Cruelty - Free vs. Vegan: What's The Difference?
With the rise of skincare gurus and savvy brand marketing on social media, it's easy to feel lost in a sea of sustainable terms. Organic, natural, vegan, clean beauty, and cruelty-free are just a few of the countless terms you may come across while looking for a beauty product. Be it online or in store, you’re also likely to come across symbols or logos that represent these terms. Unfortunately, these terms are often used interchangeably despite meaning different things altogether. To keep you from feeling overwhelmed, we whipped up a small read explaining the difference between Vegan and Cruelty-Free skincare.
What Do Vegan and Cruelty - Free Actually Mean?
Vegan: When a product is labelled as “Vegan”, it means that it contains no animal - derived ingredients or by - products. Ingredients like beeswax, honey and squalene are common non-vegan ingredients in cosmetics. Be aware that a product can be vegan, while the entire brand may not be.
Cruelty-Free: This label signifies that the product has not been tested on animals prior to retail selling. You can look for products with official certifications from Leaping Bunny (internationally recognized), PETA (US recognized), and Cruelty Free International (Australia, EU & Global). Be aware that an end product could be cruelty - free, while the ingredients used are not.
Can A Product be Vegan and Not Cruelty - Free?
Yes! There are a number of products out there that are 100% plant based but are unfortunately tested on animals prior to sale. For example: L’Oreal, a famous drugstore brand, tests a large number of their products on animals. For instance, they produce a vegan shampoo and conditioner line called “EverPure” that is vegan (not containing animal by - products), but not cruelty free.
Can A Product be Cruelty - Free and Not Vegan?
Once again, yes! Milani is a 100% Cruelty-Free brand; none of their products are tested on animals. The caveat however is that while Milani offers a range of vegan products, not all of their products are 100% plant based. A number of lipsticks by Milani contain animal by - products like beeswax and lanolin (non - vegan ingredients).
What is Changing in the Beauty Industry?
With consumers being more conscious of the impact of their choices on the environment, there has been a bigger demand for products that do not have a negative impact on the planet and all its beings. Millennials and Gen Zers have adopted a compassionate approach to life in all realms and have demanded the same of brands and corporations. Thankfully, there have been a large number of brands that have vowed to make changes to their formulation and production.
Despite there being no requirements to do so in a number of countries (particularly the United States), brands often test their products on animals for extreme reactions and allergies. Animal testing is anything but harmless. In these procedures, animals often endure harsh tests on their eyes, skin and organs to check for toxicity and irritation.
Did you know that a majority of the animals are either dissected or killed after a round of product testing? It's because of unethical practices like these that consumers and brands are taking steps toward Vegan and Cruelty - Free products, be it in the beauty industry of food and household items.
What We Are Doing to Make A Difference
At Bellavana Beauty, we are driven by our customer’s needs and are consistently evolving ourselves to create a conscious and mindful brand that caters to everyone’s lifestyle choices. We are passionate about providing clean and effective skincare that is healthy not just for you but also for the planet.
To better our brand and live up to our core values, we constantly take steps toward formulating Vegan products that contain no animal by - products. We do so with the highest quality of ingredients to ensure that quality is never compromised.
To take it one step further we only work with manufacturers and distributors that are cruelty - free and do not test their ingredients or products on animals. This helps us ensure that our products are 100% cruelty - free from start to finish. If you think that’s it, we’re here to tell you that we are officially Leaping Bunny Cruelty Free Certified!
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