10 Best Vegan Moisturizers | Vegan-Friendly

As veganism continues on an upward trend, you might be wondering whether a vegan moisturizer is the right choice for you.

After all, veganism isn’t all-or-nothing. Any change you make in your diet or beauty routine that prevents animals from being harmed is a step in the right direction.

One of the hardest parts about being ethical is staying educated. But don’t worry. We’re here to help make learning about vegan moisturizer easier than ever. We’ll also key you in on several acclaimed vegan moisturizers on the market today.

Is Vegan Moisturizer the Same as Cruelty-Free Moisturizer?

You may be wondering, why vegan moisturizer? What does vegan moisturizer have that cruelty-free moisturizer doesn’t?

For starters, vegan moisturizer never uses ingredients that are derived from animals. It doesn’t include waxes that are obtained by disrupting bees’ natural processes. It doesn’t rely on fats derived from pigs or cows. It even excludes lanolin, an oil made from the grease of sheep’s wool. Certified vegan means completely free from animal products and byproducts.

On the other hand, cruelty-free means that the products and ingredients found in the moisturizer were not tested on animals. It doesn’t mean that they’re not made from animal-derived products.

And, technically, vegan does not mean free from animal testing. You may want to cross-reference your vegan moisturizer with cruelty-free moisturizers to make sure you’re on the level.

If you want to avoid moisturizers or other products that may harm animals, look for goods with both vegan and cruelty-free certifications.

Benefits of Vegan Moisturizer

The biggest personal benefit of switching to a vegan skin care routine is that vegan product manufacturers tend to choose safer ingredients.

The reason for that high quality is twofold. First, it’s easier to switch to plant-based oils and butter in place of animal-derived products than it is to synthetically craft oils from chemicals. Second, vegan beauty brands are often more conscientious about what they’re putting in and on their bodies. They seek health along with beauty.

To be sure that you’re getting plant-based alternatives, always read ingredient labels on the moisturizer.

There are also environmental benefits of veganism. Researchers at Oxford found that an individual could reduce their carbon footprint by 73% by cutting animal products from their diets. You may not be a die-hard vegan, but you’re still making an impact by going vegan in your skin care routine.

Lastly, every dollar you spend on vegan cosmetics is a vote for your personal values — a vote that big brands hear. In fact, in October 2019, the bath and body behemoth, Unilever, which owns Axe and Dove, announced that it has committed to a no-animal-testing policy across all its brands.

10 Great Vegan Moisturizers For All Skin Types

There’s a plethora of vegan moisturizers available for people with all skin types and preferences. This following list of face and body moisturizers will introduce you to some of the most popular products on the beauty market.

Public Goods Vegan Moisturizer

Formulated for all skin types, our moisturizers and lotions are both vegan and cruelty-free. Calming, light and hydrating, our moisturizer uses plant-based, skin-quenching glycerin as a base to leave your skin feeling nourished and silky smooth. To sweeten up this lightweight moisturizer, we include 100% natural fragrance that evokes notes of fresh rain, white citrus and flowers.

We take special care to exclude common harsh chemical ingredients from our non-toxic formula, such as parabens, sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) and phthalates. Aside from being completely vegan-friendly, Public Goods’ moisturizer is also completely gluten-free.

100% PURE Hydra Drench Cream

100% PURE uses interesting ingredients like nopal cactus, rose water, sage oil and chia seed gel combine to drench your skin in much-needed moisture. Perfect for sensitive skin and other skin types, this combination is especially gentle. Rosewater soothes raw skin while chia seed gel adds a hydrating barrier. 100% PURE is both vegan and cruelty-free.

Pacifica’s Indian Coconut Nectar Body Butter

How glorious does hydrating body butter sound right about now? While coconut oil and butter are powerful moisturizers, we’ll mention that this is a body butter for a reason.

Coconut products tend to be comedogenic (pore-clogging), so avoid applying them to your face. However, the rest of your body will love the spa treatment offered by this tropically scented body butter. Pacifica is certified vegan and cruelty-free by PETA.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

Made to moisturize the entire body, First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream is ideal for all skin types, especially those with dry skin and sensitive skin. It contains colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, ceramide 3, and the producer’s very own Antioxidant Booster.

This formula works to increase hydration and provide relief to parched skin. According to First Aid Beauty, this fast-absorbing and non-greasy body cream is also suitable for children and babies.

Mad Hippie Face Cream

Mad Hippie Face Cream is formulated with natural ingredients like green tea, aloe vera, and coconut oil, making it another great option for those looking who want a vegan face moisturizer packed with all-natural ingredients. You’ll also find argan oil in this product, which is a great source of vitamin E, essential fatty acids and phytosterols that can reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

It also contains a number of peptides and is antioxidant-rich, as niacinamide, acai berry, and pomegranate provide a hefty boost of anti-wrinkle and anti-aging properties. According to Mad Hippie, this facial moisturizer is fit for all skin types.

ACURE Brightening Night Cream

Another 100% vegan facial moisturizer for all skin types, ACURE Brightening Night Cream is a nice option for a bedtime-specific skin care routine. Ingredients include argan oil, chlorella, echinacea, and avocado oil, which work together to moisturize and hydrate dry skin. The brand also offers a companion Brightening Day Cream among other types of face moisturizer products.

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Oil-Free Moisturizer

This oil-free moisturizer from Alba Botanica is a lightweight and non-greasy formula that can hydrate both your face and body. With organic ingredients like aloe vera, green tea, gotu kola, and cucumber extracts, this cream presents users with a smooth and silky skin tone. Like most of the other products on this list, Alba Botanica’s Hawaiian Oil-Free is phthalates- and paraben-free, nor does it include harsh sulfates, artificial colors or synthetic fragrances.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Mattifying Face Lotion

If you have blemish-prone or acne-prone skin, you need a face moisturizer that is ultra-hydrating but doesn’t clog pores or make the skin feel too greasy. One good option for this particular skin type is Tea Tree Mattifying Face Lotion from the Body Shop.

This moisturizer contains tea tree essential oil that comes all the way from Mount Kenya, leaving users with clearer, shine-free skin. It’s a lightweight moisturizer that can be used during the day, making it a nice multi-faceted product to include in your skin care routine.

Nourish Lightweight Moisturizing Organic Face Lotion

Nourish Lightweight Moisturizing Organic Face Lotion is another animal-friendly option that can be enjoyed by people with all different skin types, from dry skin to sensitive skin. This lightweight daily cream includes Moroccan argan oil that hydrates and refreshes the skin, rosewater to produce a glow, as well as emollient shea butter that improves skin texture and elasticity.

Andalou Naturals Sensitive 1000 Roses Beautiful Day Cream

For an age-defying day moisturizer that checks off the animal lovers’ prerequisites, another viable option is Andalou Naturals Sensitive 1000 Roses Beautiful Day Cream. This face moisturizer features alpine rose stem cells that are meant to deliver hydration and dermal vitality to the skin. It also contains antioxidants like pomegranate to bolster skin tone, as well as hyaluronic acid and aloe vera for a more refreshed complexion.

Is Your Moisturizer Vegan-Friendly?

If you already have a moisturizer of choice on your shelf, you may be wondering whether that product is truly vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.

Fortunately, brands that truly care don’t simply slap the word vegan on their labels and call it a day. Instead, they go out of their way to submit to rigorous testing, adhere to stringent guidelines, and pay a whole lot of money to obtain vegan certifications.

Look for these certifications to easily separate vegan moisturizers from non-vegan options.

Certified Vegan by Vegan.org

Vegan.org is one of the most recognizable certifiers of consumer goods in the U.S. Their goals are three-fold: to help consumers easily shop vegan without having to consult ingredients lists, to bring the word “vegan” into the mainstream and to help larger manufacturers see the value of vegan products.

BeVeg Vegan Certification

BeVeg is a global vegan certification adopted by vegan product manufacturers in 70 countries and counting. The only vegan certification backed by a law firm, BeVeg certifies that not only are no animal-derived ingredients used in the making of products bearing its logo, but that the manufacturing facility is completely separate from any neighboring facilities that might be using animal products or by-products.

Vegan-Friendly (VF)

Vegan.org notes that just because a product doesn’t yet bare a certification, it doesn’t mean it’s not vegan. Look for products that claim they’re vegan-friendly, and double-check the ingredients list to be sure.

Make the Change to Animal-Friendly Products

Switching to a vegan moisturizer is an important step in improving animal welfare and reducing your carbon footprint. Best of all, you’ll get to skip harmful chemicals that are often found in common drugstore products. By making the switch, you can make a change in the world.