*Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you). Please note that I only recommend things that I personally use and love.
I'm one of those people that gets super excited when I learn about a new vegan and cruelty free brand, whether it be food, beauty products, cleaning supplies, whatever. I get even more excited when I find out that the brand is vegan and cruelty free on purpose. For example, AVEGAN Beauty is owned and founded by a vegan woman. She created this brand and there was no question that it would be vegan and cruelty free because that's how she lives her life, so of course, her business would reflect that! I love to see it. Vegan on purpose is what we are here for!
I received the skincare line from AVEGAN Beauty about a month ago and started using them right away because I wanted to be able to give a true opinion on it. I figured a few weeks was enough time to see if there was a difference in my skin. First things first, I have a skincare routine that I already love (though, the vibe of my skin changed recently, but I'll get into that soon). Do I wash my face every day and night like I should? Nope. We can count on me washing my face maybe 3 times per week. More, if I decide to wear any bit of make up, which is very rare.
I set out intentions to use this line twice per day, as instructed. I definitely skipped a couple washes here and there, but instead of it being from feeling lazy, it was because my face literally felt clean all day and I never gave it a thought, which is a pretty nice feeling.
Over this last winter, my clear, even toned, and combination (leaning towards dry, but often overproducing oil to compensate) skin took a turn and became full on dehydrated all day every day. I upped my water intake, drank more electrolytes, washed my face more (but still not enough, like I previously said 🤦🏻♀️), bought hydrating lotions and oils, and used them several times per day sometimes! I thought it would get better with the seasons changing, but it really didn't.
Needless to say, I was frustrated af.
In comes AVEGAN Beauty's skincare line. I was applying the lotion a little thick the first couple days because my skin was so dry, but then I noticed my skin stopped soaking all of it in so much. By the end of week one, I was using such a thin layer of lotion and it felt like my skin was back to it's old ways (with a few pimples from the initial detox I always get when I try a new cleanser). Now that I'm nearing the end of week 4 of using this, I honestly don't even feel like I have combination skin anymore. It just feels like skin. Not too dry. Not too oily. Just right, as Goldilocks would say.
In their mission statement, they say, "We began out of protest to the use of animals and chemicals for products. We are pioneers in clean, cruelty-free beauty. Our mission is to provide the highest ethics for beauty products." Honestly, that is basically goals for how I want to live my life and I LOVE that this is it for them. If you go to their shop, you'll be able to see the ingredients for every product on the description page.
As per the norm with me, my favorite of the products was the serum. This serum is different than others I've tried, though, as it acts like an exfoliant! You'll feel it's a little gritty at first as it gently exfoliates your skin. However, it smooths out quickly and absorbs right in. You can also use it as a spot treatment for blemishes, applying a few times daily. I only did this once and the pimple did fade pretty quick, but I'm not sure if it was quicker than normal.
One thing I did notice while using these products, however, is that my maskne would leave almost as quick as it would show up. I work from home typically, so I don't often wear a mask for long periods of time, but I did volunteer at an animal sanctuary a couple times while using these products. I wore a mask for nearly 4-5 hours (as someone with asthma, I would wear a mask anyway, just to filter out the barn smells that trigger asthma attacks) and I would always notice maskne and blackheads appearing that night. I've only had to sit with those blemishes for about 24 hours before they'd disappear!
Besides their topical skincare, they also offer a product called NutraChic, which helps boost collagen without including collagen from animals or marine life. This berry flavored powder can be put into your smoothies or simply mixed with water. For being a supplement, I'm not gonna lie, it's kinda tasty! There is a little sediment, if you're mixing it with water. I would definitely recommend adding it into a smoothie or even mixing it into your non-dairy yogurt!
Something very much worth mentioning is that AVEGAN Beauty/Ecco Bella is the first vegan, woman-led business to raise capital on the world’s first vegan equity crowdfunding platform Vegan Launch. What it means is that you and everyone else who sees that the future is vegan can participate in driving business's success, saving animals, the planet and our own health. In the past, only the wealthiest investors could help launch and benefit from the growth of vegan companies. Now, investors at all wealth levels can have a big influence on the things that matter most to all of us–animal rights, human health, and vibrant ecosystems – shifting the economy from being animal-based to plant-based. This kind of platform is making early stage investing more inclusive! You can find out more about AVEGAN Beauty/Ecco Bella on the Vegan Launch Platform by clicking here.