There’s never been a better time to give veganism a go, so why not give your beauty routine a jumpstart with Veganuary.

Demand for vegan beauty is on the up, but also cruelty-free and sustainably produced cosmetics, wellness and haircare, with consumers completely rethinking how clean beauty can work for them without exploitation of others.

At Lagoon Beauty, we are committed to providing clarity about our conscious beauty brands and that includes zero compromise on ethics. We champion natural, non toxic and organic ingredients and want to be at the fore-front on plastic free packaging.

So whether you’re a dedicated vegan, a flexitarian or are exploring more environmentally friendly choices; here is our question and answer guide to plant powered beauty, featuring some of our bestsellers.

What exactly is the definition of vegan beauty?

Unfortunately there is still no legal standard for vegan beauty, but the Vegan Society certifies that products do not contain any animal extracts or animal by-products in the ingredients or the manufacturing process. You can also keep eyes out for common animal derived by-products such as beeswax, carmine, allantoin, gelatin, honey, lanolin, squalene or ambergris.

A deeper dive into animal derived by-products within beauty may surprise and shock you. Restoring the body’s natural resources of collagen needn’t involve animals. Plant-based foods high in all three amino acids found in collagen include black, kidney beans, pumpkin and nuts.

Carmine; a bright red pigment derived from the crushed bodies of female cochineal insects is traditionally found in lipsticks and blush, however increasingly ethical alternatives using beetroot extract and sweet potato are just as effective Shellac, most commonly found in nail polish, is a resin secreted by the lac insect as part of their reproductive process but there are plenty of vegan friendly options now.

Shoreditch Nails’ trend-forward polishes are of the highest quality, vegan, cruelty free and pro-ecology made with 85% natural ingredients. Whether you’re more of a minimal and classic colour lover or like your nail art totally attention grabbing, we have 14 gorgeous shades for you to choose from.

Is vegan beauty the same as cruelty-free?

Remember, the label “cruelty-free” means this product and its ingredients were not tested on animals. And the label “vegan” means that this product does not contain animal products or ingredients.

Is vegan beauty better for the environment?

Studies show that a global shift to a vegan diet would reduce land use by 75% and carbon emissions by up to 70%, whilst beauty products often contain byproducts of the agricultural industry. Therefore making the sustainable switch to vegan, naturally you are easing the pressure on water, land and carbon footprint.

Vegan beauty is also perfect for packaging, often utilising recycled, recyclable and biodegradable forms and refill schemes. According to Zero Waste Week, more than 120 billion units of packaging are produced globally every year by the cosmetics industry, from single-use plastic to impossible to recycle mixed materials.

UpCircle is inspired by transforming throwaway coffee grounds; this vegan skincare range has easy and efficacious products that use, and celebrate, waste byproducts. Its quality skincare that gives salvaged natural ingredients a new lease of life.

I'm not quite ready to go vegan, what else can I do?

Start to refine your beauty routine to skinimalism which prioritises a less is more approach whilst using simple yet effective ingredients which keep nature and wellbeing in mind. You also don’t need a cupboard brimming full of beauty. Look for multi-use products or ways to repurpose lipsticks, blushers and eyeshadows… so your face is full of slow beauty.

The Wake Up & Glow Lip, Cheek and Skin Tint from Studio 10 is an ultra-nourishing, hyaluronic-enriched balm with unique PH-balancing pigments that’s totally buildable, and perfect for multi-use makeup.