what animal products are in makeup

9 Common Animal-based Ingredients Used in the Beauty Industry

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Full Answer

Does Revlon makeup contain animal products?

Revlon is not a cruelty free brand because it allows its product to be tested on animals when requested by law. Likewise, Revlon is not 100% vegan because some of its products contain animal-derived materials such as carmine, lanoline, and beeswax. Revlon is neither certified as vegan nor cruelty free.

What brands of makeup are cruelty free?

Your A-to-Z guide to cruelty free, vegan makeup and skincare brands

• The A Method. Dermatologist approved and PETA has no complaints either. ...
• bareMinerals. When it comes to clean beauty, bareMinerals is no newbie. ...
• Cover FX. Cover FX has amazing coverage and is amazing for the animals, too. ...
• Derma E. ...
• e.l.f. ...
• Farmacy Beauty. ...
• Glossier. ...
• Illamasqua. ...
• Jolie Vegan Nail Polish. ...
• Kopari Beauty. ...

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Are animal cosmetic ingredients still used?

Animal Ingredients in Cosmetics. But enough of that. To answer your question, YES, it is true that there are still some animal ingredients used in cosmetics. Their use is not nearly as prevalent as fringe cosmetic companies like Arbonne would suggest, but they are still in there.

Is makeup tested on animals?

While the current Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act regulated by the FDA prohibits the sale of mislabeled and "adulterated" cosmetics, it does not require that animal tests be conducted to demonstrate that the cosmetics are safe.

What animal is used for makeup?

What cosmetics tests are performed on animals? Although they are not required by law, several invasive tests are performed on rabbits, mice, guinea pigs and rats.

What animal product is used in lipstick?

Carmine (AKA Cochineal) Cochineal (or carmine as it's commonly known) is a red dye that is actually the result of crushed insects. In cosmetics, cochineal is used to dye lipstick, blush, eyeshadow and any other cosmetic product in need of a deep, scarlet red.

Does lipstick have animal products in it?

That said, you can't just pick up a lipstick at random and expect it to be free of animal products. That's primarily because lipstick may be composed of tallow derivatives sourced from slaughterhouses. Lanolin, a byproduct of the wool industry, is another common lipstick ingredient.

What animals are used for beauty products?

Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats and mice are all sadly used in this way. While dogs and monkeys are never used to test cosmetics anywhere in the world, they are used to test other types of chemicals.

What animal is mascara made of?

Mascara is one of many cosmetic products that contain a colorant called guanine. This crystalline material is found in bat poop, but the stuff used in mascara is actually derived from fish scales.

What animal products are in toothpaste?

Not all toothpastes are vegan, and many traditional brands on the market contain animal ingredients. These include animal-based glycerin, calcium phosphate that has been extracted from bone char, and bee-derived products like propolis, which is a common ingredient found in natural toothpastes on the market.

Does Maybelline use pig fat?

Lipstick has historically used a lot of different ingredients, but if it ever contained pig fat, it doesn't anymore. The only animal products that apparently go into modern lipstick are beeswax, lanolin, and sometimes tallow.

Does MAC makeup have animal products?

Unfortunately, the popular MAC eye kohl is made with beeswax, although some colors are carmine-free. However, many colors of their eye makeup and several other products do not contain carmine or other animal byproducts, including: Brow pencils, some colors. Brow finisher, some colors.

What animal products are in eyeshadow?

Tallow. Very common in eyeshadows, foundation, and lipstick, Tallow is fatty tissue from cows or sheep. It is used as a skin conditioner and stabilizer. Also known as + derivatives: Sodium Tallowate, Tallow Imidazoline, Tallow Acid, Tallow Amide, Tallow Amine, Talloweth-6, Tallow Glycerides.

What are 10 animal by products?

List of Animal By-productsFat.Skin or Flesh.Blood.Milk.Whey.Eggs.Gelatin.Animal organs such as the pancreas, bones, blood, pituitary gland, and liver are used for extracting many pharmaceutical substances.

Does mascara use animal products?

Mascara is typically not vegan because it contains ingredients from animals. Let's take a look at some common ingredients from animals that are found in makeup like mascara. Beeswax - Beeswax or honeycomb is made by bees, which makes it a non-vegan item. It's used to keep mascara smooth.

Which brands use animals?

Big Corporations Who Test On Animals. Most of these brands are owned by a few giant corporations: L'Oreal, Estee Lauder, Procter & Gamble, Clorox, Johnson & Johnson, S.C. Johnson, Colgate-Palmolive, Reckitt Benckiser, Church & Dwight, Unilever, and Henkel.

Does lipstick have meat in it?

Tallow is made from rendered beef fat (yum?), according to the EWG and can be found in candles and soaps as well as lipsticks.

Is lipstick made of cow?

Beef fat, or edible beef tallow, is used in small amounts in the production of some margarine and shortening products. Lipstick, soap and cosmetics include inedible tallow. This refined fat is also used to make many industrial oils and lubricants. Pharmaceuticals and medial supplies.

Does lipstick come from cows?

The next time you apply makeup, you might ask, "Where's the beef?" That's because some cosmetic ingredients come from cows. For instance, lipsticks and lotions may contain tallow--beef fat--and bovine (cow) collagen is in some anti-wrinkle creams and facial masks.

1. Cochineal Dye

Also listed as Carmine, this odd sounding substance is far from synthetic. It’s actually a dye collected from crushed Dactylopius Coccus … or cochineal beetles to be precise. The insects feed on cactus plants in Central and South America and the females eat the red cactus berries; when they’re crushed an intense red dye is produced.

2. Guanine

This one is often confused with bat guano, or bat poop. In fact, it’s a crystalline material that’s shimmering or light-diffusing and found in crushed fish scales. It’s in most mascaras, nail polishes and lipsticks. Bat poop or fish scales, does it really matter which it is now?

3. Tallow

Tallow is a common ingredient in many cosmetics including eye makeup, lipstick, makeup bases and foundations. To the everyday consumer, it’s more common name would be rendered animal fat. The process involves boiling the carcasses of slaughtered animals until a fatty substance is produced, ready to add to cosmetics and apply to one’s face.

4. Gelatin

Similar to tallow, gelatin is the boiled skin, tendons, ligaments and bones of animals. It’s aliases include gel, hide glue, gelatine, isinglass, kosher and halal gelatin. It can be spotted hiding in creamy cosmetics and nail treatments.

5. Lanolin

Imagine not showering for days. You know that greasy build-up in your hair? Now imagine never, ever showering and living in a steam room. Pretty gross thought, isn’t it? Well, imagine putting that greasy build-up on your face. Lanolin is the excretion from wool-bearing mammals and is found in most lipsticks and makeup removers.

6. Squalene

Sounds gross, doesn’t it? Well, if it doesn’t make you squeal yet, keep reading. This substance is extracted from the livers of sharks and then added to your eye makeup and lipsticks.

7. Ambergris

It may seem unbelievable, but this ingredient is derived from the waxy oil that lines whale’s stomachs. Surprisingly enough, this oil substance is used to make the scent “set” in perfumes.

The bottom line

That’s our rundown of some of the most common animal by-products in cosmetics – but really, we could go on and on! If this is an issue that you are concerned about, look for the vegan label on products, and remember that expressions such as ‘natural ingredients’ and ‘cruelty-free’ do not mean animal-free.

About The Author

I'm an introvert, curious, fun-loving girl whose passion lies in writing. I like hearing people's life stories. I'm a mindset coach and I love writing about beauty, lifestyle & tit-bits of fashion.

What is silk amino acid?

Silk Amino Acids – Water-soluble glycoprotein extracted from raw silk. It is used as an additive in skin and hair care products due to its high levels of serine which has excellent moisture preservation characteristics. Humectant, hair, and skin conditioner in cosmetics.

What is keratin used for?

Keratin is used in cosmetics as a hair and skin conditioner. Hydrolyzed Keratin – Chemically altered keratin. Used as an antistatic, film-forming agent, humectant, skin and hair conditioner in cosmetics. Collagen – A fibrous protein in the connective tissue of vertebrates.

What is beeswax used for?

Obtained by humans by being cut out of the beehives. Beeswax is used in cosmetics as an emollient, emulsifier and film forming agent.

What is bee pollen used for?

Gathered by bees and used for feeding their larvae. Obtained by humans using pollen traps (meshed wire devices in the beehive entrance that strip the pollen off the legs of the bees returning home; legs and wings can be torn off in the process). Bee Pollen is used in cosmetics as a skin conditioner.

What is elastin in cattle?

Elastin – An elastic fibrous protein, naturally present in the connective tissue of animals. Obtained from elastic “slaughterhouse waste” rich in connective tissue, such as the neck ligaments and the aortae (largest arteries) of cattle. Smoothing agent and skin conditioner in cosmetics.

How many insects are needed for 1kg of dye?

More than 150,000 insects may be required for 1kg of the dye. Used as a colorant in cosmetics and foods. (Also labeled as carminic acid, cochineal, crimson lake, E 120) Shellac (E 904, Gum Lac) – Dark brown resin from the excretions of lac scale insects, collected from the branches the insects live on.

Where is collagen found?

Collagen – A fibrous protein in the connective tissue of vertebrates. Various forms are present in bone, teeth, cartilage, ligaments, sinews and skin. Is obtained from “slaughterhouse waste,” such as cartilage, sinews and skins of cattle and fish. Collagen is used as an active agent against wrinkles and a humectant in cosmetics.

Where does beeswax come from?

Beeswax, as the name tells us, comes from bees and is used as an emulsifier – it basically helps with mixing water and oils. You can find beeswax in creams and other skin care products, hair wax and makeup like lipstick and mascara. Sometimes you’ll see ‘synthetic beeswax’ – this is not really beeswax but a synthetic alternative. In ingredient lists, beeswax is also commonly referred to as Cera Alba or Cera Flava. Read more about beeswax in our blog!

What is honey used for?

Honey is occasionally used in facial masks and skin and hair care products . It is also sometimes added as a perfume or fragrance to scented cosmetics. Honey is also referred to in ingredient lists as Mel. Read more about the not-so-sweet truth on honey in our blog!

What is shellac used for?

Shellac is the resinous secretion of an insect and is used to shine hair, nails or lips. It is a common ingredient in nail polish, shampoos, hairspray, mascara and lipsticks. Around 300,000 insects are killed for the production of 1 kg of shellac and raw, unfiltered shellac may contain up to 25% of insect debris. For more information about shellac, be sure to check out our blog.

What is guanine used for?

Guanine is a beautiful pearly substance that is often used in nail polish, all kinds of make-up and to add that shimmer to your shampoo. Unfortunately, it is made from ground fish scales. Guanine is also referred to as Pearl Essence, Pearl Extract or Pearl Powder.

What is collagen in skin care?

Collagen is the stuff that gives elasticity to your skin. It’s extracted from animal skin. Skin aging is often contributed to loss of collagen – this is why it can be found in many creams and anti-aging products. It’s generally not seen as an effective ingredient – many scientists believe that it doesn’t penetrate the skin enough to really make any difference at all.

Is elastin the same as collagen?

However, scientists agree that it’s not effective for the same reason as collagen: it does not penetrate the skin enough. Elastin is commonly extracted from the aorta or vertebrae of cattle.

Is lanolin a fatty substance?

Lanolin is a fatty substance derived from sheep's wool. It is widely used in creams and lip products as a moisturiser. You will also occasionally find it in hair care products. Synthetic lanolin exists, but is hardly used, and lanolin labeled "cruelty free" may still come from animal wool. Lanolin is a common allergen, and most people who are allergic to wool are actually allergic to lanolin.

What is animal based makeup?

Another animal-based ingredient you may have seen in your makeup or other products is albumen. Albumen is a thickening agent that gives cosmetics the appropriate consistency for being applied to the skin or hair. This ingredient is usually derived from egg whites, so if you are vegetarian and are not opposed to the egg harvesting industry, you may choose to continue purchasing products that contain albumen. However, consider that the egg whites used to make albumen are almost certainly not free range!

What is lanolin used for?

Lanolin is one of the animal byproducts most commonly used in cosmetics. Lanolin is an oil that comes from the wool of sheep and is used as a softening agent in products like lotion, lip balm, and hair products. Additionally, some medical ointments intended to help heal minor cuts and reduce the appearance of scars contain lanolin as the active ingredient. If you are serious about not using animal byproducts, avoid makeup that contains lanolin.

Is hyaluronic acid synthetic?

Like many cosmetic ingredients, hyaluronic acid can come from animal sources but can also be produced synthetically without harm to animals. Hyaluronic acid is a protein used as an anti-aging ingredient in facial moisturizers, anti-aging creams, and other cosmetics. If you are uncertain whether your favorite products are made with animal-based hyaluronic acid or synthetic hyaluronic acid, look for a phone number or e-mail address on the package and contact the manufacturer to find out.

Can vegans use animal products?

Serious vegans and vegetarians may want to avoid using makeup or other cosmetic products that contain animal-derived ingredients. Unfortunately, many animal ingredients have names that don't sound animal-derived. This article discusses a few of the most common.