Quick Read: 5 Surprising Animal Ingredients in Your Beauty & Personal Care


ingredients in our skin care and hairs care and beauty products

My article in the Withernsea District & Community News

distributed to 9000 homes

Poppy’s Pets

We all love spoiling ourselves with conventional personal care products. But did you know that conventional products often contain ingredients derived from animals? And handmade skin and haircare created with ingredients from our natural environment are more beneficial to our skin and hair? Read the article in full here.

You may have noticed Cruelty-Free International’s leaping bunny symbol on some products.  The symbol represents approval under the leaping bunny programme and means it has not been tested on animals. 

Let’s put Cruelty Free International aside and talk about something else. 

Although conventional haircare, skincare, and cosmetics may not be tested on animals, the product can be made from animal-derived ingredients. Admittedly, I buy conventional makeup but frequently purchase vegan skin and hair care, and household cleaning products made from 100% natural ingredients:

Watch the Video: 3 in 1 cleanser

Watch the Video: Hydrating facial oil

Watch the Video: Solid shampoo bar

The following list is ingredients you’ll find in conventional personal care, what each consists of and alternative ingredients:

1 – Keratin is promoted to strengthen hair and is found in many hair rinse products and shampoos.  The animal-derived ingredient comes from ground hooves, horns, feathers, and hair from various animals and quills. 

Alternative ingredients: Soy protein, Almond oil, Human hair from hairdressers, Amla oil, Rosemary and nettle provide hair strand strength and lift.

2 – Panthenol is used to lubricate hair in shampoos and conditioners and beauty products (mascaras and lotions) that moisturise and absorb into the skin. The ingredient is extracted from meat and honey.

Alternative ingredients: Plant-sourced, Synthetically-derived.

3 – Collagen loss is one sign of facial ageing so creams are available with the promise to restore collagen and lost youth.  The ingredients come from ground horns, chicken feet and usually animal tissue.

Alternative ingredients: Almond oil, Soy protein.

4 – Hyaluronic acid can be used in cosmetics and anti-ageing products. The ingredient is in the protein umbilical cords, joint fluid and rooster combs.

Alternative ingredients: Plant oil, Synthetically-derived hyaluronic acid.

5 – Carmine is a red dye.  Thousands of female beetles are crushed to death for their red pigment. The red pigment is used in lipsticks, blusher, eyeshadows, juice, red lollipops, food colouring and curries. 

Alternative ingredients: Alkanet root, Beet juice.

We have personal preferences of what we prefer to use and chose to ‘forget’ what our favourite products contain.   

Further reading: 

The Best Animal-Free Cosmetics and Personal Care?

Animal-Derived Ingredient List at www.peta.org 

www.crueltyfreeinternational.org

Article appeared in the Withernsea District & Community News – 2022

Poppys Pets pet niche column appears in the Withernsea District & Community News

Lesley

The reason I write and make YouTube videos is to help you and your pets from my experiences, and to take you through a journey of Green Living from worm composting and bokashi.

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