Ditching animal by-products and replacing them with cruelty-free goodness is the new trend and brands are catching on. While not too long ago, you would have been lucky to find even a handful of vegan cosmetics in the market, today, there are plenty to choose from.
“When a product or chemical substance is applied on the skin, it penetrates through the pores and gets absorbed by the body. These substances travel through the blood and some of it lands up inside the organs. Since the liver cleans out all chemicals/toxins of the body, most of these end up in the liver. So, the safest path to a healthy skin and body is resorting to 100 per cent natural products,” says Dr Jothilakshmi J of Shankara Naturals.
Growing awareness has forced several companies to avoid use of animal-derived raw materials. Also, the sharp rise in the number of beauty blogs and social media accounts that are promoting chemical-free products has worked in favour of the market by creating consumer awareness.
Celebs from Miranda Kerr to Kangana Ranaut are driving the trend. Recently, the market research firm Grand View Research projected the worth of the global vegan cosmetics industry to reach $20.8 billion by 2025 from $12.9 billion in 2017. Little wonder that today’s consumer is dumping products with unrecognisable chemicals and toxins for more benign and natural choices.
Charlotte Tilbury
This celebrity-approved brand has choices galore from liquid foundation to matte lipsticks to cream eyeshadows. Not only does it provide vegan-friendly makeup, but also skincare products, fragrance and makeup brushes.
Inika
One of the most popular vegan makeup brands, Inika cosmetics contain organic, botanical ingredients designed to nourish and hydrate the skin. All tubes and pots are made from recycled materials and all packaging is recyclable.
Kat Von D Beauty
After recently deciding to reformulate her entire cosmetics range, all Kat Von D Beauty products are now in the process of becoming vegan. The brand boasts long-lasting, high pigment, cruelty-free products with an award-winning lineup of waterproof liners, prismatic highlighters, vegan makeup brushes and more.
Cover FX
Created and developed by the former chief chemist and MD at MAC cosmetics, Cover FX’s vegan range uses high-quality ingredients to create formulations free of parabens, mineral oil, fragrance, talc and gluten.
Milk Makeup
Milk Makeup prides itself on making cruelty-free, 100 per cent vegan products that are paraben-free. Their super-nourishing formulas provide you with everything from a dreamy complexion to versatile finishes. What’s more, each product is designed for an easy one-handed application with no brushes required.