Vegan Skincare – Exciting Vegan Beauty Brands

Vegan Skincare

Following on from my Vegan Makeup post, let’s chat vegan skincare, exciting launches, brands and of course cult products that are forever lasting in our beauty filled hearts. We’ll look both at companies that are fully vegan and ones that are creating vegan products, some who are making the promise to become fully vegan within a given time. Shall we crack on?*

(*Rubs hands excitedly to get started chatting about skincare…)

*This post contains affiliate links which help cover the running costs of the website at no cost to yourself. If you’d like to learn more about this please see my ‘Disclaimer’ page. Posts are not affiliate driven.

What makes a beauty product Vegan?

If you’re new to vegan beauty then you may be wondering what it is that qualifies a product to be vegan friendly, if so, this following paragraph is for you. If you’re a vegan beauty aficionado just on the hunt for any new beauty must haves, or to find out what other vegan beauty items people love, then scroll on down!

In order for a beauty item to be considered vegan it needs to come from a cruelty-free company (does not test on animals) and must not contain any animal ingredients and/or animal-derived ingredients.

Therefore it must be free of these ingredients:

• Honey
• Beeswax
• Lanolin
• Carmine
• Gelatin
• Albumen
• Cholesterol
• Collagen
• Guanine
• Keratin

This is not an exhaustive list.

The Body Shop

Of course, The Body Shop would get a mention in the vegan skincare post as well as my exciting vegan makeup one. A leader in cruelty-free high street goodies for many, many years, they have some cracking products.

Did you know that around half of beauty products from The Body Shop are 100% vegan? Here’s a selection of my current favs!

Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, If you’re looking for a cleansing balm that gets rid of sunscreen and makeup without stripping the skin, then look no further than this gentle, soothing number.

Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter £11.00

Banana Truly Nourishing Hair Mask, hydrating, smoothing and works quickly, what more could you ask for in a hair mask?

Banana Truly Nourishing Hair Mask £12.00

British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask, A face mask that is thin in texture so you can layer and layer. It is instantly hydrating and refreshing for the skin.

British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask £18.00

Skin Defence Multi-Protection Face Mist SPF30 PA++, Now if I had made a pound for every time I recommended the original cream essence version of this to people I would be quite rich. It was blooming fantastic. Sadly, it seems this version has been discontinued. However, the mist is very much available and comes highly recommended from this gal.

Skin Defence Multi-Protection Face Mist SPF30 PA++ £18.00

 

The Hair Boss

Hello newness! The Hair Boss has launched exclusively to Superdrug, who are of course, leading in the vegan skincare and makeup highstreet field at present. The range, created by leading hairdresser Lisa Shepard, is a 4 step system (although you can choose to use one or two products as you wish) and is vegan, cruelty-free and a British brand.

My stand out product is:

The Hair Boss Semi-Permanent Shine Spray described as “a heat-activated define and shine spray for dull and unruly hair” this spray not only adds shine but it helps tame frizz and protect against humitdity. It reminds me of the ColourWow Dream Coat Anti Humitidy Spray which is a whopping £25.00, so this is a fraction of the price!

The Hair Boss Semi Permanent Shine Spray £8.65

Soaper Duper

100% Vegan-friendly Soaper Duper set out to support all your cleansing needs with products free of:

• NO parabens
• NO sulfates
• NO phthalates
• NO mineral oil
• NO colourants
• NO benzophenone
• NO cocamide DEA
• NO polyethylene
• NO formaldehyde
• NO triclosan
• NO methylisothiazolinone (MIT)
• NO cyclomethicone (D5)
• NO animal derivatives
• NO plastic microbeads

They also support WaterAid to bring soap and water to communities who need it. Let’s take a look at some of their vegan skincare products!

Zesty Sicilian Lemon Body Wash, for an uplifting morning shower try this gorgeous body wash!

Zesty Sicilian Lemon Body Wash £7.50

Creamy Deluxe Shea Butter Body Wash, a moisturising wash for dryer skin that also smells rather delicious.

Creamy Deluxe Shea Butter Body Wash £8.50

Pure Happiness Deluxe Body Butter, a delightfully fruity body butter with nourishing macadamia and baobab oils.

Pure Happiness Deluxe Body Butter £10.99

B Superdrug

Well, as I mentioned before, Superdrug is the highstreet hero in terms of vegan skincare and makeup so it should come as no surprise that their own brand B. is vegan friendly. Let’s dig into some of their skincare highlights!

B. Revealed Glycolic Cleanser, perfect for giving your skin a bit of oomph and glow, this is a natural chemical exfoliating cleanser which gently removes dead skin as you wash your face leaving glowing skin behind. It can also be left on for a little longer as a mask so is a multi-use product. Comes with a muslin cloth.

B. Revealed Glycolic Cleanser £8.99, currently reduced to £4.48

B. Protected Anti-Pollution Shielding Primer, A lovely vegan skincare item to prime your skin before makeup while also protecting against pollution and sun damage with SPF30. It is light and non-greasy.

B. Protected Anti-Pollution Shielding Primer £12.99, currently reduced £6.98

Skyn Iceland

Skyn Iceland’s products are nature driven, mineral and antioxidant rich. They are also a 100% vegan skincare brand!

skyn ICELAND Arctic Elixir Serum, is a peptide-rich serum that helps to reduce signs of ageing and increase radiance.

 

skyn ICELAND Arctic Elixir Serum £42.00

skyn ICELAND Arctic Hydration Rubberizing Face Mask, Pack of 3 hydrating face masks that promise to rejuvenate tired skin in no time.

skyn ICELAND Arctic Hydration Rubberizing Face Mask £30

Aesop

A 100% vegan skincare and bodycare brand, Aesop have some wonderful products!

Aesop Lightweight Facial Hydrating Serum, a very lightweight hydrating serum formulated with aloe which is suitable for oily skin types as it drys to a matte finish.

Aesop Lightweight Facial Hydrating Serum £42.00

Aesop Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser, a gentle, non-irritating cream cleanser that is non-greasy and most suitable for dry-very dry and sensitive skin types.

Aesop Purifying Facial Cream Cleanser £25.00

REN

By no means a new brand, REN is a stand out leader in terms of sustainability. They also have quite a selection of vegan-friendly skincare products!

REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic, Oh it’s a goodie! This tonic is a skin resurfacing toner with lactic acid, one of the more gentle and hydrating AHA’s. It comes 100% recommended by this chemical (AHA/BHA) exfoliator lover!

REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic £25.00

REN Clean Screen Mineral SPF30 Mattifying Broad Spectrum Face Sunscreen, lovers of physical (mineral) suncare may just enjoy this little number from REN.

REN Clean Screen Mineral SPF30 Mattifying Broad Spectrum Face Sunscreen £30.00

You can read my review of the REN Clean Screen Mineral SPF30 here for more information!

Lumene

Lumene, a Nordic brand, is a fully vegan skincare range with some of their makeup products also being vegan-friendly. All vegan products can be identified by their vegan symbol and Lumene aim to be fully vegan-friendly. The brand focuses on Nordic botanicals, minerals from spring waters and a thoughtful company with sustainability at heart.

Lumene Nordic Hydra [Lähde] Hydration Recovery Aerating Gel Mask, uber hydrating with glycerin and nordic birch sap, this gel mask is a soothing self care savour.

Lumene Nordic Hydra [Lähde] Hydration Recovery Aerating Gel Mask £19.95

Lumene Nordic C [Valo] Glow Reveal Moisturizer, with a combination of vitamin C, Wild Arctic Cloudberry for antioxidant power and nordic spring water to hydrate, this is a radiance renewal cream for all.

Lumene Nordic C [Valo] Glow Reveal Moisturizer £22.50

Perricone MD

Perricone MD is a Doctor led brand and their products are rather delightful.

Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Brightening Serum, if you are looking to protect your skin from free radicals, harmful pollution then look no further than a vitamin C serum. On top of helping to protect skin from environmental stressors, vitamin C also aids in radiance boosting and in fighting unwanted pigmentation.

Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Brightening Serum £59.00

Perricone MD No Makeup Bronzer, if you’re a fan of a sun-kissed glow without the harmful rays, and a bronzed skin without the look of makeup then this liquid bronzer is right up your street. Skin looks like skin, just more radiant.

Perricone MD No Makeup Bronzer Broad Spectrum SPF 15 £29.00

The Ordinary

I’d be surprised if The Ordinary hasn’t crossed your radar but being such value for money and with a great range of vegan skincare on offer, it would be remiss of me to not give them a mention.

Squalane Cleanser, a gentle, hydrating and effective cleanser that’s an all round great skincare buy.

Squalane Cleanser £5.50

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, a favourite serum of mine and for good reason. Niacinamide is a bit of a wonder ingredient. It helps clear congested pores and therefore can aid in the appearance of pore size.

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% £5.00

Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, if you find that your skin is feeling a little dehydrated after the winter than a hyaluronic acid serum may just be for you. This serum from The Ordinary ticks all the boxes! (You can read my review here!)

Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 £5.50

Saturday Skin

A Korean skincare brand that focuses its ingredients around “the Cha-7 es complex™” a peptide formula. Their packaging is cute and ever so on trend with its millennial pink.

Waterfall, a lightweight gel moisturiser is instantly hydrating, refreshing and soothing.

Waterfall £31.00

Oskia

If you’re willing to splash some cash for some cracking vegan skincare then look no further than some of the offerings from Oskia. Fully vegetarian and nearly all vegan, Oskia pride itself on being a results driven brand.

Neals Yard

Perhaps Neals Yard needs no introduction, it does however, deserve a mention when discussing vegan skincare. A fully vegan-friendly brand offering natural and organic beauty which smells utterly divine.

Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Toning Body Cream, for a rich, luxurious body cream that smells lovely look no further.

Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Toning Body Cream £30.00

Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Hand Cream, perfect for nourishing dry hands this cream is a treat for the senses with a blend of Wild Rosehip, Geranium and Patchouli Oils.

Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Hand Cream £10.00

Beauty Laundrette

One of the coolest new brands to hit the shelves is Beauty Laundrette, launched exclusively to Superdrug, this brand is cool, thoughtful, playful and 100% vegan and cruelty-free.

Beauty Laundrette Cotton Smooth Body Wash, don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s pink packaging equals sickly sweet scents, this body wash with a mix of hibiscus and cherry blossom is anything but. It’s grown-up and glam. My favourite of the bunch.

Beauty Laundrette Cotton Smooth Body Wash £6.00

Beauty Laundrette Heated Eye Mask Trio, a set of 3 eye masks that instantly begin to heat when exposed to the air. They are perfect for reviving tired eyes, wonderful if you suffer tension headaches and just an all-round treat when a pamper is in need; which let’s face it is always.

Beauty Laundrette Heated Eye Mask Trio £6.50

Superdrug have a full list of Beauty Laundrette’s goodies, from face masks to body lotions, which you can check out here!

Beauty Pie

Beauty Pie is a membership only beauty service. By signing up to a membership, ranging from £5-20 a month (to an annual membership) you gain access to beauty items at factory cost, so a lot less than in store!

It has many vegan-friendly products and states that these are easy to find as “You can see if a product contains animal derivatives by looking at the ‘Formulated Without’ list which can be found just below the product information on the Ingredients tab.” You can also email them directly to ask for a full list of vegan-friendly items (I have done and will include this in my upcoming brand review when I hear back).

Japanfusion™ Pure Transforming Cleanser, by far my favourite cleanser of the moment, this is a balm cleanser which massages into the skin beautifully and emulsifies to a milk consistency with water before washing away.

Japanfusion™ Pure Transforming Cleanser £7.55 (for members)

Uber Youth Super Serum, an anti-ageing serum with a blend of peptides and antioxidants to boost the skin. This serum is hydrating and gives results fast.

Uber Youth Super Serum £11.68

I’m currently doing a 3 month test of lots of Beauty Pie products and their membership in general, so watch this space for a review!

Milk Makeup

Milk Makeup is the cool, effortless brand that took off on its home turf of America and thankfully hopped to ours shored via Cult Beauty in 2019. I included some of my favourite makeup items in my vegan makeup post, however, being 100% cruelty-free and vegan friendly they have lots to offer in terms of skincare as well.

Milk Makeup Matcha Cleanser, now what Milk do so well is packaging for ‘on the go’ and this is never more apparent with this cleanser. An easy to use, solid stick cleanser, no chance of leakage, oh and it’s detoxifying and good for the skin too. Brilliant.

Milk Makeup Matcha Cleanser £12.00

Milk Makeup Kush Lip Glaze, a non-sticky lip oil that gives a glass-like glossy shine to the lips all while hydrating and soothing.

Milk Makeup Kush Lip Glaze £15.00

M&S Pure

Launching at the latter end of 2019, Pure by M&S is a fully vegan skincare range with “natural, ethical beauty you can trust”. They are certainly giving the more high-end beauty rivals a run for their money with a great starter vegan skincare range. Bravo marksies.

Super Hydrate Day Cream SPF 15, a lightweight yet hydrating cream in a non-greasy formula. With vitamin E and Oat kernel oil to soothe and hydrate.

Super Hydrate Day Cream SPF 15 £16.00

Ultimate Cleanse Glycolic Toner, quickly remove any dullness from your skin with this glycolic toner. As it gently exfoliates skin appears more radiant with added glow to boot.

Ultimate Cleanse Glycolic Toner £10.00

Hylamide

Hylamide, one of the Deciem companies, offers effective vegan skincare at reasonable prices.

Hylamide Low-Molecular HA, a hyaluronic acid serum that contains 5 forms of hyaluronic acid at different molecular weights. It’s a very effective hydrating serum.

You can read more about it here in my hydrating serums post!

 

Hylamide Low-Molecular HA £15.00

SubQ Eyes, is a lightweight serum for the eye area that promises to rehydrate the eye area while helping reduce the appearance of fine lines and puffiness.

SubQ Eyes £17.00

Revolution Beauty

For affordable on the high street look no further than Revolution Beauty. 76% of their products are vegan-friendly.

Revolution Skincare Cooling Cucumber Eye Gel, perfect for those mornings (perhaps after those late evenings) where we wake with puffy eyes and are in need of a quick remedy. This eye gel cools and calms puffy eyes with its blend of cucumber and glycerin.

Revolution Skincare Cooling Cucumber Eye Gel £8.00

Here’s a link to all of Revolution Beauty’s vegan skincare.

Vegan Skincare Roundup

I hope you’ve enjoyed my little delve into some cult and brand spanking new offerings in the vegan skincare market. It’s an exciting time in vegan beauty with thankfully lots more companies offering vegan ranges and with that, products that are really blooming good!

Thanks for taking the time to have a browse, do share any of your favourite skincare bits in the comments below, I’d love to hear about them!

 

Happy pampering!

 

Check out my latest post full on Makeup Brush Washing Tips here!

 

Needing some stress and anxiety coping tips with everthing that’s going on at present? Don’t worry, me too! Check out this post I put together to help.

 

Stay home and stay safe x