Traditional haircare products have a longstanding history of not being vegan. For centuries (yes, we mean that literally), animal ingredients have been used in haircare as a means to clean, condition, and style hair.
However, the haircare industry is experiencing a radical shift. Shoppers are finally calling on their favorite beauty brands to make the switch to vegan and cruelty-free ingredients. And just as we’ve seen in the food industry, a bit of innovation and more intentional ingredient sourcing has led to the development of vegan alternatives that perform exactly the same—if not better—than their animal-derived counterparts.
No longer a niche or hard-to-find category, vegan haircare is extremely accessible. With a little research and planning, you can easily transform your entire hair routine with all cruelty-free and vegan haircare products.
Vegamour
How to know if a beauty product is vegan
Knowing how to identify a vegan beauty product may initially pose some challenges; most consumers just aren’t educated on the ingredients that make up these household items. Some of the most common and well-known animal-derived haircare ingredients include keratin, collagen, elastin, beeswax, silk, squalane, carmine, and lanolin. With that said, many animal byproducts often sneak into the ingredients lists disguised under different names. Carmine—a colorant made from the crushed shells of the cochineal insect—is also referred to as natural red 4, E120, and C.I. 75470. In some cases, ingredients can be found in both animals and plants. For example, stearic acid, known for its ability to emulsify products and soften hair, can be derived from either sheep stomach or plant fat.
Oftentimes products that are 100-percent vegan will state this directly on the packaging. Reputable certifications from organizations like Vegan.org and The Vegan Society may also be present on the packaging. If the packaging does not explicitly state its vegan status, it’s best to…
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