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vegan lipstick
Illustration: Kathryn Rathke

Vegan Beauty

If you're among the million Americans who have banished animal products from the kitchen (and maybe the closet), you likely don't want them in your makeup bag or shower, either. But are there animal-derived ingredients in your lip gloss or shampoo? Quite possible, says cosmetic chemist Ron Robinson. At least a dozen commonly used cosmetic ingredients have animal origins, including beeswax, lanolin (from sheep), whey proteins (from dairy products), and carmine (a red dye derived from beetles), as well as certain animal derived forms of vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acid, lactic acid, peptides and glycerin. A vegan beauty product should contain none of these ingredients—but because there's no federal standard for labels, you must read the ingredient list to be sure. In most cases, "vegan" also means that the product wasn't tested on animals (check the fine print, or call the company). We found a few vegan products even carnivores will love: Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Baked, 100% Pure French Lavender Hand Buttercream, SpaRitual nail lacquers, and Juice Beauty Purely Kissable Lip Color.

From the November 2012 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine
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