layered the colors to be more intense, they never felt heavy.

Recently, I started branching outside of my usual highlighter staple, and the Illuminating Palette from e.l.f. was the perfect way to experiment with different colors. The lighter two colors create the perfect highlight, and the darker two gave me a nice contour that didn’t feel too overdone. I also love to customize colors, and these were great to combine for experimenting with different looks. They were a little sheer, but again, I’d rather build than have too much.

Once again, elf reminded me why I keep coming back to them with great quality for seriously the lowest price. What are some of your favorite elf products?

Jenna lives in Nashville, TN, where she works at Livability.com and Starbucks. She is a recent graduate from the University of Tennessee, and she’s always down to discuss intersectional feminism and literature. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @butzjenna.