Vegan soap facts for kids

Olive oil soap is a common vegetable based soap.

Vegan soaps are special cleaning bars. They are made using ingredients that come only from plants, like oils and fats from vegetables. This is different from many traditional soaps that use fats from animals. People who choose a vegan lifestyle often pick these soaps because they want to avoid all animal products.

What Are Vegan Soaps?

Vegan soaps are created using plant-based ingredients. These ingredients are turned into soap through a process called saponification. This process mixes fats or oils with a strong alkali (like lye) to create soap. For vegan soaps, only plant-based fats and oils are used.

What Are Vegan Soaps Made From?

Vegan soaps use many different plant-based ingredients. These can include:

• Aloe vera
• Castor oil
• Cornstarch
• Corn syrup
• Pectin
• Essential oils (like lavender or tea tree oil)

These soaps do not use any animal products. This means they avoid ingredients like:

• Lanolin (from sheep's wool)
• Gelatin (from animal collagen)
• Lard (from pig fat)
• Tallow (from beef or mutton fat)

Why Do People Choose Vegan Soaps?

Many people choose vegan soaps for ethical reasons. A vegan lifestyle means trying to avoid all products that come from animals. This includes food, clothes, and even everyday items like soap. The Vegan Society, a group that promotes veganism, encourages people to avoid products with animal ingredients.

Avoiding Animal Testing

Another reason people choose vegan soaps is to avoid products tested on animals. Many vegans believe it is wrong to use animals for testing. Groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) support this view. They say there are many vegan soaps available that are not tested on animals. You can find these soaps for different skin types and budgets.

Types of Vegan Soaps

There are several well-known types of vegan soaps. Some famous examples include:

• Aleppo soap: An ancient soap from Syria, often made with olive oil and laurel oil.
• Castile soap: A very mild soap, traditionally made with olive oil.
• Marseille soap: A traditional soap from France, usually made with olive oil.
• Nabulsi soap: A type of olive oil soap from Palestine.
• Some glycerin soaps: Glycerin can be plant-based or animal-based, so you need to check the label.

Vegan Certified Soap