Plant Based Skincare: An Honest Review of Hugh and Grace Products

Are you looking for plant based skincare that hydrates the skin, soothes irritation and helps even skin tone? Hugh and Grace is a new (born in 2021) plant based skincare line dedicated to providing amazing products that are vegan, 100% natural and hormone safe.

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links. I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them, and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.

Hugh and Grace was founded by Sara and Ben, a husband and wife, after trying to conceive for 14 years. It was through that struggle they discovered how quickly products applied to the skin penetrate the bloodstream. They were determined to take a holistic approach and make products not only plant based with clean ingredients, but also hormone safe.

I have been on a mission to clean up my skin care products and eliminate all harsh chemicals. I’ve tried many products over the years before stumbling on Hugh and Grace products. Hugh and Grace has become a favorite skincare brand and this post is an honest review of their products and discusses the pros and cons of their personal care products.

Use code JENNIFER10 for 10% off your Hugh and Grace purchase!

What does plant based skincare mean?

Plant based skincare refers to skincare products that are made from plants, such as essential oils, and plant extracts. They do not include any animal products, such as tallow (often found in all natural products). Synthetic ingredients are usually not found in products classified as plant based, though the actual definition varies of “plant based.”

In the past, plant based skincare has been mediocre at best, but the good news is as more people care about the products they put on their bodies, the more the beauty industry cares and the better the products are becoming. Hugh and Grace proves that.

What makes Hugh and Grace skincare products different?

Hugh and Grace was created from a need to exclude endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and has promised to not only provide plant based skincare, free from toxins with all natural ingredients, but also ingredients free from all endocrine disruptors.

Hugh and Grace does not do any animal testing and their products are screened for heavy metals. The entire line includes only vegan products which are all cruelty free and made in the USA.

What are endocrine disruptors?

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can interfere with hormones. We often think of toxins as the only endocrine disruptors, but natural products can also be endocrine disrupting. Ingredients like lavender and tee tree oil have potential to interfere with hormone functions.

Endocrine disruptors can also show up in products under the ingredient “fragrance.” fragrance is classified under the Federal Drug Administration as a “trade secret,” which means they aren’t required to disclose what they are putting in their products if they can include it under fragrance. 

What ingredients are harmful in skincare products?

In our recent cosmetic safety standards post, we discussed a few of the top harmful ingredients to avoid in cosmetics. They should be avoided in skincare (and all products) and include phthalates, parabens, fragrance and formaldehyde to name a few.

None of Hugh and Grace’s products include any of those toxic ingredients.

What products are in Hugh and Grace’s line?

Hugh and Grace has a small line of five products as of now. Their products include a body oil, a nighttime face serum, a daytime face serum, a bar soap and a lip mask. I personally use all five products every day and have for about six months. Here is my honest review on each product.

Protecting Body Oil

The Protecting Body Oil is a super hydrating body oil that smells like heaven. It hydrates and leaves your skin feeling soft and smelling great.

A few of the active ingredients in the body oil are grapeseed oil, rosehip oil and meadowfoam seed oil, which all help with the prevention of aging.  Sea buckthorn oil helps hydrate the skin, promotes cell regeneration and elasticity and reduces redness.

I use this oil every night on my hands and feet and when I wake up in the morning, even the heels of my feet are super soft and hydrated.

This oil is family friendly. My son’s eczema has been significantly reduced since using this oil and he prefers it over any lotion as it’s the only product that works and doesn’t burn his legs. He also uses the oil every night.

Renewing Night Serum

The main ingredient in the Renewing Night Serum is blue tansy, which helps even out skin tone and hydrates the skin.  It also has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antihistamine properties, which aid in soothing irritated skin.

Other ingredients include vitamin E and various essential fatty acids to help with the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

The night serum is an oil that gets rubbed onto the face in the evening, after washing. I use it in lieu of a face cream and eye cream and rub it all over my face, neck and around my eyes. I don’t need an eye cream or a face cream with it, but it can be used under any creams you like to add as part of your nighttime routine.

I have rosacea and after one night of using this serum, I saw a reduction in redness and my skin looked so much better than it did the day before. I’ve never been able to notice such a change in my skin so quickly. I use it every evening as part of my skincare routine.

Restoring Face Serum

While Hugh and Grace doesn’t offer a vitamin c serum, the Restoring Face Serum includes vitamin c, which helps protect the skin from pollutants and repair damaged skin cells.

Other ingredients include antioxidants from pumpkin seed oil and alma oil, which help fight free radicals, and primrose oil which helps to calm irritated skin.  

All you need is 3-5 drops rubbed on to your face every morning.

I recently started making a matcha green tea face mask with matcha tea and this face serum. For a luxurious, easy face mask follow these steps:

1. Combine equal parts matcha powder and Face Serum – I use one pack of Sun Goddess Matcha since I always have some on hand, but any ceremonial or culinary grade matcha will do.
2. Mix together and apply to your face.
3. Leave on for about 20 minutes.
4. Use a wet washcloth to wipe away when done. Enjoy soft, supple skin when complete.

The Purifying Cleansing bar

Another family favorite in my house is the Purifying Cleansing Bar. My whole family uses it every day at shower time.

The most interesting ingredient in this cleansing bar is the adaptogen complex. Adaptogens are natural substances (usually herbs or mushrooms) that help the body adapt to stress. As an ingredient in the cleansing bar, they help to balance the skins microbiome and balance the skin’s pH.

Other ingredients in the cleansing bar include shea butter to help moisturize and sodium hyaluronate, which is the salt from hyaluronic acid. It can penetrate deep into the skin and provide serious hydration beyond the surface. It has the same properties as hyaluronic acid but is more stable.

This bar is designed to not only clean your skin but balance your skin’s pH and provide moisture.

Lip Mask

The lip mask is the newest of the Hugh and Grace line of products. With ingredients like shea butter, vitamin E, mango seed butter and sunflower seed wax (to name a few), this lip mask is super moisturizing and full of antioxidants.

I use this lip mask throughout the day and before bed and it helps heal chapped lips and keeps my lips super moisturized.

Cons of Hugh and Grace Products

If you don’t like putting oil on your skin, Hugh and Grace products may not be right for you. The oil gets absorbed quickly, but I have found I can’t use the day serum around my eyes or my makeup runs all over (I use Body Deli’s flax eye cream around my eyes).

If you have a tendency to get out of the shower, moisturize, immediately put clothes on and go, you may not enjoy the body oil. The body oil needs 5-10 minutes to soak into your skin before getting dressed. For this reason, on most post shower mornings, I use a body lotion.  

If you’re looking for a daily face serum/cream with sunscreen, the daytime Restoring Face Serum won’t provide that, but you can apply conservatively, let soak in for about 5-10 minutes then apply a sunscreen like Supergoop (non-toxic, clean ingredients, vegan and certified cruelty free).

If you’re face is super dry, you may find the cleansing bar drying at first. I noticed this on my face, but not the rest of my body for some reason. I found alternating between a moisturizing face cleanser (I use Body Deli or Beauty Counter) and the cleansing bar works great.

How I use Hugh and Grace products

Evening Hugh and Grace routine:

In the evenings, I use the cleansing bar to wash off makeup, including eye makeup, every other day. On the in between days, I use a Beauty Counter or Body Deli face wash.

I follow my face wash with 5-10 drops of the Renewing Night Serum. I go a little heavier than the instructions say since it absorbs nicely. I carefully rub around my eyes in lieu of an eye cream and the Night Serum is the only product I use on my face at night.

Just before crawling into bed, I rub a generous amount of the Protecting Body Oil on my hands and feet. It helps keep them moisturized and soft.

Morning Hugh and Grace routine:

Since my face runs on the dry side, I generally just splash water or one of the Primally Pure sprays on my face and wipe down with a washcloth instead of washing with any soap.

I use 3-5 drops of the Restoring Face Serum on my face and neck but avoid my eye area most days. I have found my eye makeup runs a bit if I rub the oil around my eye area, so I use a tiny bit of Body Deli’s eye cream (also a clean, non-toxic, plant based product).

Bottom Line:

Hugh and Grace has great options to replace many skincare products. All products are great for all skin types, including dry skin, sensitive skin, aging skin and acne prone skin. While their products don’t include certified organic ingredients, they are made in a USDA certified organic facility, are 100% natural, don’t contain toxic ingredients and contain only vegan ingredients.   

Take Action

If you’re looking to make the switch to a plant based skincare and debating between different vegan skincare brands, Hugh and Grace is a great start. If I had to recommend one product to try first, it would be the Renewing Night Serum since the change to your skin happens so quickly (overnight!). If you or a family member struggles with eczema, the Protecting Body Oil is a fantastic option to help with the flares.

Use code JENNIFER10 for 10% off your Hugh and Grace purchase!

If you enjoyed this review, check back often as I’ll be reviewing more vegan beauty products and vegan skincare products.