FAQs: Are Your Products Vegan?

We’re big believers in the Maya Angelou quote, “the more you know, the better you do.” Because of this we have made it one of our company missions to not only be as transparent as possible with our ingredients and product information, but to also share our knowledge of the industry with you. In the addition to the information we post here on our blog and on Facebook, we get to answer some very insightful questions sent to us via email. So in the spirit of knowing more, over the next few weeks we are highlighting some of our FAQs and their answers, so you can get better acquainted with our products, as well as what to look for when shopping for others.

First up: Are your products vegan and cruelty-free?

With the exception of sustainably harvested beeswax, all of the Sally B’s products are vegan. We have also received theLeaping Bunnycertification from the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics for being cruelty-free, a practice we have insisted upon since day one.  We do not source animal derived ingredients nor do we tolerate testing on animals.

In the emails we’ve received about this, a couple of ingredients in particular are called into question, including Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, and Lecithin. And for good reason. All of these ingredients, commonly used in personal care products, can be derived from animals in someway. Glycerin can be sourced from cow and pig fat, Hyaluronic Acid from umbilical cords, liquid around joints, and rooster comb, Allantoin from the uric acid of cows, and Lecithin from nervous tissue, eggs, or blood.  Luckily, there are cruelty-free alternatives of each. Our Lecithin, Glycerin, and Allatoin (it comes from the comfrey plant seen here) are plant-based, organically sourced, and GMO-free, and our Hyaluronic Acid is created in a lab using biotechnical methods.

While there are some ingredients that have comparable plant-based alternatives, there are some ingredients that do not. A few of the most common we’ve seen making an appearance on ingredient lists are:

• Lanolin – this ingredient is produced by the oil glands of sheep and is extracted from their wool and is used in many skin care and cosmetics products as an emollient. However there are plant-based emollients available, like cocoa butter or camellia oil. 
• Emu Oil – The extraction of this oil requires killing the bird. Three very effective plant-based alternatives: jojoba oil, camellia oil, and olive oil. 
• Carmine – Red cosmetics are everywhere, but what most of its wearers don’t realize is that the red pigment is made from the crushed female cochineal bug. In fact, it takes 70,000 beetles to make one pound of dye. As you can imagine, we prefer using natural mica to add color to our products.

Other ways to ensure your makeup bag is cruelty-free:

• Search product labels for a cruelty-free statement or Leaping Bunny Logo seen here (you’ll see it on our labels soon!)
• ReferencePETA’s extensive list of animal-based ingredients to avoid, and seek out plant-based alternatives.
• Don’t forget about your brushes. A lot of brushes are made from animal hair, including beaver, mink, badger, goat, or horse. We suggest searching out synthetic brushes made from Taclon, which has a very luxurious feel and applies makeup nicely.
• Ask questions! Ingredient labels often times don’t tell you how an ingredient is sourced, so ask!

We hope that you will continue to question the products you buy, because in the unregulated world of personal care products the ingredient label may only tell half the story. And we promise to do our part, too. We keep a sharp eye on all our ingredient sources and you better believe we'll question any changes to a procedure or product to ensure the cruelty-free integrity of every Sally B's ingredient.