When reading the title, I’m sure a bit of a jolt may have gone through you, as those words are not to be taken lightly. The word “cruelty-free” is a stance—a strong and positive message to stand against the cruelty of animal testing. In the beauty world, animal testing is something that is evident in many brands whose cosmetics you may have tried at least once. For years, I did not face the inhumane practices that animals went through to have the beauty product that I was avidly using produced. It wasn’t until last summer, after being inspired by bloggers and YouTubers who are committed to a cruelty-free lifestyle, that I began to make my own transition into this world.
Making a change does not happen in an instant, and it can be challenging at moments. However, supporting such a positive, animal-friendly movement is worth the time and care that is put into it. Being conscious about the truth of the beauty products you use is something I believe everyone should be aware of—and it was one of the main reasons I wanted to make this change myself. I wanted to educate myself about the items that I was purchasing and the beauty brands I was supporting. I wanted to make sure that I believed in these companies that I loved so much, that I knew the truth about the methods they used to create, and if in any way a fog was lifted showing me a dark reality, we would then have to go our separate ways.
The more you know about what you are purchasing, the more you can help support the right kinds of brands that do not bring harm to other beings, and the more you can feel good in what you are lifting up. Together, I’m sure we can get to the point where cruelty-free will be the only type of product allowed in the beauty world, but this starts with one person at a time. If you’ve been thinking about making the change, or are committed to doing so and need some help, here are some tips that I’ve learned through my own cruelty-free journey that I hope will cheer you on.
Transition Gradually
Like any change, transitioning into something fully does not happen overnight. Think of this move as a season going into the next—it happens over time and before you know it, the snow has melted and the warmth is back in the air. There is no need to rush yourself. Instead, gradually replace your beauty products over time with cruelty-free ones you’ll love.
Remember the Bunnies
A little white bunny isn’t a green light for everything. There are three distinct bunnies that you want to keep in mind when choosing cruelty-free products: PETA’s Caring Consumer bunny, the Leaping Bunny logo, and the Choose Cruelty-Free rabbit. Look for any of these on the products you choose, as each one is official in the cruelty-free world.
Use, Toss, or Share
Now, don’t grab a trash bag just yet and start filling it with every product that doesn’t have a bunny labeled on it. Stick to three notes instead: use, toss, or share. It’s as simple as it sounds. Either use up products you have, toss out expired ones, or share ones you don’t really love with friends that are happy to take them off your hands.
Be In The Know
It’s important to be in the know about which brands are cruelty-free and which are not. This is a key in helping you choose the next products you add to your collection. An app that I love using on my iPhone to help me distinguish if a brand is a-okay is called Bunny Free. You can search if a brand is listed as cruelty-free with a click of a button, or you can go through their extensive list to discover ones you haven’t tried before. Try leapingbunny.org and crueltyfreekitty.com, which share their own approved lists you can dig into. Keep in mind that cruelty-free companies may be owned by non-cruelty free parent companies. For example, Aveda and Smashbox are cruelty-free, but both are owned by Estee Lauder, which is not. It’s up to you if you wish to support a cruelty-free company within a parent company that isn’t, but don’t feel the pressure of not having to. This is a judgement-free community, and everyone defines their own collection and is more than welcome to help!
Cruelty-Free Brands
Check out some of my favorite cruelty-free brands that I cannot get enough of: Lush, Glossier, Wet N Wild Beauty, Pixi, and Tarte Cosmetics.
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Changing to Cruelty-Free Makeup: Featured images courtesy of Glossier
