Why the rise of animal-based skincare could signal the end of vegan beauty

Vegan beauty has quickly become the industry standard in recent years but the rise in popularity of animal-based skincare hints at a shift in consumer behaviour.

What started with bone broth and collagen supplements has quickly turned into topical products as the market’s obsession with youth and anti-ageing grows. 

Now sheep wax and milk protein, along with other animal-based products, are readily available on pharmacy shelves and beauty counters – branded as organic and natural alternatives.

While consumers expect colour cosmetics to be cruelty-free and vegan, there seems to be a contradiction when it comes to skincare. Begging the question: Will vegan beauty products still be in demand in 2025?

Here are the most popular animal-based skincare products and brands trending on social media.

Beef tallow 

Beef tallow is the latest animal-based skincare product that has been trending online. It has been positioned as an all-rounder that can substitute face moisturiser, makeup primer, hand cream and lip balm. 

The ingredient found virality on TikTok this year. According to research by Glimpse, interest in the animal-based product grew by 171 per cent over the past year and has a current volume of 1.1 million searches per month.

One example is Australian brand Tuttofare, which has quickly gained a cult following after its tallow balm went viral as the holy grail of skincare products that can aid with skin conditions including dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis.

Snail mucin 

Popularised for its rejuvenating and collagen-boosting effects, snail mucin is exactly what it sounds like, bottled snail secretion.

Korean beauty brand Cosrx makes one of the top-selling snail mucin formulas containing 96.3 per cent snail secretion filtrate. 

According to research by Glimpse, customer interest in snail mucin grew 13 per cent over the past year with a current volume of 595,000 searches per month. Much like beef tallow, snail mucin is talked about on TikTok more than any other platform. 

Sheep wax

Wool fat or sheep grease, also known as lanolin, has been used as an emollient to soothe dry and dehydrated skin in the beauty industry for decades.

Australian-born brand Lanolips has been packaging “medical grade lanolin” for its range of lip, hand and body creams. 

Lanolin is not a recently trending beauty product but Lanolips remains a consistent best-seller at Australian retailers like Priceline, Mecca and Adore Beauty.

Milk protein 

Derived from cow’s milk, milk protein claims to help with skin and hair hydration as well as dermatological concerns. 

Pharmacy favourite brand MooGoo put milk protein on the map with its complete skincare range that spans everything from deodorant to sunscreen, serums to self-tanner. 

Cow’s milk has been making a comeback this year as the health benefits of non-dairy alternatives have been called into question. As whole milk trends again in the beverage space it is expected that its beauty counterparts will too.

Salmon sperm

Salmon sperm, also referred to as “polynucleotide treatments”, is slowly entering the beauty zeitgeist as a facial or injection that promises to stimulate collagen and elastin production.

While getting polynucleotide treatments is an option available to consumers, salmon DNA is now also available over the counter in topical formulas from brands like HYBY and Curenex. 

It seems that salmon sperm facials are mostly restricted to Hollywood and Korea at the moment – the cosmetic capitals of the world are often predictors of the mainstream beauty trends to come.

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