(Picture: Utopia, The Body Shop, Beauty Kitchen, Sukin, Neal’s Yard)

Vegan skincare can be a minefield, so we’ve been doing the legwork for you.

We’ve already tested out some vegan cleansers, moisturisers and eye creams, and now it’s time for oils and serums.

While many brands are cruelty-free these days, there are lots of companies who use animal-derived ingredients in their concoctions, and it can be a confusing time working out which ones you’re allowed to use.

We’ve rounded up 12 oils and serums on the market, making it clear which ones are fully vegan companies, and which ones also sell non-vegan products.


Each company in this feature is cruelty-free though, you can be sure of that.



1. Supercharge serum, BYBI, £32 for 30ml

‘I reckon this is a good all-rounder for anyone who’s into skincare. It feels like a hydrating oil, but also has all the active ingredients you’d want from a toner or serum.

‘It has quite a strong scent, but I quite liked it. Give it a sniff before you invest if you can.

‘I’d recommend using a teeny-tiny amount massaged into the skin before your night-time moisturiser.’

Is BYBI 100% vegan? Yes.

2. Oil-free hydrating serum, Neal’s Yard, £30 for 30ml

‘This is the perfect serum to put on underneath your SPF in this hot weather, as it doesn’t feel like you’re overloading your face with products that will just slide off.

‘It’s also good to wear under makeup, as it’s hydrating but mattifying at the same time.

‘The heatwave has also proven that it’s a good one to wear as a night serum, as I hate that feeling of sweating in bed and feeling like your night oil has turned into grease. This doesn’t do that, and you don’t wake up with a shiny face, which is brill.’

Is Neal’s Yard 100% vegan? No, beeswax is in some products. Find out more here.

3. Seahorse Plankton high definition facial oil, Beauty Kitchen, £19.99 for 30ml

(Picture: Beauty Kitchen)

‘This smells divine. It’s heavenly. So lush massaging it in right before bed, as it’s got the calming scent of frankincense, lavender and bergamot.

‘It’s plumping and moisturising without being greasy.

‘I can’t rave about it enough and have already invested in some more of the Seahorse Plankton range, including the cleansing gel and BB cream, which is a lovely light one to wear on summer evenings.

‘Can’t get enough of that smell.’

Is Beauty Kitchen 100% vegan? No, some products contain beeswax. Find a list here.

4. B Confident night serum, Superdrug, £9.49 for 30ml

‘I started using this in London before the heatwave – the sun is usually super nice to my skin and when I am without sun I notice that I don’t have that glow that I want.

‘Before I jetted off to the warmer climates of Nigeria I noticed the tone in my skin started to pop and it felt a lot cleaner.

”I was very surprised to see how radiant my skin looked and felt whilst I used the product out there. I usually stay away from overloading on products abroad because my skin is very sensitive to climate changes and I am prone to burning or getting heat rashes even in a Spanish winter. I suffered no rashes.



‘I expected my skin to hate me when I returned to the UK but my positive reaction to the product stayed consistent.’

Is B 100% vegan? Yes.

5. Sukin super greens chia seed oil, Holland & Barrett, £17.49 for 20ml

‘I’m conflicted by this product. One on hand, it’s very effective; after just one week’s use, my skin feels smooth and fresh, and has a dewy look.

‘Despite its success, Sukin fails on the fundamentals – the product, which contains hemp oil, smells rather funky (don’t use it on a hangover) and the bottle itself leaks slightly.

‘The oil is also a bit dry andyou need a fair amount, so it could become an expensive skincare routine, unless you focus on targeted areas of your face.’

Is Sukin 100% vegan? Yes.

6. Citrus + hemp clearing face serum, Awake Organics, £29.99 for 20ml

(Picture: Awake Organics)

‘Its really great to find a facial oil that’s geared towards those of us with problem skin, as there’s a misconception that you shouldn’t use oils on acne-prone skin, when certain oils are actually fine.

‘I used to add my own tea tree oil to other facial oils, but this one contains stuff like tea tree, grapefruit and lavender oils, which combat blemishes, as well as having a lovely smell.

‘I love putting a few drops of this on before bed, and it helps to deal with dry patches I get after using retinol, as well as hopefully in the long run, smoothing scars.

‘Plus, it’s made by a small company who are ethically and environmentally aware, which is massively important to me when choosing skincare.’

Is Awake Organics 100% vegan? Yes.


7. Reviving Facial Oil, Urban Veda, £29.99 for 30ml

(Picture: Urban Veda)

‘This smells absolutely delicious, and is a real joy to put on your face. I can’t really pinpoint the scent, but it smells wholesome and natural and full of essential oils.

‘This oil is for mature, dry skin, and it’s made a real difference to my face, making it softer. It’s good that you don’t need to use a lot, as it means the bottle lasts longer.

‘I love that it’s all natural so you’re not putting any nasties into your skin.’

Is Urban Veda 100% vegan? Yes.

8. Full of grace serum, Lush, £8.25 for 20g

‘The solid serum will seriously help out those with dry skin, like me. It’s very moisturising and leaves the skin feeling supple.

‘It smells really good too, like a scented candle. You have to wear a thin layer though because otherwise it can leave your face quite greasy.’

Is Lush 100% vegan? No, around 80% of Lush products are but some still contain things like milk and honey.

9. Pure hydration comforting serum, Waitrose, £7 for 30ml

‘This was unscented but smelled very waxy which was off putting, but sank into the skin quite quickly and didn’t feel too greasy after.

‘It’s fine for a budget serum, but nothing special.’

Is Waitrose 100% vegan? No, other products contain animal derivatives.

10. Oils of Life intensely revitalising facial oil, The Body Shop, £30 for 30ml

(Picture: The Body Shop)

‘Felt a bit disappointed in this. Lovely looking bottle, smells nice, but I couldn’t see that it made a big difference – maybe it’s a slow burn?

‘I found the pipette a bit loose so ended up getting my than I wanted a few times and it’s quite a runny oil, so a good 20% was absorbed by my fingertips.


‘Pros: it is really lightweight. Cons: it promises anti-ageing but I still look firmly 32.’

Is The Body Shop 100% vegan? No, some of their products contain animal by-products like beeswax.

11. “B” oil, The Ordinary, £8.70 for 30ml

(Picture: The Ordinary)

‘I love oils because I’ve got really dry skin and I wash my face, arms, and feet a lot every day (I just like to hydrate my body okay) so that ends up leaving me dry and ashy, so I have a lot of different oils.

‘This one is a little yellowy in colour but it’s really thin wear which feels light on the skin, not greasy as with some other oils. I love the little bottle as well because it’s a pipette style one so you can control how much oil you pour out.’

Is Utopia 100% vegan? Yes.

12. Intensive face serum, Utopia, £36 for 30ml

‘I didn’t really like the texture of this as it goes quite limp when you try to rub it in, and feels a bit clinical and not very luxurious, especially as the smell isn’t that great.

‘I like my skincare to be a bit more of a calming ritual before bed, and this doesn’t really add to that.

‘It has moisturised my face nicely though, so if you’re more into just slapping stuff on and forgetting about it, then this is perfect for you.’

Is Utopia 100% vegan? Yes.

Animal-derived ingredients to look out for Beeswax – used as an emollient in skincare products. Honey – from bees, obviously. Often used for its naturally antibacterial properties. Chitin – a polysaccharide that was first discovered in the cell walls of mushrooms, but now more commonly comes from the exoskeletons of crustaceans, insects and arachnids. Basically, it’s ground-up crab shells. Collagen – a major structural protein found in animal connective tissue. It usually comes from cows, pigs or fish. Elastin – a protein found in animal artery walls, intestines, lungs and skin. Lanolin – animal fat extracted from sheep’s wool. Stearin/stearic acid – derived from the fat of cows, sheep or pigs. Often a by-product of animal agriculture. Information from The Vegan Society

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