How far can we go to achieve flawless skin—and does that include animal cruelty, too?

While honey, beeswax, goat’s milk, squalane, and ghee have featured as ingredients in beauty products for a long time, is it fair to chase vanity at the expense of animals?

Shock value—or clickbait, in today’s Internet age—has been a longstanding, almost failproof strategy employed by businesses across industries to grab consumers’ eyeballs. However, of late, the beauty industry has taken these strategies a little too far. Obnoxious-sounding ingredients like ‘salmon sperm,’ ‘snail mucin,’ and ‘bee venom’ are headlining the beauty industry’s trends. The hashtag #snailmucin features around 1,28,000 posts on Instagram, evincing its virality.Similarly, products like bee venom moisturiser from British skincare brand Rodial and  PDRN (PolyDeoxyRiboNucleotide—a compound derived from the DNA of salmon) serum from K-beauty brand Medicube have already become hot-sellers in India. 

Traditionally, ingredients such as honey, beeswax, goat’s milk, squalane, ambergris (or amber), carmine, lanolin, gelatin ,and ghee have been heavily used to prepare beauty products, proving that animal-based beauty isn’t a particularly novel concept. However, most of the processes currently employed to obtain these ingredients raise a number of questions. 

Considering the last decade has played a key role in promoting vegan beauty—the global vegan cosmetic launches increased by 175 per cent between 2014 and 2019, thereby, making it a yardstick—the snowball effect of animal-based beauty seems abysmally shocking. 

“The use of animal-derived ingredients often raises ethical issues related to animal welfare. In Mintel’s Global Outlook on Sustainability 2024-25report, global beauty consumers rank animal welfare as a key concern—24 per cent cite it among their top three social issues,” says Tanya Rajani, Associate Director, Beauty and Personal Care, Mintel India.“Production of animal-derived ingredients can also have serious environmental impacts, from resource depletion to ecosystem disruption. For instance, sourcing squalane from sharks can lead to overfishing and biodiversity loss.”

In an age where many brands are striving to knock out a cosmetic mainstay like beeswax for the sake of creating vegan formulations, some are exploring obscure, bizarre animal-derived ingredients, and consumers are giving in. But, if self-care (or skincare) comes at the expense of animals, it is an ethical issue to consider.

Why are animal-derived ingredients used in beauty products anyway?

Flip to the rear side of the packaging of your favourite lip balm, face moisturiser, or body lotion, and there’s a quite a high chance you’ll spot beeswax listed as one of the ingredients. Similarly, honey has been a linchpin for various beauty products, from face masks to lip salves and even hair oils. In fact, brands like Burt’s Bees, Gisou, Beekman 1802 and homegrown soap-making brand o.w.n are entirely premised on the benefits of beeswax, honey, and goat’s milk.

According to New Delhi-based dermatologist Dr Kiran Sethi, the use of animal-derived ingredients in beauty products happens either by accident or human analogue. “Snail mucin was discovered when those who were working with snails for escargot farming—the French eat snails as a delicacy—found their hands to be very moisturised. However, collagen or keratin, for example, is only found in animals, leading to its sourcing for skin and hair care products.”

When it comes to the question of why the beauty industry resorted to animal-based ingredients in the first place, celebrity dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad explains, “Generally, ingredients are chosen for various effects ranging from moisturisation and texture-enhancement to colour and fragrance. Bioactive compounds from animals confer tangible skin benefits. For instance, snail mucin excels at hydration and repair via barrier-enhancing sugars and proteins, bee venom provides a controlled injury response that can boost collagen and fight bacteria, beef tallow replenishes missing skin lipids for barrier integrity and nourishment, and PDRN delivers nucleic acids to stimulate regenerative processes at the cellular level.” 

However, with biotechnology in beauty reaching new heights every day, a pertinent question arises: Aren’t there cleaner, more ethical substitutes to mimic the effects of such animal-derived ingredients? 

Krupa Koestline, a clean cosmetic chemist and founder of US-based KKT Innovation Labs, shares that while ingredients like honey, yoghurt, and beeswax have a long history of topical use and are relatively well-studied, many of the others—like snail mucin, beef tallow, and salmon PDRN—don’t have enough robust clinical data to justify the hype. “A lot of it is driven by viral content, not sound science. As a vegetarian and a clean-beauty formulator, I have a hard time justifying the inclusion of these ingredients when there are plant-based or biotech alternatives that offer equal or greater efficacy, with a far lower ethical and environmental cost,” says Koestline. 

The dark side of animal-based beauty that brands don’t want you to know about

According to reports, the global market size of snail mucin cosmetics, valued at $555.9 million in 2022, is expected to reach $1232.7 million by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.47 per cent. That makes for a 100 per cent-plus growth in under a decade. As outlandish ingredients remain viral on the Internet, most players in the beauty industry hope for a piece of the pie. As soon as CosRx’s Snail 96 Mucin Essence became a viral hit, the smallest of homegrown brands including Quench, Earth Rhythm, The Derma Co, Plum, and The Conscious Chemist herded like cattle in the same direction. Recently, Dr. Sheth’s also launched its take on the trending PDRN serum. Internationally, a truckload of Korean beauty brands followed suit.

Considering the beauty industry is creating hype and driving sales off consumers’ newfound curiosity about such unusual ingredients, the many ethical and sustainable implications of using them in beauty formulations seldom come to light. “Animal-derived ingredients often come with a heavier environmental footprint and raise complex ethical questions about animal welfare, traceability, and labour practices,” highlights Koestline.  

For starters, the process of obtaining bee venom, snail mucin, PDRN, and other similar animal extracts can be extremely excruciating for the animal. According to a study by PubMed Central, “Traditionally the venom gland was removed surgically from bees, or bees were individually squeezed until a drop of venom was extracted from the stinger tip.” Electroshock extraction has gradually gained popularity since the early 1960s and is now considered the norm, for it is highly cost-effective. “The bees are induced to release venom by touching wires covered in a fine wire mesh through which low-voltage electric current discharges (20–30 volts) pass; the venom is then periodically collected from a glass plate beneath the wires, such as every ten minutes. Ten thousand stings produce one gram of venom in an hour or two. Electric shock extraction techniques momentarily disturb hive life because the bees become hostile and produce the alarm pheromone.”

Meanwhile, the slimy, sticky snail mucin isn’t as snail-friendly as brands portray it to be. A report reveals, “While the secretions are collected from snails by traditional methods (exposure to stresses such as salt and electricity application), animals are usually harmed or killed.” Along the same lines, an article by the Mayo Clinic adds, “In another process, snail shells get cracked and the snail bodies are removed. The snails are washed in cold water to separate the mucin for collection.” A 2022 Business Insider documented the newest technology used to extract snail mucus, and while it is mentioned that the process is cruelty-free, snails are still exposed to acidic solutions, and even euthanised, raising concerns.

Another Google Patents report sheds light on the gruesome process involved in obtaining PDRN. An article by PETA (People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals) corroborates it further. Though beef tallow hasn’t really entered the Indian market due to cultural and religious connotations associated with beef, it is a mushrooming global trend. Even though the fat is said to be procured from beef slaughtered for edible consumption, that its demand in beauty formulations may increase the amount of cattle to be raised and grazed is a given. For collagen to be truly effective, it must be sourced from animals or marine creatures. A report published by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism revealed that “2,600 sq km of deforestation is linked to the supply chains of two Brazil-based collagen operations, Rousselot and Gelnex,” indicating the threat that the procurement of animal-derived ingredients poses to the planet. 

A number of beauty brands will deploy promises like ‘ethically sourced,’ ‘sustainable,’ ‘sustainably sourced,’ ‘no harm to animals,’ ‘clean,’ and ‘conscious’ to sell a product containing animal-derived ingredients. But trusting such claims at face value may not be a wise choice. “In my experience, such claims are rarely backed by transparent, verifiable sourcing data,” begins Koestline. “I’ve spent years working closely with suppliers and always ask for documentation—certifications, supply chain audits, detailed traceability reports. When it comes to animal-derived ingredients, that level of transparency is hard to come by. So while it might be possible to source them ethically, most brands making that claim aren’t showing their receipts.”

Non-vegan versus vegan beauty products: Everything you need to know 

Today, vegan beauty products have surpassed the trend status, and are almost on the verge of becoming the norm. Between February 2023 and January 2024, 26 per cent of beauty and personal care (BPC) product launches in India featured vegan/no animal ingredients (a significant rise from just 7 per cent during the same period in 2019-2020), making it one of the fastest-growing claims in India’s BPC category, according to Mintel.

VT Cosmetics, a Korean beauty brand known for its famous Reedle Shot Essences, while not 100 per cent vegan, has resorted to plant-based PDRN. Explaining why, Donghyun Kim, the CEO at the brand, says, “Using terms like ‘salmon sperm’ seems convenient for storytelling. However, if a similar result can be achieved with vegan ingredients, we would choose not to use them. Our PDRN, extracted from Panax ginseng (or Asian ginseng, a herb native to China and Korea, used in traditional medicine for centuries), has similar effects to those extracted from salmon testes on skin cell regeneration and the enhancement of the skin barrier. In the case of collagen, it's often derived from animals, and we have been asked a lot about this raw material. We now feel the need to be more careful about obtaining the raw materials.”

“The sustainability of practices used to extract animal-derived ingredients depends on the harvesting methods used. Some operations are regenerative, while others may be exploitative,” says celebrity dermatologist Dr Madhuri Agarwal. ​​Rodial, a brand that claims to be 90 per cent vegan, claims bee venom and beeswax to be the only non-vegan ingredients they use. “Both are ethically derived from the beehive without harming or affecting any bees. We utilise a specially developed bee venom collector designed to minimise harm to the bees during the collection process. The process involves placing the collector at the hive entrance and using a carefully controlled process to make the bees sting a glass plate where the venom is collected, ” says founder Maria Hatzistefanis.

Koestline argues that ‘vegan’ means no animal-derived ingredients—period. “Even if the process is marketed as ‘harm-free’ or ‘ethically collected,’ that doesn’t change the fact that these ingredients originate from animals. This kind of greenwashing can be misleading for consumers who are trying to align their purchases with their values.” Agarwal adds, “Some products may be cruelty-free, meaning they are not tested on animals; however, that doesn’t imply that they are vegan.” 

Oftentimes, using animal-derived ingredients for beauty products is cheaper than investing in research and development laboratories to create plant-based alternatives. “As someone who has spent countless hours in the lab studying molecular interactions, I completely understand the appeal. But the real issue is that these ingredients are part of an extractive system—one that assumes it's acceptable to harvest life, or life byproducts, for human vanity or convenience, even when credible, effective alternatives exist,” says Prachi Bhandari, founder of Aminu, a vegan and cruelty-free brand. “With the advancements we have today—green chemistry, molecular fermentation, regenerative agriculture—it’s no longer just about ‘matching’ what animal ingredients can do. It’s about surpassing them, with better precision, higher safety, deeper traceability, and stronger ethics.”

Since 39 per cent of the population of India opts for a meat-free diet—with cultural and religious undercurrents often upholding vegetarianism—animal welfare becomes a significant concern for most consumers. In 2024, 25 per cent of BPC launches globally carried ethical/animal claims, with higher percentages in some markets like India (52 per cent). Another research report highlights that 60 per cent of Indian adults claim to research ingredients before purchasing BPC products. This has made it imperative for brands to focus on transparency on ingredients to reassure and attract conscientious consumers. 

How can you become a conscious beauty consumer? 

A lack of awareness and misinformation endorsed by brands has left consumers with a skewed understanding of vegan beauty. Only 14 per cent of Indians say they’ve heard of vegan claims and understand what they mean, while 54 per cent haven’t heard of them at all. Among those familiar with these claims, 31 per cent claim to acquire information from a brand’s social media channels, further exacerbating the problem. 

“Performance often takes precedence over principles for many consumers. While individuals aspire to act ethically, they also seek effective solutions. Additionally, exotic-sounding ingredients with compelling results tend to gain rapid attention. For example, a snail slime serum is more likely to attract interest compared to a hydrating peptide cream,” says Agarwal. But trends aren’t without their downsides. “Dermatological issues (like allergic reactions or irritation), regulatory and safety uncertainties, and broader environmental and animal welfare concerns exist if such trends scale up,” explains Sharad. 

An ideal way to bust the vicious cycle of animal-based beauty is by reducing—or eliminating—the consumption of products that contain such ingredients. Or even continue to test on animals in 2025, for that matter. A crash in the demand will naturally fetter the supply. 

“Look for third-party certifications that verify ethical sourcing—though they’re more common for plant-based ingredients. Review the brand’s sourcing philosophy: Are they naming their suppliers? Do they talk about traceability, labour, and animal welfare? If it’s vague or filled with buzzwords—that’s usually a red flag. And don’t hesitate to ask the brand directly for transparency,” says Koestline. Sharad encourages consumers to look for certifications like Leaping Bunny and PETA (these ensure no animal testing, but do not directly govern ingredient harvesting), COSMOS and USDA Organic, and Fair Trade seals. “By being an informed consumer and supporting companies that do the right thing, you encourage the whole industry to improve its practices.” For products containing honey, beeswax, and bee venom, look for ‘Certified Bee Friendly’ labels; for marine ingredients, a ‘Marine Stewardship Council’ certification is important, adds Agarwal. 

“The future is in biotech and biomimicry—not in animal extractions. With the advancements we’re seeing in fermentation technology and lab-grown actives, there’s no need to continue harvesting from animals, especially when we can replicate or even improve upon those functions synthetically,” concludes Koestline.

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