Many people turn to a vegetarian philosophy of life because they can no longer ignore the cruelty domestic creatures experience on their journey to becoming fast food. While soap is definitely not edible, it usually contains fat derived from animal sources, in combination with some form of lye. Organic vegan soap is made without using animal byproducts containing growth additives, and is not safety-tested on laboratory animals.
Fat derived from non-vegetable sources has long been used to make soaps and related personal products. Unless the label says otherwise, there are usually additional chemical ingredients used to enhance cleaning characteristics and make the product smell and look better, as well as traces of the antibiotics or hormones originally administered to maximize growth. Certified pesticide-free vegetable-based soaps contain none of those substances.
Coconut oil and beef fats are commonly incorporated into commercially produced brands together with formulas based on other readily available sources, including palm oil. Although widely used in most commercially sold personal cleaning products, they are not really necessary. Soap can be manufactured using any fat source when combined with alkali or ash. Low cost and availability makes rendered fat a more cost-effective ingredient.
Products advertised as organically produced may not qualify as truly vegan. Natural ingredients such as lanolin, beeswax, honey, royal jelly, fish, emu, and mink oil, and others are made by or from creatures that may have enjoyed life on a humane, sustainable farm, with no additional pesticide use or chemical growth additives. They are still organic, but are not considered vegetarian.
Rather than searching for personal care products containing no traces of lard or beef tallow, some people prefer to make their own. Any non-animal fat can be used, and a variety recipes are widely available online. Cocoa butter is a favorite ingredient, and is well known for its moisturizing characteristics. For a firmer bar, coconut oil works well, and also produces a good amount of lather.
Gentle Castile-type soaps use olive oil as the main ingredient, widely known to produce fewer skin irritations or allergic responses. Shea butter is growing in popularity once again, and this product of an African tree has excellent moisture-retaining characteristics. It is often sold separately for personal-care use. Sweet almond oil feels light while gently conditioning skin, and several combination oil formulas have also proven beneficial.
Palm oils are considered vegetarian, but in recent decades have been produced on increasingly large south-Asian plantations that displace the natural tropical vegetation, destroy endangered species habitats, and contribute to the environmental hazards associated with deforestation. There are some brands of palm oil produced using sustainable methods, a fact usually stated on the packaging.
Organic does not mean vegan, and the avoidance of animal products does not necessary make a brand superior. People interested in opting out of animal cruelty by buying, using and eating vegan products must become aware of the real meaning behind labeling. Simply calling a product natural does not guarantee that it is made humanely, or does not contain unnecessary chemicals.
Fat derived from non-vegetable sources has long been used to make soaps and related personal products. Unless the label says otherwise, there are usually additional chemical ingredients used to enhance cleaning characteristics and make the product smell and look better, as well as traces of the antibiotics or hormones originally administered to maximize growth. Certified pesticide-free vegetable-based soaps contain none of those substances.
Coconut oil and beef fats are commonly incorporated into commercially produced brands together with formulas based on other readily available sources, including palm oil. Although widely used in most commercially sold personal cleaning products, they are not really necessary. Soap can be manufactured using any fat source when combined with alkali or ash. Low cost and availability makes rendered fat a more cost-effective ingredient.
Products advertised as organically produced may not qualify as truly vegan. Natural ingredients such as lanolin, beeswax, honey, royal jelly, fish, emu, and mink oil, and others are made by or from creatures that may have enjoyed life on a humane, sustainable farm, with no additional pesticide use or chemical growth additives. They are still organic, but are not considered vegetarian.
Rather than searching for personal care products containing no traces of lard or beef tallow, some people prefer to make their own. Any non-animal fat can be used, and a variety recipes are widely available online. Cocoa butter is a favorite ingredient, and is well known for its moisturizing characteristics. For a firmer bar, coconut oil works well, and also produces a good amount of lather.
Gentle Castile-type soaps use olive oil as the main ingredient, widely known to produce fewer skin irritations or allergic responses. Shea butter is growing in popularity once again, and this product of an African tree has excellent moisture-retaining characteristics. It is often sold separately for personal-care use. Sweet almond oil feels light while gently conditioning skin, and several combination oil formulas have also proven beneficial.
Palm oils are considered vegetarian, but in recent decades have been produced on increasingly large south-Asian plantations that displace the natural tropical vegetation, destroy endangered species habitats, and contribute to the environmental hazards associated with deforestation. There are some brands of palm oil produced using sustainable methods, a fact usually stated on the packaging.
Organic does not mean vegan, and the avoidance of animal products does not necessary make a brand superior. People interested in opting out of animal cruelty by buying, using and eating vegan products must become aware of the real meaning behind labeling. Simply calling a product natural does not guarantee that it is made humanely, or does not contain unnecessary chemicals.
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