Lets talk about cruelty-free beauty

Now, there are a lot of beauty brands out there, and it can be challenging to navigate our way through them all. If you’re journeying down a more compassionate way of living, there are so many factors to consider: is the product vegan? Is it a cruelty-free product? Is the brand animal-friendly? Is it affiliated with a parent/ daughter brand that demonstrates a conflict of interest? Is it a convenient or realistic purchase? And then of course there’s price.

Chances are you’ve found the perfect brand, and you’re considering trading in your regular brand, but it’s not in any of your local stores meaning that you’re only convenient and realistic option is to make the purchase online – but you don’t know if it’ll match your skin tone, or leave you with the desired effect. So despite your efforts, all of your usual doubts start creeping up, and your yearning for comfort and all things guaranteed is turned up a notch. You end up buying the same old tried and tested products – you’re assured that they will work but you can’t mute the persistent voice in your head telling you that you have yet again compromised on your values and beliefs, in exchange for ease and convenience. Well let me tell you something…I have been there.

I have forever been obsessed with the beauty industry – it has kind of alwaaays been a hobby of mine, an expensive hobby – but a fulfilling one. As the years have flown by, I have grown older and somewhat wiser, if I do say so myself. I became more aware, open to information, and most importantly, interested in how the products that I “loved so much” were being produced, and what the products contained. I felt the need to be WOKE about what I was applying to my skin, and more so familiarise myself with the practices and lack of ethics that I was supporting simply by voting with my wallet.

Unfortunately the majority of brands out there in the current marketplace are not cruelty-free, due to the fact that on a worldwide basis, products are required by law to be tested on animals, to pass certain criteria in order to make them suitable for sale globally. Until we see a change in law, legislation and processes, practices are unlikely to change massively, however, meanwhile we can still make a stand by only supporting brands that share the same values as us. My research into cruelty-free beauty had begun, I started to look deeper into the products I used, and I made the firm decision to make a switch if deemed necessary.

Different look, same me

It’s no secret that every make-up/beauty product works differently for different types of skin.  For me personally – I believe NYX was the first cruelty-free (not vegan) make-up brand that I was drawn to, having realised that many of the pre-existing products that I was using were being manufactured and sold by companies that either tested on animals, or had parent/ daughter companies that did. I soon became obsessed with NYX, finding myself dabbling in an extensive amount of the product range – which for me at that point in my life was great – as I was able to achieve my then-desired ‘look’.

However, as time passed, I became drawn to a much more subtle, and natural look – more authentic, more…Me. As if by fate, in walked into my life: Glossier *Hallelujah*. Glossier felt to me like ‘the one’, and I am certain that our love affair will most definitely continue on forever. Let me be clear in saying that Glossier does not test on animals, however not all of their products are vegan (you can find a list below of the vegan products), all of the products made by Glossier make your skin feel like it’s been kissed by an angel. Alongside Glossier, a few of my other must haves include: Too Faced’s ‘damn girl’ mascara and Fenty Beauty’s Match Stix (Fenty Beauty has claimed it is cruelty-free but it still remains a ?)

My everyday routine

I start my day off by jumping into the shower and massaging my face with a couple of small pumps of the Milky Jelly Cleanser, then when I’m out of the shower I continue by pumping the Solution onto a pad a few times, I luuurrve the way it makes my skin feel so polished. I then move on to the Super Bounce by squeezing a drop under each eye to make it look as if I have two big tears rolling down my face, and one on my nose; I massage the drops into my skin with my fingers, or if I’m feeling fancy, I invite my Jade roller into the mix. It is now time to rub in a couple of pumps of Invisible Shield, followed by Balm Dotcom in Birthday (smells amazing) and that’s where I usually tend to draw to a close.

When I’m in the mood to put on make-up, I continue on with the Wowder (shade: Medium/deep) and believe me – I’m not usually a powder sorta girl, because I love the dewy look, but this just works for me. I’ll then move my full fringe to the side so that I can see my moon face, and comb Boy Brow (shade: black) through my eyebrows, and boy, wow! Boy Brow enhances my eyebrows but not to the extent where you think “wow, fake eyebrows” y’know. I pull out my Cloud Paint (shade: Storm) and begin dabbing this on to the cheek area, I finish my look with Generation G in whatever shade I’m feeling like, my go to shade at the moment is Leo. I then stick my middle finger up in the air and wave it like i don’t care (except I do care, I care a lot about you Glossier).

Cruelty-free beauty buys

Following is a list consisting of 22 cruelty-free + vegan beauty buys from Glossier:

– Perfecting Skin Tint
– Soothing Face Mist
– Mega Greens Galaxy Pack
– Milky Jelly Cleanser
– Super Pure
– Generation G
– Lip Gloss
– Invisible Shield
– Wowder
– Daily Oil Wash
– Solution
– Lidstar in Moon and Fawn
– Zitstick
– Milky Oil
– Glitter Gelée
– Niteshine
– Vinyl Lip
– Colorside in Sparkle Shark, Cash Salad and Pretty Penny
– Bubblewrap
– Brow Flick
– Futuredew
– Pro Tip

Cruelty-free beauty brands

Below is a list of beauty brands that are 100% vegan:

– Adorn Cosmetics
– Aether Beauty
– Aromi
– Au Naturale
– Axiology
– Beauty Without Cruelty
– Beautyblender
– Clove + Hallow
– Concrete Minerals
– Cover FX
– EcoTools
– Elate
– Elixery
– Emani
– Everyday Minerals
– Fairy Girl
– Farsali
– Fior Minerals
– Furless
– Inika
– Nanshy
– Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
– Pacifica
– Real Techniques
– Red Apple Lipstick
– Sappho
– Sugar Venom
– Suntergrity
– Trust Fund Beauty

I truly hope that this somewhat of a guide helps you to navigate your way through the beauty aisles a tad easier, and if you feel it’s about time that you and Glossier became acquainted, use my link for 10% off your first purchase. Tip off: if you’d like to find out whether the beauty brands that you are currently supporting are cruelty-free or vegan, the website I would recommend is Cruelty-free Kitty. If any of you have some contradicting information/ additional information that can be added to this list then please do feel free to share in the comments section below!

Priyanca Barot

Born & Bred in Cambridge, Priyanca is currently living her best life in San Francisco. She is an open-minded free soul, who is an advocate for empowering people from all walks of life, Priyanca shares a passion for body positivity and lives to be the girl who’s soul purpose is to make people laugh. Should you wish to get in touch, or follow Priyanca’s journey, you can do so via Instagram.