What You Need to Know About Vegan Beauty Products
The longer I live, the more invested I become in taking care of myself. I can honestly say that I feel a hundred times better now, in my 30s, than I ever did in my 20s, and it's because I started investing more in my self-care.
I started reading labels (no, not the name brand kind, the food kind) around my 25th birthday, when my eczema and hypertension decided to make their glorious, highly inconvenient and highly uncomfortable appearance in my life. I watched everything from what I ate to what I put on my skin, but didn't give much thought to what was in my beauty products (yes, I know that goes on your skin too. I don't make sense!)
Let me give you a little backstory...
A few months before my 31st birthday, I went to the dermatologist to finally do something drastic about my acne. Almost 2 months and several hundred dollars later, my face looked worse than it ever had before AND I was in pain. I read about women turning to vegan diets and beauty products to cure their hormonal acne, and decided to test it out for myself. (Just the beauty products, not the diet. I can not give up chicken wings...I won't).
The thing is, learning to read labels is like learning to read a completely new language! I had no idea what I was looking for, so I did a little research to find out more about what being vegan means and what the benefits are of vegan products over others.
I started reading labels (no, not the name brand kind, the food kind) around my 25th birthday, when my eczema and hypertension decided to make their glorious, highly inconvenient and highly uncomfortable appearance in my life. I watched everything from what I ate to what I put on my skin, but didn't give much thought to what was in my beauty products (yes, I know that goes on your skin too. I don't make sense!)
Let me give you a little backstory...
A few months before my 31st birthday, I went to the dermatologist to finally do something drastic about my acne. Almost 2 months and several hundred dollars later, my face looked worse than it ever had before AND I was in pain. I read about women turning to vegan diets and beauty products to cure their hormonal acne, and decided to test it out for myself. (Just the beauty products, not the diet. I can not give up chicken wings...I won't).
The thing is, learning to read labels is like learning to read a completely new language! I had no idea what I was looking for, so I did a little research to find out more about what being vegan means and what the benefits are of vegan products over others.
What does "Vegan" Mean?
In terms of the diet, being vegan means that a person does not consume any products of animal origin - including dairy and eggs. Vegan diets are different from vegetarian, which only exclude meat.
Vegan vs. Cruelty-Free vs. Organic
We've all seen the beauty brands that proudly display these words on their products, right? (Immediately I think of Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation, because it was the first make-up product that I used that had the vegan and cruelty-free labels on it). It's highly confusing, because you tend to think that these all mean the same thing, (at least I did) but they have important differences, especially if you do your shopping based on your beliefs:
Cruelty-Free means that a product has not been tested on animals by any entity that takes part in its creation (supplier, manufacturer, producer or third-parties). A product can be cruelty-free without being vegan.
Vegan means that a product is not produced with ingredients made from animals or animal byproducts. This means that they don't contain ingredients like beeswax, lanolin, collagen or keratin. Instead, they are high in vitamins and natural oils.
Organic just means that the product was made without using any pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or other modified organisms. (Read: It came from the Earth)
Are Vegan Products Better for You?
It depends on your skin type. If you're someone who has sensitive, acne-prone skin, then vegan products are a good alternative. Products that contain animal ingredients can be harsh and clog your pores, so vegan products are a more gentle, soothing alternative. Additionally, as I said before, they are high in vitamins, minerals, oils and antioxidants, which are all good-for-your-skin ingredients.
There are many others, but I have personally used each of these and can vouch for their amazingness (yes, I just made that word up). I would never recommend something that I haven't tried myself, and as you can see, I'm very selective!
You can click each link to view the products that each brand has to offer.
*Disclaimer: I am not an affiliate with the first three brands. I do, however, make a little bit of money if you buy anything from Monat. If you see something you want to try and you think it will work for you, you'd also be helping me keep this blog going but do NOT feel pressured into buying anything! I just felt the need to be transparent here because I, personally, hate being hustled*
Peace, love & light, my loves!
The Price
In my experience, the things that are more natural are, somehow, more expensive. (Why is it that I can buy a bag of regular carrots for less than a dollar, but organic carrots cost $2.50??) Unfortunately, it's no different when it comes to beauty products. BUT what I will say is that, just like with natural foods, natural beauty products are a better way to spend your money.
The products are:
-More concentrated
-More effective
A little goes a very long way, which means that the products will last you longer, making them cost-effective in the long run.
The products are:
-More concentrated
-More effective
A little goes a very long way, which means that the products will last you longer, making them cost-effective in the long run.
Where Do You Find Them?
Most brands have a vegan product line, but the ones below claim that all of their products are 100% vegan and cruelty-free:
There are many others, but I have personally used each of these and can vouch for their amazingness (yes, I just made that word up). I would never recommend something that I haven't tried myself, and as you can see, I'm very selective!
You can click each link to view the products that each brand has to offer.
*Disclaimer: I am not an affiliate with the first three brands. I do, however, make a little bit of money if you buy anything from Monat. If you see something you want to try and you think it will work for you, you'd also be helping me keep this blog going but do NOT feel pressured into buying anything! I just felt the need to be transparent here because I, personally, hate being hustled*
Peace, love & light, my loves!
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