The Best Cruelty Free Moisturizers To Replace Vanicream, Olay and CeraVe — Daisy Approved 🐾
Four verified alternatives at every price point — currently being personally tested.
Moisturizer might be the hardest product in your routine to swap.
It's the one most people are precious about. The one with "if it ain't broke don't fix it" energy. The one that took years of trial and error to land on in the first place.
I get it. But if your moisturizer is Vanicream, you may want to find a replacement that is fully certified. If you use a brand like Olay or CeraVe — you will want to find a cruelty-free switch. Here's what I found to replace them.
What I Was Looking For
Same standard as always:
✅ Daisy Approved cruelty-free status
✅ Genuinely available at major retailers or easy to order online
✅ Comparable price to what you're already spending
✅ Actually works — not just looks good on paper
I'm currently personally testing all four moisturizers below — paired with their matching cleanser from the same brand for a fair full-routine evaluation. Reviews coming soon.
The Moisturizers
🐾 e.l.f. Barrier Goals Cream (Sensitive Skin)
Certification: Leaping Bunny certified ✅ + PETA certified ✅
Category: ✅ Daisy Approved
Best for: Sensitive skin, barrier repair, daily use
Price: Approximately $14
Size: 1.5 oz
Where to buy: Target, Walmart, Ulta, Amazon, elfcosmetics.com
e.l.f.'s Barrier Goals line was specifically developed for sensitive and reactive skin — formulated to support and repair the skin barrier rather than just sit on top of it. Given how many Vanicream and CeraVe users specifically chose those brands for sensitive skin needs this is one of the most direct comparables on this list.
Fully certified by both Leaping Bunny and PETA — no asterisks needed.
🧪 Currently testing — personal review coming soon
🐾 Mad Hippie Face Cream
Certification: PETA certified ✅ + Leaping Bunny renewal in progress* + EWG Verified
Category: ✅ Daisy Approved*
Best for: Dry to normal skin, clean beauty enthusiasts, ingredient-conscious shoppers
Price: Approximately $25
Size: 1.7 oz
Where to buy: iHerb, Amazon, Whole Foods, madhippie.com
Mad Hippie's Face Cream leans into their clean beauty positioning — EWG verified ingredients with a focus on antioxidants and hydration without synthetic fillers. This is a higher price point than the others on this list but the ingredient quality and EWG verification justify it for anyone prioritizing formula transparency.
A note on certification: Mad Hippie claims both Leaping Bunny and PETA certification and is currently PETA verified. They do not currently appear on the active Leaping Bunny list — Leaping Bunny operates a rolling re-enrollment process and this likely reflects a renewal gap rather than a change in practice. We're monitoring and will update when confirmed.
🧪 Currently testing — personal review coming soon
🐾 Pacifica Dreamy Youth Day + Night Face Cream
Certification: PETA certified ✅ + Cruelty-Free Kitty verified ✅ + Fully vegan
Category: ✅ Daisy Approved*
Best for: All skin types, anti-aging focus, vegan shoppers
Price: Approximately $20
Size: 1.7 oz
Where to buy: Target, Ulta, Whole Foods, Walmart, pacificabeauty.com
Pacifica's Dreamy Youth line is designed to work day and night with a single formula — simplifying the routine while targeting fine lines and overall skin texture. As a fully vegan brand every ingredient in this formula is plant-derived.
Pacifica holds PETA certification by deliberate choice as a fully vegan brand and is independently verified by Cruelty-Free Kitty, one of the most respected resources in the cruelty-free space. Verified through multiple sources — Daisy Approved with a transparency note about their certification choice.
🧪 Currently testing — personal review coming soon
🐾 Derma-E Ultra Hydrating Advanced Repair Night Cream
Certification: Leaping Bunny certified ✅ + PETA certified ✅ + Fully vegan
Category: ✅ Daisy Approved
Best for: Dry skin, mature skin, intensive overnight repair
Price: Approximately $24
Size: 2 oz
Where to buy: Target, Ulta, Whole Foods, Amazon, dermae.com
This is the most specialized product on the list — formulated specifically as a night cream for intensive repair rather than an all-day moisturizer. If your Vanicream or Olay routine was specifically about managing dry or mature skin overnight, this is the most direct match in terms of intended use.
Fully certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA. No asterisks needed here either.
🧪 Currently testing — personal review coming soon
Quick Comparison
Product Certification Price/Size Best For Where To Buy
e.l.f. Barrier Goals ✅ LB + PETA ~$14/1.5 oz Sensitive skin Target, Walmart, Ulta
Mad Hippie Face Cream ✅PETA + EWG*. ~$25/1.7 oz. Dry/normal iHerb, Amazon
Pacifica Dreamy Youth ✅PETA + CFKitty*. ~$20/1.7 oz. All types, anti-aging. Target, Ulta, Walmart
Derma-E Advanced Repair ✅ LB + PETA ~$24/2 oz. Dry/mature Target, Ulta, Amazon
Daisy Approved with transparency note — see individual product details above
Which One Should You Try First?
If you're replacing Vanicream:
Start with e.l.f. Barrier Goals — formulated specifically for sensitive skin and barrier support, the most direct functional match for why people choose Vanicream in the first place.
If you're replacing CeraVe:
Try Derma-E Advanced Repair — both are positioned around dermatologist-style ingredients and intensive hydration, making this the closest comparable.
If you're replacing Olay:
Pacifica Dreamy Youth is your best match — both are positioned around anti-aging and daily skin texture improvement.
If you want the cleanest possible formula:
Mad Hippie Face Cream — EWG verification means the ingredient list has been independently assessed. Worth the higher price point if formula transparency is your priority.
A Note On Testing By Brand Pair
I'm testing each moisturizer alongside its matching cleanser from the same brand — e.l.f. with e.l.f., Mad Hippie with Mad Hippie, and so on. This gives each brand a fair, full-routine evaluation rather than mixing and matching, which can muddy results when something doesn't work as expected.
Full pairing reviews are coming once testing is complete — including which complete routine performed best overall.
🧪 Reviews coming — subscribe to The Daisy Dispatch to be the first to know 🐾
Tested by me. Trusted by you. 🌼
— Rebecca & Daisy, Chief Approval Officer
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