#BeautySchool: Here's The Difference Between Natural & Vegan Skincare Products
We often see glossy words like 'natural' and 'vegan' labelled on the packaging of beauty products. It's only after we take a peek at the ingredient list do we find out the truth. Last time, we spoke about the difference between natural and organic products and today, we're going to talk about 'natural' and 'vegan' products. Both of them are very similar, but what is that something that sets them apart? Let's find out!
Difference Between Natural & Vegan Skincare Products
It's troublesome to know how certain skincare brands use the word 'natural' so casually, so loosely. Some products contain just 1% of naturally-sourced animal, mineral or plant-based ingredients and are yet labelled as 'natural' on the packaging. P.S. Like mentioned earlier, read the ingredient list thoroughly.
In a truly natural product, botanical ingredients will be ranked at the top of the ingredient list, while synthetics will be listed at the bottom. A few natural ingredients I would recommend you to keep an eye out for are: Aloe Barbadensis Miller, Acetic Acid aka Apple Cider Vinegar, Argania Spinos aka Argon Oil, Theobroma Cacao aka Cocoa, Cocos Nucifera, Persea Gratissima aka Avocado Oil, Ethyl Macadamiate (derived from macadamia seed oil), Camellia Sinensis aka Green Tea, Cannabis Sativa aka Hemp Seed Oil among others.
More often than not, every natural beauty product contains some synthetic preservatives to increase its shelf life. A few toxic ingredients include synthetic colours and dyes, fragrances, parabens, and phthalates.
In the case of 'vegan' skincare products, beauty brands over here too tend to use the word casually. To be sure whether a product is truly vegan or not, look for the 'Vegan Society' logo (green font with a sunflower symbol). That logo is proof that your product is free from animal extracts and animal by-products.
While vegan brands do not test their products or ingredients on animals, just to be sure, look for another sub-category of vegan skincare that's shown by the 'leaping bunny' logo. It's proof that the product is cruelty-free and is not tested on animals. Some vegan skincare ingredients to look out for are: carnauba wax instead of beeswax, beetroot powder instead of carmine, coconut/soy milk instead of goat milk and so on.
Note: A 'natural' product could contain ingredients derived from animal sources. Whereas vegan products contribute to supporting animal welfare and reduce carbon footprint.
With every passing day, the beauty industry is evolving. They have started growing more conscious of the ingredients they employ into the products. Isn't that amazing (read the need of the hour)!
Featured Image: Unsplash
