The skincare sector hasn’t always been under such scrutiny when it comes to sourcing. However, with more people wanting to make an eco-change it’s good to know which brands you can safely purchase to decrease the carbon footprint of your daily routine. ELLISS have found our top 20 favourite sustainable and vegan skincare brands for you to keep your eye out for:
Magic Organic Apothecary (MOA)
MOA began in 2010 and is inspired by herbal folklore, creating many products that are healing for the body and mind. One product, in particular, is their Hello Sunshine Energising Body Oil, ideal for brightening your skin or to use as massaging oil. Some of the ingredients include marjoram which can relieve achy muscles and lemongrass which not only smells great but is known to be a detox booster too. This product is made with certified organic ingredients, no petrochemicals and is entirely vegan and cruelty-free.
Previse
Previse believe that we “should not have to choose between healthy skin and a healthy planet” and that’s something we can get on board with. The brand is a big believer that the health of the skin can impact overall health and wellbeing and that’s why they take such great care in sourcing the best products. Their ingredients are all sustainably sourced under the careful guidance of dermatologists who can advise on healthy skincare. You can rest assured that any ingredients that could be carcinogenic do not make the cut and instead all products are plant-based.
Margaret Dabbs London
When we think of skincare we often neglect our feet, but they deserve some attention too! Margaret Dabbs London is the go-to brand for luxurious foot lotion that is vegan-friendly, packaged in recyclable material and sustainably sourced. Their Pure Feet range is a collection of moisturisers that have been infused with active botanicals and natural plant extracts. It helps feet become more hydrated and smoother – perfect for some self-care after a night in heels. There are no nasty chemicals, preservatives or animal ingredients used so you can be guilt-free when you’re using this product.
Conscious Skincare
Conscious Skincare was created when the founder discovered that many family and friends had suffered allergic reactions to mainstream skincare. She started to dig deeper into the ingredients in these products and went on to create an organic skincare brand. They create small batches of product to make sure that the active ingredients are as fresh as possible on the skin, unlike other products which may be sitting on the shelf for weeks before you buy it.
My Clarins
This year, Clarins launched the My Clarins range which is entirely vegan-friendly and is a selection of creams, cleansers and masks. If you’re looking for a makeup remover that is vegan and sustainable, the micellar cleansing milk is very soft on the skin and contains no phthalates, parabens or sulfates. Another part of the range is the Healthy Skin [In&Out] Complex which can reduce the impact of pollution on the skin with the inclusion of coconut water. The simplistic packaging uses cardboard from sustainably managed forests and is easy to recycle.
Evolve Beauty
Evolve hand-crafts skin, body and hair products and takes great pride in their artisan collections. Ingredients include natural oils, butter and natural superfoods which are carefully sourced from a range of countries. To make sure that all products are as fresh as they can be, they are created in small batches without the harm of any animals. The main focus of the brand is to give people the opportunity to be healthy and green in everyday life and for products like these to be accessible to many. All of their products are outstanding, but their facial oil is well-loved for revitalizing dry skin with a soothing vanilla fragrance.
Melchior & Balthazar
Labelled cruelty-free and vegan by PETA, Melchior & Balthazar is a brand that you can trust when you want to purchase sustainably. Take their exfoliating orange blossom creamy soap as an example where 100% of products are from plant and natural origin and all are organic. To create their soaps, this brand uses a traditional crafting method called cold saponification which is able to preserve the quality of the organic and ethical oils that are used to make your skin extra soft. As we know, the packaging is equally important, and you’ll be pleased to hear that it is made from recycled papers.
Lani
Lani is a favourite among vegans for its bright packaging and ethically sourced ingredients. One of their newest products is the blue mint facial cleanser which turns into a magical blue foam when it comes into contact with water. The blend of clay, oats, coconut and blue spirulina is perfect for gently removing impurities and makeup and making your face feel silky smooth. They’re also a big supporter of charitable courses – donating 5% of their September profits to a home for rescue animals.
B range from Superdrug
Free from any microplastics, animal cruelty and FSC approved, the B range from Superdrug has been popular since launch. The female skincare collection has been designed with all skin types in mind and includes routine and targeted products that are all entirely vegan. The B. Restored Night Cream has great reviews and has been found to increase skin hydration by 67% after just one night’s wear – amazing!
UpCircle
UpCircle focuses on discovering the natural ingredients that can make our skin healthier and more radiant and preventing them from going to landfill. They use natural leftover ingredients such as coffee grounds and brewed chai tea spices to create skincare products that rejuvenate and revitalize. They sell cleansers, exfoliants and serums and have even organized their products by concern such as dry skin and dullness so that we can choose the right product for the problem. The brand is simplistic, but the concept certainly is not – moisturizing and recycling, what more could you want?
Meadow Skincare
Starting as a concept between two friends who created a product targeted at prenatal massage clients, the brand grew into an eco-friendly company with a range of great products. They use plant-based ingredients to create skincare that has uplifting and relaxation properties. They make earth-friendly decisions such as local suppliers and recyclable packaging which makes us love their brand even more.
Isle of Paradise
Many fake tans contain nasty chemicals that could be harming our skin, but that’s where Isle of Paradise is different. They’re a 100% vegan, cruelty-free and organic tanning brand that’s dedicated to giving you ‘feel good skin’. The company uses lots of natural ingredients that you’ll love such as avocado, chia seed and coconut oils which leaves your skin feeling great.
Urban Veda
Based on Ayurveda (the traditional holistic healing system of India), Urban Veda has formulated a skincare range that has been designed to ‘pollution proof’ our skin. Choose your skin types from; oily and acne-prone, dry and dehydrated, sensitive and mature and tired before finding a natural product that will help you with your skin concern. Take their Purifying Range for example which has been specifically designed to cleanse the skin from bacteria – leaving you feeling clean and fresh.
Skyn Iceland
You’ve probably heard about the mineral-rich glacial water of Iceland and Skyn Iceland’s products are packed full of it. As well as kelp extracts, Arctic super fruits and encapsulated oxygen, the natural ingredients of Skyn are brought together to combat any stress on the skin. Take their cooling eye gels for example which have been designed to get rid of any bags under your eyes – ideal for an early start!
Clockface Beauty
This brand has delved deep to discover natural alternatives to some of the nasty chemicals that are found in mainstream products. For example, they replace hydrocortisone (a steroid that is often used to treat skin conditions) with sandalwood and use apricot kernel oil as opposed to retinol (an anti-aging ingredient). All products come in a recyclable glass jar and there is a range of products you can choose from.
Adorn
Adorn was discovered in 2009 by environmental advocate and former model, Briony Kennedy. She wanted to create a brand that was natural, environmentally conscious but didn’t compromise on luxe or quality. The company use pure minerals and organic botanical ingredients wherever possible and to combat the issue of 70% of unfinished cosmetics ending up in landfill, trial products are available.
Ethique
ELLISS loves
Ethique is a zero-waste beauty brand that is entirely vegan, cruelty-free, sustainable and palm oil-free. They claim to have prevented over 5 million plastic bottles from being made and disposed of and have a range of best-seller products. Their collection is kinder on your wallet too, with each of their bars lasting 2-5 times longer than bottles beauty products because they’re super-concentrated. If you’re not happy with your purchase, you can send it back within 14 days for a full refund – give it a go!
Earth Tu Face
Earth Tu Face is proud not to use any toxins or synthetic compounds while creating a product that competes with mainstream brands. The company was created in 2010 from a California kitchen and herbal garden and some of their wild-harvested ingredients that are used today come from their own garden! Not all of their products are entirely vegan as some contact honey and/or beeswax so keep an eye out for this.
MuLondon
Inspired by traditional herbalism, MuLondon brings together essential oils and herbal extracts to scent and preserve organic materials. If you love luxurious fragrances, you’ll want to get your hands on their products that are scented with smells such as ‘Marigold, Frankincense and Myrhh’ and ‘Rose, Rosehip & Rosemary’. Choose from moisturisers or cleansers which are all cruelty-free and have respect for the environment.
Pure Chimp
Pure Chimp makes many of their products from Matcha which is a finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves. All of their products are cruelty-free, vegan and palm oil-free which is all great to hear. One of their popular products is the facial oil which is nourishing on the skin and long-lasting considering how much you need to use to feel the difference.
From eco-conscious tanning products to sustainable cleansers, we have no excuse not to revitalise our skincare collection with some of the brands above! We challenge you to try a few over the next few months and let us know which product is your favourite. Finally! Although we make clothes rather than cosmetics, here at ELLISS we strive to work sustainably from our fabrics and packaging to our production methods. Read about our conscious practices here.