You know your hair is being healthy when it feels soft, smooth, lightweight and has a beautiful shine to it. We all want to have hair like this. Yet, most people are unknowingly using products that are working against their goals. Discover why and how cruelty-free and vegan hair growth can be your best ally!
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Downfalls of Conventional Hair Care Products
Many conventional hair products are marketed to solve all of your hair problems. Dull, frizzy hair, split ends, thinning and no volume, the list goes on and on. It’s easy to get sucked into a product that claims to make all of your hair dreams come true. However, there are usually hidden ingredients that are devastating to the hair, environment, and even small animals, too.
Harmful Chemicals
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Right off the bat, when you’re buying vegan hair care products, you know that your products will probably contain less harmful chemicals. Chemicals in conventional hair care products like sulfates and alcohol can strip your hair of natural oils and leave it prone to breakage and split ends. Furthermore, ingredients like parabens have been found in breast cancer tissue and may play a role in breast cancer development.
Vegan hair care products, on the other hand, are made with natural and nourishing ingredients that can help improve the health and appearance of your hair. These products are often enriched with vitamins, minerals, and essential oils that can strengthen your hair, prevent breakage, and promote growth.
Animal Products
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When it comes to animal products, conventional hair care ingredients may include any of the following: honey, beeswax, lanolin, squalene, carmine, gelatin, allantoin, ambergris, and sheep placenta. While these products are considered to benefits your hair and body, certain dermatologists disagree.
Dr. Dennis Gross, a dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon says that, “Animal ingredients haven’t been proven to be superior in any way, and wholesome vegan alternatives do exist.”
Vegan hair care products are made without any animal ingredients or testing on animals. This means that these products are more ethical and compassionate than traditional hair care products.
Animal Welfare
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When shopping for vegan hair care products, it’s really important to ensure that what you are buying is also “cruelty-free”. Some products, while they don’t contain any animal ingredients, the manufacturer might test on animals. Truly cruelty free products are not tested on animals in the countries that they are made in nor the countries they are sold in.
By switching to cruelty-free hair care products, you can help reduce animal suffering and support companies that prioritize the welfare of animals. According to PETA, over 100 million animals are subjected to cruel testing every year. By supporting cruelty-free companies, you can help reduce the demand for animal testing and encourage the use of alternative testing methods.
Making the Switch to Vegan Hair Care
Using vegan and cruelty-free hair care products will boost your confidence every time you use them. First, you’ll know that you’re making the best choices for yourself and the environment. Then, having a gorgeous head of healthy hair will please you every time you look in the mirror! Switching to vegan hair care products is a win all around.
If you need more reassurance, here are all the things that you have to be confident about when you choose vegan hair care products.
No Additives
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Conventional hair care products often contain parabens, sodium sulfates, synthetic fragrances and dyes and other harmful chemicals. These can lead to a variety of skin conditions including dandruff, psoriasis, eczema, and rashes. Natural and vegan hair care products are often gentler, safer, and better for your hair and overall health.
Natural Ingredients & Scents
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Vegan hair care products are usually formulated with natural and plant-based ingredients. These can include argan oil, aloe, coconut oil, tea tree oil, turmeric, oatmeal, and lavender oil. All of these ingredients give vegan hair care products delicious scents while packing them full of natural, nourishing ingredients.
Protective Ingredients
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Harsh chemicals dry out your hair and strip your strands of natural oils that protect your hair. This is usually why people say, “Don’t wash your hair every day, it’s not good for you!” Alternatively, vegan hair care products don’t strip away your hair’s protective oils and in fact, protect the hair even more with natural moisturizers and essential oils.
Hypoallergenic
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Many of the chemical compounds that are in conventional hair care products can cause allergic reactions. More often than not, plant-based ingredients will ensure your skin’s safety. Of course, it’s very important to check the list of ingredients to make sure there are no known allergens to you, personally.
Environmental Sustainability
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When you opt to buy vegan hair care and vegan hair growth products, you’re buying environmentally safe and biodegradable products. No harsh chemicals will be seeping into your body or your water supply. Many brands even use recycled containers for their vegan hair care products! To check if your product’s container is recyclable, look for a label that says it’s made from “post-consumer” plastic and that it’s PET 1 recyclable.
Vegan Hair Growth in Action
Sometimes, the answer to a problem is simpler than you might think. If you’ve been having a long string of hair and scalp issues, you might be able to solve it by simply switching to a vegan shampoo and conditioner. There is a vegan hair care product out there for everyone whether you’re looking for vegan hair growth, strength, length, or just want to switch up your routine to make it a bit more sustainable.
Fake Labels
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It’s still really important to pay attention to labels that are marked as “vegan” and “cruelty-free” because not all products are created equal – you may come across products that still contain harsh chemicals. If you want to double check a vegan hair care product for safety and authenticity, you can always look it up on a site like:
- PETA’s Cruelty-Free Companies Database
- Skin Deep
- Our approved brands database
The Facts
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If you’re looking for cold, hard proof that vegan hair care and vegan hair growth products are the way to go, just check out these facts:
- Ingredients like mung bean and red clover have been clinically proven to stop hair-damaging hormones like DHT from wreaking havoc on the hair
- Curcumin has been clinically proven to treat a variety of dermatological diseases (alopecia, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema and many other)
- Proteins from the Nicotiana Benthamiana plant have been proven to increase root density by up to 50%
- Argan oil‘s wonderful hydrating and healing properties highlighted by a 2013 study
- Lavender oil has shown to grow more hair faster and thicker by a 2016 study
- Tea tree oil have been shown to kill certain bacteria, fungi and viruses by a 2006 study
- Rosemary oil can regrow hair in the context of testosterone-related hair loss, as found by a 2013 study
Conclusion
Your hair is a natural part of your body. Why would you treat it with unnatural and harmful chemicals? There are so many good reasons to switch to a vegan and cruelty-free hair care routine. Not only are these products more ethical and compassionate, but they are also better for the environment and your own health. By supporting companies that prioritize the welfare of animals and the planet, you can help make a positive impact and promote a more sustainable world.
