A lot of cosmetic brands today claim of being cruelty free and vegan. In simplest terms, veganism means not using animals and animal products in any form. So, it incorporates milk, eggs, beeswax and the ilk. Yes, I see your eyebrows creased and while there are debates going on what should our agenda- Veganism or Animal Welfare, one thing is for sure- that animals are not guinea pigs on whom cosmetics should be tested. Isn’t that a no-brainer? And here comes a shocker- A lot (and I mean that) cosmetics brands whose products would be lying on your shelf looking at your lustily, entail animal testing.
Not going into the names of those “natural cosmetics” and makeup brands, what I have for you all today is a list of my favourite certified cruelty free vegan cosmetic brands in India that you can grab without a second thought or guilt. Psss… Some of them are so budget-friendly that you can splurge even if you are on a shoestring budget. Chances are even if you would not have heard of the term ‘going vegan’ or ‘veganism’ you would have come across PETA
We initiated the post with PETA, right? So, here you go, a beauty brand that is certified vegan by PETA. The Nature’s Co’s products contain natural ingredients and are against animal cruelty. Their products are packaged using materials such as Glass, PP, PETG and acrylic which are user friendly, recyclable or biodegradable and hence totally environment friendly. Once thing is for sure, Mother Nature approves it, Team TNC! Its quite a well known Indian vegan beauty brand with some great products.
While they have a wide range of body products to cater to your beauty woes, yet based on my experience, I would recommend THE NATURE’S CO LIP POP (flavour can be chosen as per your discretion, mine would be the berry variant). It’s as hydrating as you can imagine and glides as smoothly as butter on your lips (for better visualisation, imagine a Punjabi mother smearing butter on Aloo ke Paranthe) Well, that helped in imagining, don’t lie!
PRICE- inr 295 for 5 ml
AVAILABILITY- www.thenaturesco.com
Confession number #1. I sniff their products like an addict! Yes, the very same addict who gets beaten black and blue by the cop (picture my mother here) in a flick. The difference being, I get treated to a wry face questioning my sanity with a few favourite one-liners of Indian mothers like “Kaam mat karna kuch, bus baithke ek kone mein so ongh-te raho kcuh na kuch”
Well, that is what Aroma Essentials does to you. The fragrance of each and every product of theirs is distinctive and sends your olfactory senses into a tizzy. The USP? It is naturally achieved by the virtue of essential oils and their blends.
All products of theirs are cruelty-free and animal friendly and they take immense pride in going this way. Well, they should. Based on my experience, I find AROMA ESSENTIALS CLEANSING CURD the best beauty product for now as it removes every fleck of makeup off your skin G-E-N-T-L-Y and N-A-T-U-R-A-L-L-Y J It is made up of curd extract, organic aloe vera. Lavender essential oil, lactic acid extracts, carrot seed oil and in short, everything nourishing for your skin. SO, you aren’t just removing makeup but also, pampering your skin while doing so. Calls for a try, doesn’t it?
PRICE- 250 INR for 50 g
AVAILABILITY- Visit the official Facebook page of Aroma Essentials (they deliver to some foreign countries too)
The brand that boasts of a USDA Organic certification has another feather to its cap- its cruelty-free tagline. Bio Organic and Natural (or BON Organics for short) is based out of Auroville, Tamil Nadu. Women empowerment, being eco-friendly, organic and sustainable are some of their many goals and bwoy, they are achieving them all! Don’t be surprised if you find yourself coming back to them over and over again.
Body butters, lip balms, eyeliners, moisturisers and even chocolates – this brand has an eclectic range to pamper you. Every product is vegan and reasonably priced. Your pockets won’t pinch at all. Based on my experience, I’d recommend BON Organics Eyeliner Midnight for it is vegan, organic and cent per cent effective. All your high-end store-bought eyeliners would be put to shame.
PRICE- 400 INR for 8 g
AVAILABILITY- www.bonorganics.com
Standing for ‘immortal’ in Sanskrit and ‘peace-loving’ in Mongolian, Amara is an intriguing name, isn’t it? And if the name is so meticulously cherry-picked, can the products stay far behind? An all-natural, vegan and eco-friendly brand– Amara Organix is based out of Chennai, Tamil Nadu and is spearheaded by the lovely Mehar Farhana. Psss… She forgot to age, looks like she drank a magic potion that just isn’t letting her grow a day old than her 16 year old self.
Anyway, back to AMARA ORGANIX. I have tried a couple of products from their range and so far, the best one has to be AMARA ORGANIC SKIN DUSTING POWDER which brightens one’s complexion within the twinkling of any eye. It is not your usual talcum powder/compact that comes packed with an overwhelmingly large number of chemicals. All the ingredients are sourced from the remotest corner of the world and blended in a way that the skin dusting powder doesn’t suck moisture off your skin and looks natural on Indian skin tone. The product is vegetarian and animal free. Time to bid farewell to that chemical-laden compact, right?
PRICE- 200 INR for 50 g
AVAILABILITY- Visit the official Facebook page of Amara Organix
Does this brand need an introduction, ladies? You may be laughing in your sleeves for it so well-known to Indians (of course, to those having a knack for skincare brands) that you might end up telling me a thing or two about them! LUSH puts in blood, sweat and tears (ok, not the first and last, that was hyperbolic) in fighting animal testing and crafting products that are vegan in the true sense of the word. In short its the best vegan beauty and bath products brand ever. They are 100% cruelty free.
One of the best products from their range is the LUSH HERBALISM FACIAL CLEANSER that is a saviour for oily skin. A blend of rosemary, chamomile and nettle- all wondrous herbs per se, the cleanser deep cleanses and exfoliates simultaneously. Talk of killing two birds with the same stone and miss out on LUSH Herbalism Facial Cleanser? Not happening soon, for sure. Its not available in the indian shops but can be bought online.
PRICE- 2,500 INR for 100 g
AVAILABILITY- Amazon India
The brand which goes by the byword of Ayurveda had to make an appearance on our list. Forest Essentials caters to four major categories i.e. Facial Care, Body Care, Hair Care and Wellness category. Extracting the best from Nature and transmogrifying into wondrous products using organic cold pressed oils, rare plant extracts, herb infusions and steam-distilled pure essential oils. The beauty brand is vegan in its approach. Another top selling cruelty free vegan skin care brand available in Indian market. 100% vegan brand this is.
A product to recommend in my opinion would be FOREST ESSENTIALS NARANGI AND NAGAKESAR FACIAL UBTAN. A rich blend of sun dried herbs, this ubtan dons multiple hats. From adding glow to toning skin, from helping you bid adieu to premature fine lines to soften skin, it’s as versatile as you can envisage.
PRICE- 775 INR for 60 g
AVAILABILITY- www.forestessentialsindia.com
‘We are Nature lovers’ they flamboyantly proclaim. And we have no iota of doubt about it, Team Rustic Art! Crafting products that are closer to nature, pure and capture the real essence of its ingredients, is its priority. Going by the mantra of churning products that are free of harmful toxins, chemicals and artificial elements, Rustic Art is true to its name. Needless to say, it is 100% vegan and certified by PETA.
One product that is worth a recommendation is RUSTIC ART ORGANIC COUNTRY ROSE SOAP that is a blend of numerous oils (= unparalleled hydration), de-mineralised water, Shea butter, citric acid, brahmi extracts, essential oils and lye (which gets nullified when saponified).
PRICE- 155 INR for 100 g
AVAILABILITY- www.rusticart.in
A lot many of you would know La Senza as a famed lingerie brand but times have changed. It has brought out its range of vegan skin care products that goes hand in gloves with its apparel. Its totally animal cruelty free and vegetarian.
La Senza Body Kiss Lotion calls for a try. Taking its vegan stance strongly, it is not tested on animals and the consistency claims to leave one with irresistibly smooth skin. A hydrating formula and sweet, luscious scent are some of its other perks.
PRICE- $ 2.99 (Canadian) for 150 ml (or 5 fl. Oz.)
AVAILABILITY- http://www.lasenza.com
As their name goes, they believe in crafting ‘natural’ products that cater to all your beauty woes sans snuffing the life out of it. With an impressive range of products spanning body scrubs, body butters, aromatherapy oils, cleansers, toners, exfoliators, masks, cellulite creams, moisturisers, breast firming creams and so on, Nyah pampers you like no other. And it is vegan in its approach too. 100% vegan.
Based on my experience, NYAH WOODY SANDAL FACE AND BODY BATH GEL deserves a try. The subtle hints of sandal wood intermingling with the enchanting fragrance of monsoon-drenched forests will make you feel as if you are holidaying far away from the hullabaloo of shrieking cities.
PRICE- 110 INR for 70 ml
AVAILABILITY- www.nyah.in
As unpretentious as their name is, Prakriti Herbals lives the mantras of veganism and naturalism. With a wide array of natural products at our disposal, it becomes challenging to zero in on one product that we should add to our carts. All the products are either vegetarian or vegan.
Based on my experience, PRAKRITI HERBALS STRAWBERRY ALOE VERA PURIFYING FACE WASH works to wash away every speck of dirt sans pumping numerous chemicals in our skin.
PRICE- 200 INR for 120 ml
AVAILABILITY- Amazon India
PLEASE NOTE- Not ALL of these animal friendly cosmetic brands mentioned in this list are organic, however, the common thread binding them all is that they are vegan. Please read the ingredients’ list carefully of products which haven’t been issued an organic certificate else you’d be pumping the very same chemicals that need to be skipped.
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Nice compilation! Very helpful :)
Thank you, Komal 😊
I've tried aroma essentials brand... N the products are really amazing.. Though not sure about the rest...
Hi Kanika!
I have mentioned in the end that NOT all brands mentioned here are organic so, if you're interested in any brand/their product, I'd suggest you to look up its ingredients' list individually. That will aid you in making a better choice 😄
For instance, BON ORGANICS is certified Organic while Amara too is all-natural (though it doesn't have a certificate right now as it is a new enterprise yet Mehar, the owner of the brand shall reveal to you what all is added if you're interested/inquisitive about the composition)
Hope you liked the article 😊 Thanks for reading!
Thanku kanika :)
Very useful compilation. I have tried only The Nature's Co and Forest Essentials from the list...
Thank you, Archana. Give Aroma Essentials a shot. Their products are budget friendly too 😄
Useful compilation. Need to give Aroma Essentials a try :D
Mark my words, Swathi - You will be hooked to their range 😄
Much needed post. Thank you! But would appreciate if more makeup and cosmetic brands are also listed. I am in search of a nice vegan foundation! Cheers :)
Hi Akshita! Sorry, I couldn't furnish the list of vegan makeup brands per se. The reason being there are hardly any in India. Most of them are foreign brands and to top it all, not available in India easily.
Regarding some Indian brands claiming to be vegan, there have been exact opposite reports published about them on the net. They haven't cleared the air too, hence I was skeptical of adding them.
Currently, BON organics has its range of organic and vegan eyeliners as well as lip stains that can be deemed makeup. If you're interested, you can check it out. As far as foundation is concerned, I'm afraid I don't have any idea.
very useful... Liked it. Thanks for sharing.
http://tipsoye.com/how-much-do-hair-extensions-cost-in-india-where-to-buy/
Thanks, Vidya.
Such a useful compilation of natural products. Aroma Essential products work awesome for me :D
Their lip balms are to kill for, Mariyam 😍
Hey nidhal
Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry
First things first. Your comment had me in splits. Such a display of bipolarity!
Anyway, coming to the topic, I find veganism an unbelievably daft and futile concept. It differs from being cruelty free, organic and vegetarian. And that's something not a great many people can warp their heads around.
Veganism simply means not using animals and animal products in one's life (and consummables which incorporates cosmetics). Now, my question is - In a country whose majority is mainly vegetarian and relies upon milk, ghee, curd and other such by products of milk to meet its consumption needs, what can vegans put forward as close substitutes? What can a 2-year old toddler whose basic nutrition is milk depend upon to satiate the needs of his metabolism?
One may suggest a high-end almost unheard brand of XYZ vegan substitute of milk for him. But do you think it can be suggested for every toddler, elderly citizen or anyone between these 2 extremes given our income disparities and class hierarchies?
Lack of substitues is the major reason why to me, veganism is a stupid sham propagated by the West.
Next, just because I'm rearing cattle to derive milk from them, doesn't mean I'm locking them up in a shady stable, traumatising those defencless beings and laughing hysterically for being Satan disguised as a human. Yes, the condition of animals in poultry sector is deplorable but there are animal welfare groups that are working 24*7 to improve their situation.
Just because the situation of animals in these sectors isn't rosy doesn't mean we will embrace and promote random causes like veganism (which IS not the same as being vegetarian).
When you have a bruise on your foot, do you apply an ointment to treat it or cut off your foot, start using an artificial one and promoting your way of doing things? Just like that, when there's a problem with how animals are treated, you attack what's wrong in the system and support the right cause - Animal Welfare.
All said and done, Aroma Essentials very well substitutes candelilla wax (a vegan substitute for beeswax) if you want a vegan product at hand. Talk to Madhurima, the owner of the brand and she'll address your queries.
Finally, all the aforementioned brands are against animal testing (cruelty free) and that's more plausible than being vegan.
Peace!
You really seem so unconscious of the fact that apart from what animals goes through, dairy products are in fact unhealthy !
Some documentaried you shiuld consider watching:
1)What the Health ?
2)The Game Changers
3)Vegucated
4)Cowspiracy
The book “HOW NOT TO DIE-by Dr. Michael Greger” can be a good starting point.
Kindly educate yourself enough before lashing out with your prejudices.
There is a difference between 'Not tested on animals' and 'Vegan' products. Most products that are not tested on animals have ingredients that have previously been tested on animals and are regarded safe for human use. Whereas, 'Vegan' products are those that contain no such ingredients and are made completely natural. For example, Rustic Art is completely Vegan as the expiry on their products is shorter and their shampoos and body washes that contain coconut oil, usually freeze up in winters. This is not the case with La Senza, they still use ingredients that have previously been tested on animals. As a rule of thumb products that are under the EU are usually cruelty free, since these the EU has banned cosmetic testing on animals. On the contrary, any brand that is easily available in a Chinese market is NOT cruelty free, since China demands that the products sold be tested on animals.