2019 was hailed by The Economist as “The year of the vegan” and there is no sign of this way of life slowing down in popularity. January 2020 is set to see the largest number of participants in Veganuary.
Being Vegan is not just about a dietary choice, Vegans also carefully monitor all aspects of their lives including the clothes they wear and the products they use. It is believed that Vegan products are better suited for sensitive skin and, most fundamentally, they avoid animal by-product such as beeswax and carmine (crushed beetles). It is also frequently the case that Vegan products come in more environmentally sustainable packaging.
This rise in the Vegan lifestyle has created a demand to which the Beauty industry is responding. Consumers are more and more looking for brands to make it easier for them to shop and live Vegan. The New York Times claims that the biggest benefit to come from the Vegan beauty movement is that it is pushing consumers to assess ingredients more closely, empowering them to control what they put on their skin as well as in their bodies.
Facts to know:
- It is estimated there are 600k committed Vegans in the UK (Vegan Society)
- Twice as many women as men are vegan (BBC)
- Search interest in Veganism is increasing exponentially, January 2020 has seen the biggest spike since 2014 (google Trends data)
- Interest in vegetarian and vegan products shows no sign of slowing down, as retail sales are expected to increase to £658m by 2021 (BBC)
Our advice for Beauty Brands?
Remain authentic and true to your values but do not ignore this trend. It can be costly and time consuming to overhaul an entire range so, if that is not practical, look at ways to improve your formulation guidelines and seek alternative ingredients to animal by-products for new product development. Highlight to your consumers clearly any products that are Vegan friendly and make it easy to shop with a curated edit on your site or participate in a retailer’s event. Check out our patron Boots’ Vegan shop: https://www.boots.com/beauty-edits/vegan-beauty-edit
Our Top 6 Vegan Beauty Products we are loving this Veganuary…
1. We Love: Votary Super Seed Cleansing Oil
Not yet into the double cleanse? This product will definitely help you on your way to achieve cleansing perfection. A British born brand, Votary creates luxury skincare that is 100% Natural, Vegan and Cruelty Free. This cleansing oil pulls out all the stops. Packed with hydrating ingredients such as chia seed oil and broccoli seed oil it nourishes and melts away impurities leaving skin feeling smooth, soft and clean. Great for sensitive, dehydrated skin. We love that all Votary products are made in the UK in small batches from the highest quality ingredients.
Price: £55.00
Available at: https://www.votary.co.uk/product/cleansing-oil-super-seed/
2. We Love: Botanics Peaceful Night Pillow Mist
You may be surprised to learn that most of Botanics’ products are 100% Vegan, proof a Vegan lifestyle does not need to be expensive. We cannot go to sleep without a spray of this on our pillow! Made with a soothing blend of Lavender and Sweet Marjoram oils, it helps to relax and calm the mind. Make this a staple on your bedside table in January. It even comes in a bottle made from 100% recycled materials.
Price: £6.00
Available at: Boots
3. We Love: NEW Sally Hansen good. kind. pure. nail polish range
We were lucky enough to be invited by our patron COTY Inc. to try these 100% vegan nail polishes and they live up to the hype delivering beautiful colour and shine with no compromise. Formulated with plant based, 100% vegan ingredients plus a new plant based brush! The colour range is extensive – our favourite is Pink Cardamom the perfect nude for the coming frosty months.
Price: £6.99 (RRP £8.99)
Available at: Boots
4. We Love: Weleda Calendula baby shampoo and body wash
We have found if you suffer from the dreaded scalp psoriasis this product will work wonders. The Calendula is super soothing, and it’s very delicate on the skin. It’s organic, reliable AND they have teamed up with Terracycle to ensure the tubs are fully recyclable! Absolute gem of a product.
Price: £7.95
Available at: – https://www.weleda.co.uk/vegan/calendula-shampoo-and-body-wash-105001
5. We Love: Revolution Beauty London
Super affordable Vegan and cruelty free products that are great for makeup artists building their kit. Their products have a fantastic colour/shade range and are highly pigmented.
Price: £10.00 (Image shown Forever Flawless Show Stopper eye palette)
Available at: www.revolutionbeauty.com
6. We Love: MONAT Restructuring Shampoo with REJUVENIQE S™
This mild and creamy, sulphate-free corrective cleanser rebuilds, rehydrates and fortifies tresses. The innovative, unique technology combined with being Vegan and Cruelty Free make it one of our favourites particularly during this cold spell when hair can feel extra dehydrated. Be sure to check out the full hair care system “Restructuring Hair Care Collection” which claims to rebuild hair architecture from the inside out (We are sold!).
Price: £35 (VIP Customer £29)
Available at: https://monatglobal.com/uk/all-our-products/
