Cruelty Free Vs Vegan Cosmetics
The terms Cruelty Free and Vegan appear frequently in the beauty industry. While they both reflect ethical choices, there is a distinction between the two. Not all cruelty free products are vegan, and not all vegan products are cruelty free!
If a product is cruelty free, it means that it has not been tested on animals. Cruelty free cosmetics use alternative testing methods, ensuring that products meet safety standards without harming animals.
Vegan cosmetics do not contain any animal-derived ingredients. These products are made without the use of common animal derived substances, such as beeswax, lanolin or carmine.
A product can be vegan without being cruelty free, if it does not contain any animal-derived ingredients but was tested on animals. Conversely, a product can be cruelty free without being vegan if it contains animal-derived ingredients but was not tested on animals.
Within vegan cosmetics there are two distinct terms that brands use. Cosmetic brands that state that they are vegan friendly, are not the same as vegan brands. Vegan brands are 100% vegan, across their product range. This means you can purchase any product from this brand, and it will not contain any animal-derived substances. On the other hand, vegan-friendly brands are not 100% vegan. Being vegan-friendly means that they offer some vegan products, but some of their products contain animal-derived substances.
If the brand does not explicitly state that they are vegan AND cruelty free, they probably aren’t. Look for both the cruelty free and vegan verified certifications on the website or product label.
There are a variety of certifications and labels, that help consumers identify cruelty free and vegan products. If you are looking for reassurance that you are making ethical choices, keep an eye out for certifications such as Leaping Bunny Cruelty Free, PETA Cruelty Free and the Certified Vegan Logo.
Anam Cosmetics is approved as Cruelty Free under the Leaping Bunny Programme. Anam Cosmetics is certified by The Vegan Society's Vegan Trademark.