Are you looking for good-quality beauty products that are also cruelty-free, but is vegan makeup better for your skin? You’ve come to the right place! With the following guide, you’ll be able to determine just how beneficial vegan makeup is and whether it’s any good compared to regular skincare products.
What Makes Makeup Not Vegan?
The Food and Drug Administration does indeed have a list of acceptable ingredients for makeup. This is intended to prevent makeup from being sold with ingredients that are harmful to humans. However, it does not mean it’s great for your skin or body.
Whether it is lipstick, eyeshadow, or another type of makeup, it is not uncommon for a beautification product to contain over fifteen ingredients. At least some of these will be animal by-products, or animal-derived ingredients, in some form or fashion.
Nevertheless, you’ll almost always find wax, water, and oil making the list. The reason for this is because they work well to keep the skin moist, and supple and assist when the makeup is being applied.
A host of chemicals can be included too. These perform different purposes including extending the shelf life of the products and helping oil and water to play well together.
The majority of makeup also includes coloring, which originates from animals, plants, or coarse minerals.
The Beauty of Vegan Makeup
You, see, unlike conventional beauty products that can be harmful to your skin, vegan makeup is extremely beneficial to the skin because it’s mostly made from natural ingredients that promote healthier skin from the inside out.
We’re not saying that vegan skincare products are the best thing since botox, but they do fare well compared to products that are made with animal ingredients or tested on animals; both from an environmental and health standpoint.
Considering the fact that our skin absorbes almost 60 percent of the things that we apply to it, it can be dangerous to apply cosmetics that contain too many harmful ingredients.
For more advantages of a vegan diet check out our article.
Not only can they damage your skin, but your internal health as well. That’s why a growing number of consumers are choosing to use vegan products that are made from natural ingredients instead.
It’s a much healthier alternative with more natural ingredients that are beneficial to the health of your skin and your body.
What is Vegan Makeup?
Vegan makeup is composed primarily of natural ingredients.
A distinction must be made though, between makeup with an “all-natural” label and vegan makeup. This is because makeup that’s marketed on the packaging as all-natural may be better for your skin, but it may not be vegan.
Avoid assuming that “all-natural” means it is the right choice for a vegan because that’s untrue.
For example, natural ingredients may have been used but the product could still have been tested on animals. Or only some of the ingredients were from natural sources, while others were not. That would make the product label confusing, and the product wouldn’t necessarily be cruelty-free either. So, it’s a mixed bag.
Thankfully, there are some established vegan brands and offer crutely-free cosmetics.
Vegan makeup ingredients may include seaweed, aloe vera, chamomile, and various essential oils. The idea with these ingredients is that they feel good on your skin and without the chemicals, are far less likely to cause skin outbreaks too.
Vegan cosmetics are products that don’t contain any ingredients from animals such as honey, beeswax, collagen, lanolin, elastic, etc.
Instead of these ingredients, vegan makeup is made from ingredients that are derived from plants or minerals.
These plant-based ingredients are usually natural and even organic so if you have sensitive skin, vegan makeup is perfect for you because it has fewer ingredients that are safe for the skin.
Also, as mentioned earlier, vegan makeup should not be tested on animals. As a cruelty-free product, animal-loving vegans feel safer using it.
Why is Vegan Makeup Better for Your Skin?
Is vegan makeup better for your skin? You bet.
For starters, vegan makeup is composed of much safer ingredients than its mainstream counterparts.
Unlike makeup that’s composed of animal ingredients that can be harsh to sensitive skin or cause dryness, vegan makeup contains more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that repair and moisturize the skin.
This includes such natural ingredients as coconut oil, shea butter, and aloe vera to name but a few.
Considering that makeup ingredients go straight into your bloodstream once applied through a process called natural filtration, you’ll sleep better knowing that your skin is not absorbing anything harmful.
Just as consuming natural and whole foods is good for our health, so too, is using natural cosmetics good for your skin. It just makes sense.
Most vegan makeup is going to be better for your skin than ordinary makeup. That’s especially true for people with sensitive skin who develop acne, skin rashes, or find their skin dries out after applying makeup.
Recycled materials are frequently used by vegan makeup companies. This includes using minimalistic packaging from recycled sources. As such, it avoids filling up the landfills with unwanted products or packaging that isn’t biodegradable.
Is vegan makeup better for your skin? You bet!
Plenty of antioxidants are present in vegan makeup. Vitamins and other nutrients are also found in vegan cosmetics too. This assists the skin in staying healthy and vital.
Vegan makeup is sold at a pleasing range of prices. This means that no one is priced out of the vegan makeup market.
This compares to regular makeup where the better-quality makeup is sometimes scandalously expensive. And that’s great news for people in every income bracket.
Is Vegan makeup is full of antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients
Peace of mind is provided when using vegan makeup over traditional alternatives too. Any number of animal byproducts can be present in commercial makeup, even when it sports a globally famous beauty brand. After all, you don’t want to put animal food sources into your body, nor do you wish them to be present in the makeup you apply.
Check out our article on vegan skin care for beginners.
How Vegan Makeup Ingredients Work
Coconut oil: Coconut oil is known for its ability to provide a protective layer for your skin while helping to keep it flexible and hydrated. Coconut oil also reduces skin inflammation while enriching it with moisture.
Camu camu berry: In addition to containing high amounts of vitamin C, Camu Camu berry is known to protect the skin from rapid aging by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. If you suffer from dark spots, you’ll be glad to know that camu camu berry can also help to reduce them.
Vitamin A: Vitamin A promotes healthier skin overall. It does this by speeding up healing, preventing breakouts, providing natural moisturization, and supporting the skin’s immune system.
Cucumber extract: Cucumbers have a gentle effect on the skin which makes them ideal for all skin types, particularly sensitive skin. Cucumber extract is particularly effective at reducing any pain and discomfort.
8 Reasons to Try Vegan Makeup
As you can see, there’s a lot to like about vegan makeup; from its minimal impact on the environment to its effective ingredients and gentle effect on the skin.
But, if you’re still wondering if vegan makeup is better for your skin, consider the following:
- Vegan makeup products are affordable and easy to access.
- They are reliable; you don’t have to worry about any side effects.
- They promote healthy skin from the inside out because all the ingredients are natural.
- Because they are made of natural ingredients, they’re usually suitable for all types of skin, including sensitive skin.
- Our skin absorbs 60 percent of the things we apply to it, and vegan products offer peace of mind knowing that they won’t inundate our bodies with anything harmful.
- Our body knows how to process natural ingredients better.
- They even come in vegan, eco-friendly packaging that’s good for the environment!
- They are not tested on animals, thus reducing environmental impact further.
Disadvantages of Vegan Make Up?
Vegan cosmetics have fewer ingredients, so potential skin irritation is less of a concern, particularly for people with sensitive skin. However, that doesn’t mean that there is no chance of it happening either.
Any time that makeup is applied to the skin, it opens the door to potential rashes and other unwanted skin responses. Simply put, the more sensitive your body is, the likelier it’ll happen to you.
While it is changing fast, the market for vegan makeup is still maturing. There are far fewer vegan cosmetic brands than regular ones.
Other than ordering online, vegan makeup is more difficult to find in retail stores. Sometimes, this removes the chance to try them out first and see how they look on you.
As a result, you’re sometimes stuck needing to make an online purchase and hoping the lipstick’s color/hue will be similar to how it appeared on your smartphone screen. Surely, as word spreads and vegan beauty product popularity grows, this will be less of an issue (stores stock what’s in demand).
The vegan makeup market is still maturing and improving by the day
The packaging from vegan makeup is often – but not always – from recycled sources. Typically, it’s recyclable either in part or in whole too. With that said, it’s still more “stuff” that’s being manufactured in a factory, takes up space, and has to go somewhere when you’re done with it. It’s also not something you’ll purchase previously owned, to avoid the product needing to be manufactured in a factory. Therefore, it’s still connected to shopping, and materialism, and is not ideal for the planet either.
Nevertheless, it’s difficult to move away from using makeup. The feeling is that there’s considerable peer pressure and that it’s expected. Overall, vegan makeup is a far better choice on many levels, including being kinder to your skin.
Summary: Is vegan makeup better for your skin?
Yes, not only is vegan makeup better for your skin, but it is also potentially better for your bank balance. If you are unsure about transitioning into the world of vegan makeup – just give it a go, I’m sure you will not be disappointed.