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There are people in the world who simply cannot start their day without putting makeup on. Now, regardless of whether you belong to this group of people or you put on makeup only for special occasions, you are probably aware how important the quality of these products is. After all, they are going directly on your face and can cause a lot of damage if they are subpar.

Furthermore, various kinds of makeup also have a huge impact on Mother Nature. From animal byproducts through all sorts of pollutants all the way to how it is packaged, the cosmetic and skincare industry affects the environment in many ways.

However, more and more brands are choosing to go vegan and make beauty products that will not cause us or the environment any harm. So, what exactly is vegan makeup? These products do not contain any animal or animal-derived ingredients, in addition to leaving out various harmful chemicals and substances.

It doesn’t matter if you’re vegan or not, using this kind of makeup has many benefits for the nature and animals around us and is much gentler to our skin. So, read on to learn more about certified vegan makeup.

It’s potentially also cruelty-free

Perhaps you’ve also heard about cruelty-free makeup which is commonly used interchangeably with the term vegan makeup, even though they are not one and the same. More and more people are discovering the mistreatment that animals are forced to endure during product-testing in labs. These animals are often confined to small cages and subjected to cruel experiments. After finding out about these horrible practices, people are demanding cruelty-free products and turning to those companies that are willing to listen.

There are companies that claim that animal testing has the purpose of determining whether these products are safe for humans but the truth is that there are other alternatives which do not include animal cruelty. For instance, in-vitro testing, cultured cell tissues and computer models all have more advantages but companies often opt for animal testing because it is much cheaper. Many countries including EU members, Norway, Switzerland, New Zealand and South Korea have already banned animal testing and hopefully, more of them will follow soon.

Seeing as how vegans don’t consume any animal products because of their ethical beliefs, it’s no surprise that this translates to their skincare practices as well. In addition to preferring cruelty-free makeup, they are also looking for items that do not include any sort of animal byproducts. Luckily, there are more and more brands that are coming out with various certified vegan products which do not include ingredients such as honey, beeswax and gelatin. Placenta, ambergris, cow urine, crushed-up beetles and shark liver oil are other common animal-derived ingredients that can often be found in regular beauty products.

When purchasing makeup, look at the symbols on the packaging or in the description. Symbols will show you which products are vegan certified, which are vegan friendly and which have vegan options. Plus, you can always check the label to see which ingredients were used in making it as well as check online whether a certain brand is truly certified.

They don’t use harmful chemicals

Due to the ingredients that vegan makeup products are made of, they also tend to be more eco-friendly. This is because they strive towards being natural and free of chemicals that will harm the environment once released into the atmosphere. What is more, it is estimated that a single lab that carries out animal tests could produce 12 tons of waste on a yearly basis.

Instead of using various toxic and harsh chemicals, makeup companies have over 7,000 ingredients they can choose to make their products with. These ingredients have been proven to be safe and there is no need to test them again on animals. Companies that still choose to test products on animals are only doing it to make more money by introducing some innovative ingredients.

Natural and organic makeup products tend to avoid certain ingredients that can have a negative impact on the environment. These include cosmetic preservatives BHA and BHT, p-Phenylenediamine, DBP, DEA and triclosan.

Therefore, look at the list of ingredients when purchasing a product and avoid those that contain chemicals that are harmful both to you and to the planet. While it might be a bit expensive, there is surely a brand that has the product you need while still being certified vegan.

It has more eco-friendly packaging

Other than avoiding harmful chemicals, vegan makeup is also good for the environment because the brands that make these products are thinking about the impact packaging has as well. There are many ways to produce little to no environmental waste simply by using reusable and biodegradable materials.

For example, there are brands that use mushroom-based packaging. This is very beneficial for the environment, it decomposes in 30-90 days and has no harmful matters. Other organic materials that should be considered are seaweed and cornstarch. Recyclable paper, carton and plastic can all be used as outer packaging options, as well as organic fabrics.

When it comes to containers, there are plenty of good options as well. Some brands are choosing to put their products in bamboo cases – and we all know how sustainable bamboo is. Another great approach is stainless steel which is 100% recyclable. Plus, it is not uncommon for brands to combine these two options. For instance, if they offer refills – and they should because this is a great no-waste method – you can simply recycle the tin container and put the new one in the bamboo container. Moreover, glass and recycled aluminum are eco-friendly options as well.

Finally, there are also products that can be bought with no packaging. While a lot of makeup products are such that they need some sort of container, there are still brands that have certain zero-waste items.

 

Even if you’re not vegan because you simply cannot quit meat and eggs, opting for certified vegan makeup products will benefit not only your skin but the environment as well. Plus, you will help keep all those adorable animals safe.