What’s Hiding in Your Beauty Products?
Many consumers don’t realize that beauty products often contain animal-derived ingredients. For example, shiny hair treatments frequently include keratin, which companies source from animal hooves and feathers. Certain red lipstick shades use carmine, which manufacturers derive from crushed beetles. Many industries rely heavily on animal ingredients for reasons like cost-effectiveness, availability, and consumer demand.
Historically, companies have used animal ingredients because they can easily source and produce them in large quantities, which lowers costs. Consumer demand also plays a significant role. Many people believe animal-derived ingredients have unique properties that synthetic ones can’t replicate. For instance, companies use collagen, derived from animal tissues like skin, bones, and cartilage, to enhance skin elasticity and reduce fine lines. Even though synthetic collagen peptides and plant-based collagen alternatives exist, many consumers remain skeptical and continue to purchase animal-based collagen.
Traditional practices and consumer misconceptions have kept animal-derived ingredients common in many products today. Let’s take a closer look at some of these ingredients and how companies use them across skincare, makeup, hair care, and fragrance, often without consumers realizing.
Common Animal-Derived Ingredients in Beauty Products
Skincare
• Companies use collagen and elastin to improve skin elasticity. These ingredients come from cow and pig hides and tendons.
• Manufacturers use glycerin to retain moisture, which they process from the fat of cows or sheep.
• Companies extract squalene from shark liver oil for its moisturizing properties.
Makeup
• Carmine is used as a red pigment in lipsticks and blush, and manufacturers derive it from cochineal beetles.
• Beeswax serves as a binder in products like eyeliner and mascara, and bees produce it in their abdominal glands.
• Lanolin, which companies obtain from sheep’s wool, moisturizes the skin.
• Manufacturers source guanine from fish scales to create a shimmering effect.
Hair Care
• Keratin strengthens hair, and companies obtain it from animal hooves and feathers.
• Silk protein improves hair elasticity, and manufacturers derive it from silkworms.
• Many companies also include collagen, guanine, and lanolin in hair care products.
Fragrance
• Musk comes from the glandular secretions of musk deer.
• Ambergris, used for its earthy scent, is produced in the digestive system of sperm whales.
• Companies use castoreum, a substance secreted by beavers, to add a leathery scent to perfume.
• Civetone is a richly smelling secretion obtained from the anal glands of civet cats.
How to Avoid Animal-Derived Ingredients
To avoid animal-derived ingredients, look for products labeled both cruelty-free and vegan.
A cruelty-free label means that the company doesn’t test on animals, but it doesn’t guarantee the product is free from animal-derived ingredients.
A vegan label means the product avoids animal-derived ingredients but doesn’t guarantee it hasn’t been tested on animals. Always look for both labels to ensure the product aligns with your ethical preferences.
When in doubt, read ingredient lists carefully and don’t hesitate to look up unfamiliar terms. Resources like Cruelty-Free Kitty guide you to brands that are committed to using vegan and cruelty-free ingredients.
Supporting Alternatives
Due to concerns about animal safety, environmental impact, and potential health risks, many companies have shifted toward cruelty-free, vegan ingredients and sustainable production methods. Supporting these brands promotes ethical practices and encourages a shift toward products that leave animals out of the beauty equation entirely. Now that you know what ingredients to avoid, let’s leave animal products in the past and move toward a safe, healthier world for everyone!
