Korean Skincare Cruelty Free

Vegan vs Cruelty-free - How Does K-beauty Distinguish Between the Two?

As time goes on, more and more K-beauty brands are starting to turn their attention to cruelty-free formulations. Sometimes buzzwords like “vegan” or “cruelty-free” are thrown around, with consumers not fully understanding what they mean or what the distinction is - so, what’s the difference between K-beauty products that are vegan and those that are cruelty-free?

When something is vegan, it means it’s a product that does not contain any substances or ingredients derived from animals. For example, Centella Asiatica, an ingredient common in many Korean skincare products, is vegan as it’s cultivated from a plant. 

There are also vegan alternatives to animal-produced products like Collagen, which is typically extracted from animals like fish and used in anti-aging products. Vegan Collagen, on the other hand, is made from fermented yeast extract, becoming a popular substitute for this traditional animal-based ingredient in Korean skincare. Vegan Collagen can be found in products like ABIB’s Collagen Gel Mask Sedum Jelly, which helps to improve the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, leaving you with youthful, bouncy-looking skin. 

When a product is cruelty-free, it simply means it wasn’t tested on animals. Therefore, everything that is vegan is also, by default, cruelty-free. However, not everything that is cruelty-free is vegan. For example, products that contain Honey, Propolis, or Royal Jelly Extract are cruelty-free (which is found in many I’M FROM products), but aren’t vegan as it’s derived from bees, making it an animal product.

Why would individuals be interested in cruelty-free Korean skincare?

In an increasingly environmentally-conscious world, questions about ethical consumption and sustainability have become a hot-topic, both online and offline. 

The more information about animal-testing becomes available, consumers are increasingly unwilling to buy products that involve it, as they often view it as a form of animal abuse. Additionally, many people, especially those in Gen Z, are more aware of the threat of climate change and actively look at ways to reverse or slow its impact on the planet. Cruelty-free products use less waste and chemicals, which protects the ecosystem. This has led to a growing demand for cruelty-free K-beauty alternatives.

Where can I find cruelty-free Korean skincare?

Here at Skin Cupid, we don’t believe in harming animals to give you the best Korean skincare experience. We have a plethora of big, cruelty-free K-beauty brands like: