Cruelty Free Alternatives to NARS
Hello, beautiful people! Back in 2017, my friend Tashina from Logical Harmony broke the upsetting news that NARS was no longer cruelty free after they started selling in mainland China. Many of you reached out to ask me for alternatives, and this post was born. Sadly, nothing has changed: as of 2026, NARS is still not cruelty free, and their parent company Shiseido is not cruelty free either. The good news is that the cruelty free world has exploded with amazing options since I first wrote this, so I’ve completely refreshed my recommendations with what I actually use and love today, tested on my very fair neutral cool olive, dry, sensitive skin.
Update: August 2026 – Fully refreshed with my current favorite cruelty free alternatives for every NARS category.
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The Quick Answer
NARS is not cruelty free because it sells in mainland China, where animal testing can still be required for imported cosmetics, and its parent company Shiseido is not cruelty free. Thankfully, every NARS category has excellent cruelty free alternatives in 2026. My top swaps: Lisa Eldridge The Foundation for NARS foundations, Huda Beauty Easy Bake powder for the Light Reflecting Setting Powder, Haus Labs Triclone concealer for Radiant Creamy Concealer, and Em Cosmetics Heaven’s Glow blushes for the iconic NARS blushes.
Cruelty Free Alternatives to NARS
If you love NARS Foundations
Try the Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin The Foundation, the Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Enhancing Tint, or the LYS Beauty Triple Fix Blurring and Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation Stick.
Lisa Eldridge The Foundation in Shade 2.5 is the best foundation match I’ve found in over 30 years of wearing makeup, and the shade range is a masterclass in undertone inclusivity, with true olive shades even at the fairest depths. Read my full Lisa Eldridge The Foundation Shade 2.5 review with swatches and wear tests. The Enhancing Tint in T1.5 Olive is my exact skin tone match for lighter coverage days. And the LYS Triple Fix stick in LN1 is my favorite stick foundation, a blurring, hydrating formula that blends beautifully with fingertips and is a steal for the price.
If you love NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder
Try the Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking & Setting Powder.
Sugar Cookie is my new shade for setting my under eyes and t-zone. I’ve also used Poundcake. It sets without looking powdery, doesn’t emphasize my fine lines, and survived a 12 hour wear test through an Amsterdam heat wave in my Lisa Eldridge review.
If you love NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
Try the Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Concealer or the Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener.
Haus Labs 01 Fair Neutral is my current favorite concealer, with skincare-adjacent ingredients and a natural finish that doesn’t crease on my dry skin. The Rare Beauty Positive Light Under Eye Brightener in Light is exactly what it says: it brightens rather than fully conceals, which is often all my under eyes actually need.
If you love NARS Blushes
Try Em Cosmetics Heaven’s Glow Blushes, Huda Beauty Blush Filter Liquid Blushes, Aromaleigh Loose Mineral Blushes, or Silk Naturals Cream Blush Sticks.
Yes, that includes an Orgasm replacement. Em Cosmetics Heaven’s Glow blushes have the most beautiful luminous finish I’ve found: Seraph is my bright pink with lilac iridescence, and Baroque is my soft neutral beige with pearlescent champagne iridescence. The Huda liquid blushes in Ube Cream and Cotton Candy blend seamlessly and last all day. Aromaleigh’s loose mineral blushes come in gorgeous unique shades, and Silk Naturals cream blush sticks are wonderful for dry skin. Use code CORDELIA to save at both Aromaleigh and Silk Naturals.
If you love NARS Eye Paints
Try VE Cosmetics or P Louise.
VE Cosmetics makes great eye paints in bold colors, and P Louise is famous for their eye bases and paints. Both are cruelty free indie brands from the UK.
If you love NARS Audacious Lipsticks
Try Peripera Ink Velvets, Black Moon Cosmetics Liquid Lipsticks, Lisa Eldridge Velvet Lipsticks and Liquid Lipsticks, Haus Labs Le Monster Lip Crayons, Buxom Power Line Lip Pencils, or Kaleidos Lip Clays.
The Peripera Ink Velvets are an incredible budget find with a gorgeous velvet finish, my #18 Star Plum Pink is on heavy rotation. Black Moon makes my favorite liquid lipsticks, including Sleepwalker, which I wore to my wedding. Lisa Eldridge’s Velvet lipsticks are legendary for a reason, especially her reds. Haus Labs Le Monster Lip Crayon is my favorite non-liquid lipstick formula because it stays put and never migrates onto my teeth. Buxom Power Line pencils wear like iron, and Kaleidos lip clays give you a soft blurred lip in unique shades.
If you love NARS Glosses
Try Kaleidos Lipgloss Sticks, Silk Naturals Lipgloss Sticks, or the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Stix.
Gloss sticks are the superior gloss format, in my opinion: shine without the sticky mess. Silk Naturals shades like Hex and Potion give moisture and shine without migrating (code CORDELIA saves you money there), and Fenty Blaz’d Donut is my perfect glossy pink beige MLBB for very fair skin.
If you love NARS Eyeshadows
Try Bellabeautebar, Devinah, Black Moon Cosmetics, Silk Naturals, Aromaleigh, Clionadh, Kaleidos, or Nabla.
Honestly, indie eyeshadow brands have left NARS in the dust. Bellabeautebar is my #1 eyeshadow brand right now, with buildable mattes and breathtaking multichromes. Devinah makes gorgeous cool toned mattes, Clionadh’s multichromes are legendary, Kaleidos has the most unique finishes in the game, and Nabla’s mattes are beautifully smooth. Use code CORDELIA to save at Bellabeautebar, Devinah, Silk Naturals, and Aromaleigh. For specific palette recommendations, see my best cool toned eyeshadow palettes and guide to building a collection with singles.
If you love NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Primer
Try the Sigma Beauty Bubbly Eyeshadow Stick the Canmake Lasting Multi Eye Base, the Danessa Myricks Universal Beauty Balm, the Kaleidos Eye Primer, or the Karla Cosmetics Fix Potion Primer.
The Sigma primer pencil in Bubbly is my current go-to because a primer in stick form is genius for hooded and deepset eyes. Canmake’s Lasting Multi Eye Base keeps my eye makeup in place all day and is a budget hero. The Karla Fix Potion is an aloe based primer that plays nicely with my sensitive eyes, and their Mist Potion spray helps shadows apply more intensely.
If you love NARS Nail Polish
Try Daily Charme, F.U.N. Lacquer, Vettsy, iGel, or ILNP.
My nail game has gone mostly gel and indie these days. Daily Charme and Vettsy are my go-tos for supplies and colors, F.U.N. Lacquer makes stunning holographic shades, iGel has a huge gel color range, and ILNP remains an indie polish legend from my original list. For inspiration, see my gothic nail ideas.
Cruelty Free Alternatives to NARS FAQ
Is NARS cruelty free in 2026?
No. NARS has not been cruelty free since 2017, when it began selling in mainland China, where animal testing can still be required for imported cosmetics. NARS is not certified by Leaping Bunny or PETA.
Who owns NARS?
NARS is owned by Shiseido, which is also not a cruelty free company. If parent company policies matter to you, that’s a second strike.
Is NARS vegan?
Some individual NARS products have vegan formulas, but the brand is not vegan, and since NARS is not cruelty free, vegan formulas alone don’t make it an ethical choice for cruelty free shoppers.
What is the best cruelty free dupe for NARS Orgasm?
For that famous peachy pink glow, my pick is Em Cosmetics Heaven’s Glow blush in Magic Hour, which delivers a similar lit-from-within luminosity in a cruelty free formula. Aromaleigh also makes loose mineral blushes in peachy pink shimmer shades that scratch the same itch.
Final Thoughts
When I first wrote this post, losing NARS felt like a real sacrifice. In 2026, it honestly doesn’t. Between Lisa Eldridge’s shade inclusivity, Haus Labs’ formulas, and the indie eyeshadow renaissance, every single NARS product has a cruelty free alternative that I’d argue is better, not just ethically but in performance. Your money is your vote, and there have never been more worthy places to cast it.
What did you switch to when NARS lost its cruelty free status? Let me know in the comments!
Hey, I thought you should know that there is a petition on Care2 to try and get NARS to change their minds. I can provide the link if you like, but I hesitated to leave it without your permission.
Thank you for this post!
I’m so disappointed, theirs lipsticks are my favorites…
I live in France and I’ll no longer buy NARS.
And thx for dupes 😉
I am absolutely sickened by NARS. Also, the way they worded their explanation sounded as if they see their decision as some sort of humanitarian mission to bring beauty to the Chinese masses rather than as the cynical and rapacious cash grab at the expense of helpless animals that it really is. Just say NO to NARS. I’m even throwing away the NARS products I already own. The hell with them!
This is so disapointing! Thank you for giving us great CF dupes.
Really liked your alternatives!
It’s so sad that NARS is now testing on animals, just now that I started buying their products 🙁
I rarely buy make up anymore but I just purchased the Charlotte Gainsbough Glow Tint and Lip Tint. I could kick myself, just received the package last week. Thanks for listing good alternatives.
I’m just gutted by this news. How incredibly hypocritical of a proud vegan like Francois Nars to make this move. I’m glad to see that there’s been a strong reaction on social media, but I guess there really is no substitute for money.
Goodbye Laguna … farewell “every single product they make in the shade Orgasm” … I feel a bit like I did when my very first boyfriend and I broke up #onelove #noanimaltesting #crueltyfreeforme
This is very disappointing! Today, before I heard this news, I returned a lip gloss in Dolce Vita, because the neck of the container broke the same day I bought it. Glad I did. Now I will be sending back my free birthday gift and nail polish I ordered. Don’t want anything to do with them!
Noooooo !!! This is NOT good news. It’s the first I hear of it. The Nars blushes and concealers are my favourites. So disappointed in the company ! Why would they do this ….
It’s so terrible 🙁 I think they did it because they think they’ll make more money from the Chinese market than they’ll lose from the cruelty free American / UK market.
I sure hope we can prove them wrong !! So glad beauty influencers like you are helping to educate people on this matter. We need the REALLY big You Tubers to help. Their influence cannot be ignored. I really think it’s just a matter of time. It’s just hard to believe a company would take a giant leap backwards in 2017.
Jkissa has spoken up, hopefully more will speak up.
I hadn’t heard about this yet. It’s so sad yet another company is no longer CF.
It’s so disgusting that they’re doing this.