Natural Vegan Beauty: Facial Skincare – Veganuary Series

A round-up of my current favourite natural and vegan facial skincare products, including my current skincare routine and my tips for easy and budget-friendly facial skincare. Part 1 of my Natural Vegan Beauty Series for Veganuary.

I used to always buy the cheapest beauty products I could find. You know the ones I’m talking about – the store’s own brand with a long list of ingredients that might as well be in a foreign language. I never put much thought into how a product was made or what was being put into the products I used.

Then, almost three years ago, I decided to try a plant-based diet. At first I was solely focused on the food I was eating. That was enough, as it was quite a drastic change! But as I became more aware of the food I was putting into my body, I quickly became more conscious of what I was putting on my body. As I learned more about veganism and the beauty industry, and the impact of the products I was using, I began looking into how I could incorporate more natural vegan products into my routine. I found a whole world of natural beauty products that used recognisable ingredients, free from chemicals and preservatives.

I have always been especially interested in facial skincare, struggling over the years with sensitive and acne-prone skin. In the past I used harsh cleansers to try to deal with acne. Now I take a gentler approach. For this post I compiled a list of natural and vegan products that work with my particular skin type (I have combination skin, which can be quite temperamental). Then I share my current skincare routine and tips for budget-friendly facial skincare.

Facial Skincare Products

Cleanser and Moisturiser

• Skincare with Compassion – my current cleanser and moisturiser. These are very gentle, and do not irritate my sensitive skin at all. Made from natural and soothing ingredients, they have a very clean and fresh smell. So far my skin has responded to them well.
  • Purifying Face Wash
  • Purifying Moisturiser

• LUSH – I always love going into LUSH! Some of my favourite vegan facial products are:
  • Fresh Farmacy
  • Angels on Bare Skin
  • Herbalism
  • Imperialis

• The Body Shop – I love The Body Shop’s commitment against animal testing, and how easy it is to find and filter vegan products on their website. In terms of facial skincare, I have used and liked:
  • Vitamin C Glow-Protect Lotion SPF 30 – lovely smell, gentle on the skin, with the added bonus of SPF.
  • Vitamin E Night Cream – very moisturising, perfect to use at night.

• Lani – I won a giveaway to try a set of Lani’s Tropical Natural Vegan products:
  • Tropical Coconut Face Polish – gently exfoliates the skin, leaves the skin feeling clean and fresh without being too harsh.
  • Tropical Cacao Detox Mask – smells good enough to eat, leaves the skin smoother and brighter.
  • Tropical Super Serum – the only oil I have ever used on my skin with a positive result! It’s quickly absorbed, light, and leaves the skin so soft.

• Botanicals Tropical Invigorating Cream – I received this moisturiser in a Vegan Cuts Beauty Box. I hadn’t heard of this moisturiser before, but liked it while I used it! It’s light, gentle, and very moisturising.

Toners

A worker at LUSH once told me that toner should be an essential part of my beauty routine. I have tried to incorporate it ever since. He advised that toner should be used between cleansing and moisturising, to ensure your skin is as clean as possible and ready to absorb the moisturiser. I make my own toner by simply mixing apple cider vinegar (or tea tree oil) with water in a spray bottle. I’ll spray this mixture onto a clean cotton pad and wipe it over my entire face between cleansing and moisturising.

Face Masks

• Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay – I love this mask! With just one ingredient (100% Natural Bentonite (Green) Clay), it’s simple and effective. I bought this from Amazon in May 2016, and still have plenty left, so it lasts for ages. I mix 1 tbsp of clay with ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar and ½ tbsp water, and leave the mask on for about 20mins. It does cause your skin to pulsate (it’s not painful, but feels like slight throbbing as the mask draws out impurities) while wearing, and redness after you wash the mask off. But that’s normal and makes me feel I’ve had the deepest clean possible.
• Optiat Purifying & Exfoliating Hemp Face Mask – This is another great natural and organic face mask, that leaves my skin feeling clean and soft the next morning.
• Vitamasques – I recently tried Vitamasques after discovering them at Vegfest UK London. They have a number of vegan friendly masks in their range. All of the ones I have tried leave my skin feeling deeply nourished and moisturised.

Current Facial Skincare Routine

My skin is far from perfect. I’ve had particularly bad acne flare-ups in the past that have been painful and confidence-knocking. Since adopting a plant-based diet, I do feel my skin has improved! But there are times when it’s better than others. I am still working on being confident with my skin, no matter what state it’s in, and reminding myself that there are more important things than having a spot. I also try to look after my skin, continuously learning how to better care for it.

My facial skincare routine has always been simple. But I am constantly changing it up to find what works best for my current stage in life. The routine I have maintained the past few months has been one of the most minimal I’ve tried yet, and perhaps the most effective at keeping my skin clear!

Morning: After waking up, I like to splash my face with cold water. While this can be a bit painful in the depths of winter, it’s generally a refreshing way to start the day! Occasionally I use a cleanser to wash my face (like The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash). But at the moment I am trying to pare down the products I use, so usually stick to water. Then I’ll pat my face dry, apply Skincare with Compassion’s Purifying Moisturiser, and go on with my day.

Evening: Washing up in the evening helps signal to my body that it’s time to wind down for bed. Currently, I wash my face with Skincare with Compassion’s Purifying Face Wash. I like to use a facial spin brush (I bought this Face Cleanser Brush years ago and love it) with the cleanser to get a deeper cleanse. After patting my face dry, I’ll apply toner (see above) and then finish with Skincare with Compassion’s Purifying Moisturiser. One to two times per week I’ll use a face mask. In the middle of the week I tend to use a peel-off mask like Vitamasques, and on the weekend I’ll use a clay mask (Indian Clay Mask, or Optiat).

My Top Tips for Easy and Budget-Friendly Facial Skincare

1. Keep it simple – Keeping my routine simple and using minimal products not only keeps costs down and reduces wash-up time, but it also helps regulate my skin.
2. Nourish from the inside out – I absolutely believe that eating well and taking care of your body makes a huge difference to the state of one’s skin. That certainly has been my experience! When I focus on eating whole plant foods, with minimally processed products and lots of dark leafy greens, my skin feels, and shows!, the benefits.
3. Sleep – I always see a big improvement in the state of my skin (less break-outs, softer, smoother, etc) when I am sleeping well and enough.
4. Don’t wear makeup – I know this isn’t for everybody! But personally, not wearing makeup really works for me. Not purchasing makeup products certainly saves me a lot of money. Having acne-prone skin, I also think it’s helpful to keep my face clear and let my skin breath. And it’s just quite freeing to not wear makeup!
5. Use a clean pillowcase – This is such a simple tip, that I forget too often. Pillowcases can gather lots of dirt and bacteria, that can transfer to your face while sleeping. Just thinking about that is enough to remind me to change and wash my pillowcases more often. Besides, there’s nothing like a freshly washed pillowcase at bedtime.

Stay tuned for Sunday’s post: Part 2 of my Natural Vegan Beauty Series – covering products for hair, mouth, and body skincare.