Are vegan beauty products as effective as normal products?

What does vegan beauty mean, and what is the difference between normal beauty products? 

Veganism is simple to understand, but the concept of vegan skincare is more challenging to grasp. Is it the same as using cruelty-free cosmetics? Are there any ingredients you should stay away from? There are a lot of unanswered questions.

Vegan skincare products aren't made from animals or animal byproducts. This implies that beeswax, honey, collagen, lanolin, and keratin, among other conventional ingredients, are not formulated. One important thing to note here is that vegan beauty products are different from cruelty-free products. Cruelty-free products mean that the product has not been tested on animals.

Benefits of using vegan beauty products

• Does not contain animal extracts or animal byproducts

One of the most satisfying aspects of converting to vegan beauty products is the chance to save the lives of animals. Millions, if not billions, of animals, could be saved each year if everyone switched to cruelty-free products.

• Kinder to your skin

Finding a skincare routine that works for you, whether you have acne, eczema, rosacea, or excessively dry or oily skin, may be a nightmare. Vegan products often work better for soothing sensitive skin because they contain fewer ingredients than non-vegan alternatives. This means that the product is less likely to irritate the skin or aggravate any skin conditions.

• Rich in vitamins and antioxidants

Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other vital nutrients in vegan skincare are sourced from plants. Plant-based ingredients are rich in vitamins and antioxidants and can offer a range of benefits to your skin, including repairing and moisturizing the skin which helps the skin look and feel fresher for longer.

• Reduces exposure to pesticides

Using vegan skincare products reduces the chances of exposing your skin to pesticides. This is because ingredients in non-vegan cosmetics such as sheep wool have been dipped in pesticides to prevent vermin. As your skin absorbs everything you put onto it, you really don’t want your skin to be soaking up nasty pesticides too!

But are vegan skincare and beauty products as effective as non-vegan products? 

Vegan skincare brands omit other animal-derived components, such as carmine (a beetle-derived colorant) and silk, and instead use plant-based or synthetic alternatives. The ingredients in vegan skincare are rich in vitamins, minerals, natural oils, and antioxidants that are kind to the skin and have repairing and moisturizing properties. Aloe vera, ginger, garlic, mint, and lavender are all vegan substances that have been used for hundreds of years for their therapeutic and healing characteristics.

The fact that vegan skincare products expire sooner than non-vegan alternatives is one of its drawbacks. Non-vegan products can last up to two years thanks to preservatives like parabens and phthalates, but vegan products made without parabens could have a shelf life of only three or four months. Although it’s important to note that this doesn’t affect its effectiveness, and if you’re a regular skincare user this shouldn’t be a problem either as you will most likely run out of the product before it expires anyway.

It's also worth mentioning that like non-vegan products, vegan skincare may also contain synthetic compounds in place of animal-derived materials. Synthetic ingredients are produced in laboratories and are chemical copies of natural ingredients. Although not all synthetic components are the same, some are toxic and accumulate in the body over time which has been linked to skin irritations. This is why it’s important to read the ingredients label and understand what goes into each skincare product before purchasing – this goes for both vegan and non-vegan skincare.

Overall, vegan products are rich in vitamins, minerals, natural oils, and antioxidants, much like that of non-vegan alternatives, but vegan cosmetics are kinder to the skin and animals and are less likely to contain pesticides. But it’s worth noting that with all skincare and beauty products, it’s difficult to determine the effectiveness of a product because a product’s efficacy is mostly dependent on your skin and your skincare objectives. What works for one person might not work for another. So, before you choose a vegan beauty product, do your research, double-check that all of the components are vegan, understand the ingredients on the ingredient list, and read real-life user reviews to determine its effectiveness. This way, you'll be able to make an informed decision about which vegan product to purchase.