The Benefits of Vegan Hair Products
The vegan lifestyle is most often talked about in terms of food and occasionally clothes. You might not think of it in terms of health and beauty products. Using vegan shampoos, conditioners, dyes and other products, however, may be a way to make your hair look and feel good while also taking advantage of the wider benefits of veganism.
They work just as well as non-vegan products
You do not need to worry that using vegan products means compromising effectiveness for ethics. The ingredients used in vegan hair products can still be used to clean your hair, hydrate it, repair damage, treat dandruff, restore its luster and keep it healthy in all the ways you could desire. Vegan hair products span every aspect of haircare, including shampoos, conditioners, gels, scrubs, serums, sprays and dyes. They can be dermatologist-tested to prove they are safe and effective, so they do have scientific backing.
Natural ingredients
Most vegan products also try to be ethical in other ways, including by using natural, plant-based ingredients farmed in a sustainable manner, like this Eden's Scalp Oil. Many of these ingredients have had their effectiveness scientifically proven. In addition to avoiding animal products, they often abstain from parabens, sulfates and other potentially harmful chemicals and may also come with an organic label. Not only does this mean you can have fewer concerns about your health in general, it is particularly important if you have sensitive skin.
Animal-friendly
One of the most obvious reasons people go vegan is out of concern for animal welfare. This does not just mean avoiding products that inherently involve the death of the animal, like meat. It also includes animal byproducts and things that you might not think of as harmful, like milk. This is partially because of the processes involved in breeding and farming animals, which often deprive them of opportunities to express natural behavior. Veganism aims to avoid any exploitation of animals for human benefit.
Vegan hair products will avoid all of the animal-derived ingredients traditionally used in hair and beauty products, such as milk, honey, beeswax and glycerin, generally replacing them with plant-based alternatives. Some brands may also avoid common alternatives such as soy, which has its own environmental concerns and may cause allergic reactions. You should also look out for the cruelty-free label, which means not only is the product vegan, but there was no animal cruelty at any stage of the supply or manufacture. That means, for example, that it was not tested on animals.
Less impact on the planet
Sustainability and ethical benefits from veganism extend beyond animal welfare to the wider environment. Industrial-scale farming is a major source of carbon dioxide and methane that contribute to climate change. Soil is damaged, water polluted and rainforests felled for the benefit of the agriculture industry. Vegan products, including for haircare, have a less destructive impact on the planet as a whole. Ethical concerns from vegan and cruelty-free brands often also extend to other aspects of the manufacturing process, such as only using ethical suppliers or developing sustainable packaging that can be easily reused or recycled.
Availability
Veganism is no longer just a niche interest. Vegan products are becoming more and more popular in every section of the supermarket, including the hair and beauty shelves. There are whole brands dedicated to ethical concerns, but even major labels have their own vegan lines now and will take pride in being able to carry a vegan or cruelty-free logo and certification. That means it is relatively easy to find vegan hair products even compared to just a few years ago, which in turn means they are also becoming more affordable.
For the most part, the benefits of vegan hair products are the same as those of vegan products more generally - they do not involve cruelty to animals and they are more sustainable and environmentally friendly, often with other ethical advantages that are commonly found adjacent to the vegan lifestyle. As these benefits are being more widely recognized, vegan haircare products are also becoming more popular and widely available.
On top of these more general advantages, vegan hair products are a natural and highly effective way to keep your hair both healthy and looking good. Their ingredients have been scientifically tested and dermatologically proven, and they avoid harmful chemicals. There are vegan hair products for every stage of the haircare process and for every type of hair, ensuring you can find a vegan way to keep your hair shiny, healthy and flake-free.