World Vegan Day: Swapping Beauty Lifestyle Choices With Cruelty-free Products There is a lot more to Veganism than just food, it's also about the simple cruel-free choices you make to live a life

Veganism is a lifestyle that has been gaining popularity among the people and spreading across like a fire. Coined back in 1944, the term holds quite some relevance today. From experts to Bollywood actors' veganism has become a way of life. There is a lot more to Veganism than just food, it's also about the simple cruel-free choices you make to live a life.

While many are changing food, it is also time to swap our beauty choice and opt for products that don't harm other beings around her. The way our life is important, similarly, the life of animals is important too. Talking about beauty choices, turning vegan makes you give a lot of your favourite cosmetic.

Vegan, natural, organic, herbal, ayurvedic, cruelty-free, the list of labels on personal care products keeps growing longer. But it's important to understand what these labels mean, and in particular, how vegan skincare can indeed be a better choice on most counts.

In order to get answers to how, what, whereof the Vegan cosmetic, Entrepreneur India got in a conversation with Shankar Prasad, Founder, Pureplay Skin Sciences, creator of vegan beauty brands Plum (for women) and Phy (for men).

Talking about the growing popularity and trend of vegan beauty he said, "You don't have to be a Vegan to choose skin-nourishing antioxidants and nutrients from plants. Plant-based ingredients are better for your skin and gentle on the planet, naturally finding favor with today's engaged and cause-driven consumer."

How is Vegan Skin Care Better?

It is simply that a plant-based diet is naturally good for the human body considering it is packed with vitamins and anti-oxidants. The same holds true when these ingredients are applied topically.

"For generations, turmeric, Aloe Vera, mint, lavender and many items from the kitchen garden have made their way into our skin and hair care routines and proven their efficacy. Considering these are natural, they have fewer ingredients reducing the chances of reactions," briefs Prasad.

Is Vegan Allergy Free?

Well, like any beauty products, vegan products can have adverse effects as well. Explaining about the same, Prasad says, "Allergies can still occur to vegan products. Simpler concoctions, absence of synthetic chemicals and natural being gentler certainly reduces the instances of skin reactions, but that doesn't mean that irritation and contact allergies are unheard of with vegan products. Sensitive skin can have a contact allergy to certain ingredients which is why a patch test is always recommended."

Vegan Benefits

Let's start by saying vegan products hold the undeniable appeal of not sourcing their ingredients from animals and being cruelty-free. We also see an increase in choices and favor with environmentally aware consumers who are looking to create a more sustainable and gentler impact on the planet through their purchasing decisions.

Research from the University of Oxford indicates that cutting meat and dairy from diet reduces an individual's carbon footprint by up to 73 percent. So it's simply swapping daily lifestyle choices with cruelty-free products without animal ingredients can have an even more profound impact on the planet.

"Vegan skincare is better for everyone—for the planet, for the animals for the obvious reason of escaping cruel product testing and certainly for your body which is not assaulted with questionable chemicals concealed under false claims of bringing you to benefit," he explained.

Understanding Vegan, Natural & Organic?

Firstly understand the difference between vegan, organic and natural. Vegan is loosely being used interchangeably with organic and natural. Organic products are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

While natural products are those which are free from synthetic components. A perfectly nature-based product will cease to be natural if it has colorants or synthetic preservatives added to it. Not all vegan products are natural, and not all-natural products are vegan. So always read the ingredient list.

How to distinguish what's Vegan? Prasad said, "When buying Vegan, it is also important to note that a "cruelty-free' claim is not the same as not having animal derivatives. An ethically sourced product can still have lanolin or beeswax (which is animal-derived). Apart from reading the ingredients list, a PETA certification is a definite way to know that your product is vegan."

Goodness of Vegan

Nature packs a powerful goodness punch. A healthy diet supplies your body with essential fats, vitamins, and antioxidants to combat the ill effects of declining age or environmental factors.

"According to annamariegianni.com, our skin absorbs over 60% of the products applied topically into the bloodstream. For example, vegan products foods rich in Vitamin C protect, nourish and heal the skin cells. It can be derived from vegetable sources like sea buckthorn, macadamia, olives, oranges, kiwi and red peppers. Similarly, aloe and chamomile protect and support skin regeneration of the skin cells, reduce inflammation and hyperpigmentation," he said.

Having said, it's a beautiful choice to switch to vegan skincare to truly & positively impact your skin health and that too, without leaving a huge footprint on our fragile planet.