Five Veganuary Skincare Swaps

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Photo by Ivan Samkov

January has long since been a time for new beginnings and setting intentions – the very first New Year’s resolutions were thought to have been made some four thousand years ago, by the ancient Babylonians! Since 2014, however, many people have been adopting “veganuary” as their new start, whereby they try to eat a vegan, plant-based diet for the whole of January. 

In fact, last year, over 600,000 people around the world signed up for Veganuary, and many more took part without doing the official sign up. For some, it’s just about diet, but becoming vegan usually means eradicating animal products from all areas of your life, including clothing and even skincare. With this in mind, we’ve put together a handy list of simple skincare swaps that you can make to ensure your skincare is vegan and cruelty free, for January and beyond:

Cleanser

There are a number of different animal-derived ingredients which can be found in cleansers, but with Evolve Organic Beauty you can be safe in the knowledge that ALL of their products are vegan and cruelty free. Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Detox Facial Wash contains natural sugars which cleanse away impurities, while organic aloe vera softens, leaving skin clean, smooth and supple. Natural goji berry extract and moringa peptides defend against pollution and help to rebalance the skin’s natural oil production. 

Toner

Many toners contain glycerin, and while glycerin can be vegan, it’s also often derived from animal fat extracts, which is cheaper. Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner contains only vegan ingredients, including extracts of lavender, sweet betty flower and saponins from quillaja wood to help to balance and soften the skin. It’s also a non-drying formula, unlike many toners, as it contains no harsh alcohols or detergents. 

Moisturiser

While there are MANY plant-based ingredients which are amazingly nourishing for the skin, some companies still rely on animal products like beeswax and lanolin. REN Clean Skincare Ultra Moisture Day Cream contains a natural blend of beech tree buds extract, which hydrates and improves skin texture, shea butter which softens and smooths skin and cranberry seed oil which replenishes with lipids and reinforces skin barrier, all of which are vegan and cruelty free. 

Serum

Another non-vegan ingredient which is commonly found in serums and other hydrating products is urea, which literally comes from animal urine – pretty nasty even if you’re NOT a vegan! Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum contains ingredients which hydrate, brighten and firm the skin, all of which are vegan in origin. In fact, this powerhouse serum combines ultra stable Vitamin C complex with a bio-technology to deliver the natural power of Vitamin C where it’s needed most. 

SPF

Sun protection often contains a number of different ingredients, such as elastin, lanolin and stearic acid, all of which are animal byproducts. However, Medik8 Advanced Day Total Protect SPF30 is a completely vegan formula and offers Pollution Shield, anti-infrared, anti-blue light and anti-A.G.E technology alongside SPF 30 and 5* UVA protection all in a lightweight moisturiser. This nourishing day cream boasts a range of protective technologies and replenishes skin’s hydration levels to keep it looking healthy and young.

Bring Veganuary into Your Skincare

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“Veganuary is a name for going vegan, or not eating or using animal products, for the month of January”

For many people, Veganuary is a time to try to make the transition to a plant based diet and wean yourself off of animal products. It’s a great place to start if a cruelty-free lifestyle is something you covet, but there’s actually a lot more to it than just changing the food you eat, as many products also contain animal byproducts or rely on animal testing. With this in mind, we’ve curated a list of five of our favourite cruelty-free, vegan beauty products which can replace your usual skincare items for Veganuary and beyond. 

Aromatherapy Associates Hydrating Renewing Rose Cleanser

This cleanser from Aromatherapy Associates is a  vegan and nut-free blend of essential oils which combine to create an ultra-gentle yet supremely effective facial cleanser. Damask rose, jojoba and geranium help to brighten, hydrate and cleanse the skin, melting away impurities and leaving the skin dewy and fresh. 

Bloom and Blossom And Breathe Relaxing Shower Oil

Bloom and Blossom products are all 100% vegan and cruelty free made here in the UK from naturally derived ingredients. This shower oil is a great option if you’re trying to go vegan and the blend of frankincense, ylang ylang and lemongrass help relax and calm the skin and mind before sleep. It can be used in the shower or bath, depending on your preference.

Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum

If you’re looking for a product which is vegan friendly and takes care of fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin and hyperpigmentation then this is the serum for you. It contains a stable vitamin C complex, as well as lactic acid, sophora japonica flower extract and chia seed oil which will brighten, firm and prevent damage to the skin. Make sure you use an SPF while you’re using this serum as it can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun. 

Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Booster

AHAs, or alpha-hydroxy acids, are super-hero ingredients in skincare, using natural acids and enzymes to give lacklustre skin a boost. This glow booster from Elemis uses AHAs from cherry and pumpkin to create a formula which is instantly absorbed and offers a completely vegan, cruelty-free option for brightening your complexion. 

Orly Breathable Fresh Start

You may be surprised to learn that there are ingredients in many nail polishes which are decidedly NON-vegan. From pearl essence, which is derived from fish scales and can give nail polish a shine, to carmine, which made from boiled and crushed beetles, and oleic acid, made from animal fat or tallow, it can be hard to find a nail varnish which is even close to cruelty free. Fortunately, all of Orly’s polishes are vegan and cruelty free, so you can still enjoy colourful nails without the worry.

Keep Your Routine Cruelty-Free

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Photo by William Daigneault on Unsplash

Whether you eat a vegan diet, are veggie, or still have meat in your diet, it’s important to most of us that our beauty products aren’t tested on animals. Cruelty-free beauty means that you can use products with the peace of mind that nothing you’re using has been tested on animals, and here at Pure Beauty, we try to offer as many of these products as we can find. Here are five of our favourites:

Dermalogica Age Bright Clearing Serum

This serum from Dermalogica is deisgned for people with ageing skin who still deal with adult acne or breakouts, giving you spot-busting power which will also tackle the signs of ageing. The AGE Bright™ Complex works with the skin’s natural microbiome for clearer, brighter skin and as well as being cruelty free, the formula is also gluten free, vegan friendly and contains no artificial fragrances, colours or parabens.

Orly Breathable Almond Milk

This beautiful soft taupe colour is the perfect neutral colour for autumn and is cruelty free, as are all of the polishes from Orly. The strong formulation means that you have no need for top coat or base coat and the advanced technology means that oxygen can still penetrate through to the nail, reducing any risk of damage from having your nails painted.

Dermalogica UltraCalming Calm Water-Gel

Many products for deeply dry skin are often oil-based, but this water-gel from Dermalogica is different. It’s designed for use on skin which suffers from sensitivity and redness and treats the underlying dryness using hyaluronic acid technology which works in different skin layers to increase and lock in moisture. It’s vegan friendly and cruelty free, as well as being free from gluten and parabens.

Dermalogica UltraCalming Barrier Defence Booster

This defence booster from Dermalogica is formulated using a combination of oils which not only moisturise the skin but also protect it from environmental stressors. Squalane locks in moisture, while soothing oat oil helps combat sensitivity and support healthy looking skin. It’s made using cruelty-free ingredients and can be applied directly to the skin, or mixed with your usual moisturiser for an added boost.

Dermalogica Phyto-Nature Firming Serum

This vegan, cruelty-free serum from Dermalogica is aimed at ageing skin and provides flash-firming properties with just one application. It’s clinically proven to double skins luminosity and minimise the appearance of fine lines after just one application, while reducing visible wrinkles in 4 weeks.