• Login
    • Join
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Components
    • Markets
    • Materials
    • Solutions
    • Top 20 Companies
    • Buyers Guide
    • Events
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Components
  • Markets
  • Materials
  • Solutions
  • Top 20 Companies
  • Buyers Guide
  • Events
  • Current & Past Issues
    Features
    Editorial
    Departments
    Columns
    Digital Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Staff
    Editorial Guidelines
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    Top Features
    Back in Business: In-Person in LA

    Shine of the Times

    Ramping Up the Sustainable Packaging Conversation

    Rethinking Makeup Brushes & Beauty Applicators

    Making the ‘Eco-Transition’
    Breaking News
    Regulatory
    Events
    Association
    Packaging
    Adv/Marketing
    Financial
    Retail & Travel
    People
    Products
    Experts
    Press Releases
    Exclusives
    Live From Shows
    Video Bites
    Packaging Personalities
    Top News
    La Roche-Posay Launches Matte Moisturizer for Oily Skin

    3 Amorepacific Employees Stole $2.3 Million

    L'Oreal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus On Sustainability Initiatives

    Glossier Announces New CEO

    Men’s Skincare Market to Hit $13 Billion by End of 2022
    3D
    Accessories
    Aerosols
    Airless
    Applicators
    Bags
    Bottles/Jars
    Brushes
    Cans
    Cartons/Boxes
    Closures
    Compacts
    Devices
    Dispensers
    Double Duty
    Droppers
    Environmental
    Labels
    Lipstick packages
    Mascara Containers
    Paper
    Pouches
    Printing
    Pumps
    Rollerballs
    Small Sizes
    Stock Pkg
    Tubes
    Wipes/Sheets

    La Roche-Posay Launches Matte Moisturizer for Oily Skin

    3D Neopac Upgrades On-Site Manufacturing Technology

    Method's New Packaging Celebrates National Parks

    Consumer Experience Drives Plastic Packaging Design

    Baralan Offers Sustainable Components in Escalating PCR Percentages
    Bath/Body
    Cosmetics
    Ethnic
    Fragrances
    Hair
    Health and Beauty
    Home Fragrance
    Men
    Nails
    Personal Care
    Sample/Travel Sizes
    Sets/Kits
    Skin

    La Roche-Posay Launches Matte Moisturizer for Oily Skin

    Glossier Announces New CEO

    Men’s Skincare Market to Hit $13 Billion by End of 2022

    Estée Lauder Promotes Gibu Thomas to EVP, ELC Online

    HipDot Launches Girl Scout Cookie Collection
    Brush Fibers
    Eco-friendly
    Flexibles
    Glass
    Metal
    Paper/Board
    PCR
    PET
    Plastics
    Wood

    Pennelli Faro Debuts Its New Mono-Material Brush at Cosmopack

    Baralan Is Committed to Quality, Service and Sustainability

    REN Clean Skincare Elevates Mask Range with Sustainable Packaging

    3D Neopac Upgrades On-Site Manufacturing Technology

    Method's New Packaging Celebrates National Parks
    Anti-Counterfeit
    Contract Services
    Decorative Effects
    Design Capabilities
    Digital Printing
    Injection Molding
    Machinery
    Made in USA
    Package Development
    Printing/Decorating
    Sustainable Pkg/Practices
    Turnkey

    L’Oreal CEO Speaks About 'Responsible Consumption' at World Economic Forum

    Shiseido Launches Eco-Conscious Skincare Brand Ulé

    Pact Has Collected Over 20k Pounds of Hard-to-Recycle Beauty Packaging

    Kate McLeod's Waterless Solid Moisturizer Debuts at Sephora

    The Body Shop Launches Refill Stations in U.S. Stores
    Top 20 Companies
    Unilever

    Chanel

    Kao

    Revlon

    Beiersdorf
    All Companies
    Categories
    Company Profiles
    Jobs
    Add New Company
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    Epopack Co. Ltd

    Big Sky Packaging

    Yuan Harng Co. Ltd.

    GLASPRAY ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.

    TAESUNG
    Industry Events
    Live From Shows
    Exhibitor Showcase
    Webinars

    Cosmoprof North America 2022 Introduces New Show Format

    Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna 2022 Aims to Relaunch the Cosmetics Industry

    Pharmintech 2022 Approaches

    MakeUp in Shanghai Announces New Dates

    TFWA Changes Format of Singapore Show
    • Magazines
      • Current / Back Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Departments
      • Columns
      • Digital Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Staff
      • Editorial Guidelines
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Buyers Guide
      • Companies
      • Categories
      • Corporate Capabilities
      • Add Your Company
    • Components
      • 3D
      • Accessories
      • Aerosols
      • Airless
      • Applicatiors
      • Bags
      • Bottles / Jars
      • Brushes
      • Cans
      • Cartoons / Boxes
      • Closures
      • Compacts
      • Devices
      • Dispensers
      • Double Duty
      • Droppers
      • Environmental
      • Labels
      • Lipstick Packages
      • Mascara Containers
      • Paper
      • Pouches
      • Printing
      • Pumps
      • Rollerballs
      • Small Sizes
      • Stock Pkg
      • Tubes
      • Wipes/Sheets
    • Markets
      • Bath/Body
      • Cosmetics
      • Ethnic
      • Fragrances
      • Hair
      • Health And Beauty
      • Home Fragrance
      • Men
      • Nails
      • Personal Care
      • Simple/Travel Sizes
      • Sets/Kits
      • Skin
    • Materials
      • Brush Fibers
      • Eco-friendly
      • Flexibles
      • Glass
      • Metal
      • Paper/Board
      • PCR
      • PET
      • Plastics
      • Wood
    • Solutions
      • Anti-Counterfeit
      • Cotract Services
      • Decorative Effects
      • Design Capabilities
      • Digital Printing
      • Injection Molding
      • Machinery
      • Made In USA
      • Package Development
      • Printing/Decorating
      • Sustainable Pkg/Practices
      • Turnkey
    • Top 20 Companies
    • Online Exclusives
    • Slideshows
    • Expert Opinions
    • Videos
    • Infographics
    • Whitepapers
    • Products Showcase
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live From Show Events
      • Webinars
    • Jobs
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms Of Use
    Online Exclusives

    Vegan Beauty—Is 90% Right 100% Wrong?

    Navigating blurred contours across the vegan beauty category

     Vegan Beauty—Is 90% Right 100% Wrong?
    A Look at Vegan Beauty
     Vegan Beauty—Is 90% Right 100% Wrong?
    Vegan Beauty: Milk Makeup
     Vegan Beauty—Is 90% Right 100% Wrong?
    Vegan Beauty: Elemis
     Vegan Beauty—Is 90% Right 100% Wrong?
    Vegan Beauty: My Clarins
     Vegan Beauty—Is 90% Right 100% Wrong?
    Vegan Beauty: Botanea
    Related CONTENT
    • Dermablend Professional Announces Cruelty-Free & Vegan Certifications
    • U.S. Prestige Beauty Rises Due to Two Strong Categories
    • Free From Skincare Awards 2019: Winners Announced
    • Cake Beauty Expands to the UK
    • Kandi Burruss Launches 'Kandi Koated' Cosmetics Line
    Kirsty Cole , Head of Growth, Anthem Worldwide – Amsterdam08.29.19

    In the USA, those identifying as vegan ‘increased by 600% between 2014 and 2017’ (Report Buyer, 2017) – a trend reverberating across the globe. More recently, The Economist declared 2019 to be ‘The Year of The Vegan,’ reporting that a quarter of Millennials now identify as vegan or vegetarian.

    These echoes are felt far beyond the food category as consumers seek to adopt a vegan lifestyle—a trend supported by the rise of plant-based and ethical consumerism and fueled by a vast array of online communities. This is no longer a niche trend and certainly shows no signs of slowing down.

    ‘The sale of vegan prestige beauty products in the UK reported an increase of 38% in the 12-month period February 2017 to end of January 2018’ (NPD Group). Globally, it’s suggested that by 2025 the vegan cosmetics market is forecasted to reach $20.8bn.

    Images above: Photo 1 by Patricia Pereira, designer, Anthem Worldwide – Amsterdam; 2: Milk Makeup; 3: Elemis Superfood Facial Oil; 4: My Clarins; 5: Botanea. 

    Identifying Vegan

    But how can consumers identify a beauty product as truly and authentically 100% vegan? Is 90% right 100% wrong?

    Product messaging across the industry is fraught with danger. ‘Vegan’ and ‘Cruelty-Free’ are of course not interchangeable, neither are the terms ‘vegan’ and ‘vegan friendly’. While it’s relatively easy to shop for cruelty-free products, especially online, it’s much harder to find personal care and beauty products that are 100% animal-free.

    When beginning my search for 100% vegan beauty brands, it quickly became evident that I would not be able to, hand on heart, propose that all such brands included in this article are authentically and 100% vegan.

    A truly vegan product should be free from animal ingredients, not tested on animals but also, importantly, the sourcing and processing of ingredients should not have a negative impact on animals. It’s difficult to trust brands when such key information is either not offered up, or indeed buried in language that makes the message hard to understand. Where’s the transparency?

    Certifications & Symbols

    The Leaping Bunny certification is wildly considered to be the gold standard for consumer products not tested on animals. The Vegan Society’s sunflower symbol further aids consumer navigation for vegan friendly products. Peta also supports the cause with one symbol to identify cruelty-free products and another for both cruelty-free and vegan products.

    Danielle Saunders, Communications Manager at The Vegan Society comments;

    “Confusion definitely exists when it comes to distinguishing between cruelty-free beauty products (not tested on animals) and vegan beauty products, which have not been tested on animals and contain no ingredients derived from animals. Add to this the lack of legal protection around the term ‘vegan’ and we end up in a situation where ethical consumers can be forced to do a lot of digging before they are confident that they can buy a product.  

    In support, we created the Vegan Trademark in order to make it easier for consumers to identify whether a product is suitable for their lifestyle. It is the most credible vegan label on the market, recognized internationally since 1990 - the number of cosmetic products we have registering with the Vegan Trademark is growing exponentially.”

    However, the drivers for demand for vegan beauty products are layered - it’s not only about cruelty free or animal free products, it’s a holistic movement considerate of ethics, sustainability and of course being good for your own body – care for planet and self as a collective.

    Vegan Brands

    A growing selection of brands are beginning to capitalize on this movement and the most effective of which are adopting this holistic viewpoint, providing products that are great for consumers and also make them feel great about the purchases they make.

    Such brands stand firm against exploitation in various forms.

    New York’s Milk Makeup (shown above) shifted to 100% vegan formulas in 2018, removing all animal derived ingredients from its product range and championing the position that good ingredients provides an epic payoff for your skin – clean beauty is cool. The packaging design is bright, bold and minimalist exactly in line with the brand’s proposition.

    Elemis’ superfood skincare range (shown above) is a great example of a brand leveraging the plant-based trend combining select botanicals with vegan friendly ingredients, making for a powerful proposition (if you’re comfortable ignoring that ‘vegan friendly’ is not necessarily truly vegan of course.)

    Another giant taking steps into this prominent category is Parisian brand Clarins who recently launched sub-brand My Clarins (shown above). Targeted towards a younger consumer, the brand is another ‘vegan friendly’ offer though in all credit to the brand they reportedly refuse to sell their products in markets that still permit testing on animals, such as China.

    L’Oréal Professional too has shaken-up the natural haircare sector with the launch of its 100% vegan hair-dye brand Botanea (shown above). Using only 3 natural ingredients, Indigo, Cassia and Henna, Botanea comes in powder form to be mixed with water in Salon – a process which allows the creation of different levels of concentrate to achieve a broader range of color tones and shades. Removing water from the supply chain also has a hugely positive effect on carbon dioxide emissions. The packaging itself is also made with 50% recycled PET plastic.

    Unilever’s vegan brand Love Beauty and Planet is noteworthy due to their holistic approach, encompassing care for body and planet into the entire product life cycle. The physical packaging is made from 100% recycled plastic, all ingredients are vegan, never tested on animals and sourced with ethical responsibilities.

    Manicurist Paris offers an impressive selection of 54 different colour vegan nail polishes under its ‘Green’ line, all of which are made using 84% natural ingredients. The brand’s message is authentic and transparent – “we don’t pretend to be perfect, but we try as hard as possible to remain close to our ideal. Our commitment; make the most eco-responsible nail polish and nail care products possible.”

    Carter and Jane is a single-product vegan brand. The Everything Oil (shown above) aims to replace all other products in consumers’ skincare routine and can be used on the eye, face, lip, neck & décolletage. The formula contains organic and sustainably sourced prickly pear seed oil combined with organic avocado oil, sweet almond oil and aloe vera.

    American at-home waxing start-up Wakse is cruelty-free and 100% vegan. The messaging is clear – ‘makeup is for humans, not animals.' The brand also only works will manufacturers when they are 100% confident that they don’t affiliate with or source ingredients from places that are not cruelty-free.

    British brand Clockface Beauty is a natural vegan skincare brand offering a diverse selection of products for both male and female dedicated to supporting a little more ‘me time’. While traditional skincare products are made up of around 80% water, Clockface Beauty’s range is water free – the brand is committed to only including ingredients that actively promote great skin. The brand also supports the broader holistic ‘care for you, care for planet’ movement with 100% of their packaging being able to be either recycled or upcycled.

    Challenges and Opportunities

    Recently I caught up with the brands founder Sarah Thomas on the challenges and opportunities facing the vegan beauty care industry. She explains: 

    “Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious about what they are putting on their skin and as such, the vegan and natural skincare market has grown in recent years with consumers demanding more clarity from the products they are buying. The growing popularity in this market has brought its own challenges for a fully vegan brand like ours, competing in a market where the terminology can be confusing. Terms such as “vegan friendly” and “cruelty free” are being used to give the impression that products are vegan but that’s not always the case. We wanted to provide clarity for our customers by registering with the Vegan Society - this provides assurance on how the products are tested, manufactured, what they contain, and the packaging used.  We also wanted to take that a step further and label our products’ ingredients listing in their common name on our packaging so customers can clearly see exactly what is contained in what they are buying, giving them complete transparency.”

    One might suggest that it may not be feasible for many beauty brands to move to 100% vegan formulations though it doesn’t therefore follow that such brands should mislead consumers with terms such as ‘vegan friendly’.

    Vegan beauty is no longer a ‘nice to have’ or a tick box exercise and brands should avoid mixed messages and partial claims as in the eyes of many consumers 90% vegan is 100% not good enough.

    Transparent ingredient labelling is of course important, though so too are more mainstream and explicit brand communication and navigation tools. Think of the food category: Would brands be successful with vegan or vegetarian ‘friendly’ products and messaging – I think not.

    The Body Shop has made concerted efforts on this front by launching a vegan hub on their website allowing easy navigation in the search for 100% vegan products.

    But what about in store?

    Across both beauty and personal care, consumers still have to work incredibly hard in search for 100% vegan products. Take a look back at the images of the brands showcased, try identifying a brand as vegan from their packaging design…. struggling? 

    From this collective of brands with vegan propositions - both mainstream and niche, both large and small - only one brand explicitly communicates its vegan credentials on pack - Clockface Beauty.

    'Vegan' Design

    In the design industry we often talk about the need for ‘stand out’ – designing brand and packaging to ensure consumers notice the product, understand the product and want the product. All the brands showcased here have vegan credentials, some stronger than others, but almost all fail to share this information with consumers in an explicit way.

    A brand’s vegan credentials should be promoted and celebrated on pack in support of authentic communication and easy navigation. This is a call to arms for all brands seeking to attract consumers identifying as vegan or indeed simply as ethical:

    1. Veganism is a movement, not a trend – embrace it when exploring new ranges, limited editions and NPD

    2. Consumers won’t settle for smoke and mirrors - be authentic and transparent in all your communications

    3. Engage with the community – vegan consumers are very vocal, use this to your advantage by connecting to the right audiences on social media

    4. Navigation should be simple – make it easy for consumers to identify your brand or product as vegan across your various touch-points including your packaging

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR



    Kirsty Cole is Head of Growth at Anthem Worldwide. Kirsty heads up the strategic growth of both the business and key client brands across the Benelux and Continental European regions. 

    Email Kirsty Cole.
    Related Searches
    • ingredients
    • prestige beauty
    • social media
    • prestige
    Suggested For You
    Dermablend Professional Announces Cruelty-Free & Vegan Certifications Dermablend Professional Announces Cruelty-Free & Vegan Certifications
    U.S. Prestige Beauty Rises Due to Two Strong Categories U.S. Prestige Beauty Rises Due to Two Strong Categories
    Free From Skincare Awards 2019: Winners Announced Free From Skincare Awards 2019: Winners Announced
    Cake Beauty Expands to the UK Cake Beauty Expands to the UK
    Kandi Burruss Launches Kandi Burruss Launches 'Kandi Koated' Cosmetics Line
    John Legend Sings About SK-II John Legend Sings About SK-II's Pitera Essence
    Pratt Institute Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Marc Rosen Scholarship Pratt Institute Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Marc Rosen Scholarship
    Unilever Celebrates 2019 WorldPride NYC Unilever Celebrates 2019 WorldPride NYC
    Following Beauty Market Stats Following Beauty Market Stats
    CEW Presents Top Talent Awards CEW Presents Top Talent Awards
    Ofra Launches Talia Mar London Skincare Line Ofra Launches Talia Mar London Skincare Line
    Unilever May Buy Drunk Elephant? Unilever May Buy Drunk Elephant?
    Lime Crime Launches Colorful Blush Collection Lime Crime Launches Colorful Blush Collection
    TNT Global Manufacturing to Show Custom Range TNT Global Manufacturing to Show Custom Range
    Clarins Unveils New Private Farm and Lab in the Alps Clarins Unveils New Private Farm and Lab in the Alps

    Related Content

    • Skin Care/Sun Care
      Dermablend Professional Announces Cruelty-Free & Vegan Certifications

      Dermablend Professional Announces Cruelty-Free & Vegan Certifications

      The company commits to manufacturing 100% vegan products, and is now on PETA's "Beauty Without Bunnies" list.
      08.26.19

    • Cosmetics | Fragrances | Hair Care | Skin Care/Sun Care
      U.S. Prestige Beauty Rises Due to Two Strong Categories

      U.S. Prestige Beauty Rises Due to Two Strong Categories

      The NPD Group reveals sales trends; advises brands to ‘react to changes quickly.’
      08.08.19

    • Free From Skincare Awards 2019: Winners Announced

      Free From Skincare Awards 2019: Winners Announced

      Weleda wins Overall Award.
      08.01.19


    • Cake Beauty Expands to the UK

      Cake Beauty Expands to the UK

      MAV Beauty Brands is taking Cake Beauty global, with a launch at Boots.
      07.25.19

    • Cosmetics
      Kandi Burruss Launches

      Kandi Burruss Launches 'Kandi Koated' Cosmetics Line

      Burruss stars in the Real Housewives of Atlanta.
      07.22.19

      Trending
      • Glossier Announces New CEO | Beauty Packaging
      • Ranking The Top 50 Cosmetic Companies | Beauty Packaging
      • Glossier Announces New CEO
      • Ranking The Top 50 Cosmetics Companies 2021 | Beauty Packaging
      • Smashbox Expands Becca Highlighter Collection | Beauty Packaging
      Breaking News
      • La Roche-Posay Launches Matte Moisturizer for Oily Skin
      • 3 Amorepacific Employees Stole $2.3 Million
      • L'Oreal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus On Sustainability Initiatives
      • Glossier Announces New CEO
      • Men’s Skincare Market to Hit $13 Billion by End of 2022
      View Breaking News >
      CURRENT ISSUE

      April/May 2022

      • Review: Luxe Pack Los Angeles & MakeUp in LosAngeles 2022
      • Metal & Metallic Packaging Looks Luxe & Can Also Be Sustainable
      • Beauty Industry Experts Discuss Sustainable Packaging
      • Makeup Brushes & Beauty Applicators Offer Better Functionality
      • What's New in Sustainable Cosmetic Packaging?

      Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
      You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

      • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms And Conditions
      • Contact Us

      follow us

      Subscribe
      Nutraceuticals World

      Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

      Thorne Relaunches Gut Health Test with Microbiome Wipe
      Alkemist Labs Announces Alkemist Assured Seal and Next Generation Transparency Reports
      GC Rieber Foundations Expand Philanthropic Efforts
      Coatings World

      Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

      PPG Hosts The Future of Coatings' Technology Innovation Day in Amsterdam
      Azelis Expands Presence in India with Acquisition of Chemo India and Unipharm Laboratories
      Teknos Publishes Sustainability Report
      Medical Product Outsourcing

      Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

      Pediatric Medical Device Competition Reveals Five Finalists
      Medical Device Packaging Market to Reach $34B by 2027
      Penumbra Secures CE Mark for its Advanced Mechanical Thrombectomy Tech
      Contract Pharma

      Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

      Mirum Pharmaceuticals Acquires San Diego-based Satiogen
      Catalyst Biosciences Sells Complement Portfolio to Vertex Pharmaceuticals
      Insmed Appoints Drayton Wise as Chief Commercial Officer
      Beauty Packaging

      Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

      La Roche-Posay Launches Matte Moisturizer for Oily Skin
      3 Amorepacific Employees Stole $2.3 Million
      L'Oreal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus On Sustainability Initiatives
      Happi

      Latest Breaking News From Happi

      Thayers Natural Remedies Celebrates 175 Years with Social Campaign
      Former Model Shirley Powell’s Indie Beauty Brand LaJeanell Comprises Gender Inclusive Skincare and Makeup
      L’Oréal's New UVMune 400 Sun Filtering Technology Protects Skin From Ultra-Long UVA Rays
      Ink World

      Latest Breaking News From Ink World

      Flint Group Flexible Packaging Europe Implements Further Price Increase
      Nazdar Launches 205 Series Inks for Roland TrueVIS SG2 and VG2 Series Printers
      Quad Adds Landa S10P Nanographic Printing Press
      Label & Narrow Web

      Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

      AWA to host 22nd Global Release Liner Industry Conference & Exhibition
      Domino assists Grace Label with supply chain disruptions
      Rotocon wins AI Business Excellence Award
      Nonwovens Industry

      Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

      Rael Raises $35M in Series B Funding
      Schobertechnologies Offers Rotary Web-fed Converting Solutions
      Thorne Relaunches Gut Health Test with Microbiome Wipe
      Orthopedic Design & Technology

      Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

      Study Confirms Knee Shapes are Highly Individualized
      Stryker Launches EasyFuse Dynamic Compression for Foot & Ankle
      Extremity Medical Rolls Out OMNI Stable Ankle Fracture System
      Printed Electronics Now

      Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

      InnovationLab Acquires Flexible Printed Battery Technology from Evonik
      Canatu Receives IATF 16949:2016 Certification
      Applied Materials Announces 2Q 2022 Results

      Copyright © 2022 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

      AD BLOCKER DETECTED

      Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
      Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


      FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login