This past year has certainly changed how I view using makeup in my daily life. Before, it was much more of a necessity when socializing or going to work or school. This was potentially due to trying to look a certain way for those around me. However, after spending so much time bare-faced at home, makeup is no longer essential in my daily life. Now, it’s something that I do on occasion to boost my mood and make me feel more put together.  

If you feel the same, let me start by saying that wearing makeup is by no means essential, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to wear it if you don’t want to.  There is no right or wrong way to use makeup in your daily life, but make sure you’re doing it for yourself and no one else, and above all, that you feel beautiful with or without it! 

Without further ado, here is our list of top five makeup brands with affordable and functional products but who also value providing clean beauty without harming animals or the environment.  

#1. Mineral Fushion  

Price range: $15 – $40 

Where to find: well.ca, mineralfushion.com 

About the brand: As the name suggests, Mineral Fushion is a mineral-based cosmetics brand founded in 2008 with the goal of “leaving skin and hair in better condition than we found it.” Their products are free of gluten, parabens, talc, synthetic fragrance and other harsh ingredients you do NOT want in your makeup. In addition to this promise, the brand also has a lengthy list of Environmental Working Group (EWG) Verified products that are only awarded to those that meet a stringent list of health and safety requirements. I love the brand’s innovative lip products like lipstick butter or lip tints and their inclusive foundation shade range.  

My favourite products: Sheer Moisture Lip Tint, 3-In-1 Colour Stick, Lip Gloss 

#2. Physician’s Formula 

Price range: $10 – $25 

Where to find: shoppersdrugmart.ca, physiciansformula.com 

About the brand: Physician’s Formula is a research-backed makeup brand that was the first to introduce me to “clean makeup” as a young teen. They are certainly pioneers in the space and pride themselves on providing high-performing products even for the most sensitive skin. They have a long list of 500+ ingredients that they don’t allow in their formulas. They are most well-known for their “Murumuru Butter” Collection, specifically their butter bronzer that has a 4.8 rating and over 12,000 reviews on their site. This brand is probably the most accessible on the list, as you can find an extensive range of products at most drug stores across Canada for a great price.  

My favourite products: Murumuru Butter Bronzer, Murumuru Butter Bush, Talc-Free Mineral Face Powder SPF 16 

#3. Burt’s Bees 

Price range: $10 – $20 

Where to find: shoppersdrugmart.ca, burtsbees.ca 

About the brand: You may be thinking, do Burt’s Bees do makeup? Yup! Although it was founded in the ’80s, the company introduced a full line of makeup products in 2017. As one of the OG’s in the clean space, they pride themselves on products being 95% of natural origin at a minimum, using no animal testing, and being a carbon-neutral company. A cool fact that I didn’t know is that they actively support saving the bees as one of their main philanthropic efforts. It’s not just a name, folks! While you seriously can’t go wrong with one of their unique lip balm flavours, I also enjoy their various glosses for a lip shine or even as blush.  

My favourite products: Mattifying Powder Foundation, Lip Balm, Nourishing Mascara 

#4. W3ll People  

Price range: $15 – $30 

Where to find: well.ca, w3llpeople.com 

About the brand: W3ll People is another great cosmetic brand trying to make clean beauty more accessible to the masses. They feel that everyone should have the option to better their skin and the planet. With an extensive list of EWG-certified products, they pride their ingredient list as being “Pure as a saint. Sexy as Sin.” which I LOVE. Their main star is Aloe Vera, which they feature in most of their products to help soothe and nourish your skin throughout the day. If you’re like me, you pay attention to the best of beauty lists, and W3ll’s Expressionist Mascaras, as well as their Bio Tint Multi-Action Moisturizer, have been featured on Allure’s Best of Beauty 2020 list.  

My favourite products: Expressionist Pro Mascara, Superpowder Bronzing Powder, Superpowder Brightening Powder 

#5. Pacifica 

Price range: $10 – $25 

Where to find: shoppersdrugmart.ca, pacificabeauty.com 

About the brand: Pacifica is another easily accessible drugstore clean beauty brand founded 25 years ago to provide effectiveness while aligning with people’s values. At the top of their mission lies being completely vegan, cruelty-free, and mindful about waste and packing with 100% of their products. On top of beauty, they offer it all – nails, hair care, body, and fragrance. With over 500k followers on Instagram, they’re certainly catching eyes and doing something right. I love their innovative mascaras to help your lashes grow with ingredients like collagen, coconut oil, kelp, and vitamin B.  

My favourite products: Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream, Dream Big Lash Extending 7 in 1 Mascara, Cherry Powder Neutralizing Mattifier 

I hope you enjoyed this list, and if I missed any of your affordable beauty favourites, please let me know in the comments below!