Caviar extract is not vegan. Caviar, also known as sturgeon fish eggs, is obtained from the ovaries of a female sturgeon fish. This means that caviar is not even vegetarian.
Still, caviar has a very high-end label attached to it. In the skincare world, caviar extract is known for its luxurious effects as well as high prices. A kilo of beluga caviar, for example, costs several thousand dollars.
But let’s take a closer look at why caviar extract is used in skincare.
What Is Caviar Extract?
Caviar extract is an emollient extracted from fish eggs that are obtained from the ovaries of different female sturgeons. These include, for example, the beluga sturgeon, the Russian sturgeon, and the starry sturgeon.
Due to overfishing for caviar, sturgeon populations have actually drastically declined. And beluga sturgeons are even threatened with extinction.
In order to still sell caviar, companies breed sturgeons on industrialized fish farms. Fish are locked up tightly in narrow tanks, where diseases can spread quickly. To fight these, farmers often use antibiotics and other chemical cocktails.
How Is Caviar Made?
Caviar is obtained from the ovaries of a female sturgeon. To get the fish eggs out, the sea animal is mainly slit open.
Sturgeons could actually live up to 100 years. But in order to get the eggs, the sturgeons are killed much earlier.
When they are eight to twelve years old, their eggs can already be harvested to make caviar. For this purpose, fish are typically executed and slit up.
After the cut, they remove the roe sacks with the unfertilized eggs. Next, they press the eggs through a special sieve to remove unwanted tissue parts and mucus. Then they salt the caviar for food or extract it for a skincare ingredient.
In 2012, researchers at the A. Wegener Institute developed a method for removing eggs from live sturgeons. The method is more complex and resourceful. But this means that these animals provide these caviar eggs for years and years on.
A female sturgeon weighing ten kilograms can produce about one kilogram of caviar.
Why Is Caviar Extract Used In Skincare?
Caviar extract is considered one of the most luxurious anti-aging agents in face creams. As it includes amino acids, caviar extract has regenerative and plumping effects on the skin.
Caviar includes oleic acid, palmitic acid, and DHA. All of which are beneficial to the skin. Caviar extract induces adiponectin production and this could lead to better skin health.
The phospholipids in the caviar extract support the structure of the skin and strengthen it by improving the skin’s protective barrier. As well as slow down the photoaging process.
Caviar extract is also rich in trace elements. These activate the skin’s metabolism and microcirculation and make the skin more elastic.
Therefore, caviar extract is mostly used in anti-aging skincare or products designed for mature skin.
FAQ About Caviar In Skincare
Caviar extract is an extract derived from caviar. It is a set of fish eggs that come from various sturgeon species. These include, for example, the beluga sturgeon, the Russian sturgeon, and the starry sturgeon.
Caviar extract is extracted from caviar which is obtained from the ovaries of a female sturgeon. To get the fish eggs out, the sea animal is mainly slit open.
No. Caviar extract is not vegan. Caviar, also known as sturgeon fish eggs is obtained from the ovaries of a female sturgeon fish. Caviar extract used in skincare is an extract derived from these fish eggs. So, caviar is not even vegetarian, let alone vegan-friendly.
Summary
Caviar has long established its place in the gourmet food world. And is now becoming more and more popular in skincare. Caviar extract can now be easily found in many luxury face creams and other products.
Caviar is not vegan and is obtained violently from sturgeon fish. Due to overproduction, many of these species are already endangered.
Although caviar has beneficial properties on the skin, there are many vegan-friendly and cruelty-free ingredients that are similar in effect. For example, green tea extract, hyaluronic acid, or bakuchiol.
To make sure the products are vegan-friendly, we recommend shopping at 100% vegan skincare brands. We have also compiled a useful list of the best vegan anti-aging skincare products.
See also: Vegan Skincare Products, Animal-derived skincare ingredients
