Do all vegan perfumes really follow ethical standards?

The fragrance industry is embracing veganism as the new buzzword—we find out whether it’s worth anything at all 

In a marketing-heavy world driven by tokenism, segregating value from the clutter is a task in itself. Fragrances have had a fairly standard rec for decades now — natural ingredients, the obvious inclusion of alcohol, floral absolutes — without much to question apart from longevity or personal preference of the scent. As we move towards a more conscious future, veganism is emerging as a lifestyle people are actively choosing. It isn’t just limited to when they’re ordering food off a menu—their choice of fragrance also reflects this way of life. We explore what veganism means to the perfume industry, and whether it’s a term worth anything at all. 

What does the ‘vegan’ tag mean for fragrances?

“When a perfume is labelled ‘vegan,’ it signifies a fusion of ethical choices and olfactory artistry,” says Esha Tiwari, founder of Kastoor, an Indian vegan and cruelty-free ittar brand. “For vegan fragrances, no animal by-products are employed in their creation and no creature is harmed in the crafting or testing of these fragrant elixirs.”

Vegan fragrances use alternative, synthetically created notes as opposed to those derived from animals to be able to make the claim. “There are many alternatives available to most of the animal-origin fragrance ingredients which have the same odour profile as natural ingredients,” says Rohit Kamble, assistant manager, R&D, Plum BodyLovin, an Indian brand that has a 100 per cent vegan and cruelty-free fragrance portfolio.

The tag is becoming increasingly popular in an industry that’s almost never used it, thanks to consumer demand. “Consumers hold a lot of power when it comes to dominating the goods that are churned out today in the D2C space,” says Tejal Tendulkar, head of operations and product development, MASIC Beauty, a vegan skincare and fragrance brand founded by content creator Malvika Sitlani and Veronica Bahl. “The more they demand, the more brands will invest in product research and development to shape their launches accordingly to create a supply for the said demand and be relevant in the market,” says Tendulkar.  

Are traditional perfumes heavily dependent on animal-derived ingredients?

Traditionally, musk is derived from the navel of deer, ambergris from whales, and, of course, beeswax from bees. However, the answer to the dependency will surprise you. “In reality, most perfumes are vegan without you even knowing it, even if it's not necessarily mentioned on the packaging,” says Maxime Exler, perfumer at Symrise. “In fact, the price and scarcity of raw materials of animal origin mean that they rarely appear in perfume formulas. Until the early 2000s, it was not uncommon to come across civet (from tropical mammals) or castoreum (from beavers) in a formula. But over the last 20 years or so, perfumers have learned to do without.” Abdulla Ajmal, CEO, Ajmal group adds, “Today’s perfumery is 90 per cent vegan. Brands compensate with the use of synthetic raw materials allowing them to claim tags like ‘vegan’ and ‘eco-friendly’ but most importantly, to claim fragrances as 100 per cent safe to use, even for sensitive skin.”

The debate around environment-friendliness 

It’s common to assume that something that comes with the ‘vegan’ tag is good for the planet as well, but that isn’t always the case. “A vegan perfume is more ethical than eco-friendly,” says Philippine Courtière, senior perfumer, Symrise. “But a vegan perfume has no more or less impact on the environment than a traditional perfume. Not using animal materials does not prevent you from using materials with a significant impact on the environment, either in the juice or in the packaging.”

Fragrance houses like Symrise are making conscious efforts to develop synthetic alternatives that allow perfumers to experiment without resorting to the animal-derived counterparts. “At Symrise, the civet is no longer on the perfumer's palette. To help our perfumers evolve their ingredient portfolios, the brand is developing captive bodies like Ambrostar®. Thanks to its chemical-derived materials, we can find so-called animalic fragrances without the presence of any material of animal origin. Taking the Ambrostar® example again, it’s upcycled from cedar tree side streams and is 75 per cent renewable.” Tiwari also champions plant-based fragrances due to their community impact. “Some vegan perfumes prioritise the use of locally sourced flowers and collaborate with local communities, thereby promoting sustainable practices and supporting the local economy,” she says.

Unfortunately, the ‘vegan’ tag tends to be used very loosely by most brands across the beauty space without paying attention to confirm if their supply chain is vegan end-to-end. “Veganism is a lifestyle based on strong values and principles. If one is vegan, they should look for brands that clearly state it and label it on their products’ safety data sheets,” says Ajmal. Marketing benefits aside, labelling fragrances does raise awareness to the fact that fragrance, too, can be derived from animals. “Labelling not only signifies the absence of animal-derived ingredients but also becomes an educational tool, enlightening consumers about the true cost of certain fragrances,” says Tiwari. “Through education, the demand for products that harm animals can be reduced.”

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