Here at VV TV we only use vegan products from our hair to our toes. When Karin Ridgers first made the veggie step around 25 years ago she got chatting to a fellow Viva! volunteer who told her that even his toothpaste was animal free. Since then we have been on a mission to bring awareness that avoiding animal food products is the first step! Next check out what beauty and skincare products you use as there could well be ingredients here that you want to stop using.
Andrea Harvey, leading vegan hairdresser and hairdressing trainer gives us the run down on ingredients to cut out for an animal product free lifestyle.
What Is In Your Cosmetic Products?
- Vitamin A– can come from egg yolk or fish liver
- Animal Fat- can be found in soap
- Ambergris– a waxy oil that lines a whale’s stomach used to set perfumes
- Beeswax
- Bristle–which is animal hair used to make brushes – often for makeup brushes
- Cochineal Dye– Also known as Carmine. Crushed cochineal beetles. Found in blushers and lipsticks to give intense reds
- Chitin–comes from the hard shells of insects or crustaceans (like crab or shrimp) and is used in moisturisers and shampoos
- Collagen -used in /moisturisers and is derived from animal connective tissue/*
- Ovum shell membrane– dried membrane from hen’s eggs
- Elastin–a protein found in the muscles of animals and is used in cosmetics
- Fish oils–are sometimes used in cosmetics
- Glycerine (Glycerol)–can come from sugar fermentation but is sometimes derived from animal fats. It’s used in some toothpastes.
- Honey
- Keratin–often used in shampoos and conditioners and Keratin straighteners. It’s a protein found in fur, feathers, hair, hooves, and horns.
- L’Cysteine Hydrochloride–derived from chicken feathers or hair. It’s sometimes found in shampoo but can be manufactured synthetically.
- Lactose–used in some cosmetics. It’s milk sugar, usually from cows.
- Lanoline–the fat extracted from sheep wool, often used in cosmetics
- Musk- in perfume. It comes from oil harvested from a gland taken from musk deer, civet cats and beaver.
- Oleic Acid–used in soap and other cosmetics. It’s a fatty acid that can come from vegetable or animal fats.
- Oleostearin– is a solid fat derived from tallow and is found in soaps
- Oestrogen-used in creams and other cosmetics. It is the female sex hormone and usually comes from horse urine or cow ovaries.
- Progesterone–is another sex hormone found in creams and comes from animal tissue
- Propolis–comes from bee hives and sometimes found in toothpastes and other toiletries
- Royal Jelly–which comes from bees and is used in cosmetics
- Sable is the fur of the Sable Marten and used in makeup brushes
- Shellac–is used in hair spray and lip sealer for shine. It is an insect secretion.
- Sponge-is often artificially produced but can come from the skeletons of sea animals
- Squalene–comes from shark liver and is used in cosmetics and toiletries
- Stearic Acid–used in cosmetics and toiletries is derived from the fat of sheep, cows or pigs, though a synthetic alternative is available
- Spermaceti Wax–found in toiletries and cosmetics and is a waxy oil that comes from the head of the sperm whale and also from dolphins
- Tallow-a hard fat taken from the kidneys of sheep and cattle. It’s used in soap and other cosmetics.
- Urea–is fairly common in creams and other cosmetics. It comes from the livers of various farmed animals.
- Wax-is used in some cosmetics and can come from plants or animals
Look out for the Vegan Society registered logo on products too!
To book a free consultation for your business, to book a training course in hairdressing or to learn more about the vegan salon, call or text Andrea on 07380100071 or email [email protected]
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