Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to be more conscious when it comes to your daily necessities like skincare? Or are you simply on the lookout for some new animal and environment-friendly products to include in your routine? Making your routine completely cruelty-free can sound a bit overwhelming at first, but since companies are not allowed to test on animals by law since 2018 in South Korea, it is a lot easier to find these products than you would think. They are not just easy to access, but they are also effective and affordable!

But don’t get confused: cruelty-free does not mean vegan. Cruelty-free products might contain some ingredients of animal origin that have been collected in a way that doesn’t harm them, but the products were not tested on animals throughout the development and manufacturing process. With vegan products, they do not contain any animal-derived ingredients. Some of these brands, or some of their products, match both keywords. 

Thankfully there is a huge variety of brands and products to choose from nowadays, so this list is definitely not comprehensive; it just contains some of our favorites.

Beauty of Joseon

Beauty of Joseon was inspired by a 19th Century encyclopedia that spills the skincare secrets of Korean women of that time, mentioning the use of many traditional Korean herbal medicines. Borrowing the wisdom of the Joseon era, Beauty of Joseon uses ingredients like ginseng, green tea, lotus root, and ginger to improve the overall state of the skin.

They are well-known for their recently renewed Dynasty Cream that is a very nourishing moisturizer. It contains 29% rice bran water, 5% ginseng root water, honey extract, safflower oil, Lycium chinense fruit extract, 2% niacinamide, and 2% squalane. This unique formulation gives the cream a dense texture that feels very hydrating. It reduces the appearance of wrinkles, brightens the skin, and also strengthens the moisture barrier, so it has an overall rejuvenating effect. 

Beauty of Joseon is also known for their serum trio that are all highly-concentrated in the given natural ingredients and focus on different concerns. The Glow Serum works its magic with propolis extract and niacinamide, the Repair Serum strengthens the skin with ginseng root water and snail mucin, and the Calming Serum soothes the skin with green tea extract and panthenol. 

Benton

Benton is fascinating, starting from its name which comes from the famous character's name, Benjamin Button, who is known for aging backward. With that being said, the brand’s aim is to restore the skin to its original youthful health with a clean, natural, eco-friendly, and ethically sourced recipe. They also earned PETA’s (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) “Beauty without Bunnies” certification. 

If you are looking for a product to first dive into Benton, you might want to try out their popular Fermentation Eye Cream, which is made with galactomyces ferment filtrate, bifida ferment lysate, ceramide, and hyaluronic acid. It reduces fine lines, makes the skin firmer, hydrates the delicate skin around the eye area, reduces wrinkles, and prevents the skin from dryness.

Another big favorite of ours is the Aloe BHA Skin Toner, which is basically a high concentration of Aloe leaf water infused with hyaluronic acid, BHA, and snail filtrate. It’s great for those who have acne concerns and those who are looking to brighten their skin. It exfoliates the skin from dead skin cells and removes blackheads so gently that it actually also moisturizes the skin and helps enhance its elasticity.

COSRX

Unless this is your first encounter with K-Beauty, you will most likely know COSRX. They are a big favorite among skincare junkies, as they are not just very effective, but also pretty affordable and have a wide variety of lines to fight various concerns including acne, dehydration, aging, etc. Apart from their honey and snail mucin lines, their products are also vegan. Their minimalistic packaging also reflects their minimalist mindset when it comes to ingredients. Instead of focusing on packing the product with a bunch of ingredients, they tend to go with a shorter list that focuses on the selected main ingredients.

COSRX often works as a trendsetter within the beauty community. Their Acne Patch still leaves consumers speechless, and although today there are many brands that drop similar products, this is an OG that will forever stay at the top of our best of skincare lists. These patches help naturally heal and treat breakouts by absorbing the excess oil. There are also a couple of versions of this product, so you can pick one that suits your lifestyle best. 

Their Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser is also popular for a reason. It’s a very gentle cleanser that works wonders on all skin types. If you are looking to add essence to your routine, we highly recommend trying their Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence that repairs damaged skin and helps slow down the signs of aging with its strengthening properties.

iUNIK

iUNIK is another natural skincare brand that offers many vegan-friendly products that deliver an answer to many concerns. They only use hypoallergenic ingredients and focus on minimalism to be able to present a safe solution for all skin types. Their website is really helpful if you are looking for the right products for yourself, as they let you browse by skin type and skin concern.  

Their Centella Calming Gel Cream is a popular choice for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin. It’s a lightweight and refreshing moisturizer that lowers skin temperature and calms skin.

The Noni Light Oil Serum is said to be a great solution for those who tend to wake up with dry skin in the morning. I just got my hands on this during the holidays, so it is still in the testing phase for me. It is a lightweight serum that is formulated with Morinda citrifolia fruit extract, plant-based oils, and is supposed to have significant anti-aging effects, improving fine lines and wrinkles. By the first impression, it really leaves the skin nourished, smooth, and plump.

NATURE REPUBLIC

Okay, there is definitely no K-Pop fan out there who is not familiar with NATURE REPUBLIC whether they are into K-Beauty or not. They have worked with groups and idols such as EXO, Rain, Girls’ Generation's Taeyeon, and NCT, just to mention a few. Their products are formulated with high-quality, raw, natural ingredients from around the globe that offer a vegan alternative for skin, body, hair care, and even makeup. 

One of their most popular and recognized products is the very versatile Soothing and Moisture Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel. As its name suggests, it contains 92% Aloe vera extract, which makes it extremely moisturizing and cooling. It’s a lifesaver when it comes to sunburns; I bought my first one on a trip to Jeju Island after underestimating the power of the sun. It can be applied all over the body, including hair. You can also mix it with other products to add additional glow or soothing, chilling effect.

PURITO

The last one on our list, for now, is another vegan brand that is perfect for those who are just getting familiar with either K-Beauty or cruelty-free skincare. PURITO offers solutions to several skin concerns while focusing on building up a healthy condition with their hypoallergenic and chemical-free products. Besides being cruelty-free and eco-friendly, PURITO also uses environmentally friendly recycled packaging, and they donate some parts of their profits to the KFEM (Korean Federation for Environmental Movement), a civic environmental organization.

Another new product that I added to my collection during the holidays is their Dermide Cica Barrier Sleeping Pack. It’s supposed to recharge the tired skin that lacks sleep (hello, that’s me!) by strengthening its barrier with a moisturizing, protective film with great ingredients like Centella asiatica extract, ceramide, squalene, and hyaluronic acid. My concern about sleeping packs is usually the texture, but it’s lightweight and non-sticky, so it passed the first round.