{Ad. This post is in conjunction with Boots but all thoughts are my own.}
If you’re interested in beauty, you’ll probably have noticed that vegan beauty is gaining a lot of momentum, as we get more conscious about what we put on our skin. Buying cruelty-free beauty has always been non-negotiable for me, but that hasn’t always translated as choosing vegan as well. As a clean beauty junkie, many of the products I use are vegan, but that’s more by chance than design. It’s a by-product of trying to shop ethically and sustainably. But what is vegan beauty? Boots have challenged me to investigate vegan beauty, to see what I know. And what I need to learn…
So read on for my Vegan Beauty 101 and test yourself to see if you are aware of the non-vegan ingredients that may be in your beauty products. I think you might be surprised, I certainly was!
What is Vegan Beauty?
There is not really a cast-iron definition of vegan beauty. So that can make it difficult to know whether our beauty products are vegan or not. But the basic definition of vegan is it must not have any animal-derived ingredients, including animal by products, for example beeswax. The best advice is to check the labels, to see that it is labelled as ‘Vegan Friendly’ or ‘Vegan’ but also to check the ingredients.
What Are Some Examples of Non-Vegan Beauty Ingredients?
So, what are you looking for when it comes to vegan-friendly ingredients? I think most people will recognise honey, beeswax, and milk as non-vegan ingredients in their beauty products. But there are so many more that may go unnoticed. Here are a few of the non-vegan ingredients that may be hiding in your beauty products:
Did you know these common ingredients are not vegan? Click to see the list!
beeswax (this may also be labelled as cera alba) is commonly used in cosmetics and skincare, especially lip products and moisturisers
gelatine (from collagen taken from animal body parts) is sometimes found in beauty products
silk (from the cocoons of the larvae of silk moths) may be found in beauty products
carmine/cochineal (from crushed insects) is commonly found in blushers and lipsticks, eyeshadows and nail varnishes, and may also be labelled as ‘natural red’ ‘E120’ or ‘C.I. 75470
lanolin (from sheep wool) is commonly found in thick moisturising balms like some lip balms and nipple balms
glycerine (from animal fat) is an emollient frequently used in skincare
hyaluronic acid (from cockerel combs) is a super-hydrator and is thought to stimulate skin’s production of collagen
squalene (from shark liver oil) is a much-heralded anti-ageing product
collagen (a protein derived from animal tissue) is another anti-ageing ‘must-have’ but did you know it may have come from a cow’s ligaments or bones?
keratin (from the horns or hair of animals) is frequently used in hair products as it is thought to strengthen hair
shellac (from lac bugs) is found in some nail products
guanine (from fish scales) can give a sparkly finish to make-up
Are There Vegan Alternatives to These Ingredients?
The good news is that there are often really good plant-based alternatives to most of these ingredients. So you can still enjoy vegan beauty products without including animal ingredients. Wheat germ and olive squalene is a plant-based alternative to squalene from shark liver oil. Almond oil or soya protein are plant-based alternative to collagen. Soya or coconut oil are plant-based version of glycerine, so do check the labels to see the source. Vegan make-up brands use fruit or vegetable dyes, or iron oxides instead of carmine.
Trying A Vegan Evening Skincare Regime
Boots asked me to choose some vegan beauty products to try. I chose vegan skincare from clean beauty brand BYBI, because their ethos aligns with mine. This vegan, sustainable UK brand uses upcycled ingredients, avoid synthetics, and of course, don’t use any animal ingredients.
BYBI are actively trying to be more eco-friendly too. They use sugarcane polyethylene for their tubes. This carbon neutral bioplastic is upcycled from the waste left over from extracting sugar from sugarcane and can also be recycled.
My New BYBI Vegan Skincare Regime
I’ve been using BYBI’s Milk Melt Vegan Oat Milk Cleanser, before my new BYBI evening skincare regime and I’m pleased with the results.
Step 1: Cleanse away make-up with the Milk Melt creamy vegan oat milk cleanser. 
Step 2: Dot on Eye Plump Overnight Eye Cream to replenish the delicate eye area. 
Step 3: Massage in a few drops of Bakuchiol Booster. 
Step 4: Apply a little Night Nutrition Protein Night Cream.
The Bakuchiol range contains a plant-based retinol alternative, and squalane derived from olives.
Night Nutrition contains over 70% upcycled ingredients including clementine water that is a by-product of the juicing industry. It also boats raspberry seed oil and superfood proteins from kale, lemon and carrot, which are thought to aid skinโs natural overnight repair cycle.
I’m impressed by all of these vegan skincare products and will be trying more in future.
Are you considering trying vegan skincare or treating yourself to some new vegan makeup? I think it’s brilliant that it’s easier than ever to get hold of vegan beauty products, online and on our local high streets.
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