If you are not familiar with the vegan lifestyle, but intend to purchase something vegan, it can be quite frustrating. I’ve been vegan for almost a decade and I still get stumped by some of the ingredient names out there, so I totally get it!

Many companies are getting better at labeling items as vegan to help shoppers to quickly identify the items as such, without having to research or read labels, which is a huge time saver with the added benefit that you can feel confident the product doesn’t have a sneaky non-vegan item or ingredient.

The vegan lifestyle has also gained popularity over the past decade, and for good reason. People are increasingly aware of the mistreatment of animals in the food industry especially, the cost to the environment to feed and maintain these animals, and the health benefits of eating plant-based.

It is my belief that vegans should be rewarded by the positive ripple effect they create, rather than feeling like an odd man out in society.

Therefore, this post is all about embracing your vegan lifestyle without compromising elegance and beauty, and spreading the joy by purchasing items that align with your values.

Even when I purchase gifts for others who are not vegan, I still will only buy vegan products, because I couldn’t do it in any other way with a clear conscience. Being vegan is part of my life and therefore it spills over in all that I do.

And since I believe in quality, elegance, beauty and sustainability, I put this list together to help you elevate your lifestyle by gifting yourself something beautiful (because, why not?), as well as giving to others in any season.

There is no need to mention what you are giving someone is vegan, unless asked. I personally feel delighted to see others enjoy something that they normally wouldn’t purchase for themselves, and that is not only life enhancing to them, but also to the animals and the planet. What could possibly be better?

First Things First – What Makes a Product Vegan?

Vegan items are not just food items! That is usually the first thing we pay attention to when making a switch to a vegan lifestyle for sure, but the definition can be quite broad.

Things we use on a daily basis might not be vegan by default, so it’s important to be aware of what ingredients they are composed of in order to make sure they comply.

When shopping vegan, look for items that are:

• Free of animal products and derivatives:
• For food items, any type of animal flesh (yes this includes fish)
• Animal derivatives include honey, bee pollen, leather and other animal skin, milk from any animal, fur, lanolin, gelatin, eggs, carmine, whey, confectioner’s glaze, isinglass (in beer and wine), casein, L. cysteine (in bread products)*
• Cruelty-Free / Not tested on animals
• You might find an eyeshadow that only contains vegan ingredients, but is produced by a company that tests on animals. This would make the eye shadow not vegan. 
• Beware that if a product says cruelty-free, it doesn’t mean it’s automatically vegan (it will also depend on the ingredients).

Sustainability and Elegance

I find that sustainability, conscious shopping and elegance go hand-in-hand. This is not necessarily what the vegan lifestyle is about, but I find that many vegans do embrace an eco-friendly approach when it comes to their everyday purchases. 

The vegan lifestyle is about doing good for other beings, so I think the environmental aspect of the lifestyle is a natural progression, and so relevant for the times we live in.

Therefore everything I recommend takes in consideration not only animals’ well-being, but also the environment, and our health.

I prefer products that are sustainable, compostable, or can easily be reused, as well as organic and as natural as possible. Taking into consideration labor laws, I look for products with fair trade practices whenever possible.

This is a tall order many times unfortunately, so when shopping this is my approach:

More than Just Things

The idea of gifting experiences is something that has gained popularity in recent years, as people become more aware of what they are purchasing, the impact of these items on the planet, and how a clutter-free home can be calming and inspiring.

And let’s be honest, some people are really hard to buy because they seem to have everything they need! So an experience can be the perfect gift for any occasion.

Here are some elegant and vegan experience ideas that you might find interesting, if you don’t find yourself inclined to purchase an actual gift:

• Purchase a ClassPass so they can try out a new yoga studio, gym or dance class.
• Gift a streaming service you’ll know they’ll love. Perhaps Disney + or a foreign channel they might be studying the language?
• Speaking of language, how about the gift of learning a new language with Rosetta Stone or a similar software? Local classes could also make a great gift.
• Memberships to museums, symphony, ballet and movie theater
• Practical gifts such as a membership to Shipt, a house cleaning service, or a year of car washes and detailing. I can’t think of one mom who wouldn’t enjoy this!
• An all access pass to Masterclass, for the curious and creative person on your list (or better yet, yourself!)
• Gift cards towards a special trip, such as Disney or Universal Studios
• Purchase credits in Audible or Kindle
• Donate to a charity in their name (this must align with your values too!)

I hope this guide inspires you, and that it also gives you hope if you are a new vegan thinking you now have to compromise your style and preferences. As you can see below, you can embrace doing good for the animals, and looking and feeling your best at the same time.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and if you have any questions about this blog post feel free to post below!

Much love,

Angélica Renée

Source: *The Spruce Eats

Elegant & Vegan Gift Guide

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