Although the rights of animals are not respected as they should be, there is increasing awareness of the cause in their favor. Luckily, there are more and more people who are showing rejection of any practice that involves animal suffering. It is not easy to fight against this abuse, but there are ways to contribute and gradually reduce it. Therefore, at Branch and Root, we believe in the importance of choosing cosmetics free of animal cruelty, known as cruelty-free cosmetics.

Fortunately, today cosmetics that are suitable for vegans can be found in almost every cosmetic store. And it can have undeniable benefits for your skin, even if you do not plan to give up meat in the next thousand years. What kind of products are they, who are they suitable for, and what ingredients should be looked for on the packaging in the first place – let us take a look?

WHAT IS VEGAN COSMETICS

Some people confuse vegan cosmetics with cosmetics that are not tested on animals – and this is not entirely correct. Of course, vegan cosmetics exclude cruelty to animals, but there are several other important aspects. So, vegan beauty products should not contain animal products and by-products, among which the common moisturizing agents are beeswax, honey, lanolin, as well as the color pigment carmine, which is obtained from beetle larvae.

Another misconception is that vegan foods are free of synthetic chemicals in the composition. This is true, but not in each case. Although many vegan brands do rely on natural hypoallergenic products, some products still include synthetic ingredients and preservatives. In any case, it is important to read the composition on the label carefully.

BENEFITS OF VEGAN MAKEUP

Thanks to innovations in the beauty industry, vegan (and at the same time, organic) beauty products today can fully compete with classic cosmetics. Hollywood make-up artist Justin Jenkins admits that the right cosmetics in terms of environmental care works so well that she uses only her and nothing else to make up her clients. “A few years ago, I would have to sacrifice the result and speed of the make-up, but now the recipes and technologies have changed beyond recognition,” admits Jenkins.

WHAT IS CRUELTY-FREE COSMETICS?

Unfortunately, today there are still cosmetic laboratories outside the European Union that carry out practices and experiment with animals. They are subjected to allergy and toxicity tests to test substances and products, something unnecessary at present. There is enough progress in obtaining safe and effective products without the need to experiment with beings who feel and suffer.

Therefore, every day there are more cosmetic brands that add to the cruelty-free makeup movement and refuse to continue doing these practices. They have opted for the development of high-quality cosmetics formulated with natural ingredients and ensure they do not contain any components that have been tested on animals.

WHY DO WE CHOOSE CRUELTY-FREE COSMETICS?

Choosing to use animal cruelty-free cosmetics is the best choice without a doubt. Not only do we join the fight against animal abuse, but we also avoid contact with existing toxic ingredients in many products that may pose risks to our health. In this way, we make use of healthier and safer cosmetics for our bodies.

HOW DO WE IDENTIFY CRUELTY-FREE COSMETICS?

Knowing how to differentiate cruelty-free cosmetic products are simple. Some brands directly specify that they are not tested with animals anywhere on the planet. They usually put it visibly on the main face of the container or in the information on the origin of the product.

Another way to recognize cruelty-free products is to look for the rabbit logo. It is not always the same design, but the animal that appears on the seal is always a rabbit.

We can also check the brand’s website or contact them and ask directly.

If the origin of the product in China, automatically discard it. It is not legal to market cosmetics without having previously tested on animals.

Do you want to know if your cosmetics are free from animal cruelty? We tell you how to find out

Many times, we go shopping with the best intention of buying products free of animal cruelty, but the search can get too complicated! Especially since we are not sure what we are looking for exactly.

Also, there are countries where companies are not required to put in the packaging whether they are cruelty-free or not, which makes our mission even more difficult.

So here we share a list with tips for you to identify if a product is cruelty-free. You will see that in a short time you will become an expert!

# 1 Find a rabbit

As with Alice, a rabbit will be your signal to the right path. Different organizations certify products as cruelty-free, but what they all have in common is that the seal is always a rabbit. You can find some ears, a silhouette, a rabbit. The design varies, but this animal is the emblem of not testing on animals.

# 2 “Not tested on animals.”

Some packages explicitly contain this information, that is, that they do not test on animals. They usually place it where the country of origin is and the contact information. Although it can also appear on the main face of the box, as there are brands that pride themselves on being cruelty-free (and with good reason).

# 3 What if it says nothing at all?

As we said at the beginning, there are countries where it is not an obligation to show that they are cruelty-free. It also happens that some companies are so small that they do not have enough money to pay for certification, so they do not have permission to use the rabbit emblem.

If this is the case, you will have to be patient and take some time to investigate the company before purchasing one of its products.

# 4 Check the brand’s website

Fortunately, more and more companies put in their pages whether they test on animals or not. This data usually appears at the beginning or in the “about us” or “FAQ” sections.

If nowhere does you find that they talk about animal testing, you can ask them directly. The best option is to send them an email. Remember to ask if they do experiments on animals in any of their processes, since these tests can be done on both the individual ingredients and the final product.

# 5 If they sell it in China, avoid it

In China, it is illegal not to test on animals before selling a product. So, if you find out that a brand sells in China, it is not the option.

# 6 Keep a list always with you on your cell phone

It is always best to have a list of the brands you should look for or avoid when you go shopping. That way, you would not have to be researching and researching until your cell phone runs out of data. It will make your search easier, and you will get acquainted with the companies faster.

CONCLUSION

You already buy cruelty-free? Cheer up! You are doing a great job. When a cosmetic is vegan, that means it does not contain ingredients of animal origin (such as honey).