Being vegan is a lifestyle choice that more people are turning to these days and as a result, more beauty brands are creating plant-based products to fill the demand. In the past, vegan products tended to be rather expensive. However, nowadays there are plenty of conscious vegan brands that offer high-quality, affordable products. Let’s explore five vegan skin care products we are excited about.
Amazon is a fantastic place to find vegan and cruelty-free beauty products. In this article, we’ll introduce you to several vegan skin care and beauty products available on Amazon that aren’t only affordable but will give you amazing results!
But first, let’s talk about the term “vegan” and what it means when it comes to your beauty routine.
What Exactly Is Vegan Skin Care?
What are vegan cosmetics or vegan skin care products, anyway? A cosmetic or skin care product that is vegan means that the product is not produced from an animal or animal by-product.
Are vegan skin care products cruelty free? Vegan is not the same thing as cruelty-free. Cruelty-free refers to cosmetics and other beauty products that are not tested on animals. However, they can contain animal ingredients or by-products.
Some vegan cosmetics and skin care products are tested on animals, even though they don’t contain animal ingredients. And some cruelty-free products contain ingredients from an animal or animal by-product. This certainly poses a bit of an ethical gap. But that’s a discussion for another time.
Vegan and cruelty-free brands and products are becoming increasingly popular. So whether you’re already buying vegan or just learning about this craze, we hope you find the products below worth checking out.
Human+Kind Body Souffle
Our first pick is from Human+Kind, whose tagline is “skincare with a conscience.” This quick-absorbing body souffle is a decadent treat for the skin.
Made with the active ingredient, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot Kernel Oil), which is high in vitamins E and K, is packed with antioxidants, and essential fatty acids that help maintain skin’s hydration without leaving behind an oily feeling. Apricot oil is highly moisturizing and has anti-inflammatory properties that can relieve skin issues like acne, rosacea, and eczema. It’s suited to use in all skin types, including sensitive skin.
Simply apply generously to clean skin, ideally after a bath or shower, and rub in until souffle has absorbed. Sit back and enjoy the gentle aroma of cucumber melon as your skin drinks in the hydration.
Human+Kind products are developed in partnership with healthcare professionals, using natural ingredients to deliver the best solutions for your skin. They aim to make the world a better place by creating environmentally and socially responsible products that make a difference. All of Human+Kind’s products are vegan and cruelty-free.
It’s easy to understand why this body souffle has almost 2,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, many from sensitive skin users who swear this is the only lotion out there that doesn’t irritate their skin. This vegan body lotion is a must-try if you’re looking for a luxuriously hydrating product with a conscience.
BioClarity 3-Step Routine for Oily or Acne-Prone Skin
Our next vegan pick is for you if you struggle with oily, acne-prone skin. BioClarity created this 3-step regimen to help soothe skin and fight acne without harsh chemicals.
BioClarity’s tagline is, “Plant Passionate, Consciously Clean.” This stems from their belief that it’s not enough to just ditch toxic chemicals. They wanted to find kind yet powerful plant-based ingredients that would deliver results and have you feeling confident in your skin.
Their unique plant complex, which they call Floralux®, is made from chlorophyll, copper, and powerful antioxidants. It’s been scientifically shown to heal wounds and deliver impressive skin benefits.
The first step is the gentle foaming cleanser, made with cucumber, green tea, and chamomile. Cucumbers are known as a superfood for the skin. They’re loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, which help fight damage caused by free radicals and help brighten and clarify skin. They also contain caffeic acid and folic acid. Both of these help improve collagen production and slow premature signs of aging. Lastly, cucumber acts as a mild astringent, minimizing pores and helping to regulate oil production.
Green tea is packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, which makes it an effective treatment for oily or acne-prone skin. Research has shown that the polyphenols in green tea help reduce sebum secretion, which contributes to acne.
Chamomile possesses potent properties such as antioxidants, anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory. It’s used to soothe skin, alleviate redness, relieve inflammation, and decrease signs of aging. The Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians historically used chamomile tea to treat wounds and promote healing.
The second step of the regimen is to treat skin by exfoliating away dirt, oil, and bacteria using 2% salicylic acid to reduce breakouts and oat kernel extract to deeply hydrate skin.
The final step is to restore skin with the signature green gel that contains chlorophyll, feeding and defending skin cells. This restorative gel contains Floralux, Gotu Kola, Witch Hazel, and Licorice Root.
Gotu kola is known for its ability to reduce inflammation and boost collagen. Witch hazel helps to minimize pores, decrease inflammation, and cleanse the skin of excess oil, which can help reduce acne breakouts. Licorice root is a rich source of antioxidants that helps brighten skin tone, scavenge free radicals, and soothes sensitive skin.
It’s recommended to use this regimen twice daily, beginning with the cleanser.
- Cleanse – Simply massage into wet skin, rinse with warm water, and gently pat dry.
- Treat– Dab the exfoliating gel thinly over problem areas with your fingers and let it absorb. Allow the gel to dry before applying additional product.
- Restore – Apply 1-2 pumps over the entire face and allow it to completely absorb.
We love that this brand offers an effective plant-based option for acne sufferers. BioClarity keeps its products free from parabens, sulfates, harmful preservatives, synthetic colors, and fragrances. They’re also Leaping Bunny certified, which means their products are cruelty-free. That’s why we feel this vegan acne regimen a must-have for those who suffer from oily or acne-prone skin issues.
Acure Ultra Hydrating Green Juice Cleanser
This 100% vegan cleanser is packed with a combination of amazing ingredients, leaving your skin super clean, hydrated, radiant, and healthy.
Acure creates the perfect combination of nutrients that have your skin performing at its absolute best while allowing the planet to flourish. They’ve created a range of products that are paraben-free, sulfate-free, mineral oil, petrolatum, and formaldehyde-free, as well as cruelty-free.
This green juice cleanser is formulated with adaptogens and supergreens to regulate and nourish your skin from the inside out. Adaptogens are herbal compounds that can help regulate processes in the body, increase the skin’s ability to adapt to internal stressors and neutralize free radicals, ultimately defending against early signs of aging.
The adaptogens used in this cleanser include ashwagandha, holy basil, reishi, and turmeric.
Ashwagandha is a member of the nightshade family and has both antimicrobial and antibacterial properties which help protect the skin from infections and acne. Ashwagandha also helps boost collagen, decreases inflammation, and helps improve skin tone.
Holy basil possesses a high nutritional value, as it contains vitamins A and C, zinc, iron, and chlorophyll. Holy basil is a powerful antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and analgesic (pain reliever). Research shows that it can help treat infections and wounds, such as acne, scars, and mouth ulcers.
Reishi is a type of mushroom that contains powerful beta-glucans, a chain of antioxidant molecules that attract water from the environment to your skin and help calm dry, itchy skin. It’s deeply hydrating, with the ability to penetrate multiple layers of skin. It’s also an effective anti-inflammatory, reducing swelling and calming irritated red skin.
Turmeric also contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties. People have used turmeric for its medicinal properties for centuries. It’s known to help treat skin issues such as wounds, acne, eczema, boils, ulcers, bruises, and blisters.
We love all the good stuff this 100% vegan brand packs into its vegan facial cleanser. It’s a deeply nourishing treat for your skin. And the Amazon reviews agree, with over 300 five-star reviews singing its praises for treating dry, sensitive skin that’s prone to breakouts. This is why we are super excited about this product and we think you should be too!
Sun Bum Original SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion with Vitamin E
If you’re a sun lover (or even if you’re not) you need this product. Approximately one in five people will develop skin cancer in their lifetime due to sun exposure. However, we can reduce this risk by 80% just by using a good sunscreen.
Many people think that you only need sunscreen if you’re going to spend a day at the beach or pool. On the contrary, to help prevent the signs of premature aging and protect against the sun’s harmful rays (UVA & UVB rays), you should wear sunscreen every day. Specifically, broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both types of rays.
Sun Bum has been protecting folks from the sun’s harmful rays since 2010. Their mission is to create potent, healthy sunscreen products that they’d want to put on themselves and their families. Their formulas aren’t only vegan and cruelty-free, they’re hypoallergenic, dermatologist approved, gluten-free, paraben- and sulfate-free. They’re also free of oxybenzone and octinoxate, making the formula reef-friendly.
We love that this SPF 50 original formula is loaded with vitamin E, delivering hydrating moisture as it complements the SPF by helping to reduce sun damage. It’s also non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog pores and works well on all skin types. This Sun Bum sunscreen has a very light, tropical scent reminiscent of summer.
To use, simply apply to all areas of exposed skin 15 minutes before sun exposure, avoiding the eyes. Reapply every 80 minutes when swimming or sweating. And for maximum protection, apply every 2 hours.
Sun Bum’s blend of healthier for you and the planet ingredients and effective sun protection make it a great pick for vegan sunscreens to get excited about in 2021. And with over 4,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, it’s easy to see that we’re not alone!
Bliss Lemon & Sage Soapy Suds Body Wash
Bliss prides themselves on being a clean company, with about 90% of their products being vegan and 100% cruelty-free and PETA-certified, and a goal of making 100% of their products vegan in 2021. Bliss adheres to strict European Union standards, which has the highest standards in the world for skincare safety. You won’t find any of the 1300 harmful ingredients often found in other skincare products in any of their products.
The key ingredients in this vegan body wash include aloe leaf juice, glycerin, and guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride. Aloe and glycerin hydrate, soothe, and soften skin as it cleans and conditions.
Aloe leaf juice is a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants, like vitamins B, C, and E that can help hydrate and protect skin. It may also reduce acne breakouts, help treat conditions like psoriasis and dermatitis, and most of us are familiar with its ability to nourish and soothe skin that’s been burned and/or damaged from exposure to the sun.
Glycerin acts as a humectant, allowing skin to retain moisture. It also has emollient properties, meaning it can help soften skin. Glycerin increases skin’s hydration and reduces dryness by minimizing water loss.
Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride acts a conditioning agent for the skin. Typically, it’s used in hair care products to prevent static, reducing frizz and flyaways while retaining volume. It’s a lightweight, plant-based ingredient.
We love the clean, spa-like lemon and sage scent! It’s refreshing and shouldn’t interfere with other scented body lotions or fragrances that you may use.
To use, simply apply to wet skin, lather and rinse.
Bliss Lemon & Sage Soapy Suds is an amazing, affordable vegan body wash. We love their commitment to creating clean, cruelty-free high quality beauty products. And so do their customers- they’ve earned 3,000 five-star ratings on Amazon! So you can’t go wrong with giving this body wash a try!
We hope you’ve found some value in this article on vegan skin care products. Whether you decide to give these products a try or not, buying vegan is a conscious decision to support brands that believe in animal welfare and keeping animal ingredients and by-products out of your beauty routine. We applaud you for learning more about the use of ethical products and encourage your support of these brands in 2021 and beyond!
Last update on 2023-04-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API