Is Glow Recipe Vegan and Cruelty Free? (April, 2024)

Figuring out whether Glow Recipe is safe for vegans to consume can be difficult.

skin-care products contain many ingredients that can be of animal origins, such as beeswax, lanolin, and collagen. Although some brands use plant-based ingredients, it’s not always easy to tell which ones do.

To ensure that you are only using skin-care products that align with your vegan diet and lifestyle, I’ve looked into the ingredients and production processes of Glow Recipe.

Here’s what I found out.

Table of Contents

Is Glow Recipe Vegan?

Yes! Glow Recipe is vegan.

Glow Recipe is a Korean cosmetic brand that sells skin-care products that are free from harsh chemicals and artificial fragrances.

Luckily, this brand does not use any animal-derived ingredients or by-products in its formulations. The majority of Glow Recipe’s products are vegan, with a few exceptions.

Some products do contain honey. This ingredient is clearly not vegan because it is an animal by-product. But aside from honey, all of Glow Recipe’s other ingredients and products are vegan.

Is Glow Recipe Cruelty Free?

Yes! Glow Recipe is cruelty free.

Glow Recipe uses a lot of plant-based natural ingredients in its products and does not test its products on animals, nor do they contain ingredients that are regularly tested on animals, such as artificial colors.

Based on the Glow Recipe FAQ page, Glow Recipe is also registered with the Leaping Bunny program, which verifies that they do not test on animals.

Animal testing is an outmoded and inhumane practice that should be stopped. Innocent animals are routinely subjected to tests that cause them a great deal of pain and suffering. There are alternative methods of testing that don’t involve animals, so companies don’t have any excuse to continue testing on animals.

What Is Glow Recipe Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Enzyme Cleansing Balm:

Cetyl ethylhexanoate
Sorbitan oleate
Prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil
Polyethylene
Aqua/water/eau
Camellia japonica seed oil
Carica papaya (papaya) seed oil
Carica papaya (papaya) fruit extract
Papain
Vaccinium angustifolium (blueberry) fruit extract
Fragaria ananassa (strawberry) fruit extract
Alkanna tinctoria root extract
Capsicum annuum fruit extract
Maltodextrin
Caprylic/capric triglyceride
Levulinic acid
Pentylene glycol
Sodium metabisulfite

Let’s break down each ingredient of Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Enzyme Cleansing Balm:

Cetyl ethylhexanoate

Cetyl ethylhexanoate is a type of ester. It is derived from cetyl alcohol and ethylhexanoic acid. This ingredient is used as an emollient and is found in many skin-care and cosmetic products. Cetyl ethylhexanoate is vegan.

Sorbitan oleate

Sorbitan oleate is a type of ester derived from sorbitol and oleic acid. It is used as an emulsifier in many skin-care products. Sorbitan oleate may or may not be vegan. But Glow Recipe’s sorbitan oleate probably is vegan.

Prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil

Prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil is a type of oil that is derived from the kernels of apricots. It is used as an emollient in skin-care products. Prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil is vegan.

Polyethylene

Polyethylene is a type of polymer made from ethylene. It is used as a thickening agent in many skin-care products. Polyethylene is vegan.

Aqua/water/eau

Water is used as a solvent in many skin-care products. It is vegan.

Camellia japonica seed oil

Camellia japonica seed oil comes from the seeds of Camellia japonica. It is used as an emollient in skin-care products. Camellia japonica seed oil is vegan.

Carica papaya (papaya) seed oil

Carica papaya (papaya) seed oil comes from the seeds of papayas. It is used as an emollient in skin-care products. Carica papaya (papaya) seed oil is vegan.

Carica papaya (papaya) fruit extract

Carica papaya (papaya) fruit extract comes from papaya fruits. It is used as an active ingredient in skin-care products. Carica papaya (papaya) fruit extract is vegan.

Papain

Papain is an enzyme derived from papayas. It is used as an exfoliating agent in skin-care products. Papain is vegan.

Vaccinium angustifolium (blueberry) fruit extract

Vaccinium angustifolium is extracted from blueberries. It is used as an active ingredient in skin-care products. Vaccinium angustifolium is vegan.

Fragaria ananassa (strawberry) fruit extract

Fragaria ananassa is extracted from strawberries. It is used as an active ingredient in skin-care products. Fragaria ananassa is vegan.

Alkanna tinctoria root extract

Alkanna tinctoria is extracted from the roots of Alkanna tinctoria. It is used as an active ingredient in skin-care products. Alkanna tinctoria is vegan.

Capsicum annuum fruit extract

Capsicum annuum is extracted from the fruits of Capsicum annuum. It is used as an active ingredient in skin-care products. Capsicum annuum is vegan.

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate derived from potato, wheat, or corn. It is used as a binding agent in skin-care products. Maltodextrin is vegan-friendly.

Caprylic/capric triglyceride

Caprylic/capric triglyceride is a type of oil that is derived from coconut or palm kernel oil. It is used as an emollient in skin-care products. Caprylic/capric triglyceride is vegan.

Levulinic acid

Levulinic acid is an organic compound. It is used as a preservative in skin-care products. Levulinic acid may or may not be vegan, but levulinic acid from corn is more commonly used when it comes to skin-care products, making it vegan.

Pentylene glycol

Pentylene glycol is an organic compound. It is used as a humectant in skin-care products. Pentylene glycol is vegan.

Sodium metabisulfite

Sodium metabisulfite is an inorganic compound. It is used as a preservative in skin-care products. Sodium metabisulfite is vegan.

Why Is Glow Recipe Vegan?

Glow Recipe is a cruelty-free and vegan skin-care brand because it uses only vegan-friendly ingredients. This includes both synthetic and natural ingredients. All Glow Recipe products, with the exception of the one with manuka honey (Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask), are vegan.

Additionally, the company does not test on animals, and they are certified by Leaping Bunny, which recognizes cruelty-free brands.