Cruelty-Free Makeup Brushes 101: Synthetic vs. Natural Hair

Essential tools for many makeup users, cosmetic brushes come in many brands, types, and two major categories: man-made (synthetic) and natural animal hair brushes.

Which is better and truly cruelty-free?

First of all, what is a cruelty-free makeup brush? Some companies may tell you that their natural-hair brushes are 100 percent cruelty-free, promising that no squirrels, camels, badgers, or any other animals used to make natural-hair brushes were harmed in the manufacturing process.

I’m skeptical with such promise or statement. While I’m not suggesting that these companies are dishonest, but in reality, many of these companies don’t make their brushes in house but buy from manufacturers in other countries and therefore, they do NOT know firsthand how the animals were treated.

In my opinion, even if the animals were well-cared for during the manufacturing process, it’s still not totally cruelty-free simply because the animals are kept and maintained for the purpose of using their hair to make brushes.

I just don’t like the idea of using animals for any purposes except to love and respect them.

This brings us to synthetic brushes, the truly, 100 percent cruelty-free and my favorite type of makeup brushes.

Synthetic brushes have man-made, synthetic fibers. They don’t contain any animal hair and are vegan and in most cases eco-friendly.

Better than natural-hair brushes, synthetic bristles are hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. They’re soft, clean, and overall superior products.

Depending on the brand, the costs of synthetic brushes differ but overall they’re comparable to natural-hair brushes and in many cases, more affordable.

Some of my favorite synthetic brushes are by Urban Decay, Sirius Beauty, and e.l.f.

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