Sustainable Beauty · Review
Herbivore Tremella Gel Face Cream
A weightless gel-cream built on tremella mushroom, vegan silk and squalane, and unusually for beauty its clean claims are third-party recognised: EWG Verified and Climate Pledge Friendly.
🌿 Ecoxee decision: The certified-clean lightweight moisturizer.
A silky, lightweight gel-cream that hydrates without heaviness, and unusually for this list its clean credentials are third-party recognised (EWG Verified, Climate Pledge Friendly). Vegan, $48, and a lovely everyday moisturiser for anyone who wants certified-clean hydration.
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Best for
Not ideal for
Before you buy: do you actually need this?
Worth buying if…
- You want lightweight, non-heavy hydration
- You value EWG Verified and Climate Pledge Friendly credentials
- You want a vegan gel-cream
- You prime your skin for makeup
Probably skip it if…
- You have very dry skin needing a rich cream
- You want targeted anti-aging actives
- You are on a tight budget
The most sustainable option is often the one you already own.
Overview
Herbivore makes small-batch, clean skincare free from synthetic fillers, and the Tremella Gel Face Cream is its weightless hydrator. It is built around tremella mushroom, a natural hydrator known for helping skin hold moisture, plus vegan silk and squalane, to lock in hydration, support the barrier and prime skin for makeup without any heaviness.
What makes it stand out on sustainability is that the clean claims are actually third-party recognised, which is rare in beauty: it is EWG Verified (an ingredient-safety standard) and Climate Pledge Friendly, as well as vegan and cruelty-free in recyclable glass. That is a real step up from a self-declared clean label.
The honest limits are simple. At $48 it is mid-priced for this list but still a treat, it is a lightweight gel-cream rather than a rich occlusive, so very dry skin may want something heavier layered on top, and it is hydration-focused rather than an anti-aging treatment.
How to use it
- 1Apply to clean skin in the morning and evening, after cleansing and any serums.
- 2Smooth a small amount over your face; because it is a lightweight gel-cream, a little spreads easily and absorbs fast.
- 3Let it sink in for a moment before makeup: it doubles as a smooth, non-greasy base.
- 4If your skin runs very dry, layer a richer cream or facial oil on top to seal it in; the gel is a hydrator, not a heavy occlusive.
- 5Suitable for daily use on all skin types, morning and night.
What we like
- EWG Verified and Climate Pledge Friendly, third-party recognised
- Weightless, silky hydration that never feels heavy
- Tremella mushroom plus squalane and vegan silk
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Primes skin nicely under makeup
- Recyclable glass, and highly rated (4.8 stars)
Worth knowing
- $48 for a lightweight moisturiser
- Not rich enough on its own for very dry skin
- Hydration-focused, not anti-aging
- A newer product with fewer reviews so far
- Gel-cream texture will not suit everyone
The honest trade-offs
The nuance most reviews leave out.
- Its clean claims are third-party recognised (EWG Verified), which beats a self-declared clean label, but EWG Verified is about ingredient safety, not a full lifecycle guarantee.
- It is a lightweight gel-cream, so very dry skin may want a richer layer over the top.
- It is hydration-focused, so do not expect anti-aging actives.
- As always, the greenest outcome is simply finishing the jar.
Sustainability breakdown
Our honest read on how eco-friendly this really is. Where we cannot verify something, we say so rather than guess.
EWG Verified for ingredient safety; vegan, with tremella mushroom, squalane and vegan silk and no synthetic fillers.
Recyclable glass, and recognised as Climate Pledge Friendly.
Vegan and cruelty-free.
EWG Verified and Climate Pledge Friendly: genuine third-party-recognised credentials, rare in this category.
Herbivore is a small-batch brand with clean, transparent formulas.
Frequently asked questions
How do you use the Herbivore Tremella Gel Face Cream?
Apply it to clean skin morning and evening, after cleansing and any serums. Smooth a small amount over your face; being a lightweight gel-cream, it spreads easily and absorbs quickly, and it doubles as a smooth base under makeup. If your skin is very dry, layer a richer cream or oil on top.
Herbivore Tremella vs Pink Cloud, which should you choose?
Both are Herbivore moisturisers, but they suit different skin. The Tremella Gel Cream is a lightweight, fast-absorbing gel built on tremella mushroom, vegan silk and squalane, ideal for normal, combination or oily skin and for layering under makeup. Pink Cloud is a softer, more cushiony moisture cream that drier skin often prefers. If you want weightless hydration, choose Tremella; if you want a richer, comforting feel, Pink Cloud.
What are the key ingredients?
Its hero is tremella mushroom, a natural hydrator that helps skin hold onto moisture, alongside vegan silk and squalane to lock it in and support the skin barrier. It is a clean formula free from synthetic fillers.
Is it good for oily or dry skin?
It is especially good for normal, combination and oily skin, because the gel texture hydrates without any heaviness or greasiness. Very dry skin can still use it, but may want to layer a richer cream or a facial oil over the top to seal in extra moisture.
Is the Tremella Gel Cream EWG Verified and clean?
Yes. Unusually for beauty, its clean claims are third-party recognised: it is EWG Verified (an ingredient-safety standard) and Climate Pledge Friendly, as well as vegan and cruelty-free. That is a meaningful step up from a self-declared clean label.
Is it vegan and cruelty-free?
Yes, it is vegan and cruelty-free, and it uses vegan silk rather than an animal-derived one. Herbivore is a small-batch brand that keeps its formulas free from synthetic fillers.
Is the Herbivore Tremella Gel Cream worth it?
At around $48 it is mid-priced for clean skincare, and it is a genuinely nice, weightless hydrator with third-party-verified clean credentials, which is rarer than it sounds. It is worth it if you want lightweight, certified-clean hydration; if you need rich moisture for very dry skin, or want anti-ageing actives, it is not designed for that.
How much is it and where can you buy it?
It is around $48. You can buy it on Amazon (linked above) and directly from Herbivore. Prices can vary, so check the current listing before buying.
If you don't buy it
If you have very dry skin and want a rich, occlusive cream, this lightweight gel is not it on its own; layer it or choose something richer. And if you want anti-aging actives, look elsewhere. Buy this if you want certified-clean, weightless hydration that is genuinely third-party recognised.
The Ecoxee verdict
The Herbivore Tremella Gel Face Cream stands out for something rare in beauty: its clean claims are actually third-party recognised (EWG Verified) and Climate Pledge Friendly, rather than self-declared. It is a silky, weightless hydrator built on tremella mushroom, squalane and vegan silk that layers beautifully and primes skin for makeup, and at $48 it is one of the more accessible picks here. If you want lightweight hydration with certifications you can trust, it is an easy recommendation, just layer something richer over it if your skin runs very dry.
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