Why should cosmetics be vegan? What is behind it and how can you orient yourself? Find out here about the most important facts about vegan cosmetics.
Why are cosmetics often not vegan?
Vegan doesn't just mean avoiding animal products when eating. Anyone who lives vegan aligns their entire life accordingly. So the question soon arises as to whether cosmetics are actually vegan. We can answer this question with a clear yes, because animal products can also be found in cosmetics, even if they are natural cosmetics. For example lanolin (wool fat), honey or milk.
In addition, it is unfortunately the case that, despite guidelines, there are still loopholes for animal experiments. Vegan cosmetics should not only be without animal ingredients, but also be produced without animal testing. At best also without palm oil - for the sake of the environment.
Vegan cosmetics go beyond lipstick and the like
Vegan cosmetics don't just include your make-up, your lipstick or your mascara. Care products such as shower gel, skin creams, deodorants or hair treatments can also be counted as cosmetics in the narrower sense and thus also affect the men among us. In other words: basically everything you can buy in a drugstore and/or use every day.
Unfortunately, nail polishes are neither vegan nor are condoms. Why? Condoms often contain the milk protein casein. But don't worry, you can still protect yourself with vegan condoms! And nail polishes are now also available in vegan versions.
Vegan cosmetics: You can use this as a guide
To make sure that your lipstick, shampoo, etc. is vegan, you can refer to some of the ingredients that the animal protection association PETA has summarized in an overview of animal ingredients in cosmetics. The most common representatives are:
If you are already in front of the shelf in the drugstore and are therefore faced with the decision of whether you can buy the product or not, various apps will also help you:
Usually you only have to scan the EAN code and the app will tell you whether the product is vegan and not tested on animals. Here, too, it is important that you make sure that the product is not "only" manufactured without animal testing, but is also explicitly labeled as vegan.
Erbse, founder of the vegan beauty blog Cosmetics-Vegan, continuously updates her list of vegan cosmetics. Here you will also find other exciting topics such as vegan tattoos. You can also find videos on the subject of vegan cosmetics on the Riotschminke YouTube channel.
In addition to apps and information from various blogs, you can use the different seals for orientation. The vegan flower, for example, distinguishes vegan and animal-free products.
Unfortunately, the term "vegan" is not protected, which means that there is still a little extra work to be done before you buy: Inform yourself.
Are vegan cosmetics better and more nourishing?
In vegan products, the animal substances are replaced by plant (or sometimes synthetic) ones. Coconut oil, olive oil or soy protein are used instead of beef tallow or beeswax. So far, there are no studies that say vegan cosmetics have any advantages or disadvantages in terms of their effect. So it's entirely up to you whether you feel more comfortable with vegan cosmetics or not. If no synthetic substances are used in the vegan alternatives, you are at least taking care of your body in a more natural way.
In summary: cruelty-free cosmetics are not vegan, just as natural cosmetics are not vegan.
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