New research commissioned by vegan skincare brand Skin Proud has found that almost 60% of 2,000 adults polled claimed they don’t know that vegan skincare exists.

The survey, conducted via OnePoll, revealed that of those consumers who do look for vegan skincare products, the top reasons were because it’s good for the planet (64%) and no animals are harmed (68%).

60% of respondents said they were more willing to try vegan skincare than plant-based milk, with the same percentage of people claiming cows’ milk negatively affects their skin, 53% of whom said it resulted in dry skin, 46% cited puffiness and 49% said it gave them acne.

The research also discovered that main influencers when choosing skincare products included recyclable packaging (26%), natural ingredients (37%) and having cruelty-free credentials (36%).

Our hope in 2022 is that vegan options should become the first and only consumer choice for skincare

“We know many people are hesitant to take the step to try vegan alternatives in their skincare routines and diets,” comments the brand’s marketing director, Nora Zukauskaite. “At Skin Proud, we are committed to being vegan and cruelty-free and are PETA-certified. We want to encourage people to incorporate more alternatives into their daily lives, from clothes to skincare, through simple and easy changes. We can help people make that change with our simple and affordable vegan skincare products … Our hope in 2022 is that vegan options should become the first and only consumer choice for skincare and beauty products to help with animal and environmental impacts.”

The findings coincided with Skin Proud’s ‘Cowfunding’ campaign which aims to protect cows and their rights in the UK and US through a partnership with international farmed animal protection organization, Animal Equality. Skin Proud is donating up to 50% of online profits to the charity throughout Veganuary.