Scan a barcode, search a product, or paste an ingredients list. Instantly check shampoo, deodorant, skincare, aftershave, makeup, and toiletries for lanolin, beeswax, carmine, silk proteins, and 60+ more animal-derived ingredients.
Built for anyone checking the label — whether it's deodorant, aftershave, shampoo, or foundation.
Upload a photo of any beauty product, type its name, or paste the full INCI ingredients list from the packaging or website.
Every ingredient is cross-checked against our database of 60+ animal-derived cosmetics ingredients — including INCI Latin names like Cera Alba, Adeps Lanae, and CI 75470.
Vegan, not vegan, or "may contain" — with a full ingredient breakdown and vegan-friendly alternatives you can buy in the UK.
Cosmetics use Latin INCI names that most people can't read. We recognise Cera Alba (beeswax), Adeps Lanae (lanolin), CI 75470 (carmine), Sericin (silk), and dozens more — so you don't have to.
Our database covers over 500,000 beauty products. If it's sold in a UK pharmacy or supermarket, there's a good chance we have it — with the full INCI ingredients list ready to check.
Copy the ingredients from a product page, packaging photo, or brand website and paste them in. Our engine analyses every ingredient and flags anything non-vegan or ambiguous.
Carmine isn't listed as "crushed insects." Lanolin isn't listed as "sheep grease." INCI names are deliberately technical — here's what we do about it.
EU and UK cosmetics law requires ingredients to be listed using INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) — Latin or chemical names that are opaque to ordinary shoppers. Lanolin becomes "Adeps Lanae." Beeswax becomes "Cera Alba." Carmine (from crushed insects) becomes "CI 75470." Silk becomes "Serica" or "Sericin."
Even experienced vegans get caught out. Our engine knows every INCI alias for every flagged ingredient, so a product saying "Adeps Lanae, Serica, CI 75470" is decoded instantly as lanolin + silk + carmine.
A product can be cruelty-free (not tested on animals) but still contain animal-derived ingredients like beeswax or lanolin. Conversely, a product can be vegan (no animal ingredients) but be sold in markets that require animal testing by law.
This checker focuses purely on vegan status — whether the ingredients list contains animal-derived substances. For cruelty-free status, look for Leaping Bunny or PETA certification. Lush, for example, is cruelty-free but some products contain honey or beeswax — vegan status varies by product. Read our skincare ingredients guide.
The top animal-derived cosmetics ingredients that catch people out: Lanolin (Adeps Lanae) in lip balms and moisturisers — from sheep wool grease. Carmine (CI 75470) in red lipstick and blush — from ~70,000 crushed cochineal insects per gram. Beeswax (Cera Alba) in most lipsticks and mascaras.
Silk proteins (Sericin, Fibroin, Serica) in shampoos and conditioners — boiled from silkworm cocoons. Collagen and elastin in anti-ageing creams — usually from fish scales or pork. Keratin in hair treatments — ground animal hooves, hair, and feathers. Full ingredient guide.
Some cosmetics ingredients can be from plant or animal sources and the label won't tell you which. Glycerin is one of the most common — it can come from plant oils (soy, palm, coconut) or animal fat. The same applies to stearic acid, oleic acid, and many fatty alcohols like cetyl alcohol.
We flag these as "may contain" so you can make an informed choice or contact the brand directly. Major vegan brands like e.l.f. and NYX always use plant-derived glycerin — smaller brands are less consistent. When in doubt, look for explicit "vegan" certification on the packaging.
Yes — fully free, no sign-up, no paywall. Funded by Amazon affiliate links on our vegan alternative suggestions and a Buy Me a Coffee tip jar.
Vegan means the product contains no animal-derived ingredients. Cruelty-free means the product (and its ingredients) were not tested on animals. A product can be one without the other.
This checker focuses on vegan ingredient status. For cruelty-free certification, look for the Leaping Bunny logo or PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies database.
For products in our database, accuracy is high — the ingredient data comes directly from the product packaging. AI-generated results are clearly labelled with an amber badge and should be verified against the packaging.
Brands reformulate without warning, so always do a final check of the physical ingredients list — especially for products you use regularly.
Some ingredients can be from plant or animal sources and the label doesn't specify. Glycerin, stearic acid, and fatty alcohols like cetyl alcohol are the most common examples. We flag these as ambiguous so you can decide for yourself or contact the brand.
Carmine (CI 75470, E120) is a bright red pigment made from crushed cochineal insects. It takes approximately 70,000 insects to produce one gram of dye. It's widely used in red lipsticks, blushers, eyeshadows, and nail polishes. On INCI lists it appears as "Carmine," "CI 75470," "Cochineal," or "Carminic Acid." Vegan alternatives include synthetic dyes and iron oxides.
Fully vegan UK-available brands include: Bulldog Skincare (men's grooming, 100% vegan), e.l.f. Cosmetics (100% vegan and cruelty-free), NYX Professional Makeup (certified vegan), Barry M (mostly vegan, cruelty-free), Altruist (suncare), Faith in Nature (haircare and bodycare), and Salt of the Earth (deodorants). Lynx confirmed their mainstream ranges are vegan-friendly.
Brands like Lush, The Body Shop, and Superdrug own-brand are cruelty-free but not all products are vegan — check individual items with this tool.
You'll get the option to "Search with AI instead" — our AI fallback analyses the product based on what it knows. AI results are clearly tagged with an amber warning. You can also paste the full INCI list from the packaging or brand website and our engine will analyse it instantly.
Yes — our Is It Vegan? Food checker covers 3 million+ food products via Open Food Facts, with a separate ingredient engine tuned for UK food products and E-numbers. The food and cosmetics checkers are separate tools with separate databases.
We check every ingredient against 60+ known animal-derived cosmetics substances — including INCI Latin names like Cera Alba (beeswax), Adeps Lanae (lanolin), CI 75470 (carmine), and Sericin (silk protein) — cross-referenced against our database of 500,000+ products.
Product labels can be deliberately opaque. Most people can't tell that "Adeps Lanae" is sheep grease or that "CI 75470" is made from 70,000 crushed insects. We translate the INCI list for you — whether you're checking deodorant, aftershave, shampoo, or foundation.
Common hidden non-vegan ingredients: lanolin in lip balm, moisturisers, and deodorant sticks; beeswax in lipsticks and hair wax; silk proteins in shampoos and conditioners; carmine in red and pink products; collagen from fish or pork in serums. Learn more about hidden ingredients.
Is Your Shampoo Vegan? · Vegan Body Wash UK · Skincare Ingredients Guide · View all 64 articles →
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Is It Vegan? Cosmetics is a free tool for checking whether personal care products — shampoo, deodorant, aftershave, skincare, makeup, and toiletries — are suitable for vegans. Built for everyone.
1. Cached results — Previously checked products are served instantly from our cache.
2. Open Beauty Facts — We query the Open Beauty Facts open-source database of 500,000+ beauty products.
3. Ingredient analysis — Every INCI ingredients list is checked against our database of 60+ animal-derived cosmetics ingredients, including INCI aliases (Cera Alba = beeswax, Adeps Lanae = lanolin, CI 75470 = carmine, Sericin = silk protein).
This tool checks vegan ingredient status only — whether the product contains animal-derived ingredients. Cruelty-free status (whether the product was tested on animals) is separate. Look for Leaping Bunny or PETA certification for cruelty-free verification.
For informational purposes only. Brands reformulate without notice. Always check the physical packaging yourself. See our Terms of Service.
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Last updated: April 2026
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Last updated: April 2026
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For informational purposes only. We do not guarantee any result is accurate, complete, or current. Brands reformulate without warning. Ambiguous ingredients (glycerin, stearic acid) may be plant or animal derived. Always check the physical packaging, particularly if you have allergies or strict dietary requirements.
The service is provided "as is." We are not liable for any damages arising from use of the service.
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