Other Products

Cosmetics and household products are often one of the last areas people think about when going vegan. Unlike food, where ingredients are usually easier to recognise, cosmetics can involve unfamiliar ingredients and complicated company policies. The good news is that once you understand a few basic ideas, it becomes much easier to navigate.

Two things matter when choosing vegan cosmetics or household products. The first is whether the product contains animal derived ingredients. The second is whether the product, or its ingredients, were tested on animals.

Fortunately, there are useful resources online that track this information. Websites such as Cruelty Free Kitty and Logical Harmony maintain regularly updated lists of brands and explain their policies in detail. These resources can save a lot of time when you are unsure about a particular company.

Vegan vs Cruelty Free

One of the most confusing parts of buying cosmetics and cleaning products is the difference between the terms “vegan” and “cruelty free.” They sound similar but they refer to different things.

• Vegan means the product does not contain animal derived ingredients.
• Cruelty free means the product was not tested on animals.

A product can meet one of these conditions without meeting the other. For example, a cosmetic may contain no animal ingredients but still be tested on animals. In that case it might be labelled vegan but it would not be cruelty free. On the other hand, a cruelty free product might still contain ingredients such as beeswax or lanolin.

This means that, frustratingly, an item can be labelled “cruelty free” that still involves cruelty, and an item labelled “vegan” is sometimes not actually be vegan because it is tested on animals.

To be confident that a product is both vegan and cruelty free, it helps to look for labels that confirm both. The Vegan Society trademark and the Leaping Bunny logo are two widely recognised examples, but you may see others.

Here are the most common examples:

Note that the Vegan Society label is only given to a product that is actually vegan – meaning not tested on animals and using no animal ingredients. The PETA cruelty-free label does not mean vegan, however, it only refers to animal testing.

There are also many products that are effectively vegan but not marketed that way. These are sometimes described as “accidentally vegan.” As veganism becomes more common this situation is becoming less frequent, but it still happens.

Parent Companies and Brand Ownership

Another question to consider is whether the company behind the product is vegan or cruelty free. Some brands avoid animal testing, but the larger corporation that owns them does not. For example, a cruelty free brand may belong to a parent company that sells other products tested on animals.

Some vegans prefer to avoid supporting these companies, even indirectly. Others are comfortable buying the vegan or cruelty free products they offer, on the basis that supporting those options may encourage companies to expand them.

There is no single rule here, and choosing either one doesn’t make you more or less vegan. For many people it would be very difficult to only buy from fully vegan owned companies. This is usually a personal decision about what feels reasonable and practical for you, given your budget and availability in your area.

Common Animal Derived Ingredients

Many cosmetic ingredients are unfamiliar, which can make it harder to recognise animal sources. Some ingredients that are commonly derived from animals include:

Beeswax – produced by bees
Casein – a protein from milk
Carmine or cochineal – a red pigment made from crushed insects
Chitosan – derived from crustacean shells
Collagen – taken from bones, skin, or connective tissue
Keratin – derived from hair, nails, claws, or horns
Glycerin or glycerol – sometimes made from animal fat
Lanolin – a grease taken from sheep’s wool
Lactose – a sugar from milk
Polypeptides – sometimes derived from animal proteins
Royal jelly – a secretion produced by bees
Shellac – a resin produced by insects
Squalane – Often plant-based but sometimes derived from shark liver
Silk extract – produced by silkworms
Tallow – rendered beef or mutton fat

Some of these ingredients can also be produced from plant or synthetic sources. Because of that, ingredient names alone do not always tell the full story. Checking with the manufacturer or using independent resources can help clarify this.

Animal Testing and International Laws

Another complication is how companies handle animal testing in different markets. Some brands state that they do not test on animals except where required by law. This usually means they do not test in regions such as the UK, Europe, or the United States, but they still sell in countries where animal testing requirements exist.

China has historically been the most commonly discussed example. While the rules have changed in recent years, the government still allows post-market testing in some cases. This means products sold there may still be subject to animal testing even if the company itself did not initiate it.

Because of this, many brands choose not to sell their cosmetics in China at all. Others decide to sell there despite the possibility of testing.

Many people who want to avoid supporting animal testing prefer to buy from companies that have chosen not to sell in markets where testing may occur. Fortunately, a growing number of brands have adopted this policy.

Alcohol and Other Overlooked Products

It is also worth noting that not all alcohol is vegan.

Some cheaper wines use milk products as fining agents, and certain beers are filtered using isinglass, which is made from fish bladders. These processes are not always obvious from the label.

The Barnivore website and app make it easy to check whether a particular drink is vegan, and they maintain a large database of wines, beers, and spirits.

Finding Reliable Information

Researching company policies can feel complicated at first. Company statements are sometimes written in ways that sound reassuring but do not clearly explain what the brand actually does.

Independent resources are usually the most reliable way to check. Cruelty Free Kitty, Logical Harmony, and similar sites regularly review brands and explain their testing policies.

If you are unsure about a particular product, a simple online search for the brand name followed by “animal testing policy” will often bring up useful information. The changes are good that another vegan has already found the answer for you. Over time you will become familiar with the brands that align with your preferences, which makes shopping much easier.

Useful Resources

• Cruelty Free Kitty
• Logical Harmony
• Ethical pixie