How to Go Vegan: Male Grooming
Whether you are thinking about going full-on vegan or you simply want to find ways to live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle, embracing vegan skincare and other vegan-friendly male grooming products is a step in the right direction.
The vegan movement is huge at the moment and is not showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. Both in terms of health and animal welfare, this type of lifestyle has so many benefits.
With famous faces such as Moby, Forest Whitaker and Joaquin Phoenix all being vegan and proud of it, if you do decide to go to the green side, you’ll be in good company.
Anyway, back to male grooming.
Keep reading to find out the basics of vegan skincare and grooming, including why you should adopt this lifestyle choice, plus, how to choose the best vegan male grooming products and how to embrace a more vegan-friendly lifestyle.
What is vegan beauty and grooming?
At its most simplest, vegan beauty and vegan grooming means the absence of any animal ingredients in a product. Whereas the cruelty-free label means that a product has not been tested on animals. In other words, it is possible for a product to be vegan but tested on animals, or cruelty-free but to contain animal ingredients.
Therefore, if you want your personal grooming products to have zero negative impact on animals, you need to choose products that are both vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.
In terms of the quality of vegan beauty and grooming products, there is no difference between these and the products that use animal-derived ingredients. In fact, with a 38% rise in sales in vegan beauty and grooming brands in the last year - clearly the proof is in the pudding and consumers can’t seem to get enough of vegan-friendly products.
Why choose vegan grooming products?
There are many different reasons why people choose to go vegan when it comes to their personal grooming routine. Some are passionate about animal welfare and only want to purchase cruelty-free and vegan friendly grooming products. Others want to reduce their impact on the environment.
Vegan grooming products can also be better for your skin and hair, with many of the most common ingredients in vegan grooming products being less likely to irritate the skin.
From choosing a vegan friendly shaving brush, to investing in vegan friendly shampoo, to embracing vegan friendly skincare, there is now such a wide range of vegan male grooming products available on the market, meaning you don’t have to compromise your personal grooming preferences in order to go vegan.
What are the most common ingredients in non-vegan grooming products?
If you want to check your current male grooming products to see if they are vegan-friendly, or if you want to know what ingredients to avoid, below are the top 15 animal-derived beauty ingredients:
- AHAs/Alpha hydroxy acids
- Beeswax
- Carotene
- Collagen
- Glycerine
- Hyaluronic acid
- Keratin
- Lactic acid
- Lanolin
- Oleic acid
- Silk
- Squalene
- Urea
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B12
You probably recognise quite a few of the above and may be thinking “what ingredients am I actually allowed to use?”, and it is true that if you want to go vegan when it comes to your skincare and personal grooming routine, you are most likely going to have to invest in some new vegan-friendly products - but it will be worth it!
How can I tell if a product is vegan?
If you don’t have the time or the inclination to read through a long list of ingredients every time you go shopping for male grooming products, there is a simpler solution. All vegan-friendly products should come with a certification stamp. These stamps tell you that a particular product has been vetted by leading organisations such as The Vegan Society. Their particular stamp is instantly recognisable by its sunflower logo which guarantees the product in question is made 100% free of animal-derived ingredients.
Other certifications to look out for include the ones awarded by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), although it is worth noting that this does not guarantee a product is vegan, simply that it maintains high ethical standards.
How can I choose the best vegan-friendly male grooming products?
You can find so many innovative and exciting vegan-friendly male-grooming products both in-store and online. From skincare to beard care, haircare to nailcare, if you want to add some green to your bathroom cabinet, you are spoilt for choice in today’s grooming market.
When choosing your male grooming products, the key is to look for exactly what you normally would in an item. If you want a moisturiser that is suitable for sensitive skin, then look for one. Just make sure it is vegan-friendly, too. Or if you are looking for beard oil to make your facial hair soft to touch, search for a product that provides the qualities and features that you need, whilst at the same time protecting animal welfare.
How else can I embrace a more vegan-friendly lifestyle?
If you have decided to embrace vegan-friendly grooming, what is to stop you from transitioning more areas of your life into this increasingly popular way of living?
Whether you decide to start eliminating animal products from your diet or you look to remove all aspects of your life that involve the exploitation of animals, even small changes can make a big difference and you may find yourself coming round to a full-on vegan lifestyle quicker than you might have thought.
Some vegan-friendly products you may consider switching to include:
- Leather-free wallets
- Silk-free ties
- Wool-free suits
- Vegan wine and beer
- Protein powders
- Dairy substitutes
- Vegan car interiors
Last words
Hopefully, the above article has started to convince you of the benefits of embracing vegan grooming products. From reducing your carbon footprint, to protecting the welfare of animals, to improving your skin, nails and hair.
If you would like to take a step in the right direction and start leading a more vegan-friendly lifestyle, don’t be afraid to start small. Maybe replace one grooming product with a vegan-friendly one and see how you get one.
If it’s good enough for Russell Brand …
