A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Vegan Skin Care Routine

1. Facial Cleanser

Cleansing your skin is a critical skin care step, so it should come as a relief that going vegan won’t limit your options. The world is basically your oyster—just choose a cleanser that suits your needs.

If your face normally feels tight after cleansing…try the Garnier SkinActive Refreshing Cream Face Wash with Aloe. A cream cleanser, like this one, can hydrate and cleanse at the same time, so as not to strip skin of natural oils.

If your face never feels clean enough…try the Garnier SkinActive Refreshing Facial Wash with Aloe. This refreshing cleanser can help to remove excess sebum and impurities for clean skin that feels fresh.

If enlarged pores are your concern…try the Garnier SkinActive Deep Pore Face Wash with Green Tea. You may not be able to get rid of your pores but you can make them appear smaller. This gel cleanser deeply cleanses and mattifies skin, leaving the appearance of pore size visibly reduced.

If you wear a full face of makeup…try the Garnier SkinActive Soothing Milk Face Wash with Rose Water. Let your cleanser serve double duty by removing makeup while washing away impurities—all without stripping skin of its natural moisture barrier.

2. Exfoliator

After shedding your old routine, you’ll also want to shed any dead skin cells sitting on the surface of your skin. Not only can exfoliating reduce dullness, but it can also help the rest of the products making up your routine absorb better. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Start with using a face scrub just once a week, then build up the frequency depending on what your complexion can handle. As for a vegan option, the Garnier SkinActive Deep Pore Exfoliating Face Scrub with Green Tea fits the bill. Formulated with green tea, the gentle scrub decongests skin and exfoliates to reduce the appearance of pores. When you’re done, skin is left smoother with a refined texture.

3. Toner

We can’t say we’d be totally shocked to hear you haven’t been using a toner all along, but if that’s the case, it’s time for a change. While you’re revamping your routine, add a toner—a severely underrated skin care product—into the mix. And if you’re worried about the myth that all toners are drying, think again. Avoid formulas with alcohol, and you should be good to go. In fact, the BYBI Mega Mist Hyaluronic Acid Toner is ideal for those with skin in need of moisture.

4. Serum

Thankfully, many of the ingredients you already love are vegan-friendly—vitamin C included. So, if you’ve grown accustomed to smoothing on a vitamin C serum before your moisturizer, you won’t need to go without. The One Love Organics Vitamin C Moisturizing Serum, which is formulated with botanical vitamin C, plus vitamin E and green tea, is a great vegan-friendly pick.

5. Moisturizer

Moisturizing is inarguably one of the most important steps in any skin care routine, and going vegan won’t give you a pass to slack off on slathering your skin with hydrating cream. As you know, there are cleansers aplenty that qualify as vegan, and moisturizers are no different. And that means you won’t have to compromise and use one that doesn’t suit your skin type—such a weight off your shoulders.

If you have dry or sensitive skin…try the Garnier Hydrating 3-in-1 Face Moisturizer with Aloe. This face-absorbing moisturizer leaves skin feeling smooth and hydrated for a soft and supple complexion.

6. Face Oil

Want to take moisturizing to the next level? We know just the thing. Mix a few drops of facial oil into a dollop of face cream for an extra boost of moisture. For a vegan-approved oil, look no further than the Herbivore Lapis Facial Oil. We promise you’ll be lured in by the color alone, as it’s striking blue hue is sure to stand out from everything else in your collection.

7. Face Mist

If you enjoy nothing more than spraying your face when you’re in need of a pick-me-up, you’ll be able to even after going vegan. All you’ll need to do is switch to the Garnier SkinActive Soothing Facial Mist with Rose Water, which lightly hydrates and leaves skin feeling refreshed.

8. Face Mask

Vegan skin care enthusiasts enjoy a face mask just as much as the next person. To make your at-home spa day vegan-approved, use the Youth to the People Age Prevention Superfood Mask.