Challenges Facing Vegan Beauty Brands Today

It appears that interest in vegan lifestyles is waning significantly. In 2024, meat consumption among Americans rose by 7 percent compared to pre-2020 levels. Meanwhile, sales of plant-based meat alternatives have been dropping steadily. In New York City, a former hub

It appears that interest in vegan lifestyles is waning significantly. In 2024, meat consumption among Americans rose by 7 percent compared to pre-2020 levels. Meanwhile, sales of plant-based meat alternatives have been dropping steadily. In New York City, a former hub for vegan eateries centered around kale and similar greens, numerous such establishments have shut down in recent times. High-profile figures including Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathaway, and Lizzo have publicly stepped away from vegan diets over the last five years. Gradually, the plant-based movement that once captivated so many is experiencing a notable shift, extending even into the realm of beauty and skincare products.

Not long ago, opting out of animal products—whether in food or on the skin—was viewed as trendy and forward-thinking. This choice signaled a commitment to health and environmental responsibility, given that animal agriculture plays a major role in greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. During the 2010s, vegan food options gained massive popularity, and the vegan beauty sector expanded rapidly in tandem. From 2013 to 2018, global launches of vegan cosmetics surged by 175 percent. Publications like The Economist even proclaimed 2019 as the definitive "year of the vegan," highlighting the peak of this trend.

Although certain market analyses indicate ongoing growth in the vegan beauty sector, the current landscape tells a different story. Steering clear of animal-sourced components has historically required some diligence, but it was far simpler during the height of vegan popularity in the 2010s. Today, shoppers must invest more effort once again. Walking through beauty retail aisles in 2026, it's evident that items containing animal-derived elements dominate the shelves. For instance, numerous lip balms and hand creams feature lanolin, a moisturizing agent extracted from sheep's wool. Beeswax frequently appears in lip treatments and mascaras, the latter often including guanine sourced from fish scales. Ingredients like gelatin, keratin, and carmine—a vivid red pigment derived from pulverized insects commonly used in eyeshadows—are routinely listed on labels for hair care, skincare, and makeup items.

Admittedly, a solid selection of completely vegan brands remains available, such as Hourglass, Haus Labs, Byoma, and E.L.F. However, even some of these have encountered difficulties recently. Bite Beauty, for example, ceased operations in 2022, merely a year after eliminating all animal ingredients from its lineup. Milk Makeup, which has maintained a fully vegan status since 2018, is reportedly facing sharply declining sales, as noted in a recent industry analysis. While it's impossible to attribute these setbacks solely to waning consumer enthusiasm for all-vegan formulations, the patterns are undeniably aligned.

What factors have driven this shift? Why have consumers grown indifferent to the presence of insect-derived pigments in their eyeshadows or animal-derived elements in their hair cleansers?

One key reason is that modern beauty shoppers prioritize efficacy and performance over ecological considerations. Consider Glossier's experience: In early 2023, the brand updated its iconic Balm Dotcom product to a vegan version, substituting beeswax and lanolin with synthetic alternatives and castor-based jelly. Yet, within a year, backlash from loyal users was so intense that Glossier reinstated the original non-vegan recipe in spring 2024. When pressed for details on the reversal, the company chose not to elaborate but referenced a promotional video from 2024 showcasing staff reacting to customer criticisms of the changes.

A parallel situation unfolded at The Body Shop. In 2021, the retailer committed to transitioning its entire range to vegan by the end of 2023, framing it as a key sustainability initiative. The goal was met, but subsequently, non-vegan items like the Spa of the World Kukui Body Cream, which includes beeswax, were brought back. Without a formal announcement of this pivot, The Body Shop informed The Vegan Society in August 2025 that customer dissatisfaction—specifically over the absence of ingredients like beeswax and honey—prompted the change. Feedback highlighted how these removals diminished product satisfaction for many users.

Cosmetic chemist Amanda Lam characterizes this as a classic pendulum swing in consumer preferences. "Vegan status doesn't seem to rank as a primary concern for buyers these days," she explains. Reformulated vegan versions of beloved products often fall short because replicating natural animal-derived properties is challenging, whether the source is animal or botanical. "You might mimic the look and feel of lanolin," she notes, "but achieving identical spreadability or melting behavior proves difficult."

Conversely, ingredients from animal sources are gaining traction independently, with significant year-over-year increases documented in recent trend reports for 2026. Buzzworthy examples include PDRN, extracted from salmon DNA and popularized through treatments like the so-called "salmon sperm facial." Other rising stars encompass beef tallow for skincare, proteins from lobster shells, honey, collagen typically harvested from pig, cow, or fish bones, and colostrum—the nutrient-rich first milk from postpartum cows. These enjoy hype despite debates over their proven benefits.

Two primary forces appear to underpin this reversal: a conservative cultural shift and economic pressures. The pandemic era saw certain political voices, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., erode public faith in scientific consensus, medical expertise, and health authorities—who often advocate plant-based eating for wellness benefits. Following Donald Trump's second term inauguration last year, Kennedy assumed the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services, overhauling federal nutrition guidelines to emphasize meat consumption, aligning with his personal "carnivore diet." His "Make America Healthy Again" initiative has permeated popular culture, amplified by mommy bloggers and influencers promoting unverified claims about raw milk's virtues or sunscreen's supposed chemical hazards.

In this worldview, embracing plant-based choices has been recast as "woke" ideology. Kennedy, lacking medical credentials, has similarly critiqued proactive health steps like routine cancer screenings. This rhetoric has fueled a broader resurgence in animal-sourced goods, such as whey protein—derived from milk and decidedly non-vegan—which food manufacturers are now incorporating into diverse items from ice cream and waffles to macaroni and cheese, and even sparkling water.

Beyond cultural backlash against perceived "wokeness," escalating living expenses play a pivotal role. Over the past four years, costs for essentials like groceries and utilities have climbed relentlessly, while wage growth lags behind. Vegan living isn't necessarily pricier overall, but it demands extra time and accessibility to suitable products and venues, varying by location. In an era of stretched resources, opting for convenience becomes a logical default.

Even as vegan options lose appeal, consumers continue seeking brands that align with their ethical stances. A global survey of 15,000 individuals by Edelman revealed that 84 percent insist on value alignment before purchasing. These shoppers favor cruelty-free practices (no animal testing), social engagement, and cultural resonance. Yet, veganism is diminishing as a core value for many, particularly in the U.S.

The pendulum might yet swing back toward vegan beauty resurgence. However, packaging virtue into marketable products is inherently complex. Reasonably, some prefer authentic natural elements—such as insect pigments, wool-derived oils, or beeswax—over lab-created or petroleum-derived vegan substitutes. Ultimately, this trend may boil down to deeply ingrained human instincts.