People often turn to a vegetarian lifestyle when confronted with the cruelty that some domestic animals endure while being prepared for commercial slaughter. Although soap is not an edible item, it can contain fats originally derived from cattle and other creatures originally grown for food. Organic vegan soap is made without ingredients containing residual growth hormones or pesticides, and product testing is not conducted on 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.
Beef fat and coconut oil are the two most common ingredient in most commercial brands, in combination with mixtures derived from other fat sources commonly including palm oils. While those ingredients are abundant, soap can be made from any type of fat in combination with ash or alkali. Animal fat is not really needed, but is widely used because of its easy availability and low cost.
Advertising a product as organic does not automatically mean it is vegan. Ingredients that include lanolin, beeswax, mink, fish, and emu oil, royal jelly, and urea can come from creatures that have been raised as humanely as possible, with little exposure to common pesticides or other chemicals. They are still animal products, and considered unacceptable for use by most strict vegetarians.
Rather than combing stores or websites to find products not containing any trace of beef tallow or lard, many people have begun to make their own personal soaps. There are many recipes available online, and any type of vegetable fat will work, although some are preferable to others. Cocoa butter is a popular ingredient with a reputation as an excellent moisturizer. When firm bars are needed, coconut oils hold their shape while producing abundant 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.
Even though palm oil is a vegetarian product, it is increasingly produced by huge plantations located in tropical south Asia. These massive farms are often located in formerly wild areas, and rapid deforestation destroys the habitats of many endangered species, while generating multiple environmental problems. Some palm oil is produced in a sustainable fashion, and that is usually indicated on the label.
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.
Beef fat and coconut oil are the two most common ingredient in most commercial brands, in combination with mixtures derived from other fat sources commonly including palm oils. While those ingredients are abundant, soap can be made from any type of fat in combination with ash or alkali. Animal fat is not really needed, but is widely used because of its easy availability and low cost.
Advertising a product as organic does not automatically mean it is vegan. Ingredients that include lanolin, beeswax, mink, fish, and emu oil, royal jelly, and urea can come from creatures that have been raised as humanely as possible, with little exposure to common pesticides or other chemicals. They are still animal products, and considered unacceptable for use by most strict vegetarians.
Rather than combing stores or websites to find products not containing any trace of beef tallow or lard, many people have begun to make their own personal soaps. There are many recipes available online, and any type of vegetable fat will work, although some are preferable to others. Cocoa butter is a popular ingredient with a reputation as an excellent moisturizer. When firm bars are needed, coconut oils hold their shape while producing abundant 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.
Even though palm oil is a vegetarian product, it is increasingly produced by huge plantations located in tropical south Asia. These massive farms are often located in formerly wild areas, and rapid deforestation destroys the habitats of many endangered species, while generating multiple environmental problems. Some palm oil is produced in a sustainable fashion, and that is usually indicated on the label.
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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