You Eat Vegan or Plant-Based: Here are 15 More Ways to Avoid Chemicals

|Updated Nov 9, 2021

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From kitchen counter cleaners to your beauty bag must-haves, these vegan and plant-based products not only help support your clean-living lifestyle but they also help you feel good about using them around children and pets because you're avoiding choosing harsh chemicals which can be harmful. As a bonus, you're also helping the planet and supporting companies that care by opting for more eco-friendly options.

Hit the Beauty Aisle

As you’re shopping for plant-based foods, take a turn down the beauty aisle and seek out "all-natural" vegan beauty, plant-based shampoos and conditioners, and straight-from-the-earth clay masks. Then check out the plant-based laundry detergents, dishwashing liquids and surface cleaners. If the goal is "clean, chemical-free, cruelty-free and planet friendly," here is what you should look for.

As more and more companies are working to support a vegan and plant-based way of life, you want to be able to distinguish between "greenwashing" and the real thing. Greenwashing is when companies use an aesthetic that adopts different characteristics such as rustic packaging and images of nature to get consumers to subconsciously associate the product as being eco-friendly, when in fact it is not as environmentally conscious as the company wants you to believe.

These 5 tips will help you be a smart shopper. The good news is that there's never been a better time to become a more conscious consumer.

1. BEAUTY

Skincare and beauty are probably the areas you’re likely to examine right after your food, as part of a plant-based lifestyle. That’s because once you’re aware of what you’re putting in your body, you start wondering what you’re putting on it. Deciding to stay away from chemicals like phthalates and sulfates on your skin is a good start.

One thing to note is that vegan labeling is separate from cruelty-free labeling: A product could indicate that it contains “no animal ingredients,” which would mean no ingredients are derived from animals, but they may still test on animals, so always look for the Leaping Bunny logo to ensure that no such testing takes place.

These vegan brands are your best bet if you’re looking to green your beauty routine:

SKINCARE

Youth to the People: Their plant-based skincare products are made with kale, spinach, green tea, and alfalfa.

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First Aid Beauty: Many of this company’s products are vegan (check each label to be sure) and its moisturizers are made with colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, licorice root, white tea extract and feverfew.

DEODORANT

Schmidt’s: This aluminum-free natural deodorant has won several awards for its effectiveness. It’s made with arrowroot powder, baking soda, coconut oil, shea butter, and coconut oil to keep you smelling and feeling fresh.
Simply Fair: These products support fair trade and their vegan deodorant is made with coconut oil, shea butter, baking soda, arrowroot powder, and lavender oil.

MAKEUP

Milk Makeup: Our go-to is the vegan Kush High Volume Mascara made with synthetic beeswax, sunflower seed oil, Rice Bran Wax, and hydrogenated vegetable oil.

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RMS: We love this brand for its clean, modern aesthetic and their concealer called the Un-Coverup, which comes in 16 shades that will self-adjust to your skin tone.
E.L.F.: This cruelty-free brand has products for your eyes, lips, and face and all of the formulas are 100% vegan. Some natural ingredients in the lip gloss, for example, include avocado oil, coconut oil, and castor oil.

2. HAIRCARE

REVLON TOTAL: Our favorite new vegan hair dye (which Katie Lee, the TV chef and influencer is the spokesperson for now) just released a new "clean and vegan" formula. The nourishing cream formula is free of: Ammonia, parabens, sulfates, silicones, mineral, phthalates or gluten.
IGK 30,000 Feet Shampoo: This volumizing shampoo is made for anyone with flat or thin hair. The key ingredients in this formula are vegetable protein and sunflower extract which strengthens, conditions and moisturizes your hair.
Seed Phytonutrients Color Care Shampoo: The chemical-free shampoo is a great addition to the daily shower routine of anyone who colors their hair. Raspberry seed oil is one of the antioxidant-rich ingredients that protect your colored hair from fading.

3. CLEANING PRODUCTS

Whether you’re looking for chemical-free, eco-friendly products to get the job done or you want to support a brand that doesn’t conduct animal testing or use animal products, these vegan cleaning products get even the dirtiest jobs done.

Method: This brand has a variety of cleaning products including handy wipes, soap, surface spray cleaners, laundry detergent. Each one is made from plant-derived ingredients like ethanol, propanediol, ethyl glycerin acetal levulinate, lauryl alcohol ethoxylate.
Mrs. Meyer's: These earth-friendly products can be used for anything from household cleaning to body care and air fresheners. Mrs. Meyer's products aren’t made from any animal products and they aren’t tested on animals.

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Ecover ZERO: This laundry detergent uses sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate from coconut oil, water, glycerin from vegetable oils, and stain removing agents from fermented plant sugars to keep your clothes clean.

4. PET FOOD

If you’re considering feeding your furry friend a vegan diet to match your own, check with your veterinarian first on whether it’s safe for your pet and how to best go about doing it. While it may be possible for some animals, it is not for others, and if you get the go-ahead from your vet they may still need to take specific vitamins to help meet their dietary needs.

Amì Pet Food: They have pet food made from corn, pea fiber, pea protein, vegetable protein, and potato protein.
Halo: Its dog food is made with chickpeas, non-GMO vegetables and fruits, and nourishing oils. The plant-based protein comes from whole grains, green peas, and chickpeas.
V-Dog: This vegan dog food contains peas, oats, lentils, and flax.
Gather: Choose from recipes with ingredients such as organic peas, organic barley, organic oats, lentils, organic sunflower oil, organic flaxseed, potatoes, and quinoa.