What are vegan cosmetics and what is the difference from cruelty-free products?

Vegan beauty care is becoming increasingly popular in Greece, as the vegan diet is growing rapidly. But what are vegan cosmetics? What does cruelty free cosmetics mean? What are their differences?

What is the difference between a skincare product that is "vegan" and one that is "cruelty free"?

Many people assume that cruelty-free products are also vegan. However, this is not always the case. Cruelty-free cosmetics, i.e. cosmetics that are not tested on animals, are not always vegan, while vegan products are definitely cruelty-free, as they are not produced from animals or animal derivatives.

✓ Cruelty free = not tested on animals (but may contain animal derivatives)

✓ Vegan skincare = derived exclusively from nature (may be tested on animals)

Cruelty-free products are not tested on animals before being released to the market. However, this does not mean that they do not contain animal products. In most countries, the rules regarding animal testing are stricter and such products are banned in more and more countries. However, in one of the largest markets, China, it is mandatory for companies selling products to have tested on animals before the product is widely consumed by humans.

Therefore, if you want to make the safest choice in terms of protecting animals from the cosmetics industry and the therapeutic effects of exclusively vegan products, it is essential to look for products that are both cruelty-free and vegan.

What ingredients are therapeutic but not included in vegan skincare? What are the alternative ingredients that can be used?

There are some animal derivatives that are used quite often in natural cosmetics, such as honey, beeswax, lanolin (the fat from sheep's wool), squalene (shark liver oil), gelatin (the gel from calf bones) or the placenta of some animals. Vegan products do not use any of these ingredients and have replaced them with others. See the table below how vegan products replace these ingredients with others, equally therapeutic:

An ethical issue for your skin and the planet

There is no sufficient evidence to support that natural ingredients in cosmetics are more effective than animal-derived ingredients. However, the biggest differences are related to the impact that the beauty industry's use of these ingredients has on Mother Earth. Using vegan products shows that we respect animals and our planet.

The beauty industry is always driven by demand, so if we all try to demand more natural, vegan ingredients that do not harm anyone, we will create a better ecosystem. There is a wide variety of vegan face creams, serums and ampoules, but also a wide range of innovative new cosmetics with unique effectiveness.

Combined with the use of products that are not tested on animals, it is the best thing we can do for our planet!

How do I know if a product is vegan so I can choose it?

In general, there are no specific guidelines or any official body that can certify that a product is vegan. One common way is to check the brand of the product on the PETA organization’s list, for the “beauty without bunnies program”. It brings together vegan companies that are not only vegan, but also do not test their products on animals. Many products use its logo to show that they belong to its list. It is this:

It contains over 1900 companies and is updated twice a year. However, it cannot guarantee the stability of the ingredients in the products. That is, if the company, after being approved for inclusion in the list, changed the ingredients in its products.

Another way to check products is through the non-profit organization “Choose Cruelty Free” (CCF). It contains over 250 brands with stricter restrictions than PETA. The downside is that it has a very small database of companies because of this.

You can also try the “Vegan Society.” It was founded in 1944 and educates the public about vegan products. Korean natural, vegan cosmetics by Dear, Klairs, and By Wishtrend are the only Korean products recommended by the Vegan Society.

The safest way to tell if a product is vegan is to check the ingredients listed on the packaging. If none of the ingredients listed above (the most common) are listed, it is probably vegan. If you don't understand any of the ingredients listed, contact the company for clarification.

How to start checking products:

See if it has the “ vegan ” label on the product or brand.
See the list of ingredients on the packaging
If there are ingredients you don't understand, ask the company that sells them to explain them to you.

Vegan products don't mean they'll be more expensive or less effective. More and more companies are marketing products that are vegan, of excellent quality, at affordable prices. Try them!

The vegan, natural cosmetics we recommend from Klairs: