Choosing Vegan Shower Gel: Ingredients to Avoid & Labels to Trust

Common Animal-Derived Ingredients

• Glycerin (often from tallow; plant-based exists—look for “vegetable glycerin”)
• Lanolin (sheep wool wax)
• Stearic acid (can be animal fat; specify “vegetable”)
• Sodium tallowate (saponified beef fat)
• Honey, beeswax, silk proteins, keratin, collagen
• Carmine/cochineal (insect dye)

Reliable Certifications

• Leaping Bunny – no animal testing, ingredient-level audit.
• Vegan Society / Vegan Action – no animal ingredients.
• PETA Beauty Without Bunnies – cruelty-free + vegan lists.

Shopping Tips

• Read INCI list; “natural” ≠ vegan.
• Contact brand if unsure.
• Patch test—plant ingredients can still irritate.