The Vegan Skincare Guide

The actual routine

You need three products. The rest is optional.

1. A gentle cleanser — once or twice a day. (Plum Green Tea, Minimalist Salicylic.)
2. A moisturiser — every day. (The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors, Plum Vitamin C SPF.)
3. A sunscreen — every single day, indoors too. SPF 50, broad spectrum. (Earth Rhythm Mineral SPF 50, Minimalist Sunscreen SPF 50.)

That's it. Don't overcomplicate this.

Optional actives

Introduce one at a time, give each one 6 weeks.

• Niacinamide (5–10%) — evens skin tone, reduces oil. Minimalist 10% Niacinamide.
• Vitamin C (10–20% LAA) — brightens, antioxidant. Minimalist Vitamin C 16%.
• Retinol (0.3–1%) — anti-ageing, gold standard. Start 1x/week. Minimalist Retinol 0.3%.
• Salicylic acid (2%) — for active acne. Plum 2% Salicylic.
• Hyaluronic acid — adds hydration. The Ordinary HA.

Indian vegan brands worth your money

• Plum — entire range vegan and cruelty-free. Pioneer in India.
• Minimalist (now Be Minimalist) — science-led, vegan, brilliant for actives.
• Earth Rhythm — clean, vegan, sustainable. Their mineral SPF is excellent.
• Disguise Cosmetics — entirely vegan makeup, owned by Shweta Bachchan.
• Juicy Chemistry — organic, vegan, certified.
• Forest Essentials — luxury, mostly vegetarian, check each product.
• Pilgrim — affordable, mostly vegan, check each.
• mCaffeine — vegan, cruelty-free, mass market.

Imports that are easy to find

• The Ordinary (Nykaa, Tira)
• Pacifica (Nykaa) — fully vegan
• e.l.f. (mostly vegan, very affordable)
• Drunk Elephant (most products vegan)
• Glow Recipe (vegan)

Ingredients to skip

The sunscreen sermon

If you take one thing away: wear sunscreen every day. SPF 50, broad-spectrum, mineral if you have sensitive skin. India's UV index is high year-round. Most ageing is sun damage. Pick one vegan SPF you'll actually use, and use it.