What Does “Vegan” Really Mean in Skincare?

If you’ve spent time shopping for natural skincare, chances are you’ve come across the word “vegan” quite a bit. It’s become a buzzword—plastered on labels, product listings, and social media captions. But what does “vegan” really mean when it comes to skincare products like cold process soap, body butters, and sugar scrubs? And how can you tell if a brand is truly vegan?

What Vegan Really Means in Skincare

At its core, vegan means no animal-derived ingredients—not now, not ever. That includes the obvious ones like tallow (animal fat), lanolin (from sheep’s wool), and goat’s milk. But it also includes lesser-known ingredients like beeswax, honey, silk, carmine (a red dye made from crushed beetles), and gelatin.

In cold process soap, some companies still use tallow or goat’s milk, even while labeling their soap “vegan.” In lip balms or body butters, beeswax is often used as a thickener or stabilizer, despite it being an animal byproduct. And yet, some of these same products are labeled "vegan."

That’s misleading—and unfair to customers who are intentionally seeking plant-based alternatives for ethical, environmental, or health reasons.

A Vegan Approach to Skincare

Every product I make is 100% vegan. That means:

• No beeswax in my lip balms or butters—I use plant-based alternatives like candelilla wax.
• No tallow, milk, or silk in my soaps—I use oils and butters derived entirely from plants (think coconut oil, shea butter, mango butter, olive oil, avocado oil, etc.). Instead of goat’s milk, I use coconut milk.
• No honey or animal-based exfoliants in my sugar scrubs—just pure cane sugar and nourishing plant oils.

Why This Matters for Small Business Owners

Being a truly vegan brand helps set me apart. As a small business, I can stay nimble and true to my values without the pressure to cut corners for mass production. Here’s how veganism benefits small skincare brands like mine:

• Transparency builds trust. When you’re clear about your ingredients, customers feel confident buying from you.
• It appeals to conscious consumers.Vegan shoppers are loyal. They actively seek out ethical businesses that align with their lifestyle.
• It supports sustainability. Using plant-based ingredients reduces the environmental impact compared to animal agriculture.

What Vegan Means to the Customer

When you choose a truly vegan product, you’re getting more than a skincare item. You’re choosing:

• Compassion – No animals were harmed or exploited to make your soap or scrub.
• Purity – You’re avoiding animal fats, waxes, or milks that can trigger sensitivities or irritations.
• Eco-consciousness – Plant-based ingredients tend to have a lighter footprint on the planet.
• Support for small, ethical businesses – Your purchase helps people who are committed to doing things the right way, not the easy way.

Vegan is more than a trendy label—it’s a promise. As a small-batch maker of skincare products, I take that promise seriously. Every ingredient I choose comes from the earth, not from animals, and every product I make is designed with care, integrity, and compassion.

So next time you see the word "vegan" on a label, take a moment to check the ingredients. True vegan skincare doesn’t cut corners—and neither do I.