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Organic, Cruelty-free, Vegan these are some of the descriptions we may have seen advertised on many products of recent years, whilst some may seem self-explanatory, we may have also discovered that sometimes not everything may be as black and white as we would like. We have explored a similar topic in one of our other recent blogs. We looked at how cruelty-free makeup products may not necessarily be 100 percent cruelty-free. Some products may have been tested on animals during the creation process but not the manufacturing, and vice-versa, therefore providing a loophole in its final description.
What is Vegan makeup?
We all know what a vegan diet consists of, but how does this term actually apply to makeup? The definition of vegan makeup is that it’s a product that doesn’t contain any animal products or animal-derived ingredients. It concentrates more on the ingredients, rather than the production process. This is extremely important to remember as a product can claim to be vegan but not actually be cruelty-free!
Example of ingredients used in non-vegan products
In recent years we may have noticed some consumer conscious buzzwords regularly appearing on the TV or in other media outlets. One of them being collagen enhancing beauty products, mainly used in skincare products. Whilst collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, found in the bones, muscles and skin, collagen commonly used in a lot of anti-aging skincare products are actually derived from the connective tissues of mammals, bone, ligaments and skin.
Similarly, Beeswax (also referred to as cera alba, cera lava) is directly taken from a beehive and can be used in lipsticks, eyeshadows and foundations. The wax is taken from worker bees and may take several pounds of honey to create a small amount of wax.
One of the final product we want to talk about is Guanine (also known as CI 75170) This provides extra shine and sparkle to your blusher, eyeshadow and nail polish. It is mainly created by scraping fish scales off dead fish and soaking them in alcohol to create a solution.
So whilst we may not have always taken the time to check the contents of every makeup product we may have purchased in the past, it is always a good idea to carry out your own research and familiarise yourself with common product definitions and ingredient descriptions. Especially if you are a makeup artist and would like to offer alternative products to your clients.
Look for a certified Trademark
It can be extremely confusing to know whether a product is vegan or cruelty free, the quickest way to ensure this is by checking for the Vegan society trademark. The Society puts companies and their products through a strict vetting process and certifies that products do not contain any animal products or animal-by products. And if you are still in doubt you can always contact the manufacturers directly and ask them for a more detailed report.
Here are 15 Vegan Makeup Products You Should Know.
