The skin is the body’s biggest organ. Aside from staying hydrated, self-care regimens are the best way to protect the body against the rigors of everyday life. Youth to the People is a line of gender-neutral products that counteract a multitude of sins. The company’s Superfood Cleanser contains kale, green tea, and spinach to nourish the skin and protect it from the elements. There’s also the Kombucha + 11% AHA Exfoliation Power Toner, which contains glycolic and lactic acid – designed for minimizing pores and smoothing the skin’s overall appearance.

Another company garnering attention from beauty devotees is Y’OUR Skincare. This line was created by Hannah, a data scientist, and Jenny, a beauty entrepreneur. Y’OUR relies on artificial intelligence technology to match consumers with the perfect skin care routine for their biology, behaviors, skin care goals, and habitat. Just take a short quiz on the company’s website and choose vegan-only products. Those with sensitive skin can even request fragrance-free items. 

Superfoods champion Graydon Moffat formed her eponymous line after a pivot from working as a vegan chef. She spoke of her career change in a blog post from 2020: “Creating skincare products, to me, is so alike to how I’d cook up food. On one hand, I have all these amazing, beneficial superfood ingredients. And then my job is just to mix and match those ingredients in a way that’d create the final product.” All Graydon’s products (except for one) are vegan and certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny. This line is also an early adopter of ashwagandha, an adaptogen with reported stress-relieving effects. The Glow Getter Duo is a popular choice among Graydon’s consumer base.

Friends KJ Miller and Amanda Johnson started Mented Cosmetics after struggling to find the perfect nude lipstick. As women of color, it’s often difficult to choose shades that accentuate the lips and face without drying, giving an ashy appearance, or competing with the subtle undertones of melanin-rich skin. Mented Cosmetics is a line of foundations, glosses, and lipsticks that highlight the natural beauty of Black and Brown women. The company’s website even includes a Shade Finder to match customers with the right colors for their complexion. 

Finally, homemade products are the way to go for those with sensitive skin or people who are cautious about trusting companies to source their ingredients ethically and responsibly. For a cruelty-free exfoliating scrub, fill a pint-sized container with coarse kosher salt, leaving one-quarter of the container empty for easy mixing. Combine a teaspoon of activated charcoal, then add three drops of tea tree oil (an antimicrobial and astringent) and two drops of chamomile or lavender oil (to calm the complexion). Mix the dry ingredients and essential oils until the contents are damp. Then, add four tablespoons of safflower oil or grapeseed oil. Gently fold the oil into the fragrant salt mixture and seal with a lid. Both safflower oil and grapeseed oil are high in antioxidants like vitamin E, and best of all, both are vegan. Plant-based and holistic skin care products are hot topics in all the beauty magazines, making these items a must-have for self-care.

Sources: Amazon, Graydon Skincare, Mented Cosmetics