Valentine’s is coming, and you know what that means: red and pink everywhere. Even if you aren’t the type to dress head to toe in cupid’s favorite colors, most of us can enjoy a little pop of red, whether it’s for a date or staying at home. I’ve found 5 lipsticks in romantic reds to help spice up your makeup looks on the world’s only romantic Thursday. While none of these brands and perfect, I have tried my best to only refer to brands that are cruelty-free, vegan, eco-friendly or a combo of the three, so you can rest assured that what you’re using is ethical.
1. KVD Vegan Beauty Studded Kiss Creme Lipstick In Outlaw
Everyone knows that KVD is known for its long-wear lipsticks, and you can’t write a list like this without mentioning it. According to KVD’s website, this lipstick has over 2,000 five star reviews, with almost perfect scores for pigment. It lasts forever, is full coverage, and best of all is currently on sale for $5 a pop. I personally find the classic bullet shape easier to apply than the liquid lipstick applicator, so if you have trouble getting your application right, this is the way to go. And no worries about supporting shady behavior as Kat Von D no longer receives profits from the brand, so you can have your cake and eat it too, without your pigment budging.
2. KimChiChic Beauty High Key Gloss in Cherry
If you love a pop of red but aren’t a matte girl, this one’s for you. KimChi of Drag Race fame has a wonderful collection of high shine and pigmented glosses for you to choose from, all of which are vegan, cruelty-free and have no synthetic fragrances. Cherry is described as a “fiery bright red”, most likely suitable for people with warmer undertones. 2% of the profits are donated to The Trevor Project to help LGBTQ youth, so you can do some good with your gloss this Valentine’s Day.
3. KimChiChic Beauty High Key Gloss in Apple
Okay, yes we’re double-dipping here, but it’s worth it. Same brand, same vegan, cruelty-free and beautifully pigmented goodness. The apple shade is described as a blue base as opposed to the red-toned base of cherry and seems to be closer to a true red. If you like warm colors but have cooler undertones, apple is probably the better shade for you.
4. Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips 2 in Patsy Red
Charlotte Tilbury is at the forefront of luxury vegan and cruelty-free beauty products and they keep on innovating. With this particular line, they’ve created a statement-making red lipstick inspired by Tilbury’s mother, Patsy. This lipstick stands out most for its luxury feel, but also for its refillable case, cutting down on wasted packaging. It is pricier than the majority of lipsticks, but if you’re willing to splurge for your Valentine’s date, you’ll be helping women harmed by war with Women For International.
5. Vapour Beauty High Voltage Lipstick in Legend
Vapor Beauty offers a few reds in satin and matte finishes for you to choose from. Legend is a satin finish in a warm tomato red, so it’s perfect if you find a matte too dull but don’t want a high gloss. These wonderful lipsticks are packaged and shipped with recyclable materials. As of 2020, Vapour’s headquarters, warehouse, manufacturing, and research facilities operate with 100% daylight solar. This is a great option if you want a variety of red shades and are worried about the environmental cost and water consumption of cosmetics.