Aside from food, the vegan lifestyle extends to cruelty-free hair and skincare. But unfortunately, not all vegan products work great. This summer, I made sure I used only tried-and-tested vegan products that have never failed me. As we are in the midst of high and harsh temperatures, I thought I’d share these hair and skincare favorites with you.

Below are two lists of my vegan summer hair and skincare favorites – “Essentials” and “Extra Care”.

The “Essentials” are the ones I couldn’t go without especially this summer. They give sun protection, summer glow, hair moisture, and odor protection. The “Extra Care” are my “wants”. The icing on the cake. The products that keep me cooled down, protected from the sun, and overall fresh and clean.

I hope you find these products as helpful as they are for me.

 

 

VEGAN HAIR AND SKINCARE FOR THE SUMMER:

TOP 5 ESSENTIALS:

 

1. FACE:  Devita BB Cream Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15

Devita’s BB cream glides on easily. It’s tinted so I don’t have to put any makeup foundation on regular days. Its tint comes in three shades – light, medium, and dark (I went with the medium tint).

When applying, I make sure to apply on my neck as well as on my face so both complexion match. Unlike makeup foundation that could feel thick and cakey, Devita’s BB cream feels light -which helps when the weather is sweltering hot.

Best of all, Devita’s BB Cream gives me cruelty-free sun protection without any weird chemicals commonly found in sun screens.

 

2. LIPS: Hurraw Sun Protection Lip Balm

My lips dry and crack easily. While I tend to hoard lip balms, my favorite is the Hurraw Sun Protection. It keeps my lips soft and moisturized even on the driest days of summer. Just take note that this lip balm is not tinted so you may need to add lipstick on top.

 

3. HAIR: Beauty without Cruelty Moisturizing Shampoo + Abba Moisture Conditioner

I usually put my hair up for good reason -it gets coarse, dry, and frizzy. If you have the same hair type, then I recommend using Beauty Without Cruelty Moisturizing shampoo. It cleans, clarifies, and removes build up. It also gives a nice, thick lather in the shower.

When it comes to hair conditioner, I used to put too much with little or no effect. I just never had any luck with vegan hair conditioners…until I discovered Abba Hair Conditioner at a beauty sales event.

Abba Hair Care is salon-approved, professional-grade product. It’s pricey but a good investment considering I need only a bit. So in the end, it’s not that expensive at all. Plus, I love that it gives a cooling, minty sensation on my scalp after shower.

 

4. BODY: Baking Soda

Aside from culinary uses, baking soda is also great for other purposes. It could exfoliate my face, body, and underarm. I use baking soda for almost everything, even for cleaning the kitchen or doing the laundry. It’s the MacGyver of cleaning products. It’s versatile, inexpensive, strong yet non-abrasive. I store mine in separate containers -for the kitchen, for my face, and for my body and underarm.

Unlike other soaps and exfoliators (especially scented ones), baking soda does not mask dirt and odor. To apply, I use it in the shower to exfoliate my body and underarm. Even after an intense day of working out or running several miles, I would use baking soda in the shower and come out completely clean and refreshed.

 

5. UNDERARM: Primal Pit Paste

Summertime means hot weather means excessive sweat means body odor. I’ve experimented with many natural, vegan underarm deodorants. Some have aluminum (which could harm your health), some have palm oil (which is usually not ethically sourced), and some have ingredients that don’t work at all.

So far, I’ve found Primal Pit Paste as the most effective vegan underarm deodorant.

It’s not anti-perspirant so you are still going to sweat, but at least your sweat will not stink. Primal Pit Paste also has a lasting effect so you don’t have to constantly reapply. It’s made of only simple, natural products like shea butter, arrowroot powder, coconut oil, and baking soda. I was surprised by how effective it was considering the ingredients are nothing fancy or chemical-laden. The only thing is, you have to use your fingertips to apply to your underarm (the glide-on stick has beeswax and is not vegan).

 

 

TOP 5 EXTRA CARE:

 

1. FACIAL MIST: E.L.F. Makeup Mist & Set

When it’s hot outside and I need to cool down, I spray Elf Facial mist all over my face and neck. It’s cooling, refreshing, and keeps my skin hydrated. Not to mention, it’s inexpensive and is widely available at drugstores and major supermarkets (in the US).

 

2. FACE SUNSCREEN: Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF30

I use Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer with SPF 30 when I need to be outside for a long time, like on a family vacation, day trip with friends, or backyard gardening.  As much as possible, I use natural sunscreens with no harmful chemicals. Our skin is the biggest organ in our body so whatever we put on it, gets absorbed into our bloodstream.

 

3. FACE MAKEUP CONCEALER: Pacifica Concentrated Concealer

The sun could leave my face with uneven patches so I use a bit of Pacifica’s concealer. I would repeatedly but gently dab until it’s perfectly blended. A little goes a long way which makes Pacifica’s concealer a great investment.

 

4. HAIR CARE: Beauty Without Cruelty Leave-in Conditioner

My hair could get easily tangled especially when the weather is intensely dry. I pat a little bit of Beauty Without Cruelty’s leave-in conditioner on the tangled parts of my hair to bring back its lost moisture.

 

5. BODY: Vitamin E Oil

Most lotions have Vitamin E so might as well use the actual vitamin E oil. I get mine at stores like Rainbow Grocery or Trader Joe’s. It’s not that expensive, if not less expensive than mainstream body lotions. You could get it online too. Vitamin E oil gives my skin a nice glow and keeps my skin soft and moisturized throughout the day.

 

I hope you find these two lists useful for your hair and skin.  If you’re on a budget, I suggest to focus on the “Essentials” list. If you have more room to shop, I suggest to also go with the “Extra Care” list. Both have practical uses without the fancy frills.

While I tend to stick to what works for me, I also welcome recommendations from friends. Do you have your own tried-and-tested vegan hair and skincare? What are they? Please don’t hesitate to share; I would love to hear your picks.

Note: Devita sent me their BB cream to try and the links have my amazon affiliate. All views are my own and I was not compensated to promote any of these products.