Face Theory Skincare Review 4 Items – Best Vegan UK

My review of Face Theory skincare, vegan and cruelty free UK brand. I found this brand from an Instagram advert and they seemed quite affordable so I decided to try them out. I particularly needed a cleanser and a cream so I bought their Face Theory moisturiser and cleanser initially.

I’ve recently reviewed Ma Natural Skincare if you’re in the UK and looking for an alternative.

About Face Theory Skincare

As I’ve mentioned I discovered these from an advert on Instagram. I don’t usually pay much attention to ads so this one for Face Theory skincare must have just caught my eye.

I’ve been searching for a plastic free skincare brand for a while and I discovered straight away from their website that this brand is also vegan and cruelty free skincare.

They are a clean beauty brand based in Sheffield UK and they have the option for unscented versions on all their products.

They are my favourite type of brand because they combine science and nature in their products. Face Theory skincare uses a lot actives in their ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, retinol and vitamin c. Which in the skincare world is very well known for all sorts of skincare benefits.

Another quite handy thing about them is they have a 365 day guarantee so if you’re not satisfied you can get replacements or a refund up to a year.

On Face Theory Skincare’s website, (*link below) they do also have a bit where you can enter your skincare concerns to be recommended the relevant products for you, which is really handy. Especially as they have a lot of products including Face Theory moisturisers to choose from.

Vegan and Cruelty Free skincare

They are also a fully vegan and cruelty free skincare brand. They are leaping bunny certified so non of their ingredients or products are tested on animals at any stage.

Is Face Theory A Good Brand

Face Theory is a good brand because they’re a UK brand, vegan and cruelty free and they’re transparent about where they source the ingredients for their products. They also have plastic free delivery and majority of their products are packaged in amber glass with aluminium lids.

How Sustainable Is Face Theory

Majority of their packaging is amber glass with aluminium lids.

They use biodegradable and corn chips for deliveries so no plastic.

Face Theory is sustainable in terms of plastic free delivery and their commitment to sourcing RPSO palm oil. All of their products are supplied in amber glass with aluminium lids which can be recycled or reused. I also contacted them about accepting their packaging back and they said they were looking into this service for the future.

Similar to Lush they declare that some of their products do contain 100% RPSO (sustainably sourced) palm oil. They link to an article from WWF which basically says that boycotting palm oil isn’t the answer. I’ve actually read something similar before so if you are trying to avoid palm oil, I get it. However, it seems any other alternative oil takes a lot more land to grow making it less sustainable in that way. It’s a very difficult one and I can understand both sides on this matter, as palm oil is literally in everything!

Face Theory Skincare, also manufacture in the UK and try to source ingredients from the UK where they can.

Clarifying Cleanser

On my first order from Face Theory skincare I bought this clarifying cleanser because I actually wanted to try it out as a deodorant. As it’s a cleanser and therefore washed off it didn’t work how I wanted it to. However, as an actual cleanser it’s amazing! Even for my dry skin which can be a bit reactive, this made my skin soo smooth and minimised my visible pores. If you’re interested in how these products work on acne prime skin check out this bloggers review.

Ingredients

Aqua, dimethylisosorbide (sugar based solvent), glycolic acid (4%), prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, cetyl alcohol (naturally derived non-drying coconut fatty acid), glyceryl stearate (emulsifier), salicylic acid (2%, BHA), polyglyceryl-6 stearate (emulsifier), sodium glycolate (salt of glycolic acid), prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) kernel oil, persea gratissima (avocado) oil, lactic acid (1%, AHA), glyceryl caprylate (emollient), sodium lactate (salt of lactic acid), polyglyceryl-6 behenate (natural emulsifier), cetyl hydroxyethylcellulose (plant-derived thickener), xanthan gum (vegan rheology modifier), sodium salicylate (salt of salicylic acid). Scented version contains citrus nobilis (mandarin) peel oil (limonene: 0.97%; linalool: 0.01%)

This cleanser contains glycolic acid, salicylic acid and lactic acid for deep cleansing and exfoliating.

As it contains actives (AHAS – chemical exfoliants) I would recommend avoiding the eye area. If you aren’t aware, if you use skincare products with actives such as this in – you also need to wear sunscreen as this makes your skin more sensitive to the sun.

On that note, as soon as I need to replace sunscreen I will probably buy their Amil C Whip SPF 20 as it’s a Face Theory moisturiser with sunscreen in it. Of course it’s also in glass with an aluminium lid priced at £17.99 which is really good value.

Relaxing Night Cream

This night cream is so good for my dry skin. I bought the unscented version because I know that my skin doesn’t like fragrance or essential oils.

The Face Theory moisturiser / night cream from Face Theory skincare contains hyaluronic acid (not an exfoliating acid just retains moisture), vitamin c, vitamin e and argan oil. Currently priced at £10.99.

Ingredients

Aqua, glycerin (humectant), butryospermum parkii (shea butter) fruit, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, glyceryl monostearate SE (emulsifier), cetyl alcohol (fatty acid), prunus armeniaca (apricot kernel) oil, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, stearic acid (fatty acid), oryza sativa (rice) bran oil, sodium levulinate (preservative from sugar cane), sodium anisate (preservative from aniseed), sodium hyaluronate (salt of hyaluronic acid), aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, glyceryl caprylate (emollient), xanthan gum (rheology modifier), amorphophallus konjac root extract, argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil, tocopherol (vitamin E), sodium ascorbyl phosphate (stable salt of vitamin C), ferulic acid (antioxidant from rice). Scented version contains lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil (linalool 0.045%, geraniol 0.0015%, limonene 0.001%).

I bought this Face Theory moisturiser on my first order at the same time as the Face Theory cleanser. As with all their products, a little goes a really long way and I’ve got loads left.

If you have oily skin there are a lot of versions of Face Theory moisturisers, so do take a look. This Face Theory moisturiser is good for normal to dry skin.

Waterproof Makeup Remover

The only option Face Theory has for a standard makeup remover is this gentle makeup remover. Currently priced at £10.99.

It comes in glass but with a plastic pump which is one of the most sustainable versions I’ve seen so far at a reasonable price.

Ingredients

Aqua, Propanediol (corn-based humectant), C15-19 Alkane (vegetable alkane), Coco-Caprylate (coconut-based solvent), Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate (vegetable-derived emulsifier), Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate (vegetable-derived emulsifier), Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate (emollient), Glycerin, Sodium Anisate (preservative from star anise), Sodium Levulinate (preservative derived from sugar cane), Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate (vegetable-derived emulsifier), Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate (vegetable-derived emulsifier), Polyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate (vegetable-derived emulsifier), Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate (vegetable-derived emulsifier), Calcium PCA, Gellan Gum (gelling agent), Sodium Phytate (natural chelator and alternative to dissodium EDTA).

It’s just a gentle cleanser to remove makeup and very similar to the Ordinary cleanser which I mention in my skincare routine post from earlier on in the year.

Regena C Cream PRO

Last but definitely not least is this PRO cream with 3% retinol. Priced at £22.99. This cream also contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin c.

In case you’re not aware retinol is an amazing ingredient for fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes, acne scars and hyperpigmentation. It’s something to use with caution however, as it can cause irritation and redness.

I’ve been working my way up to higher strength retinol for a few years now. I started with 0.2% I then moved onto 1% in serum form and then onto 2% serum from The Ordinary. The Regena C is Face Theory moisturiser with 3% retinol so quite a high one.

Ingredients

Aqua, glycerin (humectant), butryospermum parkii (shea butter) fruit, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, glyceryl stearate SE (vegetable-derived emulsifier), caprylic/capric triglyceraide (coconut fatty acid), cetyl alcohol (coconut-derived fatty acid), prunus armeniaca (apricot kernel) oil (emollient), olea europaea (olive) fruit oil (emollient), sodium lactate (natural moisturising factor), stearic acid (vegetable-derived fatty acid), oryza sativa (rice) bran oil (emollient), aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, sodium levulinate (preservative from sugar cane), sodium anisate (preservative from star anise), sodium hyaluronate (salt of hyaluronic acid), glyceryl caprylate (emollient), amorphophallus (konjac) root extract (thickener), retinol (vitamin A), phospholipids (retinol encapsulation), tocopherol (vitamin E), rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract (antioxidant), argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil, sodium ascorbyl phosphate (stable vitamin C), ferulic acid (antioxidant), sodium phytate (natural chelator). Scented version contains citrus nobilis (mandarin) peel oil (d-limonene: 0.2045%; linalool: 0.00225%).

I had no irritation or side effects from using the lower retinol containing serums so I jumped straight away to this Face Theory moisturiser with 3% thinking I would be fine. However, I did notice my skin felt a bit tight and a little sensitive from the new Face Theory moisturiser. However that did settle after a few weeks and I’m very happy with this cream.

(Please note I am not a dermatologist or a skincare expert, this is purely my opinion since I’ve learnt a lot about skincare this year. If you’re unsure consult a professional before use!)

Summary

In summary I think this brand is well worth checking out if you’re into your skincare, you’re in the UK and you also can’t afford the sustainable options which are quite expensive like White Rabbit etc.

What I Like About Them

• UK brand made in Sheffield
• Natural ingredients in combination with active ingredients which benefit the skin
• Packaged in glass which can be recycled
• They have big discounts on their website

I love that this brand has vegan and cruelty free skincare too, it makes me happy when I know everything that a brand stocks is vegan, as peace of mind.

My favourite is probably the Face Theory moisturiser, I love using a higher strength retinol.

If I’ve sold you on Face Theory Skincare, click on this *link (referral link so if you buy through my link you get 20% off your order and I get £15 off my next order).

I hope you enjoyed this blog post on Face Theory skincare, an amazing UK brand. Let me know in the comments.

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