Women's Fragrances
Shop vegan and cruelty-free women's fragrances. Because you don't have to compromise your ethics to smell nice, all of the products products in our store are 100% free of animal-derived materials, ingredients, by-products and testing.
Women's Fragrances
What is “vegan” perfume?
The term “vegan” with regard to perfume, simply refers to any women's wearable fragrance (including Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum, among others), that’s made without the use of animal-derived ingredients. The term “cruelty-free” can also be applied if the perfume and none of its ingredients are tested on animals.
What ingredients are used to make vegan perfume?
Vegan perfume is made using fragrance oils, denatured alcohol, and water in various ratios:
Fragrance Oil: Fragrance oils are what give perfumes their distinct characteristics; their personality. Fragrance oils are natural essential oils (pure distillations of plant materials such as leaves, bark, wood, stems, flowers, seeds, buds, roots, resins or petals), or blended synthetic aroma compounds, that are diluted with a carrier oil such as vegetable oil, propylene glycol, or mineral oil. Some examples of essential oils include:
- Lemon
- Orange
- Bergamot
- Cardamom
- Sage
- Eucalyptus
- Juniper
- Peppermint
- Pine
- Chamomile
- Cinnamon
- Frankincense
- Geranium
- Rose
- Jasmine
- Sandalwood
- Vanilla
Denatured Alcohol: Denatured alcohol functions as an antifoaming agent, as well as a solvent and viscosity decreasing agent. Basically, it helps the perfume oils meld into a distinctive new scent, and helps the product diffuse more widely. It also helps perfumes maintain their scent over time. As an ingredient, denatured alcohol is often listed as "alcohol denat.".
Water: In general, distilled water is used to dilute the strength of the fragrance. As an ingredient, distilled water is often listed on perfume packaging as “aqua”. Water used in perfume has undergone distillation in order to remove chemicals and minerals that might affect a perfume's overall scent profile or stability.
Why buy perfume that’s vegan and cruelty-free?
Vegan perfumes use fragrance oils that aren't forcefully derived from animal glands, or “bodily secretions”. Cruelty-free perfumes use ingredients that are sourced from companies that don’t test on animals. So, the better question is, why not get it vegan and cruelty-free?
Does buying one bottle of vegan perfume really make a difference in the world?
Absolutely it does make a difference, and it’s a surprisingly effective and common form of animal welfare activism. Here’s how it works; when you buy one bottle of vegan & cruelty-free perfume, you’re supporting a company that’s committed to not using animal-derived ingredients, and committed to not testing its products, or their ingredients, on animals. And of course, revenue is what sustains these companies; it enables them to invest in marketing and get their names out there, so they can compete with cruelty-ridden big brands. It also allows them to develop new fragrances and product offerings, so consumers can have new products to look forward to and keep them coming back for more. It also helps these companies invest in business development and get into new stores, which helps them become more accessible to current and new customers. So, when you buy even just one bottle, you're helping a company develop its products, pay its bills, and grow its customer-base. Just as importantly, you’re doing the opposite for cruelty-ridden, non-ethical companies.
Is vegan & cruelty-free perfume expensive?
In general, vegan and cruelty-free perfume is not more expensive, or less-expensive, than perfume that uses animal-derived ingredients or testing. Just like non-vegan perfume, prices can vary from one bottle to the next. This is typically based on differences in the ingredients used (the quantity and qualities of fragrance oils being used), differences in manufacturing processes, and the different brand names attached to them. As a result, some vegan/cruelty-free perfumes and other women’s fragrances are very affordable, some are quite expensive, and many fall somewhere in between.
Should I get rid of any non-vegan perfume that I already own?
This is a fairly controversial topic, and one that’s very hotly debated. Regardless of what anyone else says, it’s up to you to decide what to do with your old non-vegan fragrances, and how to replace your personal care products as you become more and more interested in living a vegan and cruelty-free lifestyle; at the end of the day only you can decide what you can afford, and what you’re comfortable wearing. If you’re wondering what options you have, you could give your old perfumes away to friends or family, or you could keep wearing them until they’ve expired, or otherwise outlived their usefulness.
What companies make vegan/cruelty-free perfume and fragrances?
The following companies make perfume and fragrances for women that don’t include animal-derived ingredients or testing:
- Forager Botanicals
- D.S. & Durga
- Honoré des Prés
- Lavanila
- Penhaligon’s
- Tsi-La
- Pacifica
- Many smaller/local companies, perfumers and artisans
How do you choose which companies to list in this store?
We keep an ever-growing list of ladies’ fragrance producers that we find, or are suggested to us, whose entire catalogue seems to be completely animal-friendly (vegan AND cruelty-free). We contact each of these companies to inquire as to what products of theirs, if any, use animal-derived ingredients or by-products, or have ingredients that are tested on animals. If they assure us that their products are suitable for vegans, and they can be bought on Amazon, then we list their products here in our Amazon-curated store for your shopping convenience.
Do you list vegan perfume from non-vegan companies?
Generally, no. We have had a hard time getting straight answers from non-vegan fragrance companies with regard to which of their products use ingredients that are derived from, or tested on animals. And if we can’t be sure a product is 100% vegan and cruelty-free, we won’t list it. Fortunately, the number of companies making fragrances from women without the use of animal-derived ingredients and testing is growing.
Why are so many of the Perfumes you list only available in Canada or the United States?
We try our best to find perfume and other fragrance products that will ship to Amazon customers worldwide, but unfortunately there are tight international shipping regulations in place for such products, as they are generally considered as “dangerous/hazardous goods" with regard to shipping, as they contain a high amount of alcohol. As a result, many of the Amazon storefronts that we list our products from only ship their perfume domestically, within a country that already stores their products in a domestic warehouse.
Similar Product Categories
"Ladies’ Fragrances" not quite what you’re looking for? Here are some categories in our store that are similar, and may be of some help:
- Men’s Cologne
- Women’s Skin Care
- Women’s Body Wash & Bath Soap
- Women’s Shaving Products
- Women’s Deodorant
- Men’s Deodorant
For companies that make vegan/cruelty-free women’s fragrances
If you or your employer makes ladies’ vegan and cruelty-free eau de parfum, eau de toilette, body spray, or any other vegan and cruelty-free product for that matter, we’d love to feature those products on our site... at no cost! Contact us at - info(at)getitvegan(dot)com - to find out more!
Sources
Some of the information for this guide on ladies’ vegan and cruelty-free fragrances was gathered from the following sources:
- Find an Ingredient: “Alcohol Denat.” (n.d.). Cosmeticsinfo.org - The Science and Safety Behind Your Favourite Products. Retrieved March 15, 2017. http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/alcohol-denat
- Vegan Gal: “Is my Perfume Vegan? The Secrets behind Non-Vegan Perfumes Revealed.” (April 19, 2014). The Vegan Woman. Retrieved March 15, 2017. http://www.theveganwoman.com/is-my-perfume-vegan-the-secrets-behind-non-vegan-perfume/
- DIY Beauty: “USPS Shipping Restrictions for Perfume” Dianne Hill (n.d.). Leaf Group. Retrieved March 15, 2017. https://www.leaf.tv/articles/usps-shipping-restrictions-for-perfume/
- Skin care & Fragrances: “Perfume or eau de toilette? What's the difference?” (June 2, 2010). HELLO! Magazine. Retrieved March 15, 2017. http://ca.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/skincare-and-fragrances/201006023628/perfume/cologne/categories/
- Science - Chemical Compounds: “How Perfume Works” Susan L. Nasr. (March 2, 2009). How Stuff Works. Retrieved March 15, 2017. https://opas.com/blog/why-can-t-i-ship-perfume-internationally-using-package-forwarding/