Vegan, Vegetarian or Cruelty-Free Makeup? What Labels Mean

Vegetarian, vegan and cruelty-free are three different ideas on a cosmetics label, and they are easy to confuse. This guide uses PETA’s advice on animal-derived ingredients rather than ranking brands.

Animal-derived ingredients to know

PETA names beeswax, keratin and lanolin (from sheep’s wool) as animal-derived and not vegan. Carmine is a red pigment made from crushed cochineal insects and appears in many products, including lipsticks. Collagen can also be of animal origin, and PETA notes that some companies swap hydrolyzed animal protein for names like hydrolyzed collagen.

Why labels are hard to read

PETA points out that ingredient names are often technical or patented, and one name can refer to an animal, plant or synthetic source, so an ingredient list alone may not reveal where something comes from.

Vegan versus cruelty-free

• Vegan means a product contains no animal-derived ingredients.
• Cruelty-free relates to animal testing. A product can be cruelty-free and still contain beeswax, so it would not be vegan.
• Vegetarian is not a standard cosmetics term, so check the ingredients for honey, beeswax, lanolin and carmine.

How to shop

Look for a recognised vegan certification on the pack, and ask the brand directly when an ingredient is unclear. PETA points readers to its Beauty Without Bunnies directory.

For more beauty and style ideas, browse the shop, explore the brands page, or see The Gift Edit.