In order to truly understand the world of vegan makeup and beauty, you need to stay informed. Due to the lack of clarity with large wellness companies, the line between vegan, cruelty-free and even clean beauty gets mixed up constantly. This is done for many reasons that can revolve around these companies wanting a new marketing angle or there are other vegan organizations that truly want to do no harm, and make products that are good for the earth, good for animals and good for you.
But what exactly makes beauty and makeup vegan? Most makeup products that have been used for decades contain ingredients that originate from animals such as beeswax, gelatin, honey and carmine. In order for a product to truly be cruelty-free and ultimately vegan, the product cannot be tested on animals or contain any animal products. The advantage of using vegan makeup and beauty products is that they are more natural, not synthetically made.
The younger generations are far more invested in using products that are not tested on animals and do not contain ingredients that are synthetic. In order for these companies to appeal to this market and be trendy, they needed to have a presence in the vegan wellness space. The year of 2019 was researched as the “year of the vegan”. In addition to veganism, focusing on the issue of sustainability was important too. Yet, it was difficult for some companies to entirely change their ingredients and products that have been selling successfully for years. Since there are few legal implications regarding the “clean beauty” space, being so new, it has allowed companies to mislabel their own products. This has caused confusion to consumers searching for pure vegan products.
Immediate benefits using vegan products are recommended for those with sensitive skin. With more ingredients that are unknown in non-vegan makeup, there is a higher chance for the sensitive skin to get irritated and blotchy. Chemicals can cause a rash, dry skin or even lead to skin breakouts. Natural ingredients which are the base to vegan makeup can range from aloe vera, essential oils and calming chamomile. Improving uneven skin tones, keeping your skin hydrated and even improving blemishes can all be achieved by switching over to vegan products.
In order to find products that are truly vegan and not just being advertised as cruelty-free, check the label first. Most companies that create vegan products will ensure that it is advertised as much as possible. If there is any doubt, make sure that you check for non-vegan ingredients that are commonly dismissed. Some of those need-to-check ingredients are collagen, lanolin, glycerine, casein, guanine, tallow, carmine, keratin, retinol, lecithin, shellac and stearic acid.
