The best vegan skincare brands that need to be on your radar

Choose better for the planet 🌱

Lush's  'Ultraplant' vegan cleanser and E.l.f's hydration facial cream.

by Red Edwards |
Updated on

Veganism may have been once labeled a 'fad', but it's going nowhere fast with over 1.5 million vegans in the UK today, compared with just half a million in 2016.

It's not just a plant-based diet that is proving more popular, but cruelty-free beauty is becoming just as important as the ingredients list, formula and price point.

Of course, you don't need to be vegan, plant-based or vegetarian to opt for cruelty-free beauty brands and thankfully in 2021, it's never been easier to make those ethical swaps.

It doesn't matter who you are, taking the plunge into a more vegan lifestyle will certainly benefit the animals, the environment and also you to no-end 🌱.

Leave plants growing in tall jars
Leave plants growing in tall jars ©Getty

What is vegan skincare?

Vegan skincare means that products are created without using any ingredients obtained from animals, including animal by-products, such as: Animal Glycerin (which comes from animal fats), Beeswax, Milk, Estrogen, Gelatin, Honey and even Carmine- which is actual crushed up beetles...

Sounds revolting, right?

Vegan skincare products ditch the animal byproducts, and focus on delivering a surge of rejuvenation from natural ingredients giving consumers an all-round earthy freshness.

Check out: The best vegan skincare brands 2021

Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections.

1) LUSH Cosmetics

LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics ©Instagram

If you want a guilt-free beauty haul, then look no further than LUSH cosmetics. Home to the famous intergalactic bath bomb (that is literally out of this world) they have a huge variety of 100% vegetarian and ethically sourced products. This is the place to be if you're after a huge vegan variety (80% of their products are suitable for vegans).

Not only do they cater completely for vegetarians, as well as 80% for vegans, but they also ethically source all of their ingredients and products, use 100% recycled materials for their packaging and help fight animal testing.

LUSH Ultraplant facial cleanserlush.com

This vegan cleanser is made completely from plant-based ingredients and promises an effective cleanse, leaving your skin naturally moisturised thanks to the power of jojoba oil and sunflower wax. Stand-out ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil (helps condition and hydrate the skin), Orange Blossom Water (a natural toner for the skin).

LUSH Grease Lightning spot treatmentlush.com

Bye Bye Break-outs, hello clear skin. This targeted spot relief eliminates redness and irritation, all whilst soothing the skin with aloe vera, cleansing it with natural antibacterial: tea-tree and witch hazel, and calming it with lavender. Stand-out ingredients: Thyme, Rosemary and Tea-Tree infused water, Fair Trade aloe vera gel (soothes and protects), Fresh sea water Grape juice, Lavender oil (calms and balances).

2) Kylie Skin

@kylieskin Instagram post
Woman spraying Kylie Skin sanitiser into palm of hand (uploaded to @kylieskin Instagram) ©@kylieskin Instagram

Kylie Jenner's beauty and skincare line is a gift sent by the Gods, let's be real.

Not only has Queen KJ delivered us jaw dropping eye-shadow pallets and never-ending lip colours, but, she brought to the world a skin care line consisting of everything you'd ever need to get that Kardashain/Jenner skin, and then some...

OH- and it's 100% vegan! What more could we want?

Kylie Skin walnut scrubharrods.com

One of our favourite products we'd recommend adding to your bag of skincare goodies, is the Kylie Skin walnut face scrub. It's packed full of moisturising agents to ensure hydration for your skin, and as a scrub- it gently exfoliates to remove dead skin cells and welcomes a warm and radiant complexion. Recommended to be used once a week. Stand-out ingredients: Squalane and Sodium Hyaluronate (moisturising agents), fine walnut powder, glycerin, ginseng, and a blend of fruit extracts.

Kylie Skin Vitamin C Face Serumharrods.com

If you're on the hunt for a miracle to revive and brighten tired looking skin, then this serum is the answer to all your prayers. It's a non-greasy gel that deeply hydrates, soothes and illuminates your skin. Stand-out ingredients: Vitamin C (helps brighten and restore dull looking skin), Camellia Oleifera Leaf (antioxidant), enriched wit glycerin (thoroughly hydrates).

3) E.l.f Cosmetics

E.l.f cosmetics product
E.l.f cosmetics product ©@elfcosmetics Instagram

Luxury beauty made accessible to everyone.

With a wide range of makeup products, beauty tools and skincare- e.l.f ensures an affordable option for any budget, and of course, it's 100% vegan and cruelty free. So, you certainly won't struggle to find everything you could need, thanks to their extensive and completely vegan line of products.

E.l.f cosmetics nourishing night creamelfcosmetics.com

A night cream we swear by, it's just the right consistency- thick, but without that heavy, greasy after-feeling. What's more, it is full of hard-working ingredients that will nourish the skin, inside and out. Stand-out ingredients: jojoba, aloe, cucumber, shea butter, fruit extracts and leaf water.

E.l.f Beauty Shield Magnetic Mask Kitelfcosmetics.com

Impurities be gone! This unique and fun-to-use mask kit consists of an iron-based formula and a magnetic tool that helps extract impurities from the skin, as well as brightening and helping to minimise the appearance of your pores. Stand-out ingredients: Infused with antioxidants, iron powder, carrot seed oil, sunflower seed oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Argon oil.

4) Florence By Mills

Florence By Mills Instagram post
Florence By Mills Instagram post ©@florencebymills Instagram

Florence By Mills is a beauty brand that provides a clean, cruelty-free, and obviously vegan experience throughout a vast range of products.

Florence By Mills is a fun and explosively creative way to find your perfect skincare products through their entire range of unique goodies, from: Tiny whale gel eye pads (that even have tiny little holes for their eyes), to cute lil butterfly acne patches...

Milly Bobby Brown truly nailed it with this brand. In our opinion, its a 10/10.

Florence By Mills Swimming Under the Eyes gel padsboots.com

These tiny little whales literally swim under your eyes as they re-energise, de-puff, hydrate and brighten the skin. You get 30 of the little fellas! Stand-out ingredients: Coconut extract (reduces puffiness), hyaluronic acid (moisturises), Pine extract (antioxidants), and niacinamide.

Florence By Mills Mind Glowing Peel Off Maskboots.com

If there's something this brand stands for, it is quirkiness, and with this face mask- it's certainly not lacking. The vibrant pink colour alone has me hooked. As for its fabulous quality of drawing out dirt and soothing the skin... Let's just say we'll take three. Stand-out ingredients: Charcoal powder (pulls dirt from the pores), lavender oil (soothes and calms), witch hazel, and Linalool.

5) Pai

Pai Skin Care
Pai Skin Care ©@paiskincare Instagram post

A minimalistic vegan skin care brand whose mission is to keep things simple in order to put care at their forefront. Their stripped back skin care products have an extensive range from serums, oils, and moisturisers, to cleansers, toners, face masks and so much more.

A range so pleasing that HollyWood Actress Natalie Portman named Pai as her "hero brand!"

The minimal brand truly works. Its simple; yet super effective, not to mention the whole aesthetic of the brand is so clean, fresh and organic.

The Light Fantastic- Ceramide Face Oilpaiskincare.com

Now this light, almost unnoticeable, facial oil is like a little bottle of magic- not only does it soothe stressed, irritated skin, but it also prevents future irritation. It guarantees full coverage and builds long-term resilience against future damage to the skin. Stand-out ingredients: Schisandra plant extract (natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent), cocoa (a natural muscle relaxant), ceramide complex (rich in omegas 3, 6 and 9, it helps strengthen the skins moisture barrier).

Feather Canyon- Echium & Argan Eye Creampaiskincare.com

Pai understands the delicate sensitivity of skin, especially around the eyes. This serum is specially formulated for the intricate area around the eyes and guarantees improvement of the appearance of fine lines, while ensuring the area is hydrated and plumped. Stand-out ingredients: Echium (contains powerful forms of Omegas 3 & 6, and helps to soothe skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines), Argan (rich in Vitamin E, it hydrates, is great for oil control and eliminates signs of ageing).

6) Facetheory Skin Care

Facetheory skin care products
Facetheory skin care products ©@facetheory Instagram post

Another aesthetically pleasing brand that's minimal, clean and most importantly- caring. It's got a delightful range of pastel packaged products to give your vanity a real spruce of colour.

If you're after that glow from the inside, then this is a brand you'll truly resonate with.

Facetheory Amil-C Whipfacetheory.com

This lightly whipped mousse moisturiser is the perfect product to add to your vegan skincare toolkit. It's thick, fluffy, yet super light and airy, and it provides intense hydration, and it'll reduce any redness. Double whammy! Stand-out ingredients: 5% niacinamide and dual action vitamin C (aid in balancing skin tone and reducing redness), Sodium ascorbyl phosphate (helps kill acne causing bacteria), Hydroxystearic acid (reduce pore appearance and prevent UVB stress),

Facetheory Colloidal-C Anti-Redness Tonerfacetheory.com

An anti-inflammatory toner that soothes, combats redness and irritation, and enhances uneven skin texture. It's completely alcohol-free unlike its competitors, so there's no need to worry about further irritation. Its' sole mission is to battle angry skin, leaving an even, plump result. Stand-out ingredients: Beta glucan (enhances skin texture), vitamin C (brightens skin), Botanical liquorice extract (an anti-inflammatory antioxidant), Sodium lactate (hydrates), and aloe vera and vitamin E (soothes).

7) Starface

Starface skin care products
Starface skin care products ©@starface Instagram post

Oh boy- this is one of our favourite vegan skin care brands.

Known for their development of what they call 'Hydro-Stars'; hydrocolloid pimple patches that absorb fluid from spots, the products from this brand are so fun to use.

It's a refreshing, new skin care brand that has taken a vibrant, spirited and cheerful approach in injecting excitement back into our skin care regime that can sometimes begin to feel like a dull task.

Starface Hydro-Stars: pimple patchesstarface.com

Absorbs. Heals. Protects. If you want a fast track pass to eliminating pimples and accelerating your skins' healing, hydro-stars are for you. These 100% hydrocolloid stars are clinically proven to help absorb fluid and reduce inflammation. And as an added bonus, they come packaged in this super convenient Big Yellow smiley face case with a mirror inside. Stand-out ingredients: Hydrocolloid- clinically proven to improve the appearance of pimples overnight.

Starface- Lift Off Pore Stripsstarface.com

Unclogs. Lifts. Detoxifies. These pore strips work to instantly unclog pores by lifting out dirt, and oil. They are kind to your skin, and contain calming aloe vera extract so when the strip is removed, the aloe stays behind on your skin. Stand-out ingredients: Aloe Vera, witch hazel (medicinal herb that relieves inflammation), Tea Tree Leaf (soothing antiseptic).

8) Meadow Skin Care

Meadow Skin Care products
Meadow Skin Care products ©@meadowskincareuk Instagram post

Meadowskin takes on an all-natural, stripped back and mood-boosting approach with a variety of soothing, calming and unwinding products, aimed at those too busy to worry about a daunting ten step skin care routine, and instead focuses on the most important aspects of skin care, like de-stressing the skin.

Meadow Skin Care Gently Nourishing Cleansing Balmmeadowskincare.co.uk

This nifty cleansing balm will change the way you think of cleansing the face for good. If we're completely honest- we all think of cleansing our face as a bit of a chore, it can be tiresome and can often end up stripping our skin and leaving us rather flaky. But with this balm, comes a different approach. It's rich, nourishing and gentle and lifts dirt effortlessly, with its kinder act on the skin, the wild lavender and grapefruit blend are an added bonus. Stand-out ingredients: Pumpkin oil, camellia oil (softens skin and improves skin health, mango butter (cleanses and unblocks pores), shea butter (nourishes and moisturises).

Meadow Skin Care overnight replenishing oilmeadowskincare.co.uk

Simply do nothing whilst this overnight cream comes to your rescue. Made up of a blend of 13 pure, cold-pressed oils- this overnight cream will reduce fine lines, regenerate your skin and of most importantly, improve your skin moisture all whilst you're sleeping. Stand-out ingredients: Tomato oil (helps with skin healing), prickly pear oil (brightens and evens skin tone), watermelon oil (firms and hydrates), and pomegranate oil (soothes and plumps skin).

9) NARLOA Skin Care

NARLOA Skin Care
©@narloa Instagram post

If you haven't heard of NARLOA skin care before, then you're in for a treat because, not only are their products entirely vegan and cruelty-free, but they use the power of botanicals (plant parts- valued for medicinal or therapeutic properties) and aromatherapy to create natural, therapeutic skincare.

We get serious zen vibes from this brand; they're pretty astonishing and budget friendly too.

NARLOA Skin Care Rose Water Tonernarloa.com

A completely organic toner, made using: rose, aloe and vegetable glycerin, which makes certain that the consumer gets a hydrating, soothing and skin restoring experience. Stand-out ingredients: Pure steam distilled rose water (rosa damascena), aloe vera leaf juice, vegetable glycerin and polylysine.

NARLOA Skin Care Citrus Blemish Oilnarloa.com

This blemish oil is the perfect product to add to your skin care routine if you want a completely fresh feel to eliminating blemishes. It works to even your skin tone, eradicate scars and marks, and promotes glowing and radiant skin. Stand-out ingredients: Tamanu oil (works to remove blemishes) ,

10) Fenty Skin

Fenty Skin products
©@fentyskin Instagram post

Global superstar, fashion icon and creator of Fenty Beauty, Rihanna, gave us everything we ever needed when she dropped her Fenty Skin care line. It's clean, vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free and eco-friendly, so it caters for pretty much everyone.

Much like her Beauty line- the products are immaculate, the mission is flawless, and the standards are high. Rihanna has truly given us it all with this skin care brand, and we have to admit: it's one of our all time faves!

Fenty Skin Flash Nap Instant Revival Eye Gel-Cream and Massage Toolboots.com

If you're suffering from dark circles or puffiness under your eyes- then this duo pack is the solution you've been searching for. The eye gel-cream gets to work instantly to wake up tired looking eyes, whilst the cooling massage tool is the perfect add-on, ensuring your eyes get an extra boost of rejuvenation. Stand-out ingredients: Cereus Grandiflorus (Cactus) Flower Extract (creates a floral scent), glyceryl undecylenate, niacinamide, and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice.

Fenty Beauty Hydra Vizor Invisible Moisturizer Spf 30boots.com

This 2-in-1 moisturiser doubles up as a sunscreen that is lightweight, non greasy and oil free. It strikes at discolouration and dark spots, and says no more to dehydration. It's as light as air and is pretty much invisible, so it's super make-up friendly too. Stand-out ingredients: Glycerin, carthamus tinctorius (safflower), niacinamide, and citrullus lanatus (watermelon) seed extract.

11) BYBI Beauty

BYBI Beauty Skin Care
BYBI Beauty Skin Care ©@bybibeauty Instagram post

Another elegantly simple skin care brand that's 100% vegan, cruelty-free and eco-friendly. It's straightforward, consists of high quality ingredients, and serves practicality with its' vast range of products.

It's also totally in sign with the Instagrammable aesthetic we all know and love.

BYBI Beauty Super Greens Purifying Face Masknaturisimo.com

This powerful clarifying face mask features a blend of detoxifying and nourishing actives to calm and clear congested skin. So, if you've got pores that need de-clogging- this is a great fit for you, with the added bonus of nourishing oils, you're skin will be left clear, hydrated and free of redness. An added bonus: It comes packed in a fully recyclable, carbon-neutral, sugarcane tube. Stand-out ingredients: Kaolin (purifies the skin), spirulina (creates the rich green colour, and is a powerful antioxidant that helps remove toxins form skin), jojoba, tomato and broccoli seed oils (leave skin feeling hydrated, soft and smooth).

BYBI Beauty Blueberry Boosternaturisimo.com

This unique bottle of miracles will powerfully protect skin against blue light damage thanks to its' one-of-a-kind formula. If you're like us, you're probably no stranger to having phone screens in your face pretty much 24/7, so this little bottle of magic is probably worth investing in. The 100% cold-pressed blueberry seed oil works to absorb the damaging blue light before it penetrates the skin. An added bonus: It consist of by-products of the juicing industry- so the oil is made using seeds that would otherwise be thrown away. Stand-out ingredients: Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids (hydrate, nourish and strengthen the skin), vaccinium angustifolium (Blueberry) Seed Oil.

12) Odacité

Odacité Skin Care
Odacité Skin Care ©@odacite Instagram post

Odacité is a vegan brand that caters for those with 'problem skin'. Each serum and skin oil is jam-packed- full of plant based goodness that's assigned to specific concerns, whether that be: decongested skin, clogged pores, dehydration or redness, Odacité's got it covered.

Odacitu00e9 Hyperpigmentation Serum Concentratecultbeauty.co.uk

A bottle containing endless amounts of antioxidants and vitamins- this serum regulates your skins' cycle and learns to adapt to correct your signs of damage, and ensures a radiant glow. Stand-out ingredients: Highest-grade cold-pressed certified virgin Papaya (Carica papaya) oil, certified organic geranium, lemon (Pelargonium graveolens, Citrus limon) essential oils, and certified GMO-free vitamin E (Tocopherols) oil.

Odacite Black Mint Cleanser
Odacite Black Mint Cleanser
cultbeauty.co.uk

This slick and stylish cleanser is a refreshing treat to add to your skin care routine. It targets oily prone skin and works like a charm. It transforms into a whipped, foamy goodness as you use it and this genius gel eliminates excess oil, impurities and toxins, all down to its' activated charcoal, peppermint, tea-tree and apple amino acids ingredients. It's a burst of revitalisation. Stand-out ingredients: Activated charcoal, peppermint, tea-tree (antibacterial properties), rhassoul clay, amino acids and rosemary leaf extract.

Is vegan skincare better?

For the animals- absolutely! And also for you too:

1. Kinder to your skin: Vegan products often contain less ingredients likely to irritate or aggravate your skin, such as, uric acid (produced by cows) for example. And here's a fun fact for you- what we put on our skin is absorbed by the body. So if you want a more natural glow from within the inside, as well as radiant skin... Then vegan skincare might be the your way forward as it can provide this via its' variety of natural ingredients.

2. Packed with anti-oxidants and vitamins: It's no secret that most vegan products are full of plant based ingredients, and as we know: plants contain a colossal amount of vitamins that work wonders for our health. Did you know that antioxidants, natural oils and minerals all aid in mending and maintaining healthy skin? Well, you do now. And, thanks to the plant based ingredients, your vegan products are bursting to the brim with all this goodness, which promises fresher looking skin.

**3. Does not harm the environment:**Our favourite vegan skin care brands often go hand-in-hand in protecting the environment too. You'll notice that plenty of vegan brands will use recycled, and mostly natural repurposed packaging to ensure the environment isn't being harmed, and said packaging is almost always completely re-usable and recyclable again to avoid further damage to Mother Nature.

Vegan skin care is a win-win all the way.

CHECK OUT: 15 Vegan Restaurants You Need To Visit

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15 Vegan Restaurants You Need To Visit

vegan restaurants1 of 14
CREDIT: Instagram

Fed By Water

With 4.2 stars on Google, this plant-based restaurant in Dalston serves authentic Italian food. They account not just for fabulous flavour, but nutritional value and environmental concerns. You can also order from them on Just Eat, accessible and ethical, what more could you need?

vegan2 of 14
CREDIT: Instagram

Eat of Eden

Based in Brixton, Eat of Eden specialises in West Indian cuisines fused with European flavours. Their heartly, wholesome meals are sure to leave you feeling full and have your foodie cravings filled.

vegan3 of 14
CREDIT: frey.nc Instagram

Temple of Seitan

One of the most popular vegan restaurants in London, Temple of Seitan have made a name for themselves serving delicious fast food from macaroni cheese to egg and bacon baps. With locations in Hackney and Camden, they also only pay employees the living wage.

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CREDIT: Instagram

Essence Cuisine

Super minimalist and with the most attentive customer service, Essence Cuisine is based in Shoreditch. Collaborating with raw food connoisseur Matthew Kenney, they're menu is miles away from the usual burgers and fries vegan eateries you see. Serving a fabulous all day breakfast and dinner dishes such as raw pad thai, it's an experience in itself just visiting the restaurant.

vegan5 of 14
CREDIT: Instagram

Manna Cuisine

Based in Primrose Hill, Manna Cuisineis a world-renowned restaurant serving vegan versions of classic British food. Missing sausage and mash or your Sunday roast? Try Manna Cuisine, you'll be carrying on veganuary all year round.

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CREDIT: Instagram

Cook Daily

With a tonne of celebrity fans from Nick Grimshaw to JME, Cook Daily is a takeaway based in Shoreditch. The BOXPARK venue has covered seating, but the food is reason enough to pop over. It will be a unique experience, with specialities including marijuana inspired sauce...

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CREDIT: KingCookDaily Instagram

Itadaki Zen

Serving the best vegan japanese food, Itadaki Zen believes in the medicinal power of their organic, far eastern cuisine. Investing in both your taste senses and your day-to-day health, food from them is the treat you deserve.

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CREDIT: Instagram

Retreat Kitchen

This adorable Richmond-based restaurant changes it's menu week-to-week, giving you a new plant-based surprise every day. From taco salad to smoothie bowls, they provide both a taste and healthy menu.

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CREDIT: Instagram

Redemption Bar

Combining socialising with healthy eating, Redemption Bar serves vegan, sugar-free and wheat-free food with an alcohol-free bar. A fitness fanatics dream, it has two locations, one in Shoreditch and one in Notting Hill.

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CREDIT: Instagram

Vegan Express

Garratt Lane based restaurant,Vegan Express is a family run business attempting to make vegan food mainstream. Available on Deliveroo and Uber Eats, they serve tonnes of wholesome goodness from tofish an chips to pea-protein burgers.

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CREDIT: Instagram

Wild Food Cafe

Adding a signature wild twist to any dish, Wild Food Cafe is another health based vegan eatery specialising in raw food. Referring to themselves as a 'well-being oasis', you are bound to leave this cafe feeling satisfied.

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CREDIT: Instagram

The Gate

With three locations across London (Marylebone, Islington and Hammersmith), this is one of the most popular vegan and vegetarian chains in the city. It's gourmet menu is wide-ranging, and the perfect place for a vegan date.

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CREDIT: Instagram

NAMA Foods

Providing artisan raw food, which you can receive as packages if you don't fancy leaving the house, NAMA Foods is perfect for anyone who wants to Instagram their food. With a huge menu of vegan, organic and unprocessed food, they're both ethical and healthy.

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CREDIT: Instagram

Gauthier Soho

This award-winning restaurant has received many a fabulous review from various food magazines. It's no surprise that it's quite pricey, but as a pay-day treat this french cuisine based eatery is perfect.

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So, what does Vegan mean?

Veganism is defined as, "a way of living which aims to exclude—as far as is possible- all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose."

By definition, a vegan is "A person who does not eat any food derived from animals and who typically does not use other animal products."

What are the benefits of being Vegan?

A vegan diet means waving goodbye to animal products, such as: meat, dairy, honey, and saying hello to plant-based alternatives. A vegan food regime is typically very high in antioxidants as it consists mostly of fruits and vegetables. Of course vegans have their snack-craving moments, don't we all? But they're certainly not short of vegan snacks.

Being vegan is better for animal welfare: no animals are directly harmed or killed for vegan food or products. Meaning, the need for animal slaughterhouses, factories and mass testing of products on animals is removed.

Veganism doesn't just start and end with diet, though; It becomes a way of life- in which all animal products are eliminated.

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