Students may be wondering why vegan body care products exist, because there is obviously no meat or dairy in soap or other things of that nature.
Some skincare products contain animal fats or other animal-derived ingredients. Many brands, including major ones like Dove and L’Oreal, conduct animal testing. These procedures are cruel, unnecessary and involve practices such as dripping irritants into animals’ eyes, exposing them to chemicals and carcinogens, and skin corrosive tests. Applying the results of these tests to humans is illogical because our physiologies are different. Alternatives to animal testing already exist and are continually being further developed.
Europe and India have banned animal testing for cosmetics, but the U.S. and China are still behind. With that said, there are many brands on the market that do not test on animals, including Alba, Aveda, Avon and Paul Mitchell. These brands identify as "cruelty-free" and can be identified with a leaping bunny logo.
Cruelty-free doesn’t necessarily mean vegan, however, as products can be cruelty-free but still contain animal ingredients. Luckily for vegans, many resources on the Internet can help identify products that are both cruelty-free and vegan. Local brands of body care also tend to be cruelty-free and vegan, such as Ladybug Botanical Soap, available at the downtown Arlington farmer’s market.
LUSH is one of my favorite companies. It is dedicated to fighting against animal testing and emphasizes using natural ingredients (Unfortunately they still use parabens, which is debatable, but that is an issue to discuss another day). Most of LUSH's products are vegan and can be identified with a “V” logo.
Here are some other products I would recommend.
by Ann MaiThe Shorthorn staff
REHAB shampoo
Likes: This has become my go-to shampoo. I love the clean minty smell. It’s pleasant without being too overpowering. I have noticed that a dime-sized amount provides a good lather that makes my scalp tingle nicely. My hair’s gotten shinier since using this product every other day.
Dislikes: None.
by Ann MaiThe Shorthorn Staff
Buffy body butter bar
Likes: The ground rice and almonds in this product provide for a satisfying exfoliation experience, while the cocoa and shea butter keep my skin moisturized. This bar also smells amazing. I got this two months ago and use it about once a week. I still have a good amount left.
Dislikes: It melts a little too easily, so I have to be careful about keeping it away from water. After using it, I have to put it on a dish outside of my shower.
Jumping Juniper shampoo bar
Likes: Good for travel, this bar smells fresh and leaves hair clean. It also lasts a very long time, because you don’t need much to create a good lather.
Dislikes: This is not for regular use, at least in my case. This bar is really good for treating oily scalps.
What are your favorite vegan body care products and brands? Any recommendations you think I should try? Please share in the comments below.
@missannmai
ann.mai@mavs.uta.edu
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