My Top tips for going Cruelty Free

Its been oven a year since I went cruelty free and it's safe to say navigating the cruelty free world can be difficult. There has been many occasions where I have been stood in Boots or Super Drug googling brands, or purchasing from a brand that then decides to stop being cruelty free, like NARS.


Through all the frustration though, I feel that the whole experience has been really interesting and informative. Now I use brands I had never considered before, I buy less and I always make sure the products suit my needs whether that be deodorant or mascara. So here's to many more years against animal testing for cosmetic products and my top tips on how you can make the easy change to.

Learn the difference
This sounds simple but companies wording can be very confusing. There are so many different ways companies make it sound like they are cruelty free on a product but they actually arent.

Start small
Diving into every area of your life is quite a challenge, finding a suitable deodorant, shampoo and conditioner took me a while on a student budget (thank goodness for superdrug). What I'm saying is maybe start with your skin care routine, or changing your foundation.

Only replace don't just buy
I remember when I made the decision that I wanted to chuck out all of my old cosmetics to start a fresh but then I realised what a waste that was. Even now whilst I'm using up the old products it reinforces why I want to go cruelty free and reminds me that testing for cosmetics is so outdated. Going cruelty free is a long process and you need to find the right products for you. Using up the old reserves is just part of the process to.

Its OK to get it wrong
There are sometimes items I buy that I realise after are not cruelty free. We are all only human and with companies not exactly making it easy for us to figure out whether they are cruelty free or not (apart from those accredited by peta or the leaping bunny), you are bound to have a small hickup here and there.

Enjoy
One of the best things I've found since going cruelty free is the pride you find yourself feeling when a brand you love is cruelty free. For me that's superdrug. Whether it be their deodorant, shampoo or fake tan, they have saved me so much money compared to having to buy from LUSH every time.

Don't Judge
The majority of my friends are not cruelty free, with many not even knowing there is a difference. If they ask, I tell them why I do it but it's not something I feel should be shoved down peoples throat. Do I think we should all use cruelty free beauty? Yes. However many people need to read and understand and become aware of the issue themselves to want to do something about it which never comes from preaching. Additionally, I've read on peoples blog who chose not to be cruelty free, that they just don't think its their fight to fight. They eat meat and they feel hypocritical to call out animal testing because of this. Everyone has their reasons.

For me, cruelty free is about eradicating unnecessary use of animals when synthetic options that are just as good are present whether that be in fashion or beauty and I think we can all make a small difference in that respect should we wish to.

Love
Erin