
Let’s talk luxury vegan skincare. The fancy stuff that you reach for when not much else is fancy.
For the last month I’ve been testing out three of the 50+ range from new independent UK skincare brand L’AVES (yes I know the name sounds French, no idea why because they are definitely from the UK). It’s all natural, all vegan and all over my face.

As you can see the packaging is an elegant, sustainable combination of glass and bamboo. All of these products are sealed (no open jars) to keep them fresh until use, which is handy because they’re also free of artificial preservatives. This is an artisan range, prepared in small batches. It’s not cheap but neither is it wildly expensive.
Although I’m testing out the 50+ section of the range, L’AVES also produce skincare for all ages. And there’s a range of sample sizes available from £2, so that’s a great chance to try before you buy – why don’t more brands do this?
Steel yourself
My favourite out of the three products I tried was the Eyes Like Steel Eye Serum (10ml, RRP £52). You only need a tiny drop of this rich yet light serum to hydrate the whole eye area. It feels incredibly nourishing and toning without being sticky or getting in the way of any eye makeup you might put on afterwards.

Eyes Like Steel contains three weights of well known wonder ingredient hyaluronic acid. Between them they do everything from improving elasticity, promoting collagen production and increasing skin hydration.
Also in there are Bamboo Stem Water, Acai Berry fruit extract, Aloe Vera and Green Tea extract. All of this works together to leave the skin bright and refreshed. I’ve found it to be great for puffiness; some improvement in fine lines and not much change in dark circles (but give it time – I’ll report back). Definitely one of the nicest eye serums I’ve used.Next I tried the facial serum, or Reverse Visible Signs of Photo Aging Facial Elixir to give it its full title. This comes in a recyclable 30ml bottle and is RRP £60. It’s a very rich serum – 3 to 5 drops is plenty for the entire face and neck area. Use it during the day to bring glow to the face, though I think for most people this is going to work best for night time nourishment.

For me this is the kind of serum I think works best in winter, when skin is at its most dehydrated due to outdoor winds and indoor central heating.
It’s designed to be super-nourishing and repairing, especially for skin that’s seen some sun damage. Every drop is packed with Omega 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 and vitamin A, D, B1, B2, B6, E, K. Think of it as a kind of superfood for the skin.
It’s a fascinating line up of rarely seen ingredients including:
- Spilanthes Acmella Flower extract which helps to restructure, firm and smooth skin;
- Plankton extract (from algae, not fish) restores skin balance, improves dry and flaky skin, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles;
- Cylindrotheca Fuciformis extract (another marine ingredient) promotes the production of structural skin proteins and collagen.
- Prickly Pear and Cacay oils combine to help restore elasticity and brighten skin.
- A combination of Apricot, Plum, Rosehip, Evening Primrose, Acai Berry, Pomegranate and Blackurrant oil also help to reverse damage and protect from future damage.
It’s pretty obvious why my skin feels plumped up after using this product. Lovely stuff.
After using the serum, I completed the routine with the Botanical Rain Mist + B3 Face Toner (100ml, RRP £40). To be totally honest, I have only really gotten into facial mists when I began to have to deal with hot flushes. Once they started I couldn’t get enough of this type of cooling spray (BTW, while we’re on the subject of hot flushes I want to recommend the herbal remedy Black Cohosh, which will sort you right out. But I digress. Back to the skincare).

This beautifully refreshing toner combines Rose, Rosemary, Lavender, Neroli and Chamomile to help your complexion glow. Aloe Vera and Bamboo Stem also rock up to soothe the skin.
However, Vitamin B3 is the real star: helping to lighten and even out skin tone, promote collagen production, increase elasticity, and ensure skin smoothness. Use this to keep skin soft throughout the day.
It does have quite a distinctive, natural fragrance – to me it smells very botanical, almost like a rain forest. It’s more of a herbal than a floral fragrance and it won’t be for everyone but I enjoyed it a lot. It made me feel like I was out in nature rather than stuck indoors for the umpteenth month in a row.
Product details
These products are currently available online from the L’AVES website here.
90% organic, 100% vegan, 100% natural. Free of palm oil, preservative free, cruelty free and sustainable.
*PR samples
Find more reviews of vegan products here