Today, there are so many shampoo options that it can be hard to choose the best one for your hair (and skin—but more about that later). From hydrating and clarifying shampoos to formulas designed for specific hair types, plus sulfate-free shampoos and color-safe choices, the array is dizzying. And then there’s the question of selecting a vegan shampoo versus a traditional shampoo.
But first things first… The goal of all shampoos is to cleanse the hair and scalp. The main ingredient in shampoo is a surfactant, or cleansing agent, that helps create lather to loosen dirt, debris, and product build-up so it can be easily rinsed away. Other key ingredients include a co-surfactant to enhance its action and a water base, and these all work together to provide the experience you’ve come to associate with shampoo. Shampoos also contain preservatives to keep products microbe-free, and possibly fragrance. Depending on the formula you choose, there are likely other ingredients to help the product achieve your desired result, or meet the needs of your unique hair type.
“Clean” products that are formulated without ingredients that may pose potential health risks have become the norm, and demand for vegan products is on the rise due to more awareness about animal testing, as well as more people adopting a lifestyle that steers clear of animal-derived ingredients.
What makes vegan shampoo different?
When talking about vegan shampoos and traditional shampoos, the key difference is the source of their ingredients. Vegan shampoos are free of any animal-derived ingredients, and which can also make them more appealing to health-conscious consumers.
Aside from the potential for animal testing to be used when creating traditional shampoos, there are several animal-derived ingredients that are commonly included in these formulas. In many cases, this is simply because non-vegan raw ingredients are less expensive than their vegan counterparts. Shampoo ingredients that may be derived from animal sources include biotin, cetyl alcohol, gelatin, hyaluronic acid, keratin, silk powder, and stearic acid. And remember, even if an animal was not harmed while extracting these ingredients, they aren’t vegan. A few examples are beeswax, lanolin, and the natural bristles used in hairbrushes.
Why choose vegan shampoo?
There are several reasons why someone would want to opt for a vegan shampoo formula.
- You are committed to a vegan lifestyle that includes diet, clothing, and personal-care products
- You are against the practice of animal testing
- You want products that are kind to your skin, body, and the environment
SEEN’s vegan shampoo
When Harvard-trained dermatologist Dr. Iris Rubin set out to create SEEN, she had several goals in mind. First, she wanted to create haircare products that were safe for sensitive skin and wouldn’t clog pores. Developing vegan products was a top priority as well so everyone could enjoy the benefits of gorgeous hair and healthy skin without possible concerns about animal testing or animal-derived ingredients for any of the reasons listed above.
In addition to Leaping Bunny certification that confirms SEEN is cruelty-free, we have also received PETA’s Vegan certification that verifies the entire SEEN line is free of animal-derived ingredients.
SEEN is dedicated to gorgeous hair and healthy skin, and we go above and beyond to ensure our products are kind to humans, animals, and the environment as well. Through our commitment to being vegan and cruelty-free, our sustainability efforts, and non-comedogenic formulations that won’t clog pores and are safe for sensitive skin, we're here to help you look and feel your best when you use SEEN.
