Below is a list of brands in each category I have defined & whether or not each is cruelty free or vegan. This is just to prove there are sensible & responsible products at every price point. I have comprised this list by cross referencing many articles (major sources are listed at the bottom, while one time resources are linked as used).

Cruelty-Free: Contrary to the information that will first appear when googling whether a brand is considered cruelty free, any brands that sells in China is required by Chinese law to test on animals. These companies will claim they’re cruelty free, except where required by law. The brands do not usually conduct that testing, so third-party cosmetics testing facilities will take on this horrendous task.  Many brands defend selling in China as a matter of them “needing” to serve their diverse, international customers bases. However, most ethical consumers are boycotting all brands that are willing to sacrifice cruelty-free certification for more revenue.

Unsure: I was unable to find concrete information or found contradictory information regarding this category. I will update as I’m properly informed.

Vegan Friendly: Brands that utilize animal derived products (like beeswax, or carmine) in SOME, but not all, of their products & are VERY transparent about which formulas are fully vegan. A brand cannot be certified as vegan unless every formula from every product contains absolutely no animal-derived products.

*NO NAME/COUNTERFEIT BRANDS CANNOT BE TRUSTED WHATSOEVER IN TERMS OF FORMULA & PRODUCTION CLAIMS — THO THEY WILL MAKE MANY.*

If I didn’t find information straight from the brand’s website or a published interview/statement from an official brand representative, I primarily used the resources listed below. If those resources were unable to provide specific information on a brand, I linked the one-time resource as it’s used.

Ethical Elephant, cruelty free + vegan lifestyle blog

Cruelty Free Kitty, the leading cruelty-free resource

Logical Harmony, a blog by Tanisha Combs

Vegan Beauty Review, allegedly the internet’s first vegan beauty blog

EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, offers factual information on brands.

CosmeticInfo.org, offers factual information on ingredients, formulas & brands.