Beauty

5 New Cruelty-Free Skin-Care Products

by Erin Kelly
Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

My demands for quality skin-care products are simple: Whatever I put on my body must be clean, affordable, and cruelty-free. So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered Kiwi Botanicals, a new cruelty-free body line touting shower gels, body lotions, and facial cleansers. Rather than sorting through a long list of ingredients every time I’m in the skin-care aisle, it’s an amazing feeling to be able to rely on a brand I can trust.

In case you're not familiar, Kiwi Botanicals sources sustainable ingredients like manuka honey, along with good-for-you antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes. They're also PETA-approved, meaning that in addition to banning parabens, sulfates, formaldehyde and other potentially harmful ingredients, they also have a strict NO animal testing policy. Treat your skin (and feel good about it!) with these five cruelty-free products.

We only include products that have been independently selected by Elite Daily's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

1. Chamomile-Infused Natural Body Wash

Stressful times call for soothing, calming ingredients like manuka honey and chamomile—and that’s exactly what Kiwi Botanicals’ Soothing Shower Gel has to offer. According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Shari Sperling of Sperling Dermatology, stress doesn’t actually cause acne (like the ones that might pop up around your back and shoulders), but it can exacerbate skin problems. So if life has been stressing you out lately, this sulfate-free body wash features calming chamomile and healing manuka honey properties that can offer relief.

Manuka honey—a key ingredient in all Kiwi Botanicals products—can help heal skin and reduce inflammation. It's a stronger, darker honey created by bees that feed on manuka flowers, which are found in New Zealand.

2. Sulfate-Free Body Wash For Even Sensitive Types

It’s not easy to find a natural body wash that gives you that deep-clean feeling we all crave, but Kiwi Botanicals' Nourishing Shower Gel will make you feel polished from the inside out. This sulfate-free gel for dry skin is made with naturally derived ingredients and is designed to transform your skin from stressed-out to soft, smooth and refreshed. Plus, its light scent makes you feel shower fresh. Even with being a powerful deep-cleaning force, it’s still gentle enough for those with dry or sensitive skin.

3. Moisturizing Body Butter For Dry Skin

I don't know about you, but the summer heat seriously dries out my skin—especially problem areas like my shins and knees. To prevent scaly, uncomfortable (and unsightly!) skin patches, I apply this Soothing Body Butter directly after showering.

Its restorative ingredients include manuka honey, chamomile, and shea butter. Adding to the healing properties of manuka honey and chamomile mentioned earlier, Dr. Sperling says that shea butter is high in fatty acids, which can help your skin lock in additional moisture.

4. Nourishing Facial Moisturizer with SPF

At this point in my life, I won’t even consider a daytime face moisturizer if it doesn’t include sun protection. Luckily, the Nourishing Day Lotion Facial Moisturizer is an all-purpose moisturizer with broad spectrum SPF 30. It instantly invigorates my skin in the mornings, providing lightweight moisture and shine-free protection.

Key ingredients include giant sea kelp and kiwi extract, which Dr. Sperling praises as powerful skin-care supplements: “Giant sea kelp has antioxidants and helps to improve the moisture of skin,” Dr. Sperling says. “Kiwi is high in vitamins A and C, two antioxidants that help protect skin and increase collagen production."

5. Brightening Honey Melt Facial Cleanser

Washing my face when I wake up is just as important as drinking my morning cup of coffee. For that rejuvenating, fresh feeling that really wakes me up, I turn to their Brightening Honey Melt Facial Cleanser. The amino acids in this cleanser help to wash away dead skin cells, leaving me with a healthy, radiant glow. Totarol extract, another ingredient in the elixir, is a potent antioxidant with antimicrobial benefits that can help treat acne, according to Dr. Sperling.

Perhaps my favorite thing about this cleanser is its texture, which transforms from a honey-like formula into a foam once you add water. It revitalizes my tired skin and prepares me for the day ahead—and if your skin-care products don’t do the same for you, it's time for an upgrade, stat!