Year-End Special: Why vegan beauty is trending worldwide

The industry made a splash this year with many leading brands announcing their foray into this segment

The past decade witnessed the rise of veganism, to the point that it has now become an integral part of our dialogues and debates, evoking many reactions from businesses and consumers worldwide. It did take some time for the alternative industry to be recognised as 'mainstream', and for many traditionalists to understand and appreciate the impact of natural ingredients. We now live in a world where finding organic, vegan, cruelty-free and metal-free skincare and makeup is easier than ever. According to Google, the searches for the word "vegan" across the globe increased by 100 per cent in the last year alone. Of course, one of the most exciting developments for cruelty-free devotees among us was the boom in vegan products, which was reported to be a staggering Dh40 billion industry internationally in 2016 and is likely to double by 2024.
The main reason for the cult-like following of plant-based beauty is not necessarily its social media presence or celebrity loyalists. If you look at the happenings of the year, as the US pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord, New Delhi earned the label of being the most polluted city on earth, and the general cruelty to the environment and animals reached epic proportions - young consumers, who are more aware about the effects of the nasties in their products, began to demand transparency while looking to lighten their toxic loads. Hence, even though animal derived or animal tested products have been a less-than regulated tradition, industry frontrunners are stopping to take a look and review ways to create colours and dyes that make up our lipsticks and eyeshadows without the help of animal products.
The good news for those looking to embrace the vegan beauty culture, or those who are already avid consumers, is that the stigma surrounding the plant-based beauty products of being less-than-attractive and pricey was dispelled by beauty giants this year. Now, instead of heading down to an organic homeopathy or Ayurvedic centre, millennials can stroll down department stores and buy a product rich in natural goodness minus the frou-frou. Take one walk down Sephora and you'd be spoiled for vegan and plant-based choices. Just this week, French beauty giant L'Oreal announced that they are responding to the rapidly growing natural beauty trend by releasing its first vegan, 100 percent plant-based hair dye collection called Botanea.
If there ever was a time to turn your beauty regimen more 'earthy', this is it.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com