All about vegan beauty at Skins

Vegan beauty is a term you see more and more often, but rarely really explained. After all, what exactly does it mean for a product and for what you apply to your skin every day?

In this Story, you'll discover what vegan cosmetics mean, how to recognise it and how this choice is reflected within Skins' carefully curated collection.

What does vegan beauty mean?

When a product is vegan, it means it is completely free of ingredients of animal origin, such as beeswax, honey, lanolin or carmine. In vegan formulas, these ingredients are replaced by plant-based alternatives, such as oils, shea butter, cocoa butter and extracts. This requires careful development, as each ingredient has a function within a formula.

For your skin, little changes in the basics: the effect and experience remain the same. What does change is the origin of the ingredients and the vision behind the formulation.

Why is vegan beauty becoming increasingly popular?

The growing popularity of vegan beauty stems from a strong social need for transparency and a changing view on personal care, where animal welfare has become a fundamental value for many people. The conscious decision not to harm animals and reduce our impact on the world around us is driving demand for fair formulas without animal-derived ingredients. As consumers increasingly look for factual substantiation rather than vague claims, independent audits play a crucial role in building trust.

Within Skins' collection, you will see this quality assurance reflected through internationally recognised labels such as The Vegan Trademark, Vegetarian Society Vegan Approved, European Vegetarian Union Vegan, Biorius Vegan Certified, PETA Cruelty-Free & Vegan, and the Viva! Vegan Symbol. These certifications provide assurance that an external party has tested the origin of ingredients and the entire production process against strict criteria, so that you can make a choice that fully reflects your personal values.

Want to discover all vegan products within the collection in one overview? On Skins' vegan page, you will find a carefully curated selection of vegan perfume, skincare and make-up. On the product pages of vegan products, you can also clearly see the corresponding claims. You can also easily select vegan via the filters under sustainability claims.

How do you recognise vegan products?

Recognising vegan beauty requires attention to transparency. Some brands use recognised certifications, while others back up their claims with clear information about ingredients and origins.

For you, this means looking at how a brand makes its choices transparent:

• Is there clarity about the composition of products?
• Is there open communication about origins and processes?
• Are claims substantiated with certification or documentation?

These elements help determine whether a product is in line with what you care about.

Our selection of vegan brands

Within Skins' collection, you will find brands that are conscious about the composition of their products. Some brands, such as Ceremonia and AKT London, are completely vegan. Other brands, including Susanne Kaufmann, have a large selection of vegan products within their collection.

DISCOVER THE VEGAN SELECTION

From vegan skincare to vegan perfume: a complete routine

Vegan beauty is not limited to one category, but spans several moments in your routine.

From cleansing and grooming to make-up and perfume, there are options in each step that fit within a vegan approach. This allows you to gradually refine your routine without compromising on texture, effect or experience.

Cleansing

Even within cleansing, there are vegan formulas that combine gentleness and effectiveness. A great example is Caudalie's Vinoclean Instant Foaming Cleanser, an airy mousse that gently cleanses the skin and leaves it feeling comfortable.

Care

For daily care, there are vegan formulas that support the skin and leave it feeling comfortable. Hyeja's Rice Probiotics Gentle Ferment Cream combines fermented Korean rice extract with vegan probiotics to balance the skin microbiome and support the skin barrier. The light texture absorbs quickly and feels comfortable on the skin.

Make-up

The collection of vegan formulas is also growing in make-up. Westman Atelier's Face Trace Contour Stick Truffle naturally adds definition and gently blends with the skin for a subtle shadow effect.

Perfume

Vegan perfume shows that fragrance experience also fits within a conscious routine. Santal Beauty by BIBBI combines violets and magnolia with sandalwood and soft woods for a creamy, floral composition that leaves a lasting impression.

Conscious Curation

Vegan forms one of the curated selections within Conscious Curation. Within this selection, Skins brings together brands that demonstrate their commitment to People & Planet through Provenance's Proof Points.

This creates a more transparent picture of how products are developed and what the brands stand for.

This selection is compiled based on Provenance. This does not mean that other products or brands are not conscious or sustainable, but that they simply have not yet joined this platform.

Frequently asked questions about vegan beauty

Is vegan beauty better for your skin?

Not necessarily. Vegan says something about the origin of ingredients, not automatically about effectiveness. The formulation remains decisive.

Is vegan the same as natural?

No. Vegan means without animal ingredients. Natural refers to the origin of ingredients, but natural ingredients can also be animal.

Are all vegan products cruelty-free?

No. The terms vegan and cruelty-free are often mentioned together because they are both about animals, but refer to different aspects of a product. Vegan refers to the composition and means that no animal ingredients have been used. Cruelty-free is about the development process and means that a product and its ingredients have not been tested on animals.

These two characteristics are separate. A product can be vegan without being cruelty-free, and vice versa. Those who want to make conscious choices therefore look at both and at how brands communicate about this.

Why are animal ingredients still used in cosmetics?

Some ingredients have been used for years because of their texture, action or stability and are not always easy to replace without changing the experience of a product. Ingredients such as beeswax or wool fat are also still common in formulas. In these, the animal is not killed, although many people consciously make a personal trade-off in this.

More and more brands research plant-based alternatives and adjust their formulas step by step. Vegan is therefore not only about what you avoid, but also about transparency and consciously choosing what suits your values and grooming routine.

Is perfume also vegan?

It can be. Perfumes containing animal musk or real ambergris are not allowed to be sold or imported as cosmetics within the EU. Therefore, perfume houses today work with synthetic musk and amber accords that evoke the same warm, sensual facets.

As a result, there are many perfumes that are completely vegan without compromising on character or scent experience. Think Angel Dust Eau de Parfum by Fugazzi or Santal Beauty Eau de Parfum by BIBBI.