As more and more vegans demand products beyond food that only include cruelty-free ingredients, the beauty, and cosmetics industry has started bending its traditional standards to cater to vegan consumer needs.
According to Star-Advertiser, the vegan movement has led to other industries outside food manufacturing to set its eyes on the growing vegan community. Tata Harper, the founder of a predominantly natural beauty brand, said, "Beauty follows food because we use a lot of the same ingredients. If they're good to ingest, then they're typically great to apply topically."
While there is still some confusion in terms of jargons that should be used specifically when referring to non-animal cosmetics, many companies have already joined the bandwagon in efforts to explore healthier and cruelty-free options for vegan beauty consumers. Many beauty and fashion brands have already acknowledged the increasing scrutiny over products that involve animal exploitation.
One example of the cosmetics industry's bid to supply consumers with vegan products is the Leaping Bunny Program. The initiative provides certification to personal care providers that ensure no forms of animal testing have been involved in the production process.
PETA also has its Beauty Without Bunnies Program that provides vegan consumers with a detailed list of companies that offer such products. Corresponding logos are also available to ensure that consumers are getting the best of their purchases.
As part of the cosmetics industry's efforts in shifting to cruelty-free production, Unilever made one of the biggest announcements last year. In October, the company said it will no longer invest in animal testing across all of its product lines. "The big companies that held out for so long are now making a change," Kathy Guillermo, a senior vice president of PETA, said of the development.
Analysts believe that with some of the biggest cosmetics and beauty providers making a significant choice in giving up animal testing, consumers now have more awareness of the benefits of vegan and cruelty-free beauty.
Late last month, COVERGIRL announced that it has received its certification from Leaping Bunny and many vegans celebrated with the brand. PETA U.S. also recently certified Proctor & Gamble and Herbal Essences as cruelty-free, igniting more talks about the significant role of the beauty industry in helping change consumer outlook on cosmetics.
The Daily Telegraph suggested earlier this month that vegan is an emerging beauty trend that consumers and providers across the globe should not ignore. Vegan beauty is largely becoming a competitor in the fashion and cosmetics sectors that denounce animal exploitation.
