Once upon a time vegans would have to scour specialist shops for vegan beauty brands. Thankfully, things have changed. Many beauty brands now make vegan products and advancements in ingredients and technology means that there are plenty of high-end vegan beauty products too.
But if you’re vegan, you’ll want to stick to brands that make only vegan products so you can care for your skin and do your makeup without having to scan every label when you’re shopping.
Here’s our pick of five of the best vegan beauty brands available in the UK. As well as being an ethical choice, these vegan beauty brands use natural and organic ingredients that are more gentle and better for your skin too.
1. E.L.F Cosmetics
Young and fun beauty brand E.L.F is a favourite on social media and makes 100% vegan makeup for your eyes, lips, and face that’s affordable and free from questionable chemicals.
As well as makeup, the brand produces a skincare line including moisturisers, face masks, mists, and treatments, and brushes and tools to perfect your look.
Must-have product: Poreless Putty Primer – the ultimate skin perfecting primer that provides the perfect velvety smooth base for your makeup and stays put all day while hydrating your skin and eliminating shine.
Price range: £5 – £35
Where to buy: Superdrug, Boots, elfcosmetics.co.uk, feelunique.com
2. Skyn Iceland
Visitors to the famous Blue Lagoon hot springs outside Reykjavik use the silica mud at the bottom of the pools as a facemask to deep-cleanse and nourish the skin.
The volcanic island of Iceland is rich in many other potent natural ingredients including arctic botanicals and super fruits, glacial water, and Icelandic sea vegetables. These ingredients are used in a special blend in Skyn products, specifically designed to fight the effects of lifestyle stress on skin.
The range includes products for eyes, lips, and skin, or you can shop by skin concern including acne, irritated skin, dull or dry skin, or anti-ageing. All products are 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
Must-have product: Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels – these cooling gel under-eye patches contain an Icelandic complex of glacial water antioxidant-rich super fruit oils, and pure molecular oxygen to reduce puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles within 10 minutes.
Price range: £10 – £60
Where to buy: Boots, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, feelunique.com, lookfantastic.com
3. Milk Makeup
It may be an odd choice of name for a vegan product but trust us, not a drop of milk has come anywhere near the skin care and makeup products from New York vegan beauty brand, Milk.
Milk believes in creativity, community, and personal style and experimentation and creates its products in-house from natural ingredients. And their formula works. The brand’s products have won several beauty awards and rave reviews from beauty editors, described by one as “like an Instagram filter IRL.”
Milk are particularly good at making products in “sticks”. Think traditional liquid formulations packaged into a twist-up solid stick. Milk sticks include lip and cheek tint, bronzer, cleanser, brightening serum, highlighter, toner, and more.
Must-have product: KUSH High Volume Mascara – a vegan formula using plant oils and hollow fibres to coat every lash without clumps and deliver amazing length and volume.
Price range: £12 – £36
Where to buy: Selfridges, cultbeauty.co.uk
4. Superdrug B.
On a budget? Even our favourite high street bargains have had a vegan makeover. Superdrug’s B range includes makeup, skincare, hair removal, bronzing, and men’s grooming products, all 100% vegan and at a great price.
Must-have product: B. HD Flaweless Face Primer – a smoothing and softening primer that makes skin look silky smooth and instantly retouched at a fraction of the price of competing brands.
Price range: £2.50 – £12
Where to buy: Superdrug
5. Evolve Beauty
Organic artisanal skincare brand Evolve Beauty makes all its products by hand in small batches in its Hertfordshire studio. Their range of skincare, body care and hair care is cruelty free, eco-friendly, and 100% vegan.
Make sure to take advantage of the free virtual consultation with a skincare expert who will suggest products ideal for your skin type and lifestyle and give you a 10% discount code for use on the official website.
Must-have product: Hyaluronic Serum 200 – a clear serum made from organic pomegranate extract and organic rosewater that works to hydrate the skin from within, plumping up fine lines and wrinkles.
Price range: £15 – £50
Where to buy: John Lewis, evolvebeauty.co.uk,
