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Thursday, March 5, 2015

Why Many People Are Turning To Organic Vegan Soap

By Leslie Ball


People often turn to a vegetarian lifestyle when confronted with the cruelty that some domestic animals endure while being prepared for commercial slaughter. Although soap is not an edible item, it can contain fats originally derived from cattle and other creatures originally grown for food. Organic vegan soap is made without ingredients containing residual growth hormones or pesticides, and product testing is not conducted on animals.

Fat derived from non-vegetable sources has long been used to make soaps and related personal products. Unless the label says otherwise, there are usually additional chemical ingredients used to enhance cleaning characteristics and make the product smell and look better, as well as traces of the antibiotics or hormones originally administered to maximize growth. Certified pesticide-free vegetable-based soaps contain none of those substances.

Beef fat together with coconut oils are commonly found in many commercially sold brands, which may also contain formulas or mixtures derived from other sources, including palm oils. These substances are abundant and easily accessed, and soaps can be made from any form of fat when combined with ash or alkali-based ingredients. Animal fat is not really necessary, but is inexpensive and plentiful.

Products advertised as organically produced may not qualify as truly vegan. Natural ingredients such as lanolin, beeswax, honey, royal jelly, fish, emu, and mink oil, and others are made by or from creatures that may have enjoyed life on a humane, sustainable farm, with no additional pesticide use or chemical growth additives. They are still organic, but are not considered vegetarian.

Rather than combing stores or websites to find products not containing any trace of beef tallow or lard, many people have begun to make their own personal soaps. There are many recipes available online, and any type of vegetable fat will work, although some are preferable to others. Cocoa butter is a popular ingredient with a reputation as an excellent moisturizer. When firm bars are needed, coconut oils hold their shape while producing abundant lather.

Olive oil is the prime ingredient in making the mild variety widely known as Castile, which generally produces fewer allergic reactions or skin irritations. Shea butter comes from an African tree, is is touted for its moisture-retaining properties, and is also manufactured for use as a product by itself. Sweet almond oil adds a feeling of lightness, and conditions the skin. Many oils are blended for use as more effective combinations.

Palm oils are a vegetarian product by definition, but are increasingly produced on massive plantations in South Asian nations. They displace natural vegetation, destroy the irreplaceable habitats of many endangered species, and generate a host of environmental problems common to deforested regions. Small amounts are produced using sound, sustainable practices, and the label usually states that fact.

Organic does not mean vegan, and the avoidance of animal products does not necessary make a brand superior. People interested in opting out of animal cruelty by buying, using and eating vegan products must become aware of the real meaning behind labeling. Simply calling a product natural does not guarantee that it is made humanely, or does not contain unnecessary chemicals.




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