Vegan soap: what does it mean and what should you look for?
Vegan soap is not a marketing term; it is a question of ingredients. A soap is vegan when it contains no animal-derived substances, whether as a base, additive, or source of fragrance. It sounds simple, but ingredient lists reveal that many soaps marketed as natural actually contain animal-derived raw materials.
Here, we explain what makes a soap vegan, which ingredients to look out for, and why vegan soap is often a gentle choice even for sensitive skin.
Common animal-derived ingredients in soap
Traditional soap is often made with tallow (animal fat, Sodium Tallowate in the ingredient list), an inexpensive and effective soap base that has been used for centuries. Other common animal-derived ingredients include lanolin (wool fat from sheep), honey, beeswax (Cera Alba), and milk protein. These are not harmful to the skin, but they are not vegan.
Vegan soap instead uses plant-based oils as its base: coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil, or palm kernel oil. FOAM's beauty bars are based on Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, a mild surfactant derived from coconut oil, and Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, organic shea butter. No animal-derived ingredients, no compromises.
Vegan soap and sensitive skin
There is a natural overlap between vegan soap and soap suitable for sensitive skin. Vegan formulations are based on plant-based oils and mild surfactants, which often results in a shorter, cleaner ingredient list. Without tallow and lanolin, the risk of reactions is also reduced for those who are sensitive to animal proteins.
FOAM's Shea Beauty Bar is a clear example: vegan, fragrance-free, and formulated specifically for sensitive skin and the face. Raspberry Beauty Bar is equally vegan but has a richer fragrance profile from natural essential oils and Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, perfect for the body.
What does cruelty-free mean?
Vegan and cruelty-free are not the same thing, even though they often go hand in hand. Vegan says something about the ingredients. Cruelty-free says something about testing methods: neither the product nor its ingredients have been tested on animals. FOAM's products are both vegan and cruelty-free.
How to identify vegan soap in stores
| Ingredient in the list | Source | Vegan? |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium Tallowate | Tallow (beef) | No |
| Lanolin | Wool fat (sheep) | No |
| Cera Alba | Beeswax | No |
| Mel / Honey | Honey | No |
| Sodium Cocoate | Coconut oil | Yes |
| Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate | Coconut oil | Yes |
| Butyrospermum Parkii Butter | Shea butter | Yes |
| Glycerin (vegetable) | Plant-based | Yes |
Learn more about how to choose the right bar soap in our complete guide to bar soap, or explore what makes a facial soap for sensitive skin the right choice.