What is the difference between Cruelty-free, Vegan, and Organic?

As more of us are becoming conscious of our lifestyle choices, being mindful of what we are putting on our skin is a natural next step. There is already so much chaos in the market, brands claiming themselves to be vegan, cruelty-free, and organic. But as a consumer, we should be aware of where we are spending our hard-earned money. 

Being an animal lover my first choice is always Cruelty-free products.

Plus I have sensitive skin so I try to stay away from harsh chemicals. And this led me to explore products that are SLS free, Paraben-free, Organic, and Vegan.

Using Organic and Vegan skincare has its own benefits. So let me give you a brief about what these terms are.

Cruelty-free:

A cruelty-free product means that the product is not tested on animals. We also need to remember that ‘Not tested on animals’ only speaks to the end product, not the individual ingredients used to make the product.

However, in addition to the final product, most advocates for cruelty-free beauty agree that none of the ingredients used in the production of the cosmetic can be tested on animals in order to be cruelty-free.

So in order to make a better choice go for brands that claim to be ‘100% cruelty-free’. A 100% cruelty-free brand is cruelty-free in every step of its processing. Brands that are 100% cruelty-free don’t abide by animal testing anywhere within their supply chain, from the raw ingredients and manufacturing to the packaging and distribution.

Many countries have taken this benevolent decision and have banned cosmetic animal testing. This includes Colombia, the European Union, United Kingdom, India, Israel, and Norway.

India is the first Asian country to ban testing on animals in July 2013.

Vegan:

Image Source: Photo by Vegan Liftz on Unsplash

If something is vegan that means none of the ingredients originated with an animal. No animal ingredients, animal by-product, or animal-derived products. The same goes for vegan skincare, vegan clothing, vegan food, vegan everything.

Organic:

Organic products mean products made of plant-derived ingredients along with some other naturally occurring ingredients. These ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, and so on and often come with an Organic certification.

How is Vegan different from organic?

A product is defined as vegan if it contains no ingredients of animal origin such as milk or honey.

However, a vegan product is not necessarily also natural or organic so it’s possible that it contains synthetic ingredients or that it’s even composed entirely of synthetic ingredients.

Why choose Vegan or Organic skincare?

1. Less irritation and inflammation of the skin

Organic and most Vegan skincare ingredients are natural, minimal, and nourishing so they are less likely to lead to irritation or other issues that can come along with chemicals, animal ingredients, or other additives especially if you have sensitive skin.

Plants are the primary source of Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants all of which are the ultimate way to hydrate, protect, and nourish your skin.

2. Environment-friendly choices

And if these reasons are not enough to convenience you let me enlighten you that Vegan and organic skincare is way more environment friendly as the vegan skincare brands are committed to using packaging with reduced use of plastic or plastic-free and not to use environmentally harmful chemical ingredients in their formulations.

3. For the love of animals

 Vegan products are also cruelty-free so when we are opting for vegan we are saving the lives of many animals that have to go through horrible torture all their life.

The animal agriculture industry is also a leading cause of deforestation pollution dead zones in the ocean. So opting for plants as an alternative helps to cut back on all this bad news.

Choosing Vegan, Organic, and Cruelty-free products is going to help Environment but it is also going to give inner satisfaction that you are helping the world to be a better place. And it all starts with yourself.

I prefer using a product that is either Cruelty-free, Vegan, or Organic. I have made my choice. Have you?

Let me know in the comments below how you prefer your skincare?