Delving into the jungle of cosmetic INCIs is not always so easy. We are now approaching June, the month with the most hours of sunshine throughout the year. But are we ready to face the first exposures to the sun’s rays? Very important is to pay attention to properly nourishing our skin by taking foods that contain antioxidants that have the function of decreasing free radicals produced by UV rays. Find out what foods to find them in.
In some sunscreens, it is good to check for INCIs that may be of animal origin and therefore not suitable for a veg lifestyle. Let’s look at some of them:
Chitin (INCI name: Chitin) is only second to cellulose as the most abundant naturally occurring biopolymer; it is found in the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans, in the epidermal cuticle of invertebrates, and in the cell wall of fungi and some marine microalgae. The derivation of this ingredient may be of dubious origin, in cases such as these, it is very important to opt for products certified by vegan brands such as the V-Label
Don’t be fooled by the beeswax that is generally hidden under the INCI name of Beeswax or Cera Alba. Beeswax is used as an emollient, film-forming, healing, thickening and emulsifying agent but is not a product considered vegan as it is a derivative of secretion from worker bees.
Lanolin (INCI name: Lanolin) is also not vegan, as it is derived through the extraction and purification of wool; it is a lipid compound derived from the sebaceous glands of the woolly fleece of sheep.
Some sunscreens have collagen (INCI name: Collagen) in their composition, which is a protein derived from the connective tissues of slaughter waste, usually from cows, pigs or fish.
Another common protein is elastin (INCI name: Elastin) found in arterial walls, intestines, lungs, or animal skin.
Also stearic acid (INCI name: Stearic Acid) is derived from animal-derived fatty acids, but it can also be plant-derived, so again, if the product contains this ingredient but has obtained V-Label certification of the vegan category, we can be sure that it was not made with animal ingredients.
After carefully choosing your vegan friendly sunscreen you will be ready to face a beautiful day in the sun, but remember, to keep our skin healthy we also need to take care to protect it under hours of sun exposure.