If have been practicing a natural/organic/clean lifestyle lately, you may have come across terminologies like ‘Vegan’, ‘Not Tested On Animals’ (or #NoAnimalTesting), and ‘Cruelty Free’ printed on product labels. Though each of these terms has a common ‘intention’ or meaning, in actuality, each of these terms has a different meaning. Continue reading to find out why:
Vegan
Vegan skin care is a practice that involves the use of products free from animal or animal-derived ingredients. It rejects the very idea of exploiting and using animals as a ‘commodity’ for benefitting humans.
For instance, a vegan product should essentially be free from animal-derived ingredients like milk and other dairies, honey, beeswax, animal-derived collagen, gelatine, retinol, estradiol or estrogen, eggs, rennet, etc.
Vegan skincare is great for reducing carbon footprint and harmful impact on animals with whom we share our beautiful ecosystem. Being natural and plant-sourced, vegan products are also gentler on the skin.
Note that the ‘vegetarians’ only avoid meat, while ‘vegans’ additionally discourage the use of other animal-sourced ingredients (honey, eggs, dairy etc.
Not Tested On Animals
A formula that has been labeled as ‘Not Tested On Animals’ simply means that the product has not been tested on any animal at any stage of manufacturing.
Traditionally, skincare samples or cosmetics were tested on animals for acute toxicity testing, eye and skin irritation testing, and developmental and carcinogenicity testing. This frequently caused the suffering and even death of these animals. Since the advent of modern testing techniques, animal testing has been limited or even completely banned in many countries, including the European Union, New Zealand, and Australia.
Cruelty-Free
Cruelty-free is an animal rights movement. Since products that are tested on animals can be cruel, painful, and sometimes even fatal, the cruelty-free movement aims to put an end to such practices. A cruelty-free product has the following essential components:
- Procurement of raw materials in a sustainable way and without harming any animals.
- No animal testing during the manufacturing stage.
- No animal testing of finished products at any stage.
- No commission to third parties for any tests.
- No animal testing/ third-party testing of individual ingredients.
All these terms have no legal definitions. Both ‘cruelty-free’ and ‘not tested on animals’ are used interchangeably, however, cruelty-free is generally considered a broader term.
It may not be necessary that all vegan products are not tested on animals or vice versa. Some vegan products may be tested on animals, but cruelty-free products are never tested at any stage.
@PuravedaOrganics practices and advocates the use of clean and sustainable skin, hair, and personal care. All our products are completely cruelty-free and neither the raw materials nor the component ingredients of our formulas are ever tested on animals at any stage. We are an animal friendly and eco-friendly brand. Using modern, natural, and computer-based algorithm techniques, we scientifically test and check the quality of products in-house and never rely on third parties for any kind of testing. This ensures that not only our products are completely cruelty-free, but are also efficient and harmless for your skin, hair, body, animals, or the environment.
To learn more about other practices of sustainable skincare and common toxins in beauty products, check here.
