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.
Coconut oil and beef fats are commonly incorporated into commercially produced brands together with formulas based on other readily available sources, including palm oil. Although widely used in most commercially sold personal cleaning products, they are not really necessary. Soap can be manufactured using any fat source when combined with alkali or ash. Low cost and availability makes rendered fat a more cost-effective ingredient.
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 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.
Generic Castile soaps features olive oil as the primary ingredient, and has long been known to cause fewer skin irritations or allergic responses. Shea butter derived from African sources has existed for many decades, and is well known for retaining moisture while softening skin, and can be used as a stand-alone cosmetic product. Sweet almond oil conditions skin effectively, and is a lighter choice that appeals to many.
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.
Coconut oil and beef fats are commonly incorporated into commercially produced brands together with formulas based on other readily available sources, including palm oil. Although widely used in most commercially sold personal cleaning products, they are not really necessary. Soap can be manufactured using any fat source when combined with alkali or ash. Low cost and availability makes rendered fat a more cost-effective ingredient.
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 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.
Generic Castile soaps features olive oil as the primary ingredient, and has long been known to cause fewer skin irritations or allergic responses. Shea butter derived from African sources has existed for many decades, and is well known for retaining moisture while softening skin, and can be used as a stand-alone cosmetic product. Sweet almond oil conditions skin effectively, and is a lighter choice that appeals to many.
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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