Vegetarian cosmetics

snooleen · 21-08-2009 7:29pm #1

I've just recently become vegetarian and I've been reading up on make-up and all of the animal products used in different brands, types etc. I've found that the Body Shop's products are all vegetarian and aren't tested on animals. Does anyone have any other info on this topic that could be useful? Im trying to look up all the ingredients of make up that I already have, cause Ive thrown out all the boxes, am I wasting my time? Should I just go out and buy everything new? And if so, any suggestions or recommendations as to where I should buy and what? Im not big on shopping online.

Pjays · 21-08-2009 8:05pm

Lush I know are definitely against animal testing. Here's the link.

https://www.lush.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6292&Itemid=74

Lush also use vegetarian ingredients although I thought I read recently that they were now vegan or that al least some of their products are.

I am a fan of Dr. Hauschka cosmetics and their mission is to source their ingredients ecologically and ethically. They also use eco friendly material for their packaging. As to whether they are vegetarian, I am uncertain.

A good place to go to discover some good quality, eco friendly and vegetarian beauty products is Nourish on Lower Liffey Street.

sweet-rasmus · 21-08-2009 8:08pm

Well, I wouldn't throw everything out! Just try in the future to buy products that you are happy with the ingredients of.

The Animal Free Shopper is great for listing out these sort of animal derived additives. http://www.vegansociety.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=238 I think there is also an online version you can access also. A list of vegan society approved make up brands and such are available in the book too.

Things to look out for:
Most importantly, we like to buy products not tested on animals, so that's the main thing.
Shellac - in most nail varnishes available. Also in hair spray I hear. It does not necessarily mean the insect is killed, but I'd say most likely http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellac
Carminic acid/Carmine/E120/Cochineal (for any lotions with a red colour to them) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal
Collagen.

There are others such as glycerine/gylcerol for which plant based sources are available, but equally they may have come from (the death of) an animal.

Vegans avoid lanolin as it is a derivative of sheep's wool. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanolin Vegans would also avoid beeswax, honey and royal jelly as animals produced them.
Just to mention that Lush are very good at labelling if thier products are vegan or not.

If you have a look through the make-up on http://www.veganstore.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=1&Category_Code=300 (all vegan, so no animal products at all) you can get some ideas. But they only have a small selection available.

I use Jason, Lavera and Tom's of Maine lotions, deo and toothpaste. And I love Faith in Nature Shampoos and conditioners

(they do chocolate shampoo!! you must try it!!)
http://www.jason-natural.com/home.php (no animal testing)
http://www.lavera.com/ (no animal testing) <-- have a wide range of make-up
http://www.tomsofmaine.com/ (no animal derived ingredients, no animal testing - they specifically say on their site that their products contain vegetable derived glycerine)
http://www.faithinnature.co.uk/ (all products are vegetarian and not tested on animals)

You know you want to

You can get it in Health Matters on Grafton Street if you can get to Dublin City centre.

Pjays · 21-08-2009 8:09pm

If you google vegan/ vegetarian make up there seem to be alot of companies put such as Sevi Cosmetics, Monave, Herbs of Grace and StriptMakeup.

Thoushaltnot · 21-08-2009 8:34pm

Well, you might as well finish off your products and use that time to investigate what works for you. I'd google for "cruelty free cosmetics" and see whether any of your existing brands are listed on those sites. Theres a number of well known brands in Health Food stores, some of which are reviewed on www.beaut.ie;
http://beaut.ie/blog/wp-content/themes/beautie2/searchresults.php?cx=partner-pub-0542747117328483%3A81bgwx-6erz&cof=FORID%3A11&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=cruelty+free+cosmetics&sa=Search#1389

Actually, this might be a handy checker - just found it;
http://search.caringconsumer.com/

Possibly first on your list to check/chuck will be toothpaste (may contain gelatine).

Good news, tho - more than likely, as a new veggie, your skin will be becoming clearer. There are lots of natural ingredients that you can use for masks, cleansers & toners, exfoliating, etc. Mashed Avocado, banana, yoghurt (face masks), crushed aspirin (exfoliator), mayonnaise (hair mask), olive oil (foot softening), witch hazel and rosewater (home made & sworn by toner) are all natural ingredients that I've heard good reports about.

I've had the Welleda range (especially, the Rose) items recommended to me. I like Burts Bees (esp. Mama Bee belly butter and the No Tears Baby shampoo) and Faith in Nature's shampoos (on promo in a few places now!).

I'm not really a product person, I'm sure there are better qualified than me to advise you but hope this helps anyhoo.

Thoushaltnot · 21-08-2009 8:43pm

sweet-rasmus wrote: »

And I love Faith in Nature Shampoos and conditioners (they do chocolate shampoo!! you must try it!!)
.
.
You can get it in Health Matters on Grafton Street if you can get to Dublin City centre.

I didn't know it came in chocolate! Seriously, Faith in Nature Choc shampoo is defo in Health Matters Grafton St?

sweet-rasmus · 21-08-2009 10:00pm

Defo

And they do a Chocolate Conditioner now too! Though, my hair isn't so happy when I use both. Stick with another conditioner like the Lavender.

Health Matters on Grafton Street are great

They have plenty of toiletries and will order in what you ask (if it's possibe). I ordered the choc conditioner with them as soon as I knew it was out. And I go back regularly to re-order boxes of Doves Farm Chocolate and Crispy Rice bars. Mmmmmmm 16 bars per box

moonflower · 21-08-2009 10:36pm

Apparently Body Shop ingredients are tested on animals

Helping animals? - Although the Body Shop maintain that they are against animal testing, they do not always make clear that many of the ingredients in their products have been tested on animals by other companies, causing much pain and suffering to those animals. They accept ingredients tested on animals before 1991, or those tested since then (if they were animal-tested for some purpose other than for cosmetics). There continue to be concerns about the enforcement of their policy. Also, some Body Shop items contain animal products such as gelatine (crushed bone).

from here http://www.mcspotlight.org/beyond/companies/bodyshop.html

Lots of Urban Decay products are vegan, they have a vegan section on their website and BNever's products are vegan too.

snooleen · 21-08-2009 11:25pm

This is great!!! Thanks a mill everyone!

:D:D

taram · 30-08-2009 3:37am

Barry M stuff is all vegetarian and not tested on animals, and on their website stuff that isn't vegan is clearly marked also

http://www.barrym.com/info/animal-friendly.asp And as the previous poster mentioned, Urban Decay are a cruelty free company, and even on their main page have a specific section highlighting vegan products. http://www.urbandecay.com/vegan.cfm
Hard Candy and Too Faced are also cruelty free but while I know the bits I have are veggie friendly, not sure about how much of their ranges are.

Leapingbunny.org is a good resource for cruelty free companies, and also shows if the parent company (in the case of the Body Shop) does testing where the company itself is technically clean.

Censorsh!t · 30-08-2009 10:39pm

As someone pointed out, The Body Shop aren't all so animal friendly.
At the end of the day, although they personally may not test on animals, they are owned by L'Oreal, who do...so how are we to know that profits wont go toward animal testing?
Also, it is required that they test new ingredients on animals...so although the cosmetics themselves might notbe tested on them, the ingredients are.

I myself have started using Urban Decay, and am interested in Smashbox too. Both companies claim that they test neither the cosmetics or the ingredients on animals.

entropi · 30-08-2009 11:31pm

So let me get this, toothpaste may not be veggie/vegan friendly afterall? grrr:mad:

As for the subject, a friend of mine always uses stuff from Lush, as she is vegan and against animal cruelty, and has never had anything but good words about their stores:)

sweet-rasmus · 30-08-2009 11:38pm

i emailed colgate before and they said their glycerine was vegetable derived. but yeah...
i guess you'd have to be angry at them for animal testing or whatnot otherwise.

Thoushaltnot · 31-08-2009 8:44pm

'Not sure how much helps but it's info so I'll continue...

I was walking past a boutique, round the corner from the Swan Centre in Rathmines - Shine Nail & Tanning Bar, 38 Castlewood Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6. and I spotted that they stock something called SpaRitual Vegan products, which seem to be about nailcare. Looks like this crowd;
http://www.sparitual.com/multipurpose/

Just an oh-eight-five number 7021 889

'might be an alternative prerssie idea for the fashionista vegan in your life...

lizzyvera · 06-09-2009 1:08am

You're not allowed to test cosmetics on animals in the EU so make up is easy to find. You CAN test pharmaceuticals though, so be careful with shampoo, or any special treatments for dry skin/acne.

Lush cosmetics are great. I love their shampoos. The solid shampoo lasts forever. The Blonde makes your hair lighter.

Apparently bare escentual mineral make up isn't animals tested. I might be getting some, it's eant to be fantastic.

I don't have a problem with drug testing on animals because it's necessary, but I think testing hair dye and make up on them is cruel.

ger vallely · 06-09-2009 1:19am

Nourish on Liffey Street definite first stop. I've been using Trilogy,amazing products,I reckon I will never,ever use anything else. 100% reccommend the Everything Balm,actually anything that they make is fantastic.But I don't use make up,just moisturisers and creams etc. Nourish also stock Elis Ambre(not too sure of the spelling),all vegetatian and natural mineral make up. From what I hear they are great for proper make up.

AssaultedPeanut · 07-09-2009 10:58am

Lush is my all time fave. There's so much to choose from, you'd spend the day in there (as long as you don't mind being hounded by over enthusiastic sales people) Though you won't find any make up, just an abundance of lovely smellies and bathroomy stuff.

I haven't been in ages. I'm right across from the Henry St branch......must...resist...spending remainder of wages.....

Gauge · 07-09-2009 1:09pm

Lush actually have a makeup range but it's only available online. It's called 'B Never Too Busy to Be Beautiful' (yeah, awful mouthful of a name!). They specify here that their line is vegan. It sucks not being able to try before you buy but it might be worth experimenting if you feel adventurous!

Thoushaltnot · 07-09-2009 1:15pm

Gauge wrote: »

Lush actually have a makeup range but it's only available online. It's called 'B Never Too Busy to Be Beautiful' (yeah, awful mouthful of a name!). They specify here that their line is vegan. It sucks not being able to try before you buy but it might be worth experimenting if you feel adventurous!

Not only that but they've got the Vegan Soc approved symbol, which they would have paid to use, so they're doing their bit to finance the cause of veganism. Nice one.

Vegetarian cosmetics

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