Best cruelty-free and sustainable beauty influencers in the UK

Following cruelty-free beauty influencers is a sure-fire way of keeping up to date with the latest beauty products that are not tested on animals. It ensures you stay ahead of knowledge and trends, and remain in the loop of developments and expanding insights.

But with a surge of beauty and makeup influencers all trying to make their mark – how do you know which ones really know their stuff when it comes to ethical product testing and sustainability? This is particularly important because ‘sustainability’ has become something of a buzzword that lots of influencers are trying to cash in on. You want to know who is authentic.

If you’re on the lookout for some ethical beauty inspiration, here are some of the UK’s best cruelty-free and sustainable beauty influencers that you need to be following:

Susanna Rose created Cruelty-free Kitty in 2014 after being shocked by discovering that many beauty companies still tested their products on animals. The website now lists a database of over 800 truly cruelty-free beauty brands that do not use animal testing in any part of the production process.

Not only is Susanna’s blog the go-to place for discovering cruelty-free brands, but she also offers practical advice on how to shop cruelty-free. She also provides regular beauty blogs that will appeal to vegans and followers of sustainable fashion. You can trust Cruelty-Free Kitty as a kind of hub for diving into learning which brands are truly cruelty-free.

Sarah Kirby offers a cruelty-free lifestyle blog for anyone who wants to make the switch to an ethical beauty routine. It’s not always an easy process knowing what changes to make and how to make them. Using the knowledge and expertise of someone else who has walked the journey before is very valuable. UK-based Sarah shares her honest reviews of skincare and beauty products to help you make better beauty choices.

Sarah’s reviews often include some of the most affordable cruelty-free hair and beauty products – she is a big fan of Phil Smith's haircare range – especially the vegan shampoo (housed in 100% recycled bottles) – and loves to indulge in a Lush bath bomb & face mask.

We love The V Nice Blog as Sarah also covers cruelty-free fashion and some excellent vegan recipes, including a plant-based ‘fake meat’ recipe for filled tacos – which you simply have to try at home! We know that cruelty-free fashion is likely just one element of a wider lifestyle, so The V Nice Life ticks lots of inspo boxes across all sorts of areas.

Yorkshire-based Alex Marie is a sustainable beauty influencer who specialises in bold looks and retro-glamour. Her posts are eye-catching and memorable, and we love that.

If you’re a fan of colourful eye makeup and ombre lips – and want to find cruelty-free products to achieve a statement look – then Alex Marie’s Instagram feed offers plenty of vibrant and glittery inspiration. All too often, sustainable beauty can focus on the natural look, and it’s nice to know that you can also go all-out in an ethical way!

The Vegan Beauty Girl – also known as Nicole Whittle – has dedicated a little corner of the internet to help her followers make ethical, sustainable and cruelty-free beauty and fashion choices.

Nicole is an award-winning blogger, who only promotes skincare products that contain no animal-derived ingredients. Her mission is to ‘make the vegan lifestyle simple’ and she keeps her followers well-informed of great new products, such as these bio-degradable face sheets, which allow beauty lovers to look great without the faff! It’s a good balance of recognising the convenience of face sheets with the harsh reality that they are the next plastic straw!

She’s also a contributor to the Plant-Based News blog, which offers tips on how to live a more sustainable life, as well as plenty of tasty vegan dishes!

Cruelty-Free Becky has a natural affinity with the camera, making it a delight to watch her YouTube videos which are focused on vegan and sustainable beauty. She has been acclaimed as an Ethical Fashion Blogger at the Cruelty-Free Blogger awards, so you can be sure her reviews and opinions are knowledgeable and trustworthy.

She also shares an extensive list of her favourite cruelty-free beauty brands in the UK, which includes Charlotte Tilbury, Pure by Waitrose and the purse-friendly range of Superdrug own brand cosmetics.

A fabulous all-rounder, Becky covers sustainable skincare products and beauty brands. She also shares plenty of easy-to-follow makeup application tutorials to help you achieve a great new look.

Em-J is a makeup artist who is well-known in the beauty industry for her zero tolerance views on animal cruelty. Her makeup artistry has featured on the front covers of many glossy magazines, including Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and also in advertising campaigns for Ann Summers and The Body Shop.

Em-J’s website also includes a shop where she shares the cruelty-free products for skin, hair and nails that she loves – and we’re sure you’ll love them too. Her Instagram channel is updated regularly with top tips on applying skincare products, new makeup styles – and lots of pics of her very cute four-legged friend!

With a long-standing career in the beauty industry — working with MAC Cosmetics, Urban Decay and Chanel – Laura-Jo is a sustainable beauty influencer with an impressive pedigree.

Her website, Skinfluence, is designed to help dispel the misconceptions around acne and provide cruelty-free products and advice to combat breakouts. From advice on the best performing vegan sunscreens to how to use pimple patches – Laura-Jo ‘s blogs and Instagram feed are both educational and entertaining.

We’re big advocates of cruelty-free beauty – and our blogs are filled with inspiration for ethical and sustainable living ideas that help you to feel as good as you look.  

Check out our best vegan skincare blog for some more sustainable beauty ideas or read more about sustainable fashion brands in the UK.