Cruelty Free Cosmetics
Let’s talk about beauty products.

Most of the conventional cosmetics on the market these days are full of nasty ingredients and are tested on animals. Not cool. Animal testing is one of those things that has never made any sense to me. Isn’t there a better way to test the safety of your new perfume than by squirting it in sons poor rabbit’s eyes?

I like to be clean. I like to smell good. I like wearing a little makeup when I go out. But I can do all of those things without lining the pockets of companies that test on animals. But how do you find out if your cosmetics are cruelty free? Well, there’s a few great sources you can go to to find lists of cruelty free companies.

 

So what do I put on my own face and body? For the most part I like to keep it super simple. Here’s a list of the vegan beauty products I use on a daily basis to keep my cruelty free self lookin super fresh:

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Makeup

  • Too Faced Cosmetic’s Beauty Balm (this is my foundation, moisturizer, and sunscreen… all in one! I absolutely LOVE this stuff! You can buy this brand at Sephora.)
  • Too Faced Cosmetics Better than Sex mascara (It may not actually live up to it’s name, but  it makes my lashes super long and thick, and it doesn’t run…it’s the best vegan mascara I have found yet!)
  • ELF’s all over color stick in Persimmon (I use this shimmery coral stick for blush and eyeshadow. For that dewy, glowy look. All ELF products are vegan and super duper affordable! You can get this at Target.)
  • I also am a huge lip balm junkie. If you’re a friend of mine on instagram, you probably also follow my friend Mandy (@Be.Sol.Ful). Well, she makes the most amazing lip balms and other products! Her lip balm keeps my super dry lips majorly happy. And great news! Her Etsy shop is launching soon, and you’ll be able to get some of her amazing lip balm for yourself! (Mandy’s blog)

Moisture

  • Coconut oil. Yep. Like the kind you use for cooking. Slather this on your dry spots. Spilt ends. Whatever. It pretty much cures everything. We even use it for diaper rashes!
  • Jojoba oil. Coconut oil is a little to heavy for my breakout-pronae face, so I use jojoba oil on my face at night. It not only moisturizes, it helps keep my face from producing TOO much oil and prevents breakouts. It has really helped keep my acne at bay!
  • Alba Even Advanced Moisturizer with spf 15. I don’t wear makeup every day, so when I’m not wearing makeup, I use this daytime moisturizer with sunscreen to help protect my pretty little face. I’m turning 30 this year, you guys, and I know the secret to not looking like a shrived up raisin by the time I’m 40 is sunscreen. And eating a plant based diet, of course! (You can buy Alba at Target and lots of other stores, even my grocery store carries it!)

Other stuff

  • Clean Well hand sanitizer. It’s hard to find hand sanitizer that isn’t made by a huge greedy company that tests on animals. But this stuff is cruelty free. And it’s made with antibacterial thyme oil instead of alcohol or chemicals… Totally natural! It smells really good and it’s safe for kids. I always keep one on my diaper bag and my car. (You can find Clean Well at Target and Whole Foods, but we buy it in bulk on Amazon to save money.)
  • Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter. Ok. So you may not be breastfeeding, and you may not have cracked nipples, but this all natural nipple butter is good for all sorts of things. Cracked heels, chapped lips, scars… It’s a great thing to have in your medicine cabinet!
  • Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash: I like to switch brands up all the time. But my favorite cruelty free brands are: Alba, KissMyFace, Shea Moisture, and Giovanni. These brands are natural, aren’t ridiculously expensive, and are pretty easy to find at most grocery or box box stores.
  • Intimate stuff. Ok. So…. I’ll try to keep this classy, since my mom reads our blog. But I think it’s important that people know that they can use natural, safe, vegan protection! Some condoms contain casein, which is a milk product. Eeew! Now, If all you can get your hands is a casein-containing condom, for goodness sakes, just use it! The vegan police will not judge you for not wanting to have safe sex. But if you’re looking for a cruelty free way to prevent pregnancy (hey, I love my baby but one kid is plenty for me at the current moment, thankyouverymuch!) Sir Richard’s brand condoms are vegan approved. And you might want some lube if you’re gonna have some cruelty free fun. Good Clean Love is cruelty free organic brand.
  • Shaving. I like to use conditioner for shaving cream. My husband uses Alba shaving butter, but I’m too lazy to grab it off the bathroom counter and bring in in the shower, so conditioner it is. As for razors… It’s really hard to find a razor made my a company that doesn’t test on animals. Fortunately there’s Dollar Shave Club! It’s like a magazine subscription. For razors. They mail you new blades every month. And they’re cruelty free! Problem solved.

Well, that’s pretty much what I keep on my bathroom counter! See? It’s totally possible to keep yourself looking and feeling super fresh without exploiting animals!

P.S. I’m still on the hunt for a truly amazing vegan deodorant. I have yet to find one that I’m head over heels for, so if you have a favorite cruelty free brand, let me know what you use in the comments!