Since going vegan a year ago, I have been searching for vegan beauty products to incorporate into my daily routine. After a long period of trial and error, I think it’s fair to say I have finally found my line up, and today I’m going to share them with you!
Disclaimer: I am in no way a skincare expert; the following products are ones which I find work for my skin, targeting my specific concerns. Considering everyone’s skin is different, I am not guaranteeing miracles, so please do your research before purchasing (I will leave links to the products)
My skin type: My skin is primarily dry, in places more humid (such as China) it tends to lean slightly towards combination. However in Melbourne’s parched air, my skin is definitely on the dry side. I am also acne prone, though using these products in combination with being vegan has improved my skin dramatically.
My main skin concerns: Hydration and mild acne.
CLEANSE
Morning: Apsara Neem facial Cleanser* This is a very gentle cleanser, which I use this in the morning to remove the remnants of my evening skincare and the sweat and grime from the night (lovely image isn’t it?). Since my skin is quite sensitive, cleansers can often make my skin flare up- which is not a great look for the day, however this does not irritate my skin at all or strip it of natural oils.
Evening: Juice Beauty, Blemish Clearing Cleanser I first heard about this cleanser from Kassie (@cloudyapples on YouTube, she is incredibly inspiring and one of the few accounts which I’ll do a little dance when I see uploads from. Don’t judge.) I started using this cleanser in December 2014, and only in late March this year (2015) did my skin really start to clear up- of course that is attributed to many factors, but this cleanser definitely helped it along.
Our skin is covered by a thin acid mantle layer, which acts as a physical barrier to bacteria, with a pH of around 4.5-6.2, depending on the individual. It’s important to keep this pH level balanced in order to achieve healthy skin,and I find this cleanser does that perfectly, it contains wonderful ingredients including the organic juices of lemon, sweet cherry, white grape, aloe, and is free of parabens, petroleum, sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances. This cleanser is holy grail for me, and I always have backups in stock!
TONE
Currently I am using the Apsara Rose Dew Facial Toner*. I have to admit, I use this product mainly for the refreshing feeling of spraying it on my face, and the beautiful rose scent. I probably would not repurchase this in the future, as I would like to keep looking for a toner that is more effective on my skin.
MAKEUP REMOVAL
I swear by Cold pressed organic coconut oil for removing my make up. Day to day I don’t wear much make up- I’ll usually pop some concealer on spots and fill in my brows, but on those occasions I decide to wear a full face of make up, this works equally well (:
I simply scoop out half a teaspoon of coconut oil; if it’s solid (as it is now in this dreadfully cold weather) I’ll warm it up in my hands before massaging and working it into my dry skin. Once the makeup starts melting away I’ll wash it off with some water and pat dry with my facial flannel, generally cleansing once will remove all my daily make up. However, if I am wearing more make up, I will use my muslin cloth (absolute game changer!) and repeat this twice.
MOISTURIZE
(I am still on the hunt for a good vegan moisturizer, if you have any recommendations please pop it in the comments below or let me know over on Instagram)
OTHER
In the picture above is my Clarisonic, I have heard a lot of amazing reviews about it, and I have had mine for over two years now. As much as I wanted it to work for me, the cleansing process was far too abrasive for my skin. I am currently using the Spin Brush from Vanity Planet which I am loving, the bristles are very soft and forgiving on the skin, and the set comes with a variety of brush heads. I will be posting a review on this soon! (PROMO- 70% OFF with CODE: Healthy Spin)
Since late March in Melbourne, I’ve been experiencing angry red flaky patches on the peripherals of my face, primarily along my jaw line, and I’ve tried everything, from hydration sheet masks, oils, products filled with hyaluronic acid… But nothing has been able to get rid of that rough texture, except Truself Organics Raw Body Butter*. When I first received this product, I wasn’t too impressed and it took me weeks to figure out how to work with its solid, waxy texture. I scoop out a small amount using a clean spoon and gently massage it onto my dry patches (this is also great for prolonging tattoos, keeping them bright and moisturized). I noticed results overnight, and after 3-4 days those patches of dryness were completely gone.
Frank Coffee Body Scrub* See my full review of Frank here * These products have been sent to me, but I am in no way obligated to post this review, all the above are my true personal opinions.
The Healthy Pursuit 