The best vegan skincare brands of 2019

As we amp up our animal-friendly beauty collection, it’s time to turn our focus to skincare. With formulations completely free of all animal byproducts, these are the best vegan skincare brands to have on your radar.

WHAT IS VEGAN SKINCARE?

Exactly the same as we’ve listed in our vegan makeup roundup, vegan skincare does not include any ingredient that is derived from an animal or any animal ingredient.

Typical ingredients that aren’t vegan-friendly to look out for, but by no means exhaustive, are:

Honey
Beeswax
Lanolin
Collagen
Albumen
Carmine
Cholesterol
Gelatin

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “VEGAN” AND “CRUELTY-FREE” MAKEUP?

Vegan skincare does not include any ingredients that are derived from animals, whereas cruelty-free skincare is not tested on animals. These are not exclusive of one another. For example, a cruelty-free product may include animal-derived products such as honey, whereas a vegan product may have been tested on animals.

For more information, read our blog post answering what is cruelty-free?

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M BUYING VEGAN MAKEUP?

Most vegan skincare brands will be certified by the following animal welfare brands, so keep an eye out for their symbols on the packaging:

We’ll make sure to keep this list updated, as and when changes happen.

Best Vegan Skincare Brands

Alchimie Forever

View this post on Instagram

Is your skin feeling the cooler temperatures? Dryer air? Holiday travel? Family stress? Mercury in Retrograde? Nothing these two Winter skin saviors can’t handle!

A post shared by Alchimie Forever Skin Care (@alchimieforever) on Nov 28, 2018 at 10:30am PST

Swiss skincare brand Alchimie Forever control the entire production chain, from creation and ingredient sourcing right through to production, so can confidently state that every single product contain no animal byproducts.

Certified by: NA

Best vegan skincare products:

Bakel

View this post on Instagram

Someone said weekend? 😍 #bakelskincare #bakeleffect

A post shared by BAKEL (@bakelskincare) on Jun 29, 2018 at 5:47am PDT

Italy isn’t just good for pizza and pasta, we’re obsessed with their vegan skincare offering too. Yes, we know it’s not makeup, but gal’s gonna want clear skin to apply her makeup to, and a clear conscience.

Certified by: PETA

Best vegan skincare products:

Balance Me

View this post on Instagram

Review: Flash Cleanse Micellar Water 'Beautiful clean and refreshed skin! I used a sample of this and fell in love with it so ordered the full size. It really cleanses the skin well, making it feel fresh & clean. Only need a minimal amount too unlike other micellar waters I have previously used. The smell is gorgeous too! Worth the money. A little goes a long way.' Gemma – Balance Me customer🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 #honestlynatural

A post shared by Balance Me Natural Skincare (@balancemebeauty) on Jan 3, 2019 at 8:01am PST

Although a few products by Balance me have beeswax and/or lanolin as ingredients, they are actively trying to keep animal byproducts to a minimum. The only products not suitable for vegans are Super Moisturising Hand Cream, Rose Otto Hand Cream, Stellar Beauty Balm and Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm

Certified by: NA

Best vegan skincare products:

Dr. PAWPAW

View this post on Instagram

Dr.PAWPAW Balm hydrating lips in every climate 💋 📷: @kalea.pe Hidrata y nutre tus labios 👄 hasta en los climas más secos con @dr.pawpaw, cuyo ingrediente principal es la papaya.

A post shared by Dr.PAWPAW (@dr.pawpaw) on Jun 20, 2018 at 2:01pm PDT

Lookin’ for a lip balm that moisturises without the guilt? Then Dr. Pawpaw has gotta’ be your go-to. We’re actually obsessed with this formulation, and find it works great as a cuticle balm too if you have any leftover.

Certified by: PETA

Best vegan skincare products:

Ecooking

View this post on Instagram

VINDEREN ER FUNDET!!⭐️ stort tillykke til @kvalitid ⭐️ Vil du starte dit 2019 med lækker hud?🌿 Vi udlodder en sidste gave i år til 2 heldige vindere! ✨ VIND 1.000 kr til at shoppe for på ecooking.dk i 2019.🌿 Så fik du ikke alle de Ecooking produkter, du havede ønsket dig i julegave – så er her chancen for at købe dem selv. ✨ Alt du skal gøre er, at vise os dit yndlingsprodukt fra Ecooking og poste det på din Instagram med følgende hashtags: #ecookingmusthave #ecooking & # + produktnavn på dit yndlings Ecooking produkt – fx. #peelmaske Så er du med i konkurrencen om den ultimative forkælelsesgave til dig selv i 2019. 🌿 Konkurrencen slutter d. 2. januar 2019 og vinderen får direkte besked. 💚 Du er velkommen, til at nævne en ven(inde) som også fortjener muligheden for, at vinde denne forkælelsesgave 💚 Konkurrencen er hverken sponsoreret eller associeret med Instagram. ____________________________ WIN 1,000 kr to shop for at ecooking.dk in 2019. ⭐️ All you have to do, is to show us your favorite product from Ecooking and post it on your Instagram with the following hashtags: #ecookingmusthave #ecooking & # + product name of your favorite Ecooking product – eg. #peelingmask The competition ends on January 2, 2019 and the winner receives a direct message. You are welcome to mention a friend, who deserves the opportunity to win this pampering gift 💚 The competition is neither sponsored nor associated with Instagram. #ecooking #win #giveaway #foodforyourskin #danishskincare #pure #natural #organic #økologi #meetime #danskhudpleje @tina__soegaard @ecookingtaiwan @ecookingbenelux @sarahgrunewaldcph

A post shared by Ecooking (@ecooking) on Dec 25, 2018 at 4:29am PST

With exception of the Multi Balm and Lip Balm, Ecooking is a 100% vegan skincare brand, developed by Tina Søgaard, in Denmark.

Certified by: NA

Best vegan skincare products:

First Aid Beauty

View this post on Instagram

Tired of the moisturizer balancing act?! In a consumer perception test, after using Ultra Repair BarriAIR Cream for 10 days, 92% of consumers felt the perfect amount of hydration to all zones of the face throughout the day. So no matter what your skin is feeling that day (dry, normal, sensitive, combo…) you will get the right dose of hydration for your skin! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Available NOW exclusively on the @Sephora app! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #firstaidbeauty #cleanbeauty #skinbarrier

A post shared by First Aid Beauty (@firstaidbeauty) on Dec 12, 2018 at 5:10pm PST

American skincare brand First Aid Beauty isn’t exclusively vegan, however their entirely cruelty-free range features a wide selection of vegan skincare products – be sure to check the product description to know for sure.

Certified by: NA

Best vegan skincare products:

Continue Reading: our guide to First Aid Beauty products

Frank Body

View this post on Instagram

One of my resolutions this year is to be a light packer, so I only carry my absolute ESSENTIALS 🎒 Damn, I fogot my keys and wallet…oh well 😏 Name one thing in your bag ⬇️ 📸| @jaenmcq

A post shared by frank body (@frank_bod) on Jan 8, 2019 at 1:27pm PST

Australian skincare brand Frank Body’s original coffee scrubs are vegan, however the Lip Balm includes ethically sourced Lanolin, so keep an eye out for non-vegan friendly individual products.

Certified by: NA

Best vegan skincare products:

Continue Reading: our guide to Frank Body products

Gallinée Beauty

View this post on Instagram

For a healthy morning routine to wake up your little sleepy face, try our Youthful Serum and our Hydrating Face Cream ! 🥰⠀ Nice photo from @meraki_blog 💕⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ Pour une routine matinale saine pour réveiller votre joli visage endormi, essayez notre Sérum Jeunesse et notre Crème Visage Hydratante ! 🥰⠀ Très jolie photo de @meraki_blog 💕⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #probiotics #probiotic #probioticskincare #skincarejunkies #veganskincare #skincareessentials #pamperyourself #frenchskincare #skinroutine #naturalskincareproducts #microbiome #naturalbeautyproducts #skincareblogger #gallinee #loveyourbacteria #skincareluxury #ethicallymade #sensitiveskin #cleanbeauty #bacteria #eatwelllivewell #healthybeauty #healthyskincare #beautyinfluencer #frenchbeauty

A post shared by Gallinée (@gallinee_beaute) on Jan 5, 2019 at 1:00pm PST

Microbiome-focussed brand Gallinée is completely free of animal byproducts, so you can rest assured that this is one of the best vegan skincare brands, whatever you purchase.

Certified by: NA

Best vegan skincare products:

HealGel

View this post on Instagram

Our product’s multi-active formulas have infinite uses… we’ll have you Healed & Hooked in no time at all! #beauty #skincare #healing #beach #crueltyfree #veganskincare #beachbody #scarring #instabeauty

A post shared by HEALGEL® (@healgel) on May 21, 2018 at 8:01am PDT

Absolutely killin’ it in the skincare game, HealGel products are the perf’ addition to your vegan skincare collection.

Certified by: PETA

Best vegan skincare products:

Madara

View this post on Instagram

Skin care range for grown-up people #TimeMiracle #regenemask #antiageing #birchwater #matureskin #liftingmask #madaracosmetics #deeperthanskin

A post shared by MÁDARA Organic Skincare (@madaracosmetics) on Dec 4, 2018 at 1:14am PST

Some of Madara’s skincare products contain beeswax or lanolin, so keep an eye on the label to make sure that your products don’t contain this, however the rest of the range is vegan.

The beeswax and lanolin used is sourced ethically, in-line with their ECOCERT rating – check out out blog post on cosmetics packaging symbols for more info.

Certified by: NA

Best vegan skincare products:

NIOD

View this post on Instagram

NIOD’s MMHC2 won Vogue’s “Skintellectual Highlight of the Year” 🙊. Our excitement has made us do something really silly and so MMHC2 is now available online at 50% off for one day only. Hugs to @britishvogue for our shiny new award 🐒❤

A post shared by THE ABNORMAL BEAUTY COMPANY (@deciem) on Jun 7, 2018 at 8:57pm PDT

Deciem brand NIOD, just like the Ordinary, is a mostly vegan skincare brand. The entire range isn’t completely free of animal byproducts, so again be sure to check labels.

Certified by: NA

Best vegan skincare products:

Pai

View this post on Instagram

Ever found that your skin feels tight and ultra-sensitive after cleansing? Not with ours. Am I right @beautybombskin? This is the 200ml version. The organic oils remove dirt super effectively – it'll leave your skin feeling soft and hydrated, not dry and exposed.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📷: @beautybombskin

A post shared by Pai Skincare (@paiskincare) on Jan 4, 2019 at 9:30am PST

Every single PAI product is certified vegan by the Vegan Society, so feel free to add-to-bag.

Certified by: Vegan Society

Best vegan skincare products:

REN Skincare

View this post on Instagram

Let’s brighten up the first Monday of January with a #COMPETITION 🍊 Ready to reveal your #UniqueGlow?We’re giving 5 of you the chance to #WIN our new Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream❕ Simply make sure you’re following us, like this photo and tag a friend in the comments. Open internationally until Fri 11th Jan—winners announced next week.🤞GOOD LUCK! #RENCleanSkincare #CleanToSkin #CleanToPlanet

A post shared by REN Clean Skincare (@renskincare) on Jan 7, 2019 at 5:42am PST

Again, not every single REN Skincare product is vegan, however a wide range of their products are vegan-friendly.

Certified by: NA

Best vegan skincare products:

The Ordinary

View this post on Instagram

⁣🍊Vitamin C Suspension 30% in Silicone offers a silky texture on the skin despite the suspension format of the formulation. Due to the volatile silicone base, the product does not impart any powdery feel on the skin. A higher 30% concentration ensures direct exposure to the highly potent Vitamin C. Avoiding the short-lived gritty feeling that comes with Vitamin C Suspension 23%, this is a great option for high potency with a smooth finish. This should be applied as the final step of your routine in the PM, ideally, when you are not using peptides, Niacinamide or EUK 134. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🍊Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F (ATS20 ) is a high-strength oil solution that visibly targets uneven skin tone, dullness and signs of aging whilst also offering surface hydration. It plays very nicely with other products and should be applied after water-based serums, before oils and creams. ATS20 is a great choice for those who prefer an oil format and are focused on brightening. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🍊Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% combines two of the most powerful brightening agents in skincare; pure Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) and Alpha Arbutin. Vitamin C and Alpha Arbutin are less stable in formulations that contain water and use of them combined in formulations containing water is highly discouraged, which is why this format is anhydrous and may feel oily for a few seconds after application. Like its counterparts, this shouldn't be used alongside Niacinamide, peptides or EUK 134. We recommend applying after water-based serums, before oils and creams. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🍊Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% is a brightening, water-based serum format of the Vitamin C derivative Ascorbyl Glucoside to help visibly target uneven skin tone, dullness and signs of aging. Ascorbyl Glucoside has been shown to offer specific skin brightening benefits. It has no conflicts and plays nicely with other products. It can be applied as a water-based serum (before anhydrous, oils and creams).⁣

A post shared by THE ABNORMAL BEAUTY COMPANY (@deciem) on Jan 2, 2019 at 8:04am PST

As with NIOD, not all Deciem products – including the Ordinary – are vegan-friendly, even if a high proportion of their stock is. Keep an eye on the label, where it’ll clearly be stated.

Certified by: NA

Best vegan skincare products:

Continue Reading: our guide to The Ordinary products

Yes To

View this post on Instagram

The (face mask) limit does not exist 😉 #Regram: @lovepbeauty #facemasks #naturalskincare

A post shared by Yes To, Inc. (@yesto) on Jun 30, 2018 at 11:13am PDT