Veganism Means More Than Food
Veganism and plant-based eating are no longer a fad. More and more people are becoming vegan, and the world is taking notice. Today, vegan restaurants are readily accessible, and fast-food chains are offering vegan options. However, abandoning animal-based foods is not enough. Other industries are creating vegan products to meet the needs of consumers. The beauty industry is one such space with several successful vegan beauty products and brands. Vegan beauty is another way to go all-natural and has a host of benefits.
What does vegan beauty mean?
Vegan beauty products are created without animal ingredients or animal-based ingredients. These should include makeup, cleansers, serums, moisturizers, hair care, and much more. Vegan products should exclude ingredients like honey, lanolin, gelatin, beeswax, carmine, collagen, and many others. These are often the by-products of animals. There's also a distinction between vegan, cruelty-free, and 100% vegan. Some vegan products can still be tested on animals or contain synthetic equivalents of animal products. A 100% vegan beauty product is all-natural. These are solely from plant sources and are cruelty-free.
Vegan beauty is great for sensitive skin
When products are applied to the skin, all the ingredients are absorbed into the skin. As a result, some people with sensitive skin have unwanted reactions to non-vegan products. Non-vegan products can also cause contact dermatitis and eczema flares from dyes and fragrances. Vegan products contain natural, soothing ingredients that are perfect for sensitive skin types.
They work as well as non-vegan counterparts
The ingredients of some non-vegan products are often hard to read. These ingredients are often preservatives, emulsifiers, and activators. Surprisingly, products without these additives can be just as effective. The active ingredients in vegan skincare can be more potent, more nourishing, and healthier. The nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants go straight to the skin.
Avoid potentially harmful ingredients
Carcinogens, products that can possibly cause cancer, have been a massive concern in skincare. Some of these include phthalates, sulfates, and dyes. Coal tar, parabens, benzene, arsenic, and silica are known carcinogens in some products. Vegan products should be safer, avoiding potentially harmful ingredients.
Environmentally and socially conscious
Some people turn vegan for health benefits, but a large contingent is vegan for social reasons too. Most vegans have a genuine care for all animals and save millions per year by going plant-based. Others are concerned about the environment. For instance, a quarter-pound beef burger can take up to 150 gallons of water to produce. The environmental and social benefits should not stop at food. The non-vegan beauty industry is a massive contributor to water wastage and air pollution. Most vegan beauty products are sustainable, and users positively contribute to the environment.
How do you know it's vegan?
Different products on the market today claim to be vegan to jump on the all-natural bandwagon. Consumers must be aware of this and make the right choices. Separating real from fake could be a challenge, but consumers should start by reviewing the label. These labels should have minimal products that are easy to read and easily found in nature. The products will also have vegan-friendly labels on the front, implying that these were independently tested. These products should not contain beeswax, collagen, honey, or other products derived from animal parts.
All-natural, all vegan
Vegan beauty products will soon become as commonplace as non-vegan counterparts. More and more consumers want to know what is going into the body, including the skin. Vegan products are the best ways to tell. These products should have simple, cruelty-free ingredients. Start with one change and eventually move to a complete overhaul of the beauty cabinet.
