Vegan + Clean Skincare Routine

One of the most frequently asked questions I get on Instagram is what products I use for my skin and hair and what I do to take care of them. So I thought it was about time to give you a detailed update on both. If you’re more interested in hair care, make sure to check out this post, which I always keep up to date. In addition I’ll also talk about a few changes and additions I’ve made! If you have any questions about my vegan + clean skincare routine make sure to comment below! 🙂

Firstly, I feel like it’s important to keep it real and mention that skin is mostly influenced by 2 things: genes and what you put in your body. Nevertheless there are certain points and additions that are to be made.

Personally, I’ve ALWAYS had very good skin. I have about 5 pimples per year, usually when I eat too much chocolate or fast food. That must sound horribly spoiled to many people that have been struggling with severe acne and skin issues all their lives. Unfortunately, that’s mainly genetics. While I am blessed with smooth, pimple free skin, my brother had acne as a teenager. So I guess either you have it or not.

However, nutrition also plays a MAJOR role in how bad it gets. Despite the fact that my skin was always good, it became even softer and smoother over the past years.  That’s definitely linked to a plant-based diet and staying hydrated! So If you’re looking to improve your skin that’s where I would start 100%. Cut out animal products, refined sugars, fast foods and any other triggers.

Because I’m a lot in the sun and have been living in sunny Mediterranean countries for the past 5 years, I HAVE to take extra care of my skin! Hence I always make sure to apply some sort of vegan sunscreen on top of my usual skin routine.

When it comes to my skincare I have 3 simple rules – all products have to be:

• natural (meaning non-toxic)
• vegan
• cruelty free

It only makes sense that what you put on your body is just as clean and natural as what you put inside. After all the skin is your body’s biggest organ and absorbs SO much! That’s why, when it comes to beauty products, I am incredibly picky and read the product ingredients just like I do with food.

My current skincare favorites

[updated: July 2019]

Face

Cleansing: I rarely wear make-up but when I do I always make sure to remove it before going to bed. For that I simply use reusable bamboo pads and a bit of coconut oil, which always does the trick. It’s a lot more earth-friendly than any make up remover wipes or similar products.

Moisturizing: My absolute favorite brand for any skincare products is Acaraa. They’re a German brand that make incredibly high-quality natural cosmetics and I simply love them! I use several of their products and honestly can’t recommend them enough. In the mornings, after thoroughly washing my face I always use their Facial Cream (for sensitive skin), which has the most pleasant smell and effect. It’s super moisturizing, refreshing (thanks to the addition of aloe vera) but not oily at the same time, which is so hard to find in facial products! In the evenings, just before going to sleep, I always use their Facial Serum.

Body

I’ve been obsessed with this Natural Body Oil from Acaraa lately! I’ve already used half the bottle in just 2 weeks because I legit use it every single day. Fun fact, I’ve actually gotten several compliments how smooth my skin is and how good it smells after using it! The oil is made from a blend of super simple ingredients: cacay oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, almond oil. Possibly my favorite combination in one amazing product! Obviously, like all their products, it’s completely free from: silicones, parabens, mineral oils, synthetic preservatives, sulphates.

The amazing thing is that it absorbs super quickly and doesn’t leave you with a sticky skin for hours like coconut oil does for example. It just makes your skin extremely smooth and pleasant – trust me!

From time to time I also use their After Shave Balm, which naturally soothes the skin and helps avoid red bumps!

I’m always super careful when it comes to recommending beauty products because I want to seriously test them for several months before putting my name behind a brand but I’m so incredibly happy with Acaraa and their products that they quickly have become my go-to vegan skincare products. I honestly can’t recommend them enough so I’ve arranged a discount code for anyone who wants to give clean + vegan beauty a try: tastyk15 (will give you 15% off the whole shop).

For now they ship within Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, Italy and Switzerland (through their partner Mein Einkauf) – and I’m hoping they’ll expand their availability soon because their products are simply amazing and should be available everywhere!

Apart from that I gotta mention that their products mainly come in glass bottles which I highly appreciate as an effort to cut down plastic waste! Personally, this has become an increasingly important factor in choosing which brand I buy!