Cruelty-free beauty brands can be encouraged and powered by our purchasing habits, particularly when it comes to our top shelf products. To make sure a beauty brand is cruelty-free and vegan, besides being able to meet the requirements of our skin, can help change the story. Simply means choosing beauty products that were not tested on animals in any way, that is, cruelty-free and have zero animal-derived ingredients, that is, vegan. It also includes not supporting companies that force substances into animal stomachs, or apply products and formulations on them every time a new cosmetics are formulated. Nonetheless, such tests for cosmetics are today prohibited in many countries in approval of modern methods.
Among Asia, India happens to be the first country to have prohibited the testing of cosmetics and their ingredients on animals. Though banning the invention of these cosmetic products doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Thus it is left up to the consumers to cut the supply by investing where the planet and its living beings’ safety lies.
Several decades ago, for the cosmetics industry to sustain and rise, it required the consumers’ trust and belief that the cosmetic products they consume and apply would not cause any side effects. This led to chemists testing the cosmetic products on various animals in their labs, to determine the toxicity, irritancy and allergic reactions of their blends.
Though this isn’t to say that things haven’t changed. Currently, with the increasing spotlight, the consumers’ conscious steps towards self-education and the brands’ efforts to find effective options to age-old methods, a new resonance has been set for what safe beauty really means. The world’s most forward-thinking scientists are working to develop and use animal-free methods that are relevant to human health for studying diseases and testing products.
What Is The Difference Between Vegan And Cruelty-free?
Cruelty-free indicates that the cosmetic product was developed without any tests run on animals while being vegan indicates that the product does not include any animal-derived ingredients. The cosmetic product could be vegan, and still tested on animals, or, it could be free of any animal testing, and still contain animal-derived ingreadients, which may or may not have been ethically sourced.
Choosing the right cosmetics brand that is cruelty free and vegan, can be a little hard, as not all brands are genuine when saying, ‘Cruelty free’. Here are top 10 beauty brands from India, that are cruelty free with top notch quality and price:
1) Daughter Earth
Daughter Earth is not only a reef-safe and eco-friendly brand, but is also vegan. The wild-harvested ingredients that are responsibly sourced from different parts of India find their way into powerful blends bottled in white opaque and dark amber glass or aluminium packaging, following a no-plastic policy.
2) FAE Beauty
A millennial and Gen Z-focused brand that is all about speaking the truth out loud, being self-aware and taking control for the actions. It boasts two essentials—buildable matte lipsticks and a multipurpose brow and lash gel that are both cruelty-free and vegan.
3) Earth Rhythm
Earth Rhythm’s work towards making sustainability a practice in every step of the way for those trying to make better choices. They have biodegradable ingredients and recyclable packaging and are certified as organic and non-toxic. In addition to that, they also claim that their product life-cycle is plastic-free. When it comes to testing, while clinically tested and verified by research, no animals are involved at any stage of their beauty products development.
4) Disguise Cosmetics
This is one among the homegrown indie beauty brands that is all about celebrating one’s truest self, while having fun with makeup. It also lets one go guilt-free, with beauty products that are not tested on animals, come without any animal-derived ingredients, and the empties can be returned for store credit.
5) The Mom’s Co
If it claims to be safe for the mum, the baby, the planet and all the animals that live on it, one can trust it won’t harm your skin, hair or body. The cosmetic products are safely tested in the labs, so they are efficient and safe.
6) Plum
Along with a wide range of clean products for your skin, hair and body, and makeup, Plum is a one stop brand that is toxic-free, cruelty-free beauty. They also take back empty bottle containers.
7) Neemli Naturals
Made with natural derivatives for potent ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, Neemli reassures all your skincare needs are met through plants, not animals, and packed in reusable and recyclable packaging.
8) Asa beauty
A brand that has refillable and recyclable packaging, multipurpose beauty products, and shades merging to suit the Indian skin tone, asa’s mindful makeup is sold in a minimalistic packaging. All the cosmetic products are refillable and reusable, which helps put the focus on reducing plastic waste.
9) Conscious Chemist
A powerful list of ingredients that educates one on what goes inside the serum, zero-plastic packaging, and devoid of no-nasties. Chemists bring the power and force of plants into your skincare routine.
10) Kiro
Besides the cool packaging and flavourful shades, Kiro beauty products are known for their paraben-free, cruelty-free and toxin-free makeup that comes with loads of skin-loving benefits.
Cruelty free beauty brands mentioned in the list are certified vegan as well. These brands have taken the initiative of creating what is not only good for the human skin, but also for mother nature. It is also our responsibility to choose beauty and cosmetic products that keep the planet breathing and alive. It is also equally important to encourage organic and natural beauty products in the market and change our lifestyles to a sustainable one.
