Know the Animal Ingredients used in your Cosmetics

Are you aware of the fact that almost 3 million sharks are killed each year just to provide squalene which is an important ingredient of your cosmetics? Do not be surprised to know the reality. Till date, majority of skin care cosmetics have animal ingredients as their components. If not all, most of the cosmetic industries use the animal products as they are cheap and are basically a byproduct of industries like meat, fish, dairy, wool, and more.

You will find almost hundred patented and technical names for the ingredients used in the cosmetics and these ingredients can be of any origin: animal, vegetable or synthetic. The interesting aspect is that all are said to be made out of “natural resources” and to be precise in cosmetic industry, natural resources often point out to animal sources like fat, oil, elastin and glands.

10 Common Animal-Derived Ingredients

Here is a list of the ingredients which might make you think twice the next time you use your cosmetics:

Tallow

Your eye makeup, makeup bases, lipstick and foundation are made of Tallow, which is basically animal fat. To get it, the carcasses of slaughtered animals are boiled till a fatty product is not obtained and then is added to your cosmetics.

Hyaluronic Acids

It is an antioxidant and so is used in anti-ageing products. The source of this miracle acid is no where but human umbilical cords along with rooster combs.

Collagen

It is a protein obtained from the connective tissue of an animal body. It is used in skin wrinkle lifting creams as it replaces your damaged collagen. It is also used to get gelatin, an important ingredient in your shampoos and face masks. Collagen can also be obtained from chicken feet and animal horns.

Elastin

It is very much used to make anti ageing facial creams and this protein is derived from aortas and the neck ligaments of cows.

Carmine

A red dye which is present in lipsticks, eye shadow, rouge and other regularly used cosmetics with a tinge of red color is obtained from the female cochineal insect. They are crushed and the red pigment is collected to add in the cosmetics.

Keratin

This is a very common ingredient of your hair care products and is extracted from the hooves, feathers, horns, quills and the fur of various animals.

Shellac

The female lac bug secretes this resin kind product. It is used to give a shiny lacquer in your shampoos, hair sprays, mascara and lipsticks.To get a kilogram of shellac, almost 300,000 lac bugs are killed.

Fake Fragrance

The fragrance used in your cosmetics mainly vanilla is extracted from the cow dung as the process of extracting original vanilla essence is very expensive.

Arachidonic Acid

It is an unsaturated liquid fatty acid that is predominant in brain, liver, fat of humans and animals and various glands. It is mainly isolated from the liver of animals and are used in skin creams to soothe rashes and eczema.

Glucosamine

It is extracted from the animals’ exoskeletons, but specifically for commercial purpose chicken bone marrow is the source. It is used in moisturizing lotions.

Alternative plant products are also used for the cosmetics. As a user you need to be more aware of the consequences faced by the animals and take your step.