How To Find Cruelty-Free Skincare Products That Work For Your Skin

With more awareness about the rapidly deteriorating environment, the consumers and the producers both have become conscious of the choices they are now making. We all are looking forward and are willing to make our surroundings and the planet on the whole a cleaner place to live. A just and coherent environment needs to be built so that man and nature can live in harmony.

One of the major steps that have been taken by the beauty industry is supplying products that are eco-friendly and sustainable. We want good skin and an even better planet. Our end goal should be a secure environment and safe beauty. When we start purchasing vegan products which are also at the same time not tested on animals we would be forcing the companies who do not practise this to switch to manufacturing vegan products without having them tested on the animals. 

Many years ago, the cosmetics industry relied on consumer trust—the belief that the items people consume and apply won't hurt them in any way—to thrive and grow. This prompted chemists to test their preparations on rats, rabbits, mice, and other animals in their facilities to check if they caused any allergic reaction or irritation.

However, this does not imply that we have witnessed no change. Today, a new standard for what safe beauty actually entails has been established. Thanks to the growing spotlight on vegan and cruelty-free consumer goods, consumers' deliberate moves toward self-education, and firms' efforts to develop efficient replacements for time-tested techniques.

So, let's start with understanding the terms, vegan and cruelty-free.

Are vegan cosmetics cruelty-free?

The straight answer would be, no! The two terms are usually used interchangeably, however, they are totally different.

When we say a particular product is vegan we simply mean that no animal-derived ingredients have been used in the process of manufacturing it. Only plant-based ingredients are used. For example, honey, squalane and glycerine mostly come from animals but when we need to use the same ingredients in vegan cosmetics the same is derived from plants.

But when we say a particular commodity is cruelty-free we mean that it has not been tested on animals. Usually, products would be tested on rabbits and rats to figure out their side effects. But cruelty-free products are those in which no animals were harmed during the process of its making. However, the ingredients could have been derived from animals which may or may not have been ethically sourced. For example, the highly moisturising agent, lanolin, comes from sheep wool, the squalene comes from shark liver oil and the hair glossing agent, keratin, is derived from animal protein.

A beauty product can be vegan but not cruelty-free. This means that the ingredients are derived from plants, however, it has been tested on animals. Similarly, a product can be free from any form of animal cruelty but its ingredient can be animal driven.

But some products, like that of Doctor A, are both cruelty-free and vegan.

How do you know if your skincare is cruelty-free?

It is not as difficult as you might be thinking. Nowadays it is pretty easy to figure out especially when brands are highly focusing on highlighting it. Some of the few methods would be as follows:

This is perhaps the simplest approach to checking whether your product is free of cruelty. Leaping Bunny, PETA, and CCF ( Choose Cruelty-Free) are the three organisations that impose strict regulations on the use of their recognised trademarks. When you choose one of their goods and see one of these logos, you can be 99 per cent certain that it is cruelty-free. Just be cautious of any bogus logos that might be used by businesses with dubious business practices. Furthermore, a label that simply says "no animal testing" or "cruelty-free" has no meaning. These claims have no established legal definition, thus they can be utilised without authorization.

 You can consult an online database of cruelty-free products. A business does not have to pay to be listed, in contrast to the previous way. To be authorised and listed, brands will still need to adhere to the strict requirements for being cruelty-free. However, employing this strategy will make sure you don't leave out any companies who might not have had the resources to get a licence and use the bunny image on their packaging.

You can also send an email to the company asking them if their products are free from animal testing. This is probably a time-consuming process. But it is better to be cautious than careless. You can also send a DM on their Instagram page. 

What skincare brands are cruelty-free?

Coming to this you won't be running short of options especially when you already have one right in front of you. Yes the Doctor A Skincare range is one worth giving a try. We have a lovely collection of facial oil and moisturisers. Find out more below:

Do try these amazing products and share your feedback with us. 

Coco&Eve also offers a wide range of skincare products which are vegan and cruelty-free. 

A good skincare routine plays a major role in keeping your skin happy and healthy. Investing time in the right beauty products can change your beauty game. Our skin is the first thing that comes in contact with dirt and other environmental pollutants. Hence, it is necessary that we look after it the same way we look after the health of our body and the wellness of our soul.