Organic and vegan are two very distinct notions.
Faced with the profusion of terms to qualify cosmetics – eco-responsible, organic, vegan, clean, etc. – it is better to know exactly what a beauty routine that rejects all animal cruelty is. For this, it is essential to understand that a vegan cosmetic is, above all, a beauty product that does not contain any ingredient of animal origin, the objective being to end the suffering of animals.
Consumers often confuse vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics, which is not (necessarily) the same thing. While both are meant to be animal-friendly and animal-friendly, there are a few subtleties to consider. But in theory, a vegan cosmetic is supposed to be cruelty-free by definition, which is not necessarily true in the opposite case. In any case, it is essential to know that cosmetic tests on animals have been prohibited in the European Union, something that can help you make informed choices.
A long list of ingredients to banish
Like with food, turning to a 100% vegan beauty routine requires you to give up a long list of ingredients. Animal fats, usually found in the most nourishing creams, are among the easiest to identify – and banish.
“Glycerin” is one of the compounds often seen on the packaging of the face and body creams, soaps, and even some hair products. This term generally guarantees elasticity, suppleness, and hydration. If you want to move towards a vegan lifestyle, you must opt for vegetable glycerin and avoid all products where its origin is not specified. This is also the case with collagen, which is very present in the beauty industry.
Among the other ingredients of animal origin present in cosmetics are fish oils, which are easily identifiable, and carmine, a pigment obtained from a dye extracted from cochineal, which is found in certain lipsticks. . Without forgetting the make-up brushes made of (natural) animal hair. Vegans are also abandoning products from the hive, although this point is often debated. While some claim that the bees do not suffer physically when they produce their honey, others point out that it is harmful to them to collect their production.
Labels to know
It is not necessarily easy to know and identify all the ingredients present in our cosmetics and to deduce a fortiori whether they are vegan or not. Fortunately, there are many labels worldwide to enlighten us on the subject.
To be sure to choose a cosmetic containing no ingredients of animal origin, you can trust the Vegan Society, V-Label, Eve Vegan, Vegecert, VeganOK, or Certified Vegan labels, to name a few.
