Finding a cosmetics manufacturer to produce high quality vegan skin care lines is not as straightforward as it seems.

Some create products to vegan and cruelty-free standards but their formulas are not up to snuff. Others develop impressive skin care that actually works, but from tallow moisturizers to animal-based collagen serums, their ingredients are not actually vegan. 

Vegan means no animal products and no animal byproducts - in other words, plant and mineral based. Making vegan skincare doesn’t have to be tough, but you do need to work with a partner who is well versed in vegan substitutions.

Our three step guide below explains how to find manufacturers that produce quality vegan skin care, how to communicate your vegan message to potential customers, and reveals the other huge ethical concerns you need to prioritize to make your brand a success. 

Plus, we discuss the current state of the vegan skin care market and recent legislation that is rapidly changing the vegan and cruelty-free beauty landscape. 

An Industry Snapshot: The Importance Of Vegan Skin Care Lines 

If you’ve been paying attention, one thing is clear: In 2023 and beyond? Vegan is no longer a “want” it’s a “need”. Any new beauty brand should be launching with vegan products only (it’s easy enough to do so!) and any existing brands should be transitioning any non-vegan ingredients to vegan ones, ASAP.

Vegan skin care lines are increasing in popularity and slowly becoming the standard in the beauty industry. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global market for vegan cosmetics is expected to expand from 15.87 billion USD in 2021 to 24.79 billion USD by 2028. 

The North American market, in particular, is vital for vegan skin care lines, with this region leading in the forecasted Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of vegan cosmetics between 2023 and 2026. 

Any forward-thinking skin care brand should prioritize both vegan (containing no animal-derived ingredients) and cruelty-free (developed without testing on any animals at any stage) manufacturing both for ethical reasons and to match consumer demand. 

Formulating without concern for the welfare of animals will not be possible in the future, with cruelty-free skin care rapidly becoming a legal requirement. The US Congress introduced the Humane Cosmetics Act in 2021. This bill prohibits animal testing in the development of cosmetic products and also makes it illegal to sell or transport cosmetics produced using animal testing.

The bill hasn’t become law yet (as of summer 2023), but some states are already ahead of this curve - New York became the tenth state to ban animal-tested beauty products in 2022. 

Manufacturing Process For Truly Vegan Skin Care Lines

Finding the right vegan skin care manufacturer requires some diligence. Vet every supplier on their vegan beauty credentials and on the flexibility of their manufacturing processes. 

There’s a huge difference between a cosmetics lab that offers a vegan option or two for skin care lines, and a serious vegan manufacturer that prioritizes vegan and cruelty-free formulas across their entire business. 

Private Label Vegan Skin Care

If you are not overly concerned with customization, and prioritize cost-effective and speedy manufacturing instead, consider going down the private label route. This process involves using the manufacturer’s existing vegan formula as your own. 

It’s not enough to find a supplier who sells a few private label cleansers and serums that just so happen to contain zero animal products. Settling for a lab like this complicates the sourcing process later down the line as you’ll need to look elsewhere to expand your range of private label vegan products. 

Save yourself a future headache and pick a cosmetics manufacturer with vegan beauty at the heart of their private label process. 

At Genie Supply, we pride ourselves on our private label vegan and cruelty-free skin care line. From body scrubs, to anti-aging serums, and hydrating moisturizers, we offer over 40 different high quality vegan skin care products to choose from.

Unique Custom Formulated Vegan Beauty

If you have a super specific product idea in mind, custom formulating is the best manufacturing process for vegan skin care lines. Here the cosmetics lab will create a unique vegan formula to your exact specifications. As you will have control over every single ingredient, creating fully vegan skin care lines is straightforward using this manufacturing process. 

At Genie Supply, we also provide custom formulating/contract manufacturing services for unique vegan skin care. Plus, we offer a cost-effective custom product creation service that allows you to add your own customizations to our base vegan skin care formulas. 

Third Party Vegan and Cruelty-Free Certification 

Once you have created a fully vegan skin care range, it’s time to communicate your brand’s vegan and cruelty-free credentials to your target market. 

An effective way to do this is to apply for a stamp of approval from a third-party organization. A poll from the Vegan Society found that 90% of consumers surveyed claim it’s important for vegan cosmetics brands to have third-party certification (via Personal Care Insights).

Great cosmetics manufacturers will provide information on the eligible certifications for each of their private label products, and can custom formulate vegan skin care lines that match up to any particular certification’s requirements.  

For example, the Leaping Bunny and PETA logos are recognized worldwide as symbols of cruelty-free products. When potential customers see their badge on your website, it effortlessly communicates your cruelty-free credentials and builds trust. 

There are some nuances to understand when it comes to these different certifications. While Credo generally prioritizes vegan skin care lines, not all of its products meet that standard. They allow the use of animal-based ingredients like lanolin, carmine, and beeswax when ethically sourced. 

On the other hand, Whole Foods is much stricter with their requirements - all products must be vegan and cruelty-free to qualify. Learn more about clean beauty standards and certifications on our blog. 

At Genie Supply, we have formulated a range of private label vegan skin care that meets the standards of multiple different certifications. Simply apply for the eligible certifications and we can sign the manufacturer’s side of their agreement for you.

Look out for clean beauty and vegan logos on each of our product pages. Our ‘clean at Genie Supply’ GS logo indicates a vegan and cruelty-free formula – with standards even more stringent than Credo! 

Plus, we can custom formulate any vegan skin care to meet or exceed almost any certification standards.

Other Ethical Concerns: Clean Beauty & The Environment 

For brands with vegan skin care lines, it’s important to understand your target market and appeal directly to their unique wants and needs. Vegan and cruelty-free consumption habits correlate with concern for other ethical issues. 

When it comes to evolving consumer attitudes, the environmental impact and health standards of vegan skin care lines are more important than ever. 

According to data from 2019, 52% of consumers demand vegan ingredients, while 60% say they want more sustainability, and 64% claim organic ingredients are important to them. 

Look for a manufacturer that prioritizes sustainability and clean ingredients when it comes to their vegan and cruelty-free formulas.

At Genie Supply, we’re experts in clean beauty and our private label range is not just vegan – it’s also free from over 2000+ potentially harmful ingredients. Sustainability is also at the heart of our business. 

Look for the sustainable, recyclable, and clean beauty logos on our product pages, or contact us and we can custom formulate vegan skin care lines with clean and sustainable beauty at the forefront. 

In sum, to find a business that specializes in creating vegan skin care lines, follow these 3 simple steps: 

• Evaluate the manufacturer’s private label range - is it 100% vegan and cruelty-free? Does the lab offer custom formulating and custom product creation? Choose the manufacturer with the best ingredients, that places the biggest emphasis on vegan formulas, and offers the greatest amount of manufacturing flexibility. 

• Ensure the manufacturer matches the standards of third-party vegan and cruelty-free certification bodies to build trust and credibility with your customers. 

• Add value to your vegan skin care lines by working with manufacturers who prioritize sustainability and clean ingredients. 

Want to learn more about Genie Supply’s services for vegan skin care lines? We’d love to answer any questions you may have about our vegan and clean beauty manufacturing services! Email us: customerservice@geniesupply.com or call (812) 329-1105.