Vegan Skincare

When we think about veganism, the first thing that pops into our minds is the exclusion of clothes and food that comes at the expense of harming animals. What about cosmetics, skin moisturizers, and shampoos? Yes, veganism extends to skincare products and can be a bit confusing. Unreluctantly, certain products are made of animal by-products.

Let’s first talk about what veganism is. Veganism is a lifestyle that excludes all animal products and attempts to limit the exploitation of animals as much as possible. What is vegan skincare? Vegan-friendly skincare is the use of beauty products without harm to the animals, do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.

Some common animal-derived ingredients found in beauty products include honey, beeswax, lanolin (wool grease), squalene (shark liver oil), carmine (crushed-up beetles), gelatin (cow or pig bones, tendons or ligaments), allantoin (cow urine), ambergris (whale vomit) and placenta (sheep organs). The ingredients may be harmless; however, not the best, but the thought of using skin moisturizers, cosmetics, and shampoos may have a significant deterrent to the consumer from purchasing such items. You would need a dictionary if you were to evaluate all these elements on the back of a label. Hmmm…..ambergis (whale vomit), are you kidding? What person wants to use whale vomit on their face or hair?

What is vegan skincare? Vegan-friendly skincare is the use of beauty products without harm to the animals, do not contain any animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.

Individuals may argue that vegan skincare is just another fad and will fade away like everything else. However, I am not so sure about that. Veganism is on the rise and more and more consumers are looking for alternatives to be healthier, not just by their diets but also by their beauty care.

Plant-based ingredients in vegan formulas contain more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to repair and hydrate the skin. Vitamins A, C, and E, oils such as coconut, argan and rosehip, soybean extracts, algae, hemp seed extracts just to name a few. Our skin absorbs 60% of the products we apply; therefore, I rather purchase and use skincare products knowing that my body ingests natural ingredients, as they enter your pores with little to no side effects on the skin and body.

Let’s look at some truth to this; vegan products are better for your skin, especially if you have sensitive skin. Animal ingredients can be extremely harsh and clog pores, which can lead to blackheads, whiteheads, and acne. So, the next time you are shopping for cosmetics, skin moisturizers or shampoos make sure they contain fewer animal ingredients and more vegan ingredients.