In homage to World Vegan Day, we thought we’d answer a few questions you might have about why you should always opt for vegan skincare (and the easiest ingredient swaps to look out for!)
WHAT MAKES A BEAUTY PRODUCT VEGAN?
According to the Vegan Society, a product can be classified as vegan if it has not been made with any animal-derived ingredients, and has not been tested on animals at any point. We’re proud to be certified by the Vegan Society, offering you the most robust form of reassurance that our products are, and always will be, vegan.
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON ANIMAL-DERIVED INGREDIENTS FOUND IN BEAUTY PRODUCTS AND WHAT ARE THE VEGAN ALTERNATIVES?
There are so many innovative, cutting-edge ingredients available nowadays that perform even more effectively than their animal-derived counterparts. Olive squalane, for example, which we use in our intensely nourishing Skin Dream, is a far more stable plant-derived alternative to regular squalane, which comes from shark liver and is a by-product of the cruel practice of shark-hunting.
Another example is wild mango wax, which is an incredibly nourishing and moisturising alternative to beeswax. The harvesting of beeswax has a detrimental effect on bee habitats and populations, which are already endangered; as we know, the bee shortage could lead to devastating effects on food production, so it’s something we have always taken a stand on.
Another ingredient to look out for is keratin – although we’re often sold a story about how keratin shampoo transforms our hair, when used in beauty products it’s typically derived from the horns, hooves, hair and nails of animals. Who would want to rub that on their head? Great alternatives to look out for include almond oils and soy proteins – instilling that glossy shine in your locks without extracting ingredients from unethical sources.
Lastly, it’s important to mention lanolin – an emollient derived from sheep’s wool found in many cosmetic products. Our products don’t contain lanolin; instead, we replicate its moisturising, emollient properties by using nourishing blends of plant oils and butters, such as shea butter.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS – ENVIRONMENTALLY, ETHICALLY AND IN TERMS OF EFFICACY – OF USING VEGAN BEAUTY PRODUCTS?
First and foremost, using vegan beauty products guarantees that you are not causing any harm to animals. With the innovation in green technology producing so many exciting, effective vegan ingredients, it’s really not hard to be a conscious consumer when it comes to ethical skincare!
Animal-derived ingredients tend to go through a much more intense cleansing process than vegan ingredients in order to remove bacteria. We know how much our customers value fresh natural ingredients which have gone through a far simpler refinement process before going into the final product.
At Tropic, our vegan ethics go hand-in-hand with our mission to have the most minimal impact possible on the planet. When it comes to harvesting plant-derived ingredients, we always ensure they’re sustainably, ethically sourced, working with co-operative farmers around the world to make sure they’re benefiting from the move from animal agriculture towards vegan ingredients. Wherever fresh, natural ingredients cannot be sustainably sourced, we create nature identical versions in our Innovation Lab at Tropic HQ. This ensures an even smaller impact on the planet’s resources.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE SKINCARE?
A product which is cruelty free means that neither the product nor the ingredients or components have been tested on animals. This can be slightly confusing, as many companies don’t test the final product, but may well test some of the ingredients, so look for accreditation you recognise – Cruelty Free Internationals’ leaping bunny or PETA are your best bet.
As we mentioned earlier, vegan products are those which contain no animal-derived ingredients. However, a vegan product isn’t necessarily cruelty free and visa versa. Vegan products can be tested on animals and it’s possible for cruelty free products to contain animal derived ingredients.
Labels can often be overwhelming, but in short it’s important to look for products which are both vegan and cruelty free to be absolutely sure that you’re buying ethically. Tropic Skincare has been and always will be a vegan and cruelty free brand, it’s what we’re all about.