Ethically Minded Alternatives for Healthy Skin
It would be fair to assume that in 2023, animal testing for cosmetics and skincare products has become a thing of the past. At a time when a large portion of the population has become more mindful of farming practices, more apt to purchase organic produce and humane-certified animal products, and more likely to forgo cheap and easy food options in favor of local vendors, certainly the beauty industry, too, has adapted practices to meet the growing ethical standards of its customers. Right?
Although most European nations, Australia, New Zealand, India, and several South American countries have all passed laws banning animal testing for cosmetics, the United States has remained in an ethical grey area in regard to animal cruelty for the purposes of developing beauty products. While legislation for cruelty-free practices are in development, the only state to ban animal testing outright has been California. In fact, many popular and widely successful American-based skincare companies routinely ship their products overseas (to countries where animal testing is still very much active) in order to streamline the addition of new ingredients that have yet to be proven safe for use by humans.
Our Dedication to Using Only Cruelty-free, Vegan Ingredients
BensiSkin products are designed to offer medical-strength solutions and promote the health, beauty, and function of the skin. By using only safe and trusted ingredients with long histories of efficacy within the skincare industry, our formulations have been tailored to provide transformative benefits to the skin while minimizing the impact we—and, therefore, our customers—make on the environment.
In addition to offering topical skincare products to treat a variety of conditions, combat signs of premature aging, and protect our bodies from environmental stressors, the BensiSkin team is dedicated to showcasing specific ingredients within our products and how those ingredients boost natural skin functions.
What are Some of the Most Common Animal-based Skincare Additives?
Below are a few examples of commonly used animal byproducts in the skincare and cosmetic industries, along with plant-based alternatives offered throughout the BensiSkin line of medical-grade skincare products.
1. Squalane (from sharks): This chemical is extracted from shark liver oil and is often used in lip care products and moisturizers as a hydrating agent. BensiSkin moisturizers (including Boost, Hydrate, and Volumize) are formulated with olive-derived squalane, which interacts particularly well with the skin’s natural oils to provide lasting hydration without leaving behind any heavy or greasy residue.
2. Lanolin (from sheep’s wool): Perhaps the most widely used animal product in the skincare industry, lanolin is favored for its soft texture and moisturizing benefits. Thankfully, there are a variety of plant-based ingredients that offer the same effects. BensiSkin products are enhanced with many of these ingredients, including shea butter, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, fatty acids, and the plant-based growth factor kinetin, to name a few.
3. Collagen (from animal bone and ligaments): There is no doubt about it; collagen is one of the most essential components for maintaining beautiful, healthy skin. At BensiSkin, instead of loading our products with animal-based collagen, we use powerful plant-based antioxidants (mainly vitamin C and vitamin A in combination) to promote natural collagen production from within our own skin. These products boost levels of collagen while simultaneously improving the overall look of the complexion.
4. Elastin (from animal muscle tissue): Elastin is a protein found throughout the human body. In our skin, it acts to improve elasticity and reduce signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles. BensiSkin antioxidant products helps stimulate the natural production of elastin without introducing any foreign, animal-based proteins. In addition, products that contain hyaluronic acid, such as Smooch, Lock, Optimize, and Rescue, help reduce water loss within the skin and offer natural plumping and skin firming benefits.
We at BensiSkin are proud to provide our skincare customers with safe, cruelty-free, and vegan skincare products. If you have any questions about our formulations, please don’t hesitate to reach out via email at info@bensiskin.com or by calling 503-222-0939 to schedule a consultation with one of our skincare professionals.