42 Best Vegan Skin Care Products of 2021 (That Really Work)

If you’re looking for the very best vegan, cruelty free, and organic skin care products, then you’ve come to the right place. This list of 42 vegan organic skin care products proves that you don’t have to compromise your principles (or your health) in order to achieve flawless skin. We’ve scoured the internet to find the best vegan cleansers, toners, moisturizers, masks, serums, exfoliators, and body washes from skin care brands who are committed to using only non-toxic, natural, and organic ingredients in their products. Each product below includes a brief description, suggestions for skin types, and list of ingredients sorted by organic vs. non-organic. According to our research, every product on this 2020 top list meets the following criteria:

(1) Does not test on animals. (2) Does not contain any animal products or byproducts. (3) Does not contain potentially toxic ingredients (like parabens, phthalates,  sulfates, PEG compounds, petrochemicals & mineral oils, ethoxylated ingredients, synthetic fragrances & colors, and others). (4) Does contain high quality natural ingredients as well as organic or certified organic ingredients. (5) Does have great reviews from customers across the web.

Need a little help choosing the best vegan organic skin care products for your skin type? Then, check out our Ox Box! Get a box filled with curated premium organic skin care products tailored for your specific skin type and skin conditions.

Many vegan organic cleaners come in two varieties: foaming and non-foaming. One common foaming agent commonly used by health conscious brands is coco-glucoside (an ingredient created by the combination of coconut oil and fruit sugars). Coco-glucoside is a safe, gentle, and effective ingredient for foaming, cleansing, and conditioning the skin. However, not all cleansers need to have a foam or lather in order to be effective! Non-foaming cleansers are equally great and super simple to use (just apply to a cotton pad, wipe your face, and rinse). Instead of using soap, non-foaming cleansers use organic essential oils, teas, and powerful extracts to work their magic.

Toners are amazing skin care products for all skin types. Depending on the ingredients toners can shrink pores, lock in moisture, balance your skin’s pH levels, thoroughly remove residual makeup, and wipe away dirt on the skin. As such, great toner is a must-have for oily and acne-prone skin types because removing dirt and excess oils reduces the frequency of breakouts (look for a toner that contains witch hazel, lavender, or apple cider vinegar). On the other hand, dry and sensitive skin types should avoid toners that use alcohol and, instead, look for moisturizing toners with aloe vera, vegetable glycerin, or lavender oil.

As more and more beauty brands discover the amazing skin healing benefits of vegetable oils (also known as carrier oils) and essential oils, finding a truly vegan organic moisturizer has gotten a lot easier. These skin care oils are derived from plants and offer an impressive array of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, antibacterial power, and collagen-producing compounds (just to name a few). Instead of using animal-derived ingredients like beeswax or honey, a great vegan organic moisturizer will use things like candelilla or carnauba wax, plant derived oils such as coconut oil, and vegetable glycerin.

Everyone loves indulging their skin with a luxurious face mask every now and then. Why not pamper your skin with non-toxic and cruelty-free ingredients that nourish the skin? You’d be surprised at the kinds of undesirable ingredients included in conventional face masks (including carcinogens like BHA, parabens, and PEG compounds). Vegan organic face masks are a whole other story. They are filled with potent plant extracts, pure clays, fruit exfoliators, and so many other natural ingredients. You can literally eat some of the face masks on this list! How’s that for organic?

Vegan organic skin care serums and oils are a real treat for your skin. They can be used daily moisturizers (like many carrier oils), night treatments, and as luxurious anytime potions to treat various skin related issues (like hyperpigmentation, acne, wrinkles, etc.). If you’re a fan of making your own serums, then you’ll love the collections of pure vegan organic carrier oils in this list. We’ve also included a few pre-made serums and salves for those of you who have no interest in being a kitchen chemist.

When supermodel Christie Brinkley was asked to list her most important skin care habits, she listed daily exfoliation as a major contributor to her flawless skin over the years (she’s over 60 years old). Exfoliation removes layers of dead skin cells and speeds up cell turnover (the growth of new cells). However, you don’t want to continuously use harsh chemicals (or abrasive micro-beads) to exfoliate your skin. These vegan organic exfoliants are gentle enough for continuous use, but also effective enough to help you to uncover new, healthy, and happy skin cells.

Like facial cleansers, a good vegan organic body wash may or may not have a strong lather. If you’d prefer to have a nice lather (but don’t want to use harsh ingredients) then look for soap bars with saponified oils or body washes which include coco-glucoside for safer foaming agents. Non foaming body washes are great as well. They are typically creamy and they work to retain many of your skins natural oils (so you don’t get that squeaky clean feeling). Whichever you choose, make sure that it contains the highest quality vegan organic ingredients.