It is not uncommon today to see beauty products with labels that read "Cruelty Free" and "Vegan." The influx of such products is in response to increased consumer demands for conscious cosmetics, and while brands have certainly delivered, consumers are often left to wonder what does a brand mean by either term? Are they the same, or is there a difference?
Despite the fact that the two terms are often used interchangeable by consumers and brands alike, they don't actually mean the same things. In the most basic sense, "cruelty free" generally implies that a manufacturer did not test a product on any animals. "Vegan," on the other hand, implies that a product does not contains any animal-derived ingredients or animal by-products.
What Are Cruelty Free Products?
The term "cruelty free" simply means that a product itself did not undergo any form of animal testing at any point during its creation. However, it's important to note that animal testing is not only common but also, it's required by law for most products. This means that even if a manufacturer did not perform animal testing at any stage of the production process, it likely used ingredients that a third party had tested on animals. In these cases, even if a product says "cruelty free," it likely is not.
What Are Vegan Products?
Products that are cruelty free are not necessarily vegan. In fact, many cruelty free products contain animal-based ingredients, including collagen, beeswax, honey, gelatin, lanolin, albumen and cholesterol. Vegan products contain absolutely zero animal-based products or by-products.To many, the term "vegan" also means cruelty free. However, because the term is not regulated, many manufacturers often use it to simply mean that their products do not contain animal ingredients. Those same products, however, many have undergone animal testing at various stages of production. This is an important distinction to whom vegan and cruelty free are important.
Take the Headache Out of Your Shopping Experience
It is not uncommon for cosmetic and skincare companies to say that their products are "vegan" or "cruelty free" when, in fact, the products have undergone animal testing at some point. This makes it difficult for conscious consumers like yourself to find products you can feel good about using.Hale Cosmeceuticals takes the headache out of shopping for skincare products by offering products that never undergo animal testing or utilize animal derivatives. We employ a full R&D department that conducts everything from product research to development to testing in-house, meaning there is no room for misrepresentation. If you want truly cruelty free, vegan and quality products, shop our products today.
