Vegan and cruelty-free are two different claims, and a product can be one without the other.
Cruelty-free
This concerns animal testing. The Leaping Bunny programme, run by Cruelty Free International with partners, certifies companies that do not test on animals for any market.
Vegan
This concerns ingredients. The Vegan Society trademark certifies products that contain no animal-derived ingredients and have not been tested on animals. PETA also runs a label for products that are both cruelty-free and vegan.
Ingredients to watch
Carmine, also listed as cochineal, CI 75470 or Natural Red 4, is a red pigment made from scale insects. It is used in lipsticks, eyeshadows and nail polish. Beeswax, lanolin and some collagen-based ingredients are other animal-derived examples.
Check the certification
Look for a recognised logo or check the certifier’s website, because a “vegan” label with no certification is the brand’s own claim.
Sources: Wikipedia: Leaping Bunny, Wikipedia: Veganism and Wikipedia: Carmine.
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