The complete guide to vegan skincare

What is vegan skincare?

So what makes a skincare product vegan? Like vegan food, vegan skincare contains zero animal-derived ingredients or by-products. Non-vegan ingredients can include beeswax and honey and silk protein. Lesser-known ingredients that are non-vegan include biotin, cetyl alcohol, keratin, and gelatine, which are all frequently used in skincare (organisations like PETA have a full list of such ingredients on their website for you to cross check that your beauty product definitely doesn’t contain animal derivatives).

Other non-vegan ingredients can include bee venom – which is sometimes used in products to numb the muscles in the face, for a ‘topical Botox’ effect; as well as lanolin – a wax secreted by sheep through their wool and which is often a key ingredient in lip balm and moisturiser.

Certain fragrances in skincare can also be non-vegan; ambergris is a highly prized perfume ingredient that adds a rich scent and is basically – wait for it – whale faeces! If you don’t like the sound of all that, then a vegan skincare regime might be the answer.

What are the benefits of vegan skincare?

Not only is vegan skincare more eco-friendly (not to mention better for our four- and six-legged friends), but also vegan ingredients tend to be gentler on the skin, making them less likely to cause redness and irritation. What’s more, vegan formulas are actually good at calming sensitive skin as the formulas tend to be more alkaline, helping to relieve conditions like stress rashes and acne.

How to spot a vegan skincare product

If you’re on the lookout for vegan skincare, they are usually very easy to spot. Usually the packaging has a ‘V’ logo. If it simply says ‘cruelty free’ this doesn’t mean it is vegan. While a product may not have been tested on animals (thereby making it cruelty free) it still might contain animal-derived ingredients, so they are not one and the same thing.

The Perfume Shop has a vegan skincare section, each product packed with plant-based and sustainable ingredients.

Here are three to start off with…

Marine Hyaluronic Acid Face Mask for Her

If your complexion is looking a little tired and lacklustre, this plumping, two-part mask is sure to pep it up, delivering an intense hit of amino acids, vitamin B3 and sea kelp extracts to leave skin bright and nourished.

Nakin Advanced Cleansing Milk

Have you been searching for your holy grail vegan cleanser? Well, you may want to stop your search here. The luxurious Nakin Advanced Cleansing Milk leaves the skin feeling clear and comforted after removing makeup and daily build-up of dirt and grime. It’s packed with skin-loving ingredients, including hyaluronic acid for extra hydration and seaweed extract to assist with cell turnover. And what’s better? Its gentle, vegan formula is suitable for all skin types! 

Love the cleanser? There’s plenty more where this came from, with a wide range of vegan-friendly Nakin skin care products now available online at The Perfume Shop. 

ME. Empowered Hand Cream

Perfect to keep by the kitchen sink or by your bedside to use as and when, this hand cream will keep parched winter mitts soft and chap-free, with an invigorating citrus and aromatic fragrance.