BEAUTY
Vegan products
A completely vegan product is not tested on animals and does not contain any substances of animal origin. Today, there are several ingredients that were previously of animal origin that are now either synthetic or plant-based. In makeup and skincare, unwanted ingredients are typically honey, beeswax, or lanolin. Makeup brushes are often made from animal hair, so for a person following a vegan lifestyle, synthetic brushes are important.
Cruelty-free products
Cruelty-free products are not tested on animals. The products may contain ingredients of animal origin such as honey, beeswax, lanolin and the like. The product is still made with animal welfare in mind, and the ingredients of animal origin are ethically sourced. This means that no animals were killed or harmed just to obtain the ingredients. In the EU, it is prohibited to test cosmetic ingredients on animals, but there are countries where the authorities allow or require products to be tested on animals. Although today there are few beauty brands that openly say that they test on animals, it happens that they send their products to countries that allow animal testing. This is a process that is being phased out and several brands that sell to these countries are helping to support the phase-out and/or find better, animal-friendly alternatives.
Cruelty-free brands at Tax Free
If you want to be sure that a brand is animal-friendly, several animal welfare organizations have credible lists to follow. Here are some examples:
PETA:
The Norwegian Animal Protection Alliance:
Other animal-friendly brands:
All information is taken from the brands' websites and/ or in correspondence with the brands.