Vegan Deodorant Guide

Sweat and body odor is natural. Your deodorant should be too.

Before I went vegan I would just grab any "Extra Strength" deodorant from the store. But then I started hearing about some of the nasty chemicals in deodorants that can actually mess with your hormones, so I started looking into more natural options.

Why Should You Care

It's important to remember that anything you put on your skin will be absorbed into your body. For years, we have been marketed products that we assume are safe, yet how many of the ingredients in every day products can you even pronounce properly, let alone know what they are and what they do?

Ingredients to Watch For

Some common ingredients that raise a red flag in deodorants include:

Aluminum: often found in antiperspirants, aluminum can affect estrogen and breast tissues, which is thought to lead to breast cancer.

Pthalates: also known as plasticizers, pthalates are a chemical that can damage internal organs, affect the reproductive system, and mess with hormones. They have been linked to many other issues and have even been banned in some products.

Triclosan: this is a chemical antibacterial that can mimic hormones and is a suspected carcinogen. It has been banned in soaps but is still approved to be used in other products like deodorant.

Parabens: chemical preservatives that mimic estrogen and can interfere with hormones. Parabens have been found in breast tumors, though it is unclear if they actually cause breast cancer.

Diethanolamine (DEA): interacts with other ingredients and becomes a known carcinogen. Can affect internal organs like the liver and kidneys. Banned in some countries.

Triethanolamine (TEA): known carcinogen and can affect internal organs like the liver and kidneys. Banned in some countries.

Propylene Glycol: gives deodorant its consistency, but may cause skin irritation if you have an allergy to it, and has been linked in some studies to cancer and nervous system issues, though it is considered generally safe by the FDA in the United States.

Isobutane: used in aerosol deodorants, isobutane has been linked to cancer and can affect the reproductive system, though it is considered generally safe by the FDA in the United States.

Fragrances: considered "trade secrets" by the FDA, many companies do not need to list the ingredients in their fragrances, which can be composed of all different kinds of chemicals.

Vegan Deodorants

Vegan deodorants tend to be more on the natural end, and are cruelty free so they are not tested on animals. I have tried many of these brands below (but not all of them), and all that I have listed are completely cruelty free and vegan, so no need to worry about checking labels!

Herban Cowboy

This was the very first vegan deodorant I tried when I started dabbling in switching to cruelty free products, and it worked so well. Available in fresh scents for men and women.

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Pacifica

You all know how much I use Pacifica products. I've been using their deodorants for awhile and absolutely love them.

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Alpine Provisions

I personally use Alpine Provisions products and absolutely love the clean, earthy scents. They offer 3 different types of vegan and cruelty free deodorants which include charcoal, magnesium, and aluminum-free sodium bicarbonate. Alpine Provisions also uses eco-friendly and sustainable packaging.

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Rustic Maka

I found this brand through The Vegan Warehouse and have been using their Naughty Butter natural unscented deodorant and absolutely love it. Other lines include a magnesium deodorant, charcoal deodorant, and a prebiotic deodorant.

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Native

This brand is vegan and cruelty free and offers all kinds of natural deodorants in different scents, unscented, and now has a line with plastic-free packaging.

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Spirit Nest

The Naked Moon deodorant was the second vegan deodorant I've tried. Spirit Nest offers tons of other vegan beauty products and even some accessories, clothing, and home and altar stuff for my fellow witchy folks.

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Schmidt's

Offering up both deodorant sticks and jars in unisex scents, Schmidt's uses plant-based formulas and has a line for sensitive skin. Schmidt's is vegan, natural, sustainable, and has won plenty of clean beauty awards.

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Habitat Botanicals

Sustainable, vegan, cruelty free body care products with a deodorant line available in 2 fresh scents. Habitat Botanicals is actually owned by Pela, the sustainable phone case company!

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Happy, healthy shopping!

-Kat

Non-Vegan Beauty Ingredient Guide

Vegan certified products make shopping cruelty free a heck-of-a-lot easier, but what exactly makes your makeup not vegan?

Let me start with a quick reminder of the difference between certified cruelty free and certified vegan products:

• Cruelty Free: neither the ingredients nor the finished product has been tested on animals, nor will it be tested on animals where required by law.

• Vegan: cruelty free (see above) AND contains absolutely no animal derived products, directly or indirectly, nor were animal products used in the process of manufacturing any ingredients (for example, if sugar is an ingredient, it must not have been filtered with bone char).

That being said, there are still many beauty products out there that are cruelty free, but not vegan. Here's a brief list of major ingredients that are not vegan, unless otherwise stated.

Note: Vegan alternatives are available for most, if not all, of these ingredients.

Animal Hair Brushes

Makeup brushes can be made with many different types of animal hair such as, mink, squirrel, sable, horse, or goat, while hair brushes can be made with boar bristles. Make sure to look for certified vegan brushes as an alternative.

Beeswax

This is an obvious one and is sometimes debated. Beeswax does not contain animal products but is seen to be exploitive and even harmful to bees, therefore it does not fall under the definition of veganism. In my research, some companies have stated that the beeswax used in their products had been ethically or sustainably sourced. Beeswax can be found in products like lip care, skincare, eyeshadow, and eyeliner.

Carmine

Carmine is actually made up from the crushed and boiled bodies of cochineal beetles. Sure, that sounds like lyrics from a brutal metal song, but it's not something I want in my makeup, and quite frankly, bugs are friends. Sadly, carmine is used to make red pigments and is commonly found in eyeshadows and lipsticks.

Other names: cochineal, cochineal extract, carmine lake, crimson lake, natural red 4

Lanolin

This ingredient is derived from sheep wool. This is another one that is sometimes debated as far as if it's ethical or not, but cannot be considered vegan because it is an animal product. The practice of mulesing sheep in the wool industry is cruel and still used in Australia. The method of obtaining lanolin can also be a by-product of the meat industry, sourced from sheep that are slaughtered. It is an emollient used to moisturize and is commonly found in all different types of skincare, haircare, and makeup. There are now alternatives to lanolin derived from plants.

Shellac

This ingredient is created from lac beetle secretions (ew) and the method of collection can kill or injure the bugs. This type of resin can be found in products like nail polish, mascara, eyeliner, and hair spray.

Other names: lac resin, resinous glaze

Glycerin

This ingredient can be derived from animal fats (tallow), or plant sources, however products might not specify which is used. Glycerin is a moisturizer so it is found in plenty of skincare, haircare, and cosmetics. Vegetable glycerin is a vegan alternative.

Other names: glycerol, glycerolum

Squalene

This ingredient is derived from shark livers. You can read more about it in my other other blog post, Are There Sharks Lurking In Your Home? . To make things more confusing, squalane (with an 'a') is an ingredient derived from squalene, that is also an ingredient in cosmetics. Again, this is a moisturizing agent and can be found in many different cosmetic products. Squalane can be derived from plant sources.

Other names: squalane

Ambergris

Like squalene, this is a secretion taken from sperm whales. It is commonly used in perfumes.

Guanine

This ingredient is derived from crushed up fish scales. It is used to add a pearl-like shimmer to products like eye shadow, nail polish, and even shampoo.

Other names: pearl essence

Oleic Acid

This is another one that comes from animal fats (tallow), and is likely sourced as a by-product from animals slaughtered for meat. It use used in many cosmetics, skin care, and hair care. There are plant-based sources available.

Other names: oleyl oleate, oleyl stearate

Stearic Acid

Here we go again - this one also comes from the fat of cows and pigs. However, there are plenty of plant sources, and it's a major component of cocoa butter and shea butter. Stearic acid is commonly found in cosmetics, hair care, and skin care.

Other names: octadecanoic acid

Collagen

This ingredient is a protein sourced from the tissues of cows or fish. It can be found in hair and skin products, for the purpose of strengthening hair, and moisturizing and renewing skin. These days there are plant-based collagens available.

Other names: Hydrolyzed Collagen

Keratin

This ingredient, commonly used in hair treatments or nail strengtheners, is actually made from ground up animal parts. Keratin hair treatments have also been controversial due to the use of formaldehyde. Luckily, vegan alternatives to keratin are starting to pop up.

Other names: Hydrolyzed Keratin

Elastin

Elastin is similar to collagen, in that it is a protein derived from the tissues of animals and fish. It is commonly used in skin care products to restore the skin to a more youthful appearance. There are now plant-based alternatives to animal derived elastin.

Other names: Hydrolyzed Elastin

This is not a complete list but I will be updating as I do more research! Remember to always check the ingredients. Products not certified vegan might be accidentally vegan or even in the process of being certified. Also check products that are only labeled cruelty free, as they may not be vegan.

-Kat

Vegan Easter Ideas

How to have a cruelty free Easter!

Easter Basket Treats

Here's a list of vegan chocolate brands to fill your baskets with:

• Hu Chocolate

• Sjaak's

• No Whey!

• NOMO (UK brand)

• Coracao Confections (mostly vegan)

And what's a vegan Easter basket without some candies too?

• Wiley Wallaby Licorice

• Jealous Sweets

• Wholesome Organic (vegan friendly candy)

• Annie's Organic (vegan friendly fruit snacks)

• Yum Earth (Easter candies are vegan)

Vegan Meal Ideas

Skip the ham, lamb, and other meat this Easter - there are plenty of vegan alternatives!

• Brands like Tofurky, Quorn, and Field Roast sell vegan roasts you could serve as a main.

• Serve up some delicious veggie sides like mashed potatoes and glazed carrots (or make the veggies the main dish!)

• Veganize some favorite sides and desserts like potato casserole or carrot cake.

Get recipe inspiration from some of my favorite vegan chefs:

• Gaz Oakley (Avant Garde Vegan)

• Bryant Terry

• Chloe Coscarelli

• Jenne Claiborne (Sweet Potato Soul)

• Chad and Derek Sarno (Wicked Healthy)

• Charity Morgan

For healthy, plant-based recipes, check out the Center for Nutrition Studies

Egg-Free Activities

• Paint wooden eggs found at craft stores like Michael's - DIY Wooden Eggs

• Paint wooden eggs that look realistic like these on Amazon - SallyFashion Easter Eggs

• Paint paper mache eggs from Target - Paper Mache Easter Egg

• Use Eco Eggs for a scavenger hunt, made from 100% recycled plastic and reusable for years to come - Eco Eggs

Wishing everyone a very Hoppy Easter!

-Kat