Your question on Vaseline being cruelty-free and vegan-friendly is valid, as it is genuinely one of the products that are purchased by every household. The familiarity of this brand is not something that needs to be pondered over.
This common and over-the-counter nourishing product is everyone’s favorite as it can be used variedly. Today, it holds a reputed and safe-to-use image, along with being an established brand.
However, it actually dates back to 1870, when Robert Chesebrough created a wonder jelly-like substance that, to date, is being used to cure dryness, cuts, burns, etc. Hence, discovering and analyzing the ingredients that you usually use almost every day is necessary.
After all, who would want to apply something or make a product staple that has a lot of benefits to offer, but at the cost of our mother nature? Hold your horses and read the entire article to reach a conclusion that will help you decide to continue its usage or throw its products in the dustbin.
Table of Contents
Is Vaseline Vegan?
Basically, its base is that of petroleum jelly; however, if it’s vegan or not is something we need to look at. This American brand is actually owned by the very known transnational company Unilever.
According to the world’s one of the most successful and growing Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies, Unilever claims that they only utilize high-quality ingredients to formulate all the batches of Vaseline.
Furthermore, they use strict filtration and purification processes to never compromise the grade of the product. Having said that, it entirely does not mean that it is vegan too.
There is no direct answer to whether Vaseline is vegan or not, as it truly depends on what is acceptable to you in the realm of “being a Vegan.” As far as this petroleum jelly is concerned, there are no animal ingredients included in its overall formulation, which makes it a vegan-friendly product.
However, there was a time when bone char was added to the jelly, but that was stopped a long time back. Today, the only way it can be considered non-vegan to some is because of its retrieval from fossil fuels.
As much as it is the fact that there is not even an ounce of animal-retrieved ingredient, however, to some vegans, it’s testing on animals doesn’t make a vegan-friendly product. So, it totally depends on the person following veganism. And as for the answer for the rest of us, Vaseline is technically a vegan-friendly product with a plethora of uses.
Is Vaseline a Non-Cruelty Product?
Even this has no discreet answer as there has been no clarity from the Vaseline brand. However, as the brand falls under the ownership of Unilever, it’s safe to assume that it also complies with the animal-testing policies of the parent company.
It is important to note that Unilever is a big FMCGC that is spread across the world. Gradually they and some of the companies that are under their blanket are working in accordance with no animal testing.
However, some of their suppliers from different countries have to obey rules and regulations that require them to test the products on animals, which deviates Vaseline from being a non-cruelty product.
So, from this, it can be deduced that overall the brand does not necessarily test its products on animals, but in certain countries like China, it is sure that they are going to animal test their products. (Since it is mandatory!)
Moreover, it is also because Vaseline does not make it to the list of non-cruelty products, so it speaks a lot about the product.
For an exact answer, Vaseline is a non-cruelty product. So, if you are totally against it, then don’t continue its use as it is not animal friendly.
Is Vaseline Environment-Friendly?
This needs no explanation as such, as Vaseline is nothing but petroleum Jelly. In two ways, it is not an environmentally friendly product which is its formulation and the process of retrieval.
Petroleum jelly is a by-product of crude oil waste. First of all, it is extracted from a non-renewable source and goes through the exact same process that causes harm to the environment.
According to the list of ingredients in Vaseline, it is very safe to use by humans; however, as harmful to mother earth. Where do crude oil and its by-products come from? The raw and natural resources are extracted from nature and further refined to get its by-products like gas, jet fuel, petroleum products, waxes, asphalt, lubricating oils, and more.
The way to get these are through the burning of fossil fuels and following a refining process. All these processes that, include burning, cause a lot of air, water, and land pollution. As soon as the fuels are burnt, it releases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide.
If you don’t know, all these gases are responsible for creating the greenhouse effect, which is the re-radiation of heat in the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the most dangerous part of the emission of these gases is that they will be cast in the atmosphere for hundreds of years to come.
Following this, greenhouse emissions will do their work of disruption. The land and water temperature will rise considerably, which does not let the animals and organisms adjust to the sudden rise.
So, it may simply be a very good product with immense benefits for the user to enjoy; however, if you are environmentally conscious as a person, then this product is not for you. Trying switching to alternatives like vegan-friendly products like shea butter, beeswax, mango butter, coconut oils, or olive carrier oils.
They are safe for mother earth and derived without creating a lot of disruptions to nature. Mineral oil, paraffin wax, petrolatum, naphtha, and formaldehyde are some of the by-products of petroleum whose use should be ceased.
Is Vaseline Healthy & Safe to Use?
Skin is such an essential part of the body that it needs extra care and protection. Today, the entire world spends a handsome amount of money to get the products that suit their skin the best.
Vaseline as a product is not water-soluble, it may give you the feel of super moisturized skin, but in reality, it is totally the opposite. Your pores will get clogged, and your skin will not get the space to breathe.
Needless to say, what happens when your skin is clogged instead of nourished? There are high chances of you breaking out or even becoming a trap house for dirt, pollution, sweat, and whatnot.
Especially the ones with sensitive, acne-prone, Differin Purge infected skin, or over-oily skin should refrain from using Vaseline as a moisturizing cream or SPF. Solely because, as much as it is going to make your skin supple, after a while, you will have nothing but oil suffocating your precious skin.
Having said that, if you are skeptical about whether Vaseline is safe to use or not, don’t worry, as it is not only FDA-approved but also not toxic. So, if you are fine with not being vegan, non-cruelty, or environment friendly, then use it on dry areas of your body.
If Not Vaseline, Then What?
As a well-informed and ecologically sound person, if you need something like Vaseline, don’t worry, as there is no dearth of options. You can go for mango, shea, and cocoa butter; they have the same consistency and occlusive texture but are better than petroleum jelly.
Plus, these alternatives are vegan, cruelty-free, and do not harm the environment the way petroleum does. Additionally, you will find more skincare brands choosing the alternatives as an ingredient over Vaseline. This in itself explains the harmful effects of petroleum jelly in the cosmetics industry.
The End Note
Finally, the bottom point is that Vaseline is neither cruelty-free nor vegan-friendly. Although it depends on how you see the products and their testing, the doubts and concerns are not that absurd.
If you don’t want to use Vaseline (petroleum jelly) anymore, don’t worry, as there is no shortage of products in the market that is way better than it. Besides, you can create a significant impact by taking a few basic steps at your own level.
In earlier times, the options of alternatives were not readily available. Still, today the scenario has changed, and you can easily switch the usage of Vaseline to a better and more nature-friendly one. (Take a deeper and closer look at it and welcome the changes that are needed.)
