Vegan Liquid Hand Wash
It is easier than ever to buy vegan-friendly liquid hand wash and cosmetics. If you want to be truly sure you’re buying vegan products, it’s important to understand what is required to have a completely vegan product and to look for a certified accreditation such as those awarded by the Vegan Society to the highest quality brands, like ChooseWell.
Remember – the term ‘vegan’ is not the same as ‘cruelty-free’. We’ll define the terms below so you’re choosing the right products to buy, and also highlight ingredients to avoid if you want to buy vegan liquid hand wash or cosmetics.
What is Vegan?
Vegan, as defined by the Vegan Society, can be classed as any product that does not contain any ingredients that have been tested on animals, or are derived from animals, either. This means that any animal by-products, such as animal fat, are not found in the product. Vegan liquid hand wash and beauty products will have been made without using any ingredients derived from animals in any way. This will include substances such as eggs, or honey.
What is Cruelty-Free?
The term ‘Cruelty-free’ refers to any products that have not tested on, or used animals in the manufacturing process. This includes several invasive tests are performed on rabbits, mice, guinea pigs and rats that test harsh chemicals for skin or eye reactions.
Thankfully, animal testing for cosmetic products is strictly prohibited in UK and European Law. It has also been illegal to sell cosmetics products within the EU that have been newly tested on animals since March 2013.
Are Cruelty-Free products Vegan?
Cruelty-free products are not necessarily vegan. There are examples of cruelty-free liquid hand wash and cosmetics that are not necessarily vegan. Cruelty-Free products do not contain ingredients tested on animals, however (and here is the key difference) they may contain ingredients that are derived from animals. This may include ingredients derived from bees such as honey, or beeswax.
CRUELTY-FREE vs. VEGAN
Cruelty- Free Products
Have not been tested on animals
Do not contain any ingredients tested on animals
May contain animal by-products
Are not sold in China
Vegan products
Do not contain animal by-products
Have not been tested on animals
Do not contain any ingredients tested on animals
Are not sold in China
Did you know…
ChooseWell liquid hand soaps are both Vegan and Cruelty Free
How to Check if Your Brand is Vegan
There are a few ways to check if a brand you use is vegan or not. All brands you interact with should be transparent about their product ingredients. If you are unsure, do a little research on their website or find an inventory online that can rate their products to see if they are cruelty-free.
The term vegan is often not regulated, meaning that companies may be ‘greenwashing’ or making claims that don’t align with your views on what ‘vegan’ means. This is why it is always worth finding out more information if you can.
Vegan Liquid Hand Wash – Ingredients to AVOID
To make it easier, here’s a list of ingredients to look out for when double-checking that a product is vegan.
- Honey
Honey is arguably one of the most popular animal by-products that are commonly used in cosmetics or liquid hand wash . This is because honey has lots of natural healing qualities that have been used for centuries. Honey is naturally antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, and naturally moisturises, soothes and hydrates. Honey is also a natural humectant, which means it can draw moisture into the skin. As a natural substance, it works to retain and attract moisture and is used readily in many products.
However, this is at a cost.
Honey is the natural energy source for bees, first and foremost. It is fundamental to the hive’s wellbeing, and the honey extraction process as we know it today is mainly for profit, rather than bee welfare. Mass production means that the bees’ welfare is less of a concern compared to levels of honey production.
- Beeswax
Beeswax is similar in that it is extracted from bees. It is formed into scales by the glands of the bee, in the abdominal segments of worker bees. The process of obtaining beeswax produced by the worker bees involves melting the honeycomb the bees have created, straining the wax to remove impurities, and pressing the residue to extract the remaining wax. The purified wax is poured into moulds to solidify, and the substance is a popular ingredient in cosmetics today.
- Lanolin
Lanolin, which you may or may not have heard of, is actually a wool grease, or fat obtained from sheep’s wool. It is derived from the fatty layer of tissue surrounding an animal’s wool, and is secreted by the glands of all wool-bearing animals.
This ‘wool fat’ is used in a lot of skincare products, facial cosmetics and lip balms. It is extracted by putting the wool through a centrifuge machine that separated the oil from other chemicals. Its high shine and viscosity make it an ideal product for cosmetics.
- Collagen
Collagen is a protein produced by all animals (including humans!). There is an abundant amount of this protein in the body, and its job is to help structure your skin, and is essentially the building block for bones, skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
It is often obtained from cows, pigs and marine species to put into cosmetic products. Collagen in its raw form is used for its plumping effect. Collagen can also be extracted by boiling hooves, bone, cartilage, tendons and other collective tissues (we know – not nice.) When it is boiled it becomes gelatin, a substance that acts as a thickening agent. Gelatin is a degraded form of collagen, and both collagen and gelatin are used in some beauty and toiletry products.
- Albumen
A substance with qualities to help moisturise, firm and shine, albumin is derived from egg white, and it gives moisture and firmness, which appears to smooth wrinkles with a tightening feeling. It is, for this reason, it is used in some cosmetic products. This thickening agent has a gel-like consistency and is often used for creamier products. As it derived from egg white, then producers will need to farm chickens in order to source their eggs.
- Carmine
Carmine may be one of the most surprising ingredients on this list. You might be wondering; hang on, what is carmine and how is it used? Well, Carmine is a substance derived from the scales of insects such as the cochineal, whose scales are naturally red in colour. It is used because of its intense red colour and has been found in products such as shampoo, lipstick and nail varnish.