Most perfumes traditionally contain some form of animal-derived ingredients. Unfortunately, the use of animal ingredients in perfumes is incredibly detrimental to the environment, even going as far as to cause the near-extinction of some species, such as the musk deer. And even though they weren’t acquired through cruel methods, the fact that such animal-derived substances are present in a fragrance will automatically void its vegan status.

Vegan perfumes combat this trend by using clean ingredients such as botanicals and synthetics to simulate animal-derived substances. The best vegan perfume brands display their complete ingredient list on their packaging rather than hiding behind misleading labels.

A good vegan perfume will not contain beeswax or honey. Also, it won’t contain any animal-derived ingredients like musk (derived mostly from male deer and civet) and ambergris (derived from sperm whales). You won’t find civet, Kasturi, or castoreum being used, either.

But what is the difference between cruelty-free and vegan?

"Cruelty-free" perfumes follow a strict policy prohibiting animal testing throughout their production process. It may, however, still contain some animal-derived ingredients or by-products. In contrast, a certified "vegan" product will not contain any animal-derived ingredients. However, the product itself or its ingredients may still have been tested on animals.

So to be safe, opt for perfume brands that are certified to be both vegan and cruelty-free. If in doubt, contact the company directly to inquire about their ingredients and testing methods.