I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the products that I use for everyday grooming and cleaning. I go well out of my way to be sure that I have vegan toiletries. I want to make sure no animal-based products make their way into my belly, but sometimes overlook other products that could potentially be contributing to the cruelty of animals.
It’s extremely important to me (as a vegan) to be sure that I’m not adding to the problem, but doing my part to correct it. So I decided to take a look at my bathroom and determine if it was truly animal-friendly. You would be surprised at the number of toiletries, from soap to shaving cream, that have animal-based ingredients. It’s not only unethical, but completely gross in my opinion.
Unfortunately, companies aren’t required to label their products as vegan-friendly or otherwise. And the animal-based ingredients that they use are often impossible to decipher without a lab manual. Another factor in whether a product is cruelty-free pertains to the way they conduct their product testing. Any company who tests the safety of their product on animals is not considered vegan-friendly, as there can be adverse effects on the animals.
But how are we to know which toiletries are animal-friendly? I need to be sure that I have vegan toiletries. Many companies who I are vegan safe, will label their products as so. The Vegan Society offers their trademark label to products that meet their animal-free standards. Another logo you may find on vegan-safe products is Vegan Action’s logo which is a registered trademark for products that do not contain animal products or byproducts and that have not been tested on animals.
Both of these logos are great, and serve a wonderful purpose. But not all products have been certified, due to a number of reasons – one being the negative stigma that comes with being “vegan.” Luckily, PETA has a comprehensive list of animal-based ingredients that are commonly found in hair products, makeup, toothpaste, shaving creams, and other bathroom necessities.
If you are unsure of an ingredient, check it against their list. Although PETA’s list seems lengthy and complete, there are thousands of technical and patented names for ingredient variations. Many ingredients known by one name can be of animal, vegetable, or synthetic origin. If you are still unsure and want answers, contact the manufacturer. Not only will this put your mind at ease, but it will let the manufacturer know that consumers are interested in vegan alternatives.
Now that we know the ingredients in our products, how will we find out the way they are tested? If a product is not labeled vegan (as above), there are a couple of ways to check if they are cruelty-free. PETA has an extensive database which contains the names of products and companies that either do, or don’t, test on animals. You can search by product, or company, name. For a copy of their “Companies that don’t test on animals” PDF, click here. Take it with you every time you shop to be sure you’re making sustainable and Eco-friendly choices.
Do you check your products to make sure they’re free of animal-based ingredients? Do you only have vegan toiletries in your house? What soaps, shampoos, shaving creams, etc. do you use?
Related Article: Ways to Reduce your Carbon Footprint
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vegansociety.com
The timing of this article is amazing! I have been struggling with a problem in my business which my mom started and I don't know the secret recipe so until it was passed to me there was not much I could actually do about it. Our family business is a pain spray/essential oil line which is sold in spa's and used by P.T.'s and athletes. Our customers swear by it, the only problem for me is it has emu oil in it. I decided to go ahead and talk to my mom and tell her I wanted a line without emu oil in it. Well, I just got off the phone with her and she had already decided that this winter she is redoing it by taking out the emu and putting another animal free oil in its place. She has been testing emu oil free pain spray on customers and it worked just as well. I am very excited and feel so much better because with all my other products I use vegan or vegetarian(honey or beeswax based products) and have for years but with the family business it was out of my hands. Your article is a good reminder to take a better look in our homes because I think sometimes we overlook those little things we use everyday and I believe a lot of people would be shocked to find out what is in their medicine cabinets and showers. I use http://www.100percentpure.com along with Juice Beauty and castille soap, I also make my own cleaners and laundry detergent so I know what is in them. I am working on coming up with my own vegan skincare line to add to the business also.
You're right Batyah. We often forget that common household products contain animal-based (or animal tested) ingredients. We may not be able to "completely" remove all animal-based products from our lives, but it's good to know how to research it. Thanks for sharing the soaps and detergents you use. I've been looking at different options myself. Very interesting that your family was using emu oils. I'm glad to hear that they are removing this from their lineup 🙂
Have you checked out Vermont Soap Company? They have a lot of different items, I really like their liquid soap and it can be used for the body, laundry and cleaning the house. Try their Sunshine for all around house cleaning, I use the regular one to wash my 3 dogs and a tiny bit of liquid castille soap goes a long way. You can also put a drop on your toothbrush with a drop of peppermint oil to use instead of toothpaste. Castille soap has gotten strawberry juice out of white pants and red wine out of white towels that I forgot about and was in the hamper for a while. A few of their items do have honey and beeswax in them.
Never tried those, but sounds amazing! I'll check them out for sure. If it can do all of that, I gotta have it!
I'm vegan so I'm very diligent and creative about what I eat. But it never occurred to me to look elsewhere in my bathroom. I'm going to check it out.
Also, my wife is a certified health coach who uses essential oils in her practice. If you have a URL for the family business, I'll point her to it. Also, you have a pain product that PTs and athletes use? (See my user name.) What form is it in (cream, etc.)
Massage therapists and a lot of runners use it, its great stuff. The pain product comes in a spray and a balm. My site is http://www.refuahessentialoils.com , I don't have all the products up yet since I am just starting to get more involved but all the best sellers are on there. I am branching out and adding my own twist so there will be a lot of product added the next few months. I am going to be adding single and blend oils, skincare and a pet line. I sell oils in person but have not added them to the site. Thanks for taking a look.