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With the demand for conscious beauty products being higher than ever, there are tons of great options out there for quality, cruelty-free products. In this article, you’ll find a curated selection of the best cruelty-free moisturizers on the market, from night creams to cooling lotions to formulas with SPF.
If you’re interested in a cruelty-free moisturizer, you might also prefer to shop vegan. Many of the products on this list are both cruelty free and vegan (yes, there is a difference between being cruelty-free and vegan) — which means that they’re produced without the use of animal testing and without ingredients derived from animal by-products. To confirm whether a product is cruelty-free and/or vegan, you can also check if they’ve received a certification from an eligible third-party organization, such as The Leaping Bunny Program or the PETA. For good measure, you can also take a look at their ingredients list to double check that no animal-derived products are included.
After you’ve picked out your new animal-friendly moisturizer, overhaul the rest of your routine with these cruelty-free sunscreens, deodorants, and shampoos. You can also check out this list of cruelty-free beauty brands so you’re better informed for the future.
1The Best Cruelty-Free Daily Moisturizer For Dry Skin
Quench your dry skin’s thirst with Pacifica’s Coconut Probiotic Water Rehab Cream. Enriched with a blend of soothing and hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe, coconut water, and allantoin, plus vegan probiotics, this face cream works to deeply hydrate dry, stressed-out skin. Water is literally the first ingredient in the formula, which is always a good sign, and in addition to being PETA-certified cruelty-free and vegan, it’s free of parabens, phthalates, and SLS. Since it’s oil-free, it won’t clog your pores or leave your face feeling greasy, which makes it safe for use on all skin types.
According to one fan: “Moisturizes without being too greasy. Very light scent, not overpowering at all. I like that it's cruelty free as well. My skin has maintained moisture better over time while using this moisturizer.”
2The Best Cruelty-Free Daily Moisturizer For Oily Skin
- Also available on Walmart, $21
Andalou Naturals’s Clear Skin line was designed with oily, acne-prone skin in mind — so if your skin falls within that category, this is a great daily moisturizer for you. It helps keep skin balanced and clear of blackheads and breakout-causing bacteria using a mix of willow bark extract, kombucha-derived probiotics, and the brand’s signature fruit stem cell complex, while lightweight hydrators like aloe vera provide still-essential moisture. It’s a great daily cream that won’t clog up your skin or make it feel suffocated, and of course, it’s certified as cruelty-free by PETA and the Leaping Bunny Program, plus it’s made with vegan ingredients.
According to one fan: “Absolutely love this moisturizer! It’s so light and never greasy. I mix it with a little foundation for my makeup routine.”
3The Editor’s Pick: This Cruelty-Free Moisturizer From Weleda
- Also available on Walmart, $37
Every time Bustle editor Adeline Duff goes to Germany, she stocks up Weleda products — though luckily, you can get your hands on Weleda Stateside through Amazon as well. One of Duff’s favorite discoveries is the Sheer Hydration Daily Cream, which she argues has the perfect weight for a cream: not too light, and not too heavy. She’s also been a longtime fan of the hero ingredient in the formula, prickly pear cactus extract, which has all sorts of benefits for your skin. This cream, though not overly rich, provides up to 24 hours of hydration and is part of a line that also includes a lovely vegan eye gel.
All Weleda products are certified as cruelty-free and organic by NaTrue — not all of them are vegan, but this specific moisturizer is.
According to one fan: “Love this brand, love what they stand for. This cream is amazing for my very sensitive skin. I live in Texas so finding a facial cream that isn’t too heavy or feel like it’s sliding off the surface of my skin is a challenge [...] no breakouts and I can use it day and night. Absorbs well and doesn’t come with any heavy smells or sticky texture. Love it.”
4The Best Cruelty-Free Daily Moisturizer With SPF
THRIVE’s Natural Face Moisturizer & Mineral Facial Sunscreen SPF 30 is like the unicorn of the beauty world. It’s hard enough to find any sort of sunscreen product that’s cruelty-free and vegan, but this is certified by PETA. It uses non-nano zinc oxide as a natural form of sun protection, so it’s reef-safe, and the formula leaves behind a clear, matte (never greasy, never white) finish. Loaded with antioxidant-rich botanical sourced from Costa Rica, Thrive’s moisturizer has SPF 30 to help keep skin protected not only from the sun, but also from environmental aggressors (like pollution). Arabica coffee oil is used to restore hydration and strengthen the skin’s natural protective barrier, while glycerin, a humectant that attracts moisture, balances out the multi-tasking formula.
In addition to being kind to animals and marine life, this sunscreen is also free of parabens, synthetic dyes, gluten, and other common irritants.
According to one fan: “I was skeptical at first given the price but took the gamble. I am happy that I did. I love this product! First, it smells great. Second, it goes on very light so a little goes a long way. I use it almost every day and it took me months to get through it, so it was definitely worth the price. It also provides good sun protection for daily use. The best part is that my skin loves it too (unlike most sunscreens that are full of toxins and clog pores). My skin is soft and moisturized but not at all greasy or cakey. I have tried a lot of skin care products (some very high end) but this one is my new favorite daytime moisturizer.”
5The Best Cruelty-Free Night Cream For Dry Skin
This rich moisturizer from First Aid Beauty is ideal for dry, sensitive skin types. It’s absolutely loaded with nourishing, strengthening, and soothing ingredients, like ceramides, shea butter, allantoin, and colloidal oatmeal; at the same time, a blend of antioxidants help keep your skin protected from environmental damage in the long term. It also happens to be an amazing value — you get 6 ounces of product in this tub, which can be used on your face and body, all for a pretty reasonable price. And while it makes a great night cream since it’s so intensely hydrating, you could also use this during the day. The formula is PETA-certified cruelty-free, and, according to its ingredients list, free of most common allergens (like gluten and anything derived from nuts or soy) as well.
According to one fan: “I wouldn’t want my nighttime cream to be any other product. It’s moisturizing throughout the night and I don’t break out from it! Heavy enough for sleep and has little to no scent.”
6The Best Cruelty-Free Night Lotion For Oily Skin
- Also available on Walmart, $14, and Ulta, $20, and the The Body Shop, $20
If you have oily and/or acne-prone skin, tea tree is an ingredient to look out for. This Tea Tree Night Lotion (lotions are less heavy than creams, which is another reason this product is so great for oily skin) from The Body Shop hydrates your skin while you sleep, but it also helps regulate oil production and keep breakouts at bay. It’s also gluten- and paraben-free, and the tea tree in the formula is hand-harvested by local farmers in Kenya.
Though not all of The Body Shop's products are vegan, this one is; but all of their products are certified by PETA and the Leaping Bunny Program as cruelty-free. While you can use this moisturizer during the day, it’s worth checking out the brand’s Tea Tree Mattifying Lotion, which works overtime at preventing midday shine.
According to one fan: “Hands down one of my favorite products. I have very complicated skin (dry in the morning, oily in the afternoon, constant breakouts, etc.) and this night lotion has been a miracle worker for me. This is my 3rd bottle so far and I cannot imagine my nightly routine without it.”
7The Best Cruelty-Free Korean Moisturizer
For all the K-beauty lovers out there, this one’s for you. This moisturizer is packed with soothing and hydrating ingredients, any skin type can benefit from using this cream — especially those with highly sensitive faces. Not only does it work to restore your skin’s natural barrier (which tends to be compromised in sensitive skin types), but it also helps soothe irritation and calm redness and inflammation; that’s why it’s such a go-to choice for people with acne and rosacea. If you’re looking for a moisturizer that you can use day and night, all year round, this is an excellent choice. Klairs is a PETA-certified cruelty-free and vegan brand.
According to one fan: “I use Retin-A so I have pretty sensitive skin so I’ve been searching for a moisturizer that doesn’t irritate my skin, is ultra-moisturizing and that doesn’t have a strong fragrance, and I actually believe that this moisturizer is THE ONE!”
8The Best Cruelty-Free Gel Cream
- Also available on Ulta, $20
Gel creams are known for having refreshing, lightweight textures, so they’re a great choice for people with oily skin or who just don’t love the feeling of heavy, oily creams. This one, from Honest Beauty, is super hydrating, as it’s made with moisturizing squalane, jojoba, and two different types of hyaluronic acid. Formulated to deliver a slight cooling sensation and a dewy finish to your skin, this fragrance-free moisturizer is PETA-certified cruelty-free and features vegan ingredients.
According to one fan: “I have very dry skin and this moisturizer is my favorite, especially during the cold months. My skin feels instantly hydrated, without being greasy. I don’t notice any fragrance/scent, which is awesome because I am sensitive to that (I hate artificial scents). Most of all, I like knowing I’m using a ‘clean’ product. I’ve tried many different moisturizers over the years, but keep coming back to this one…it’s great and a decent price.”
9The Best Cruelty-Free Retinol Cream
Drunk Elephant’s popular A-Passioni Retinol Cream harnesses the powers of retinol to transform your skin, while other superstar ingredients like peptides and vitamin F bolster its effects. At the same time, botanicals like marula and jojoba oils nourish and moisturize your skin, while winter cherry and kale offer protection from environmental aggressors. Since this contains retinol, which can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, it’s best reserved for nighttime use only. In the same vein, be sure to be diligent about daily SPF protection to prevent sun damage.
While not all Drunk Elephant products are vegan, this one is — and like all of the brand’s products, it’s certified cruelty-free by PETA, as well as fragrance-free and silicone-free.
According to one fan: “I’ve been using Retinol for years due to hormonal acne scars. I originally bought the small bottle to try it out and that’s all I needed. I love this stuff. A pea size amount goes along way. It covers my face and neck. It’s light weight and you can see acne scars lighten in just a few applications. [Beware] that it may cause the skin to dry out initially. I went from using it everyday to ever other day, until my face was able to tolerate the new retinol.”
10The Best Organic & Cruelty-Free Moisturizer For Sensitive Skin
- Also available on Bed Bath & Beyond, $15
If you’re all about effective, no-fuss products that are good for your skin and the planet, Mustela’s new certified-organic line is worthy of your attention. Like all the products in the line, this moisturizer is COSMOS-certified to the highest standard, vegan, and made with over 99% naturally derived ingredients. Mustela also doesn’t test its products (or their ingredients) on animals. It’s fragrance-free and safe for use on babies, but there’s no reason your adult skin won’t love this gentle, hydrating cream as well. You get a generous 5 ounces of product in the bottle, and it can be used all over your face and body, so it’s a truly amazing value.
According to one fan: “Great product! Peace of mind since it’s EWG verified. It worked great on my son’s skin who was getting lots of dry spot as a baby, and this helped them go away and prevent others from forming. It didn’t have a strong smell, which is perfect for us. I use this on our kids’ faces in the winter when they start to get chapped and doesn’t burn or sting like other products.”
11The Best Cruelty-Free Moisturizer With Ceramides
- Also available on Paula’s Choice, $36, Sephora, $36, and DermStore, $35
Moisturizers with ceramides can be an effective option if your goal is stronger, more consistently hydrated skin — that’s because they help support a healthy skin barrier, which, to put it simply, helps keep good things in, like moisture, and bad things out. This moisturizer from Paula’s Choice uses a combination of ceramides, electrolytes, and antioxidants to boost dry or dull skin. It’s a lightweight option that absorbs quickly and, according to one reviewer, “has a nice non-greasy feeling and doesn’t leave my face feeling oily.” While not vegan, the moisturizer is Leaping Bunny-Certified cruelty free, and it’s also free of fragrance and parabens.
According to one fan: “I have tried several PC moisturizers and they’re okay but this one is amazing! It reminds me of thicker Tatcha water cream but half the price and it’s cruelty free. It’s cooling and refreshing to put on. No pilling when I applied my makeup either. All around it’s a great product!”
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