Our new intern Laura Towner takes a look into all things vegan!
Veganism has been a big topic so far in 2016. In a 2015 poll, 51% of the 12,800 people who officially registered to take part in Veganuary January 2015, with the aim of adopting an animal free diet for one month, stayed vegan for a further six months. The UK had the second highest number of participants in 2015 and a whopping 50,000 people took part this year with around 50% expecting to stay vegan. Believe it or not, but Veganuary is only in its third year and with a rising popularity of vegan initiatives, such as Meat Free Monday, evidence points an increasing more health-conscious society, with celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad Pitt and Ellie Goulding adopting this lifestyle.
But did you know that vegans not only monitor the food they eat and the clothes they wear but they also keep tabs on their cosmetics and skincare?
Vegan cosmetics are not made from any animal by-products, but instead made from plant-based ingredients, so your foundation is as vegan as your avocado on toast! Vegan makeup is also cruelty-free. If a cosmetics company tests on animals they are not considered vegan or vegetarian friendly.
So what is the difference between vegetarian and vegan products? If something is labelled vegan it means it does not contain any animal ingredient at all, be it a part of an animal (like gelatine or animal fats) or derived from an animal (such as honey, beeswax, yogurt, lactic acid, and so on). For a cosmetic product to be vegetarian it must not contain any animal part but it can contain ingredients that are animal by-products or produced by an animal. For example, a beauty product that contains beeswax can be vegetarian but not vegan.
The UK beauty market is now flooded with synthetic alternatives with brushes available from high-street brands such as the Good Karma Blush Brush from Urban Decay, £22.00, and the Flax Sticks Special Effects Brush Set from Aveda, £50.00.
Vegan skincare is also another growing trend with more and more products following suit. Vegan brands ensure the quality of their products by only using natural ingredients that have been organically grown and avoid using harsh chemicals and potentially dangerous preservatives to produce safer products. By avoiding the use of harsh chemicals and irritants vegan products are far gentler on the skin, including very sensitive skin.
Some of my favourite vegan and vegetarian products includes Odyliques Creamy Coconut Cleanser, £18. This organic face cleanser is gentle, but highly effective and with a blend of extra virgin olive & coconut oils, this skincare saviour will thoroughly lift away make-up, skin impurities and airborne dirt. The Lush Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask, £6.75 is another favourite of mine. It works to brighten your complexion with nutrient-rich agar seaweed gel, soothing and moisturising honey and almond oil and gently exfoliates with the help of almond shells.
With a plethora of cruelty-free makeup and skincare brands now available on the UK high street and no longer restricted to specialist retailers, your smoky eye palette can live to see another Friday night!