Why you need to switch to vegan lipstick right now
What’s wrong with regular lipstick?
It might not be immediately obvious, but most lipsticks on the market are problematic for two major reasons:
- they were tested on animals
- they contain ingredients derived from animal products
Animal testing can be sneaky
According to PETA, major makeup companies like L’Oréal, and Estée Lauder still test on animals.
Does that surprise you?
If so, it’s for good reason. These big companies don’t do their tests in North America and, as such, are not required to disclose their proceedings.
This makes it hard to know which brands are compassionate. Especially since these parent companies have multiple subsidiaries. For example, Estée Lauder owns Clinique, Bobbi Brown, and Origins, making it difficult to trace their activities.
If you’re wondering about your favorite brand, check out Leaping Bunny’s cruelty-free approved brands shopping guide.
Many lipsticks contain animal-based ingredients
Animal cruelty’s link to lipstick doesn’t stop at testing.
Ever wondered how the classic red lipstick color is usually made?
Bugs.
Yes, you read that right.
Carmine, the color pigment used to make a popping red comes from cochineals. Thousands of these insects are required to produce a simple ounce of dye.
There’s also lanolin, an ingredient derived from sheep wool used for its moisturizing effect in lip products.
Sadly, that’s not the worst of it.
Squalene, a chemical taken from shark liver oil, is often present in lipstick, as is collagen, which is derived from cow ligaments, skin, and bones.
Go vegan to go glam, guilt and cruelty-free!
Buying certified vegan and cruelty-free products is the only way to make sure that we aren’t contributing to these harmful practices.
We’ve made finding the perfect vegan lipstick easy! Check out our list of the top three cruelty-free lipsticks.
