For a long time, it wasn’t possible to find an ethical buy when it came to perfumes and fragrances. Now, things are changing and there are a number of perfumes that are not only cruelty-free but 100% vegan. In the sections below, we’re going to look at some of the top vegan perfume options out there today.
Best Vegan Perfume picks
Even now, many perfumes still contain animal products, despite the fact that there are a variety of synthetic alternatives. On top of that, many top perfume brands are still not cruelty-free which means you’re going to need to avoid these brands as well.
However, there is still an option for smelling like a rose and doing it ethically. There are some excellent perfume and fragrance brands that offer a selection of scents. And, all of them are vegan and cruelty-free. So, let’s take a look at the top vegan perfumes available right now.
Taking a more detailed look into these vegan perfumes
This brand has a wide array of perfumes and fragrances on offer. Better still, every single perfume here is vegan, cruelty-free and gluten-free. This means that you can pick whichever fragrance appeals to you without worrying if you can wear it or not. Additionally, the brand is run by women which adds an extra plus point here. There are many perfumes, with new fragrances added all the time. Some of the top options include Lotus Pear, Vanilla Woods and Coconut Sun.
Clean Beauty has over 20 different fragrances, and they’re all vegan. There are no animal products found here. Many of the usual harsh chemicals such as parabens are also not included in the making of these perfumes. Additionally, Clean Beauty also has a sustainable plan and sources all the ingredients in the best way possible to support local businesses. They work with green manufacturing partners, responsibly sourcing all ingredients. The only downside is that they can be a bit expensive for a small bottle.
This brand has a small collection of vegan fragrances on offer. Some of the perfumes include pear and jasmine scents or vanilla and hinoki wood. All the perfumes are blended with sugar cane alcohol. However, these fragrances only last four to five hours on the skin which isn’t as long as some of the other brands.
Founded in 2018, this brand is one that aims to inspire, and it does so through some of its vegan fragrances. Available in funky, vibrant bottles, these perfumes are fully vegan and cruelty-free. The fragrances come in standard and travel sized making it easy to take them with you wherever you go. Each perfume is created based on a feeling, so you can match the perfume to your mood.
This is a huge brand when it comes to offering vegan beauty. Pacifica has a great selection of perfumes. There are floral, citrus fruity, woody, gourmand, herbal and spicy scents to name a few. It’s very easy to find a variety of solid perfumes, sprays and mists. And, these subtle notes are great for experimenting. You can mix and match the different fragrances to suit your mood. Some of the favorites here worth checking out are French Lilac, Persian Rose and Himalayan Patchouli Berry. And, all of this is at budget-friendly prices.
This brand doesn’t just focus on being vegan and cruelty-free but makes sure it is suitable for all skin types. The fragrances are hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. They’re also an eco-friendly brand offering recyclable packaging with all their products. There are some unusual fragrance profiles here with Coconut Cove offering a coconut and bergamot mix or Lime Sands which is a combination of lime, sea salt and coconut water. The perfumes are at the upper end of the price scale.
For a little extra fun, this vegan brand lays out its fragrances by mood or by scent, it’s up to you. Search for your favorite perfume based on whether you want to be dazzling, dynamic or mesmerizing. Alternatively, search in a more traditional way for floral, fresh, woody and spicy. There are so many fragrances it can be hard to choose, but there is a convenient discovery set with samples from many of these perfumes.
This brand uses a sugarcane alcohol base and sustainably sourced ingredients from around the world. Phlur is fully vegan and cruelty-free. There are a number of different fragrances on offer here, though the collection is a lot smaller than most. They’re also a bit higher in price than some of the other brands here. But, the uniqueness of each perfume is a big draw. Try out the floral spicy, Not Your Baby, or opt for the more traditional white floral, Phloria.
Focusing on intent, each fragrance from DefineMe is meant to evoke a specific emotion. There are many different options here and these all come with very different fragrances. The perfumes or mists even have a scent wave, outlining how the fragrance changes throughout the day. For instance, Audry starts out with peony and pink rose, and rises to jasmine and magnolia before finishing with a sandalwood and cedar note. Not only is this brand vegan, but it also gives $1 to scholarships for educating women in third-world countries each time you purchase a bottle.
As the name suggests, all fragrances are vanilla-based which might not work for everyone. For those who love this scent, all fragrances are handmade and use natural, organic ingredients from around the world. No harsh chemicals are used here and instead, sugar cane alcohol is infused with essential oils and botanicals for a truly 100% vegan experience.
Offering a classic collection of perfumes, this is luxury vegan at its finest. Each fragrance is carefully crafted to ensure the best quality. The scents are very subtle and more feminine than many out there. They’re also potent and as such, long-lasting. To this day, Santal 33 remains a popular fragrance.
This brand has a wide range of vegan perfumes available. There are a number of different options from mid-range budgets right through to the truly expensive ones. Better still, with such a wide variety of scents, you can take your time to choose the one that suits you. Options such as Sun are fruity with orange and sandalwood notes, Dirty is a menthol scent and Sex Bomb brings in a jasmine and ylang-ylang scent. However, the entire range isn’t vegan, just 95% of it, so check the ingredients before you pick your perfect scent.
What makes a perfume vegan?
For a long time, most perfumes or fragrances were not vegan. This is because they contained a lot of animal products such as musk, honey or beeswax. However, to be vegan, a perfume can’t have any animal ingredients or animal by-products.
On top of that, the brand must be cruelty-free. This means that the perfume is not tested on animals in any way. Some brands are listed as cruelty-free because they themselves do not test on animals. However, if a company is selling its perfumes to China, then animal testing occurs as this is a governmental requirement for China. In cases like these, the brand is therefore not cruelty-free nor vegan.
As it can be quite hard to know exactly whether or not a brand is properly vegan, the best way to tell is to choose a product that is registered or has a certificate to prove it is cruelty-free and/or vegan.
What are synthetic ingredients?
While many perfumes used animal products such as musk from civet cats or musk deer, scents like this can now be made synthetically. For a long time, perfumes were made with natural ingredients, but now, with synthetics, there’s no need to go out and extract these scents from nature.
When perfumers opt to use synthetic perfumes, this is actually better for the environment. And, the fragrances can be more imaginative than ever before. As such, it’s a good time to switch over to synthetic-only perfumes and leave natural perfumes behind.
Better still, when using synthetics, there are no animal welfare or animal cruelty issues. This means that the perfumes can be classified as vegan — as long as they’re not tested on animals of course!
Some of the most commonly found synthetic fragrances include ambroxan (woody aroma), coumarin (marzipan), geraniol (rose), eugenol (spicy clove), synthetic musk, muguet (lily of the valley) and so on.
Are cruelty-free and vegan the same thing?
No, cruelty-free and vegan are not the same thing. For a perfume to be cruelty-free, it can’t be tested on animals. However, for a perfume to be vegan, it can’t contain any animal products or derivatives as part of the ingredients.
This means that a brand can be cruelty-free but not vegan. In contrast, a vegan brand has to be cruelty-free as well. If the perfume isn’t cruelty-free, then it’s not vegan.
How is cruelty-free perfume tested?
Typically, perfumes have been tested on animals. Despite these only being topical in the application, testing of these perfumes is more invasive. Typically, the perfume is smeared on the skin and into the eyes of small animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice. Now though, there is no need to do such testing as there are many alternative methods for testing a perfume.
So, how are perfumes tested if not on animals? Well, there are a number of ways. For instance, some perfumes are tested on human volunteers or on cell cultures and human tissues. Other options include building computer models to see how the ingredients would react when combined. In short, there are many options so there’s no need to choose a perfume that’s not cruelty-free.
Summary
Nowadays, it’s increasingly easy to find that perfect scent whilst also being cruelty-free, ethical and environmentally friendly. There are many different brands that offer vegan fragrances and these are available for both men and women.
You can check out all our top vegan perfumes right here, and choose one that suits you. Whether you’re looking for a summery floral scent or a stronger woody note, there’s a vegan fragrance for everyone.