Mineral; Vegan is beautiful

Want to make a positive impact with the scent and beauty products you buy then read on…

My best kept secret by Jenny Carroll! – .CENT resident Vegan…who just happens to LOVE make-up and perfume!

What do you do when you are a committed vegan yet you still love to indulge your sense in the immense craft of perfume?   Well one great option is to visit The Eden Perfume company  who will match your favourite scent to a very similar Vegan and cruelty free alternative. All the perfumes I have personally ordered have been incredible; it’s a challenge to tell them apart from the originals, I get so many compliments when wearing them.

The company is run by a family who are all Vegans – mum and daughter were born vegan — so they have a huge investment in the ethics of the company. They follow all the animal rights movements, are animal activists and even have two fluffy rabbits at home, Eden couldn’t be more of a symbol against animal cruelty. The perfumes are also free from synthetic preservatives, parabens and phthalates. They’re big on recycling too, as all the bottles are refillable.  They do not make alternatives to already cruelty free perfumes as the whole point is to show that the perfume industry can be cruelty free. Eden are not trying to reproduce cheaper versions of pricey perfumes, this is not their goal, so when customers ask them for a particular fragrance that is already cruelty free they encourage them to buy the original scent.

There are 2 shops in Brighton – where the staff are very friendly – surrounded by vegan cafes and health shops.  It’s definitely worth a visit and you may even be so lucky to get a cuddle with the tiny Eden dog Nina!

So, you may have heard by now that November is World Vegan Month and the beauty industry seems awash with Vegan; ‘cruelty free’ or ‘organic’ labels at the moment. I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think about animal welfare often, and if I’m to be completely honest when the matter does spring to mind I push it back from whence it came.  However I would like to know more and thought I’d look into it but instead of regurgitating what I’ve read I decided to have a Q&A with a staunch walking talking Vegan.  Jenny Carroll has progressed from being a Vegetarian to Vegan…she’s also a HUGE make-up fan!

What is a vegan?  A Vegan is a person who does not consume or wear any animal products, from meat to honey to leather to fur.  The word Vegan really encompasses a disagreement with all methods that cause animals pain and suffering.

Are there different types of vegans?  There are two different reasons why someone becomes a Vegan.   1.’Ethical’, someone who follows a ‘plant based’ diet and is concerned about the impact animal products have on our health or on the environment, they may still wear leather and fur, depending on their belief.   2.’Animal welfare’,these people would never eat or use animal products, they do not, or will ever see animal products as food.

Why did you become a  vegan?   I came to realise and appreciate how fragile life is after undertaking many IVF treatments. It then got thinking about the dairy industry where a calfis taken from their mother and how she cries for weeks. It really resonated with me, I honestly don’t know how I had ignored the diary and egg industry for so long.I watched a few videos  – Ed Winters documentary ‘Land of Hope and Glory‘ on youtube — and now my eyes cannot Un-see the pain and suffering, so along with my husband I became a Vegan overnight.

Is cruelty free different from Vegan?   “Yes,cruelty free basically means a product that has not been tested on animals. All Vegans use cruelty free products, if we purchase any product that is not cruelty free then we are supporting animal testing.”

One of the saddest things I learnt when researching cruelty free brands is that like many things this is completely unnecessary and outdated. The main reason animal testing exists in 2017 is to comply with Chinese law. If a beauty brand wants to ‘physically’ sell their product in China they must by law go through vigorous animal testing, however selling via an e-retailer to China does not, this allows a brand to maintain their cruelty free status. There are so few brands who are willing to snub the Chinese market but hopefully with popularity more will follow.  A lot of ethical brands like INIKA and Kat Von D declare that they would never sell in China until the laws change, this takes a lot of courage especially for small companies going up against larger conglomerates.

Are organic or natural products automatically Vegan?  Certainly not, lots of ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ products contain honey and milk.

How was your journey becoming a Vegan?   I’d been a vegetarian for 20 years so going vegan ( with food) was easy…however swapping my beauty products and toiletries was a lot harder.  As a hair and makeup agent I was spoilt with luxury make-up. It took me a while to replace all my products, foundations especially. I also spent a while searching for luxury brands as being a packaging junkie, I still wanted to use beautiful make-up.

What has surprised you since be incoming a Vegan?   My confidence. I am quite a shy person but I’ve found I have no problem fighting for someone else. With all the knowledge I have acquired, I just want people to know what I know as I find it really shocking. I’m happy that Instagram followers have become vegetarian or vegan based on some of the images, videos or facts I’ve shared.”

How has the movement/activism changed in recent years?   Embarrassingly I never considered the impact and depth of animal testing. I knew it happened but it is such a hidden secret.  However the consumer is now demanding more ethical choices and the movement has drawn more awareness to their cause by sharing powerful and honest videos and images — which are very brutal — via social mediaand the internet.

What are your favourite brands?   “I LOVE Hourglass,  Marc Jacobs,  Kat Von D and INIKA.  “I really love Hourglass!  Their foundations and concealers are creamy and not drying compared to others I’ve tried. They’re a cruelty free brand with many vegan products. They’ve just announced their aim is to be fully vegan by 2020. This will establish Hourglass as the first Vegan luxury cosmetics brand and they have called for other beauty companies to follow suit.  **It is worth knowing that the company Unilever acquired Hourglass this summer, so the parent company isn’t cruelty free**

Charlotte Tilbury is cruelty free and have many vegan products. Only 2 lipstick shades aren’t and they do not sell in China either.

Marc Jacobs surprised me because as a designer led make-up brand, the majority of the products are free from animal by-products and they do not test on animals — they also claim not to sell in China. However they are not considered to be a vegan line as a few products use beeswax and carmine (grounded down red insects).

Inika is a fantastic 100% Vegan brand.  With clear labelling on their products,there’s no beating around the bush. Their brushes are called, wait for it…Vegan Brushes! They also list their ingredients on the packaging along with all their awarded certifications, Vegan; Cruelty free and certified Organic (77% Organic); it is very clear and concise. As this is an organic brand, their products seem clean and honest.”

Here are Jenny’s must haves:

Primer – Kat Von D Lock it Hydrating Primer (Vegan)1  I have super sensitive skin and this product keeps it calm and doesn’t dry it out as other brands tend do.

Foundation – Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation Mattifying (Vegan) I love this product as it reminds me of the YSL Fusion Foundation I once to used. It’s also mattifying.

Concealer – Inika Truly Organic Perception Concealer in Medium (Vegan)

Powder – Inika Baked Mineral Foundation in Patience (Vegan)

Bronzer & Highlighter – Charlotte Tilbury Film Star Bronze & Glow 

Lipstick – Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme in Sonic Truth (Cruelty Free)   This reminds me of another one of my ‘pre vegan’ favourite lipsticks from Shu Uemura. It has such a great matt feeling which I love. I am just in love with the colour.

Lip Liner – Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk (Vegan)

Mascara – Hourglass Film Noir in Onyx (Cruelty Free)   **This is my best find in years! I’ve been through so many mascaras that were flaky and not thickening enough.

Eye Lift – Instant Effects Instant Eye (Vegan)

Lashes – Eylure Duos & Trio’s (Vegan)   So here’s the thing, Eylure lashes are made from human hair and no one was harmed in the process and they’re not tested on animals…so does that make them Vegan?

Kohl Pencil – Barry M Kohl Pencil in Black (Vegan)   It took me a while to find a replacement for my favourite MAC Kohl pencil as it was so creamy yet matte.

Liquid Eye Pencil – Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper (Vegan)   This product is better than any liquid liner I have used. The tip is so fine it gives such a straight solid line. It also doesn’t move or transfer to the upper lid.

Eyebrow Pencil – Inika Certified Organic Brow Pencil

Eye Shadow –Chantecaille Mermaid Eye Colour in Hematite (Vegan)

Brushes Real Techniques   INIKA    BEAUTY BLENDER Original foundation sponge    Rosie for Autograph  (Vegan)

Instant Tan – Vita Liberata Body Blur Instant Tan (Vegan)

Self Tan – St Tropez Self Tan Express (Vegan) 

Words Jenny Carroll

Beauty editor Julie Jacobs