8 Cruelty-Free & Vegan Skincare Brands
Once just a small part of the skincare industry, vegan skincare products are taking up more and more space than ever before. As environmental and animal welfare concerns become more apparent, the appetite for cruelty free, vegan skincare brands continues to develop.
The skincare industry is slowly but surely catching onto increasing demand for vegan and cruelty free skincare products, with some smaller brands offering solely vegan collections and other bigger brands offering vegan skincare ranges. Where it can get confusing is that whilst some ranges may be vegan, others are labelled cruelty-free. This means that although their products are not tested on animals, they may contain animal-derived products, like beeswax for example.
To help you know which brands you should be looking out for, we’ve rounded up our favourite vegan and cruelty free skincare brands we think you’ll love.
The Ordinary
Founded in 2016, the DECIEM-owned skincare brand has developed quite a cult following. The Ordinary, a favourite of many beauty bloggers and YouTubers alike, has revolutionised the industry with its ‘ordinary’ approach to skincare; by stripping away fancy packaging and making once unaffordable ingredients affordable to many. And the reason it makes it onto our list? All products, not just a select few, offered by The Ordinary are cruelty-free and vegan-friendly, as certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA – which we love!
Which Ordinary products are the best-sellers? The Ordinary 10% Niacinamide with Zinc remains one of their most popular and for good reason. This all-rounder is appropriate for nearly all skin types and helps reduce the appearance of pores and reduce sebum production. Looking for a moisturiser? Another big seller from The Ordinary is their Natural Moisturising Factors, available in 30ml and 100ml, which can be used on its own or as the last step in your regime to moisturise and repair skin. Lastly, but by no means least, we want to give a mention to the popular “Buffet”, a water-based serum designed to firm the skin and reduce the signs of ageing.
B Range from Superdrug
Looking for an affordable skincare range available on the high street? The B Range, exclusive to Superdrug is our pick. The affordable, vegan skincare range offers a wide range of products, including make up and make up brushes – all of which, of course, are vegan friendly and cruelty free. There are several great products within the range: a couple worth a mention here are their moisturiser with SPF 30, designed specifically to target fine lines and wrinkles, and their face-mist to kick-start your routine, which comes in a 100ml bottle and will help moisturise and calm skin.
Versed
The skincare line Versed, part of the Clinique brands, has made it onto our list as not only are they focused on delivering vegan friendly and cruelty-free products, but they are also working on becoming more sustainable – with 40% of all packaging recyclable, and all emissions 100% offset. Available on their own website and Cult Beauty, amongst others, Versed offers a wide range of products from toners to face masks to body care, all at an affordable price. The Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm is the ideal make up remover and face cleanser, with a little going a long way. The product removes make up easily without the skin being left feeling tight and dry. In search of something to help moisturise and plump skin during the winter months? The Versed’s Hydration Station Booster with HA is super hydrating whilst being very affordable compared to many hyaluronic acid products on the market.
REN
Moving to the higher end of the spectrum in terms of price, REN skincare – with the philosophy ‘Clean to Skin, Clean to Planet’– has developed its own core following. Although not all of REN’s products are vegan-friendly, many are – with their own dedicated category onsite. Just like Versed, REN is also on a mission to become more environmentally friendly; they have made the Zero Waste Pledge, meaning they are aiming to make all packaging recyclable, reusable or contain at least some recycled material by the end of the year. REN also aims to provide ‘clean products’ – a somewhat ambiguous term in the industry – by which REN means they only use natural bio-active ingredients, suitable for nearly all skin types. Of their vegan range, those which stand out include their Bio Retinoid Youth Cream – which includes plant-derived alternatives to retinol, and their Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic designed to exfoliate, smooth and brighten the skin.
Tropic
Next up on our list is Tropic Skincare, a British online brand which according to their website “has been and always will be a vegan and cruelty-free brand, it’s what we’re all about”. Tropic Skincare, also offer a make-up, haircare and a baby skincare line and have a wide-selection of relatively affordable skincare products. Their popular Tropic Sun Drops self-tanner, offers a subtle glow when added to moisturiser, without leaving behind a sticky residue or odour.
Bulldog
Moving onto the very affordable and accessible – readily available on the high street and online – we have Bulldog, a skincare line targeted towards men. While Bulldog products are both vegan-friendly and cruelty-free, it is worth noting they are owned by Edgewell, a parent company that does not claim to be cruelty-free.
Being aimed at a male demographic, their line includes several products for shaving and beard care. If you are looking for a thicker moisturiser to protect the skin during the winter months or an affordable vegan beard oil, then the Bulldog brand is worth checking out.
LIHA
LIHA Beauty has built their skincare line with the ethos of ensuring products to be always vegan, always cruelty-free, and always free from parabens and sodium-lauryl sulphates.
LIHA is a British brand with nearly all products designed and manufactured in the UK, stating, ‘We create beauty products that are, like us, a mixture of natural African roots and a quintessentially British attitude’. Although the range is more limited, and sitting at a slightly higher price point on average, they have some beautiful products, including their Orinrin Cleansing Balm which includes cocoa seed butter and oat lipid – a natural oat oil, and geranium and frankincense oils.
Nursem
Last, but not least, of course, is our very own Nursem. Our range has grown over the years to include hand sanitisers, hand washes, and hand/skincare creams. We are proud to say that all of our products are cruelty-free and approved by Leaping Bunny. Our Caring Skin Fix and Caring Hand Wash are both vegan, however our Caring Hand Cream product does contain Manuka Honey NPA+15.
From the day we began, we knew we wanted to make a difference. That is why we also created the Nursem Promise, where we give a month’s worth of hand cream to a nurse or midwife with every product sold – and to date, we have helped over 300,000 nurses and midwives. So if you’re looking for cruelty-free hand cream and skincare products that make a difference, make sure to check out our full range.
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