Is Retinol Vegan-Friendly? 

What is retinol?

Retinol is a highly regarded ingredient in the skincare industry – it’s a strong anti-ageing form of vitamin A1. It stimulated the skin into producing more collagen which is believed to help lum the skin and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. 

Why does everyone love retinol treatments? 

Many users who swear by retinol treatments say that the products help give their skin a radiant glow and can even help it look and feel younger. It’s good to be aware that retinol and retinoids make the skin more sensitive to UV damage, so it’s always important to wear skin protection when using them – even if it’s a cloudy day and you’re barely outside!

Is retinol vegan? 

Whilst in the food world, retinol is a red flag for vegans, the same isn’t true in cosmetics. In the skincare industry retinol is made from synthetic sources as naturally occurring versions aren’t stable enough to use in cosmetics. 

This means that retinol skincare products should be vegan-friendly. When other animal-derived ingredients are listed, they of course stop becoming vegan-friendly. It’s always worth checking to see if the products are vegan-certified and if they’re cruelty-free before buying.

Check out our favourite vegan retinol products here!