1. vegan cosmetics - the ethical aspect
2. recognize vegan cosmetics
3. vegan cosmetics - generally better?
4. living vegan - the future is plant-based
1. vegan cosmetics - the ethical aspect
I still remember the day I was "veganized". It was a mild summer evening in Berlin and I was sitting outside a bar with a friend. I was 15 and had been vegetarian since childhood. My friend explained to me the connections between the dairy industry, eggs and animal suffering and the impact my consumer behavior had on the environment, animals and ultimately on all people. A thousand thoughts were buzzing through my head. That cows only give milk when they have calves, that cosmetic products can contain slaughterhouse waste and that the rainforest is being cleared to grow fodder crops for livestock in huge monocultures.
It had clicked. Everything is connected and is a huge cycle - and we are part of the system. Dairy and meat companies play a driving role as a climate factor worldwide.
According to the Federal Environment Agency, around 62 percent of total methane emissions in Germany are caused by livestock farming.
79 percent of nitrous oxide emissions in Germany are a result of nitrogen fertilization of agricultural soils.
2. recognize vegan cosmetics
An African proverb says: "Many small people doing many small things in many small places can change the face of the world." Everyone can contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and animal suffering through their daily habits.
Another good reason for vegan cosmetics are some of the ingredients in conventional cosmetic products that hardly anyone would consciously want to put on their skin. "Hydrolyzed collagen, for example, is made from slaughterhouse waste. Don't fancy it? Go vegan in the bathroom!
Vegan cosmetics can be labeled with seals such as the "vegan flower" or the word "vegan". Because all of our products are vegan, you can store through our entire range if you only want to use purely plant-based products on your skin.
What my 15-year-old self would have given for that! I still remember how I had to go shopping with a vegan cookbook from an esoteric store under my arm because it contained an extensive list of non-vegan ingredients. Fortunately, those days are over.
3. vegan cosmetics - generally better?
In contrast to the past, supermarkets and drugstores are now like a land of milk and honey for vegans. The veggie market is booming and I love it! But precisely because veganism has become a trend, it's worth taking a closer look to avoid falling into the "greenwashing" trap. Unfortunately, vegan cosmetics are not per se environmentally friendly, cruelty-free or particularly gentle on the skin. Because:chemical ingredients parabens or silicones are vegan, but do you want them on your skin?
Raw materials that cause considerable damage to the environment, such as mineral oil, are also vegan. But are they also contemporary?
Animal testing for cosmetic products has been banned in the EU since 2013. Just because it says "not tested on animals" on the product does not mean that no animal testing has been carried out on individual chemical ingredients.
That's why it's worth taking a closer look at vegan cosmetics and manufacturers. There are already gentle and environmentally friendly alternatives for many conventional ingredients, such as sugar surfactants, which we use for our shampoo and the hand soap use.
4. living vegan - the future is plant-based
When I look at the developments of the last few years, I have great hope that we will rock history after all. Although I am less dogmatic and strict today than I was as a teenager with ambitions to save the world, the topic of veganism is probably more relevant than ever in view of climate change.
The more people who opt for vegan products from sustainable production, the brighter our future looks in terms of global warming. Numerous studies have shown that a vegan lifestyle has a significantly lower impact on the climate.
It's not about one person saving the world. It's about the many small steps we take together so that our beautiful planet can recover and continue to provide a safe home for us, future generations and biodiversity.
If we can also enjoy immediately noticeable effects, namely because we only use gentle and truly natural vegan cosmetics on our skin, all the better!
https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/daten/land-forstwirtschaft/beitrag-der-landwirtschaft-zu-den-treibhausgas#treibhausgas-emissionen-aus-der-landwirtschaft
https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02409-7
https://www.iatp.org/emissions-impossible