Vegan buying guides

Brand-neutral guides to the everyday purchases readers ask us about most. No invented rankings or star ratings — each guide explains the ingredients, certifications and durability signals you can check yourself on any label.

• Best vegan shampoo, by hair type

  How to pick a genuinely vegan, cruelty-free shampoo for oily, dry, curly, colour-treated or fine hair — the ingredients, certifications and formats that matter.

• Coconut aminos and the best soy sauce alternatives

  Coconut aminos, tamari, liquid aminos, chickpea miso and homemade swaps — how each compares on salt, gluten, soy and flavour, and when to use which.

• Vegan eyeshadow palettes, and how to judge one

  What makes an eyeshadow vegan, which pigments and binders to check, and how to choose a palette by finish, pigment load and shade range.

• Eco-friendly shopping bags, honestly assessed

  Canvas, recycled PET, jute or nylon — which reusable shopping bag genuinely lowers impact, and how many uses each one needs to beat a plastic bag.

• Electrolyte powders, decoded

  Do electrolyte powders like LMNT contain caffeine, how much sodium is sensible, and which formulas are vegan — a practical guide before you buy.

• Vegan sheet masks and facial masks

  How to find a genuinely vegan facial mask, which actives suit dry, oily or sensitive skin, and how to cut the single-use waste sheet masks create.

• Alternatives to almond milk, compared

  Oat, soy, pea, hemp, coconut and more — how the main almond milk alternatives compare on protein, water use, coffee performance and taste.

• Cuticle oils for stronger nails

  Which oils genuinely help nail and cuticle condition, what the evidence says about nail growth, and how to use cuticle oil so it works.

• Bamboo socks, and how to wash them properly

  Bamboo rayon sock washing instructions, how bamboo compares with cotton and merino, and what the viscose process means for the sustainability claim.

• Fluoride-free toothpaste, assessed honestly

  What fluoride-free toothpastes such as Tom's of Maine do and don't do, which alternative actives have evidence, and how to check a toothpaste is vegan.

• Vegan foundation, including shades for pale skin

  How to shade-match vegan foundation for fair and pale skin, which formulas suit dry or oily skin, and which animal ingredients to rule out.

• Eco-friendly travel mugs

  Stainless steel, glass, ceramic or bamboo composite — how travel mugs compare on durability, taste, insulation and real environmental payback.

• Reusable mesh produce bags

  Cotton, recycled polyester or nylon mesh produce bags — which keep vegetables fresh, how tare weight works at the till and how to wash them.

• Rose day cream, light versus rich

  How light and rich rose day creams differ, which skin types and seasons each suits, and how to check whether a rose cream is vegan.

• Faux leather backpacks worth carrying

  PU, recycled PET, cork, cactus and apple leather — how vegan backpack materials compare on durability, water resistance and environmental footprint.

• Growing spirulina at home

  What a home spirulina kit contains, the light, temperature and pH it needs, how much you can realistically harvest, and whether growing it beats buying powder.

• The ulu knife, and when it beats a chef's knife

  How an Alaskan ulu and bowl set works, what it chops well, blade and handle materials to look for, sharpening and safety — a plant-forward kitchen view.