October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, which means it’s the perfect time for vegetarians and vegans alike to figure out if their beauty products are meat and cruelty free. Many makeup and skincare items contain animal derivatives or are even tested on animals, so unless you research, you never know what could be in your collection. Here are a few ways to tell if your products are vegan, according to Bellasugar.com.

1. Look for a label that says vegan on it (like Too Faced – Melted Metal Liquified Metallic Lipstick – Melted Metallic Dream House) or has the Leaping Bunny label, which means a product wasn’t tested on animals. Many companies want you to know that their lines are cruelty and meat free and will advertise that fact prominently.
2. Check out the company’s website online before you buy one of their products. You’ll find out what kinds of ingredients they use and the processes they follow.
3. Watch for Omega-3 fatty acids on ingredients lists. Many moisturizers use these, but they can come from either vegan sources or fish sources. If it doesn’t say, assume it’s fish.
4. If you’re buying vegan, steer clear of products which have dairy-derived lactic acid and milk proteins.
5. Gelatin and glycerine are often meat based, so don’t buy products unless you know the ingredient is vegetable derived. If you’re looking for a vegan sunscreen, try Jack Black – Oil-Free Sun Guard Very Water Resistant Sunscreen SPF 45.