"The terms "vegan" and "free of animal testing" are often used as synonyms in the jungle of sustainable promises made by companies, although they have very different meanings. They are by no means mutually exclusive and complement each other perfectly, but they are not a prerequisite for each other. Here you can find out how to distinguish vegan from cruelty-free cosmetics and what is important!
A little information in advance: All beauty products that you can find at plain b under the "vegan" category are of course not tested on animals!
What exactly does the term "vegan cosmetics" mean?
It is important to know that the term "vegan" is not regulated by law. We work with certificates and evidence. A product is labeled as "vegan" if it contains neither animal-derived ingredients (e.g. cholesterol or collagen) nor animal-derived ingredients (e.g. honey or milk). There is often a misconception that these vegan beauty products have not been tested on animals. "Vegan" only describes the ingredients of a beauty product, not its production process.
What defines cruelty-free care products?
The beauty products that fall into this category have not been tested on animals in their manufacturing process. A cruelty-free product may contain animal ingredients, such as milk or honey. There are many certificates, such as the PETA Cruelty-Free certificate or the Leaping Bunny certificate, which signal this property to the consumer. However, there is no obligation to label a care product that has not been tested on animals.
How do I recognize vegan beauty products that are not tested on animals?
Cosmetics and care products that are not tested on animals can only be reliably recognized by certified seals. The Vegan Society's "Vegan Flower" is the only label that stands for both vegan and animal-free cosmetics. However, a company can also use two different seals, each for one of the properties. On PETA's international website you will find a list of sustainable manufacturers who produce without animal testing, provided they are registered there.
With this knowledge, nothing stands in the way of your purchase of sustainable, animal-free, vegan products! :)
