Is Glycerin in Your Makeup Vegan?
When searching for vegan makeup, it's easy to get confused when looking at long ingredient lists. You may be unsure about what everything is and if it contains any animal byproducts. You wouldn't want to purchase a product only to find out it's not what you thought it was.
Glycerin is a common ingredient in cosmetics and hair products, but is it vegan? When it comes to glycerin, the answer isn't a straightforward one. Sometimes it can be vegan, but not always.
We are going to explore what glycerin is and when it's vegan. We will also go over everything you need to know about vegan makeup and why you should give it a try.
What Is Glycerin?
Glycerin is a clear, syrupy liquid that is one of the most common ingredients in cosmetics. In fact, it is the third most frequently reported ingredient in makeup behind water and fragrance.
There are two different types of glycerin. One is made from animal fats, and the other is made from vegetable oil. Vegetable glycerin can also be listed as glycerol or glycerine. It is typically made from palm oils, soybean, and coconut.
There are some claims that vegetable glycerine can provide certain health benefits, although more research is needed. One possible advantage is that it can lead to better skin health by soothing the skin and protecting it against infection. The vegetable oil acts as a barrier between harsh elements like wind and cold weather.
Both forms of glycerin are humectants, which are moisturizing agents that work by pulling the water from the deeper layers of your skin into the outer layer. One study listed glycerin as the most effective humectant compared to various others.
So is glycerin vegan? If it is made from animal fats, it's obviously not vegan. If it is vegetable glycerin, it is 100% vegan. You will have to look at the ingredient list to see if they specify which type of glycerin is used.
Some companies will list it as vegetable glycerin to let people know it's vegan. However, if you see just glycerin in the ingredients, it doesn't mean it's not made from vegetables. Look to see if the company claims to be vegan-friendly or you can contact the company.
All of HIDE’s products are vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.
What Makes Makeup Vegan?
Vegan makeup contains zero animal products or byproducts. In the cosmetic industry, companies commonly use many different ingredients that are not vegan. For example, collagen, honey, and beeswax are made from animals and animal byproducts.
Vegan companies replace these ingredients with ones made from plants and minerals. However, vegan doesn't mean natural or organic since there are also synthetic ingredients used in makeup. Vegan also doesn't mean something is cruelty-free, even though the two are often confused.
Cruelty-free means that no animals were used in the production process. There are many companies in the beauty industry that test on animals. They use animal testing for various reasons, and some countries even require it before a company or business can sell a product. America is not one of these countries, and in recent years many companies moved to cruelty-free.
There are many ways to test if a product is safe to use without involving animals. They can test on human cells and tissue as well as using computer software.
So a brand can label itself as vegan but can also still test on animals. If these things are important to you, look for both claims to ensure there are no animal materials in the product and that no animals are used in the production process.
At HIDE, our products are ethically made from start to finish. We don't test on animals or use any animal products in our makeup. We offer high-quality cosmetics that you can feel good about using and will make you look good too!
Does Vegan Makeup Work?
There is a common misconception that vegan makeup doesn't work as well as traditional makeup that uses animal products. However, this is not the case. There are many high-quality vegan makeup brands.
You can get the same results, if not better, using vegan makeup. HIDE Foundation and concealer is long-lasting and will leave you with flawless-looking skin. The HIDE formula makes our products sweat-resistant, but they won't clog your pores since they are oil-free.
Vegan makeup also comes in a variety of shades, despite what some may think. A product being vegan doesn't mean there are fewer pigment options. HIDE offers a variety of shades for different skin tones. We even have a shade finder to help you find your perfect match!
Vegan products can often be more gentle on sensitive skin and usually don't contain gluten. For those with celiac disease and other skin diseases, gluten-free makeup can be appealing.
Vegan makeup is a great alternative to traditional makeup if you want to stay away from animal products. They offer the same level of coverage, staying power, and come in many colors. Vegan cosmetics are also a comparable price to high-quality non-vegan makeup.
What Are Common Non-Vegan Ingredients?
There are many other non-vegan ingredients besides animal glycerin you need to look out for when searching for vegan makeup.
Here is a list of a few different ingredients to avoid if you want a vegan product.
Oleic acid: This is a similar ingredient to glycerin since it also comes from animal fat. Oleic acid can condition and moisturize hair and skin. There are a number of plants vegan makeup brands can get oleic acid from, like olives and nuts.
Collagen: Collagen is a naturally occurring protein in our skin that gives it plumpness. However, in cosmetics and skincare, collagen usually comes from cows. They use animal tissue, bone, and skin.
Elastin: Elastin is another key protein in the building blocks of your skin. In cosmetics, they get this elastin from animal muscles and ligaments. Vegan products replace elastin with ingredients like hyaluronic acid.
Guanine: This ingredient comes from fish scales and can be found in different makeup, like bronzer, blush, and eyeshadow.
Stearic Acid: This acid can come from pig, cow, or sheep stomachs. It is used in a variety of beauty products. Similar to other ingredients, it can also be derived from plant fats.
Carmine: This ingredient is also called natural red 4 and is derived from insects. You can find the colorant in lipstick, blushes, and nail polish.
Squalene: Squalene is taken from shark liver oil and is used as a moisturizer, and can be found in a variety of different products like deodorant. The ingredient has anti-aging properties, but vegan products can get this from olives and wheat germ. Similar to glycerin, you may have to do research to find out if the squalene listed is plant-based or not.
In Summary
Glycerin can be vegan friendly if it is made from plants and not animal fat. Many different cosmetic ingredients can either come from animals or plants. Since not all companies specify if their products are vegan or not, you may need to do a little research.
High-quality vegan makeup is long-lasting and works just as well, if not better, than traditional makeup. HIDE premium products are vegan and cruelty-free. Our foundation and concealer can help you achieve the perfect natural look that will stay put all day!
Sources:
Previous 14 Non-Vegan Ingredients To Look Out For In Make-Up And Beauty Products | Plant Based News
Safety Assessment of Glycerin as Used in Cosmetics | Safety Assessment Of Glycerin
Moisturizers: The Slippery Road | NCBI
What Is Vegetable Glycerin? Uses, Benefits and Side Effects | Healthline