Vegan products?

[xXxCaZxXx]

Good morning all.

I have a vegan spa and have recently discovered some products that I want to bring in. They’re not from a vegan brand but are themselves.
Is it unethical to use these bits if I won’t even buy products if a parent company isn’t CF?

Also, I’ve worked in spas when they are brand exclusive and others where they have 101, I don’t think one brand can be all for everyone but within a treatment, I’ve always stuck to the same brand. Do you think it looks tacky to mix and match?

 

[House Beauty]

Good morning all.

I have a vegan spa and have recently discovered some products that I want to bring in. They’re not from a vegan brand but are themselves.
Is it unethical to use these bits if I won’t even buy products if a parent company isn’t CF?

Also, I’ve worked in spas when they are brand exclusive and others where they have 101, I don’t think one brand can be all for everyone but within a treatment, I’ve always stuck to the same brand. Do you think it looks tacky to mix and match?

As a vegan myself I most certainly wouldn't be comfortable using something that is not cruelty free, however one doesn't always go with the other.

If you want to target a vegan client base, you will want to stay cruelty free also as very few would be ok with it, after all we live the way we do because we don't believe in hurting animals.

Most of the other vegans I know also boycott companies that are owned by parent companies that test on animals (eg anything by Unilever, body shop may well sell vegan stuff but their parent company tests on animals even though body shop run no animal testing campaigns)..

It can get very murky so the most important thing is clarity: 'I use this product. It is vegan/not vegan. It is cruelty free. It is not cruelty free. Here is a statement I obtained from the manufacturer on their stance of the products animal ingredients.'

If you put shampoo on a vegan client that had no animal ingredients (or animal derived ingredients), but then they found out it was owned by a company that tests, you may well lose your credibility and their custom..

I went vegan 3 years ago. I was so distraught that there were animal ingredients in my products and some of them tested that I seriously considered getting another job. But then I realized that vegans need beauty treatments too. They need me to find the products that will work at the optimum level and compete with the ones I used before or be better. So I did.

It took an entire year to transition but now I can tell you without a shadow of doubt every single product I use on my clients is suitable for vegans and not tested on animals, yet I always inform them that my health is also my responsibility and if I find a vegan, cruelty free hospital grade cleaning product that will kill the infectious things I come into contact with in my job, I will use it, but until then I use what is available to me to protect me and them from infection whether it is vegan or cruelty free or not. None of them have ever said no after hearing my explanation of that. Clarity.

So for mixing and matching, that is simply what we have to do. The clients appreciate it. If there was a vegan, cruelty free company that sold amazing lash lifting, tanning, facial, brow and waxing products as well as sundries hell yeah I'd be using it. But that kind of place doesn't exist yet and we have to do what's best for our clients and use what is available until the beauty world catches up.

Really hope this helps!

 

[xXxCaZxXx]

Yes it really does!

I know it sounds stupid after reading your reply but we’ve be cruelty free for 7 years so I don’t even think to mention that because it’s second nature. It’s purely the vegan options because I’ve found some amazing products within brands that also use beeswax, I’m veggie but all the skincare I use is vegan and, like I said, I was just contemplating the ethics of refusing to buy products from a company that has a parent company which isn’t cruelty free but then using a serum from another company that uses beeswax for most of its cleansers.

My internet keeps cutting out so I hope that all makes sense lol [emoji85]

 

[House Beauty]

Yes it really does!

I know it sounds stupid after reading your reply but we’ve be cruelty free for 7 years so I don’t even think to mention that because it’s second nature. It’s purely the vegan options because I’ve found some amazing products within brands that also use beeswax, I’m veggie but all the skincare I use is vegan and, like I said, I was just contemplating the ethics of refusing to buy products from a company that has a parent company which isn’t cruelty free but then using a serum from another company that uses beeswax for most of its cleansers.

My internet keeps cutting out so I hope that all makes sense lol [emoji85]

It sounds like you are really trying to do your best for your vegan clients so that’s great! As for the beeswax, have you tried Adam and Eve wax? It’s called jax wax now, it’s the only wax I will use as I’ve not found any others that don’t contain beeswax without tons of allergens in its place.

I find it really scary going anywhere and asking for vegan options when a vegetarian tries to convince me things are ok, because many just don’t get it (flashback to last week a girl serving me Yorkshire puddings and telling me I can eat them because they she is veggie and she knows *my face was a picture haha*), so the fact you are trying so hard to figure out what’s best for your clients and company is amazing! Share it, make a blog about it for your website, ask your clients (I have a tick box on my consult form for vegans so i can then open the conversation about what I use). Just remember that even in our community, we usually all disagree about what is the veganist thing to do so don’t panic about it, maybe just make a disclaimer about what you do and don’t use. I’d much prefer that than walk into the unknown and have to ask about everything, it feels so awkward and embarrassing.

Well done for going the extra mile to do the right thing! Xxx