When the cold weather is giving you the winter skin blues, nothing has the power to perk up your makeup look like blush. Despite its status as one of the first documented makeup products used in history, blush is often overlooked by the modern beauty in favor of bronzer. Blush is known by makeup artists as the secret to looking healthy, but many blushes are hiding an ugly secret that might make you feel sick.

This Might Bug You To give blush its rosy hue, a pigment made from crushed female cochineal insects is sometimes used. This bright red coloring is called Carmine, but might be disguised in the ingredient list with nicknames like Cochineal, Carminic Acid, Natural Red 4, or C.L 75470. In addition to this creepy crawly secret, some cosmetic companies use other animal-derived ingredients and test makeup products on animals, causing them to suffer in unimaginable ways. Thankfully, you can easily add blush to your makeup wardrobe without harming animals. There are dozens of cruelty-free and vegan blushes available, but weve hand-picked 5 favorites just for you!

Touted by beauty bloggers as a universally flattering blush thats gorgeous on any skin tone,Pacificas Blushious blush in Camellia provides a peachy-pink glow. Pacifica is a cruelty-free and vegan company that uses natural ingredients like coconut and rose in their affordable luxury cosmetics. At just $12, this blush is a steal and a total must-have.

Before blush was powdered and packaged, women used red fruits to color their cheeks. Cruelty-Free brand 100% Pure offers fruit pigmented vegan blushes that are suited for sensitive skin and available in a wide array of shades to suit any skin tone. The classic pink shade Cherry offers a satin finish and a flush of color in adorable packaging. At $35, this blush is less expensive than some better known luxury brands that favor cruelty over quality.

If your lifestyle is a little more active, you might prefer the ease of a blush that you can throw in your bag and apply without brushes.Tarte cheek stain comes in 6 vegan-friendly sheer shades that can be applied on the go and blended with fingers for that I just worked out look. Try the shade True Love, a sheer watermelon hue that looks like youre naturally blushing. Since not all shades are vegan, be sure to select one of the 6 shades that bear the Vegan Friendly stamp on the product photo.

While many blushes have a bit of shimmer, some prefer the natural look of a matte formula. Cruelty-free brand Modern Minerals offers a neutral shade called Love, a matte warm pink with mauve undertones that perfectly suits a minimal no makeup look. This vegan blush is ideal for those who arent comfortable with brighter hues, but want to give blush a try. At just $20, its a low risk option that adds just a little pink to your cheeks without taking much green from your wallet.

If you like pretty packaging and an equally lovely product, youll love Too Faced Long Lasting Blush. While the whole brand is Cruelty-free, only the shades How Deep is Your Love and Your Love is King are vegan so far. The first is described as a watermelon pink and the second is a plum toned rose; both of which would flatter both light and dark skin tones.

You dont need makeup to be pretty, but when you choose to use a cruelty-free and vegan blush, youre making life just a little more beautiful for the animals. To find out which cosmetic brands are cruelty-free, try our helpful database!

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Save Animals Beautifully With Vegan and Cruelty-Free Blushes - PETA (blog) (press release)