A growing awareness of the unnecessary cruelties many domesticated animals endure on their way to becoming packaged supermarket products has caused a surge of interest in following vegetarian principles. Although soap is not food, is usually contains fats rendered from animals, in addition to some form of lye. Organic vegan soap contains no animal byproducts, and safety testing does not involve living creatures.
Non-vegetable based fats have been used to make soaps and similar personal products for thousands of years. Unless otherwise indicated by labeling, products manufactured today also contain additional chemicals used to enhance foaming, as well as imparting a fresh smell and an attractive appearance. Many contain traces of hormones or antibiotics used to stimulate animal growth prior to slaughter, unlike most vegetable-based products.
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.
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 a vegetarian product by definition, but are increasingly produced on massive plantations in South Asian nations. They displace natural vegetation, destroy the irreplaceable habitats of many endangered species, and generate a host of environmental problems common to deforested regions. Small amounts are produced using sound, sustainable practices, and the label usually states that fact.
Vegan and organically grown are not interchangeable descriptions, and eliminating animal fat does not automatically make a commercial product superior. Those interested in purchasing, using or eating only vegan products must be conversant with the terminology of labeling. The word natural is widely used, but is no guarantee that humane practices were employed, or that chemical additives are not present.
Non-vegetable based fats have been used to make soaps and similar personal products for thousands of years. Unless otherwise indicated by labeling, products manufactured today also contain additional chemicals used to enhance foaming, as well as imparting a fresh smell and an attractive appearance. Many contain traces of hormones or antibiotics used to stimulate animal growth prior to slaughter, unlike most vegetable-based products.
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.
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 a vegetarian product by definition, but are increasingly produced on massive plantations in South Asian nations. They displace natural vegetation, destroy the irreplaceable habitats of many endangered species, and generate a host of environmental problems common to deforested regions. Small amounts are produced using sound, sustainable practices, and the label usually states that fact.
Vegan and organically grown are not interchangeable descriptions, and eliminating animal fat does not automatically make a commercial product superior. Those interested in purchasing, using or eating only vegan products must be conversant with the terminology of labeling. The word natural is widely used, but is no guarantee that humane practices were employed, or that chemical additives are not present.
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Find a summary of the benefits you get when you use organic vegan soap and view our selection of skincare products at http://www.batteriesincluded.org now.
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