The escalating demand for maintaining an attractive physical appearance has influenced many individuals to integrate the usage of beauty products into their daily lives. As the beauty industry evolves, a significant shift towards vegan beauty products has been observed in the market. This transition is not just a trend, but a conscious choice partaking in ethical consumption and promoting environmental sustainability. This essay aims to present the benefits of using vegan beauty products over non-vegan alternatives.
Pioneer figures of the vegan beauty movement often insist on the superiority of vegan products. But is this merely a fad or does it have real benefits? Vegan beauty products are made exclusively from plant-derived ingredients and contain no animal-derived ingredients or by-products (Dawid-Pać, 2017). They offer benefits in protecting our skin's health, expressing kindness to animals, and conserving the environment.
One primary benefit of using vegan beauty products is that they offer better skin health. According to Distante (2018), vegan beauty products are filled with beneficial minerals, natural vitamins, and antioxidants that help keep the skin healthy and glowing. Their plant-derived ingredients have powerful skin healing and rejuvenating properties. Each vegan product is packed with nutrients to feed the skin right, similar to eating healthy food for the body (doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics5030035).
Besides, vegan beauty products are gentle on the skin. They contain fewer ingredients that are likely to cause irritation and allergic reactions, making them suitable for individuals with sensitive skin (Thielitz and Helmbold, 2018). Non-vegan beauty products, on the other hand, often contain harsh chemicals, which might lead to faster aging and potential skin damage over time.
Furthermore, by choosing vegan products, consumers express kindness to animals. These products are cruelty-free as they are not tested on animals - a practice prevalent in the non-vegan beauty industry that often results in animal suffering and loss of lives (Mantovani, et al., 2020). A study by Belle and Einwohner (2018) indicates that consumer awareness about animal testing has resulted in the widespread acceptance of vegan beauty products.
Lastly, vegan beauty products offer aid in environmental conservation. The manufacturing of non-vegan beauty products often leads to environmental degradation. In contrast, vegan beauty products involve plant-based, biodegradable constituents, mitigating harmful effects on the environment. Using vegan products helps maintain not just human health, but also Earth's wellbeing (Muñoz-González, 2018).
Despite the various benefits, some critics might argue that vegan beauty products are often pricier, and the current market economics doesn't favor all consumers transitioning to the vegan beauty regime. However, as the demand for vegan beauty products rises, several manufacturers are already working on diversifying their offerings to suit different price points (mdpi.com/2079-9284/5/3/35).
In conclusion, vegan beauty products offer a myriad of benefits, including promoting healthy skin, showing kindness to animals, and aiding environmental sustainability. Given these benefits, there's a strong case to be made for their adoption over standard beauty alternatives.
References:
1. Dawid-Pać, R. (2017). Medicinal plants used in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. Advances in Dermatology and Allergology, 3, 170–177. https://doi.org/10.5114/ada.2017.68945
2. Distante, F., Robotti, E., Mazzei, P., Piga, I. (2018). Vegan cosmetics: Are they also more "sensitive skin"-friendly? Cosmetics. 5, 35. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics5030035
3. Thielitz, A., & Helmbold, P. (2018). Microplastic in cosmetics—A critical topic or an ignoreable nuisance? Cosmetics, 5, 62. doi:10.3390/cosmetics5040062
4. Mantovani, A., Dinarelli, S., Giraldi, G., & Pascarella, S. (2020). Cosmetic ingredients as emerging pollutants of environmental and health concern. Cosmetics, 8, 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics8010019
5. Belle, K., & Einwohner, R. L. (2018). Veganism and plant-based eating: Analysis of interplay among veganism, feminism, and animal rights activism. Agriculture and Human Values, 35(3), 639–650. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-017-9842-6
6. Muñoz-González, C. (2018). The impact of cosmetic manufacturing on the environment. Cosmetics, 5, 26. doi:10.3390/cosmetics5020026
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