8 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Vegan and Cruelty Free Products in 2022

Happy Earth Month! Did you know that in addition to celebrating Earth Day on April 22nd, the entire month of April is dedicated to our planet? Yep, it’s true, according to Inspire Clean Energy: 

“Once a year, over a billion people from around the world come together to honor and advocate for our planet’s health. But this day is about more than just preservation, it’s about education, community, and empowerment. For over 50 years, Earth Day — which falls on April 22 — has served as the catalyst for essential conversations about the health of our planet and the work that needs to be done to better preserve its natural environments and ecosystems.”

In honor of Earth Month and Earth Day, we wanted to share some of the reasons why you should make the switch to using vegan and cruelty-free beauty and skincare products. We could all stand to be a little kinder to the planet, and what better way to start then by using beauty products that are kind to the animals on this planet? Additionally, if you are trying to make the switch to a vegan or plant-based diet or lifestyle, you can start with the products in your beauty bag to make a change. 

In this post, we’ll discuss the benefits of using products that are vegan and cruelty–free. If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, you can check out our blog post on cruelty-free ingredients and products here.

 What does cruelty-free mean? Are cruelty-free and vegan the same thing? 

First, let’s get to the bottom of what cruelty-free actually means. According to PETA, the short definition of cruelty-free simply means the product and its ingredients were not tested on animals. 

It’s easy to get ‘vegan’ and ‘cruelty-free’ confused because a lot of times these two terms go hand in hand in a product’s marketing - but cruelty-free and vegan do not mean the same thing. If a product is vegan, that means it doesn’t contain any animal ingredients or byproducts like beeswax or lanolin. That said, it is entirely possible for a product to be cruelty-free and vegan, only cruelty-free, or only vegan. Make sense?

 How can I find out if a product is vegan, cruelty-free, or both? 

Don’t worry - if a product is cruelty-free or vegan, the brand will likely call it out on the product packaging or marketing. If not, you can usually find more information about the product or brand on its website or social media channels. If all else fails, use your best judgment by reading the ingredient list. 

Some popular ingredients brands use that are not cruelty-free are (but not limited to): beeswax, lanolin, shellac, keratin, carmine, guanine, and squalene. So, if you see any of these listed in the ingredients list, the product is not vegan or cruelty-free because the ingredients are animal-derived. 

Guess what? ALL of Callyssee’s products are vegan and cruelty-free, so you can shop our site with confidence that the products aren’t causing any harm to animals.

 Benefits of using vegan and cruelty-free products

There are definitely lots of reasons to switch to only using vegan and cruelty-free products this year, which we’ve listed below. We suggest slowly phasing out your current products that aren’t vegan or cruelty-free, because creating more waste by throwing them out is so not supporting Earth month! Over time, once you run out of your current products, you can replace them with vegan or cruelty-free alternatives, like all of our Callyssee products!

1. Cruelty-free products are generally cleaner than other beauty products. Many brands who are cruelty-free are also vegan and focus on including non-toxic, clean ingredients in their products that are safer for your overall health. 
2. You can avoid putting questionable or simply gross ingredients on your body. For example, shellac, found in some nail polishes, mascaras and hairsprays, is derived from the secretion of the female lac bug… uh, ew. Why would anyone want to put that on their body?!
3. Many great brands out there are already cruelty-free. Chances are, lots of your favorite beauty brands are cruelty-free and/or vegan so you won’t even need to make a swap. You won’t even miss the products that you swap out.
4. Vegan products are likely safer for your body. Plant-derived ingredients are generally kinder on the skin, and your body will have an easier time processing natural ingredients.
5. Cruelty-free and vegan products are just as effective as any other ingredients. There’s no evidence to support otherwise - so you can be sure that your skincare, beauty, body and hair care products will be just as, if not more effective than their non-vegan counterparts!
6. Animal testing and animal derived ingredients are cruel and unnecessary, especially for beauty and skincare products. There are plenty of plant-derived alternatives, so there’s really no reason for brands to continue using these ingredients in this day and age.
7. We can make a difference with our wallet. If we support cruelty-free brands and only purchase from cruelty-free brands, that can cause a huge shift in the market, essentially lowering the demand for animal-tested products. Plus, many smaller businesses are cruelty-free and vegan so you can shop small and support local and lesser-known brands!
8. You’ll probably sleep better at night knowing that you are using beauty products that weren’t created with ingredients and methods that harm other creatures. And if we could all be a little kinder to the creatures that inhibit the planet, we are being kinder to the Earth.