My Top 10 Cruelty-Free Cosmetics (My Top 10 Beauty Products)

Name: 85fudge

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Product:	My Top 10 Beauty Products
Date:	05/01/06 (10932 review reads)
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Advantages: No animal ingredients and not tested on animals.

Disadvantages: Can be difficult to find vegan products.

I have been vegetarian for about 10 years, and recently decided to take the step towards veganism. Being vegan is not just to do with the food you eat, it is about having a completely cruelty free lifestyle. This obviously involves not eating animal flesh and other animal products like gelatine, animal rennet and cochineal, as well as not having milk, cheese, eggs and honey. Unfortunately many cosmetic and skincare companies are not animal friendly, so it is important to only use products that have not been tested on animals, and products that do not contain animal ingredients like carmine (a colouring from beetles which is used in many colour cosmetics to give a red/pink colour), animal collagen and beeswax. If a company is approved by the BUVA (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) then you can be sure that their products have not been tested on animals, but it is not a guarantee that the products are vegan. The Vegan Society has an online shop which sells some skincare products, but The Vegan Store (www.veganstore.co.uk) is my favourite, and you can guarantee that the products you buy are 100% vegan and cruelty-free.

The following is a list of my ten favourite vegan products.

1. Aubrey Organics Natural Lip Gloss

Aubrey Organics is an American company based in Florida, who specialise in natural hair and body care. They have been trading for 38 years, and their products are handmade in small batches, so the quality is outstanding. Aubrey’s Natural Lip Gloss is the best lip gloss that I have ever used. It comes in a glass pot with a white screw-lid and a little applicator (like an eye-shadow sponge). The colour I use is called ‘Natural Red’ and it is most certainly natural looking. The colour in the pot is quite intense, but it blends very well onto the lips and gives a fresh, bee-stung look. It has a lovely fresh, peppermint smell. I apply the gloss with my fingers and it gives a natural looking stain with some shine. It can be applied quite thinly to give a sheer colour, but if you use the sponge applicator it’s possible to achieve a darker look. I find the gloss is perfect used as a blusher, and I love the fact that a single product can have two uses, as it’s economical and saves space in my makeup bag. It has an SPF of 8 which is great for protecting the delicate skin on the lips, and contains jojoba oil and natural Vitamin E, so it’s very moisturising. I use this lip gloss as a lip balm, as it keeps my lips so soft.

£5.99 for 4g from www.veganstore.co.uk and it’s worth every penny! (It comes in Natural Red, Petal Pink, Mocha Brown and Clear). Certified by the BUAV. Also available from www.aubrey-organics.com.

2. Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair

I have been using this product for about 2 years now and I have noticed such an improvement in my under-eye area. Daily Eye Repair is a lightweight cream that helps smooth the skin and conceal dark circles. It contains an SPF 10 mineral sun cream, and reflective particles to brighten the eye area. The ingredients include borage and natural source vitamin E to help rehydrate. I use this product every morning after I moisturise my face. I used to apply a concealer under my eyes, but I find this product does the job of a concealer as well as caring for, and protecting the delicate skin under the eyes. It’s important to protect the skin from the sun throughout the year and the SPF in this product helps you to do this. It comes in a lovely little tube with a nice applicator that allows you to squeeze out a tiny amount, as that’s all you need, and it lasts ages.

£10.95 for 10ml from www.lizearle.com. This may sound expensive but I find a 10ml tube lasts about a year, so it’s very economical. I also buy Liz Earle products from QVC (www.qvcuk.com) and have got tubes of the Eye Repair in big sets, which works out as brilliant value for money. Approved by the BUAV (but some Liz Earle products contain beeswax so read ingredients listing to check which products are vegan).

3. Lamas Lash Masque

I have been searching for the perfect mascara for years, and now I have finally found it. Rather than coating the lashes with fibres, like most other mascara do, this product darkens the lashes with natural pigments. You don’t end up with nasty stiff, spiky lashes that flake and dry out. I find normal mascaras make my eyelashes weak, and in the past I have had problems with my lashes dropping out. But this mascara has really helped me. It’s more like an eyelash tint, as it doesn’t clog the lashes, but gives a light layer of colour that doesn’t rub off like normal mascara. The natural pigments are chicory and walnut shell, and it contains oat protein. It’s very nourishing, and gives a lovely natural definition to your lashes.

Available from www.lamasbeauty.com and also www.veganstore.co.uk for £14.99.

4. Liz Earle Botanical Aftersun Gel

This is my favourite product for the summer months. This aftersun has the most beautiful smell, which is a blend of mint, lavender and cucumber. It really does cool and calm the skin down after a day in the sun, and if you do get sunburnt, it helps reduce the soreness. I’ve used this aftersun for the last two summers and it has really helped my skin. It’s lovely applied all over the body after a shower, and really cools down the body, and helps rehydrate the skin.

A 200ml tube costs £12.00 and is available from the www.lizearle.com.

5. Crystal Deodorants

I think crystal deodorants are a fantastic invention: they work so well, and what is more, they are completely natural and chemical-free. All you have to do is run the crystal under the tap and apply it to clean skin, which leaves an invisible layer of the crystal deposits. Crystal deodorants work by adjusting the skin's pH level to stop odor-causing bacteria before they multiply on the skin's surface. Rather than blocking the skin cells, the invisible crystal deposits allow your skin to breath. Because they don’t involve any nasty chemicals, they are perfect for people with sensitive skin. They are cheap and last for months. I personally think this is a much better option than spray/roll on deodorants as it’s fragrance free, and is works so well.

Lots of places sell them, but I got mine from Holland & Barrett. The brand they sell also has a website: www.crystalspringltd.co.uk

6. Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser

This is the best face cream that I have ever used, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. In my opinion, Liz Earle makes the best creams, and all the products contain natural ingredients. This cream contains borage, avocado oil, echinacea and natural vitamin e, which are all very nourishing ingredients. It has quite a light texture, and is incredibly smooth and sinks into the skin beautifully, and is a perfect base for foundation. It comes in three different formulations: for oily skin, normal/combination skin and dry skin. I use the normal/combination one most of the time, but I also have the one for dry skin that I use as a night cream in the winter, as it’s thicker and more moisturising.

A 50ml pot costs £12 from www.lizearle.co.uk and QVC also sell it. If you get it in one of the Liz Earle special value sets, it often comes in a tube, which I prefer. 50ml lasts me about 5 months, so I think it’s very good value.

7. Barry M Dazzle Dust

It’s difficult finding vegan eyeshadows as the colourings are often animal-derived, but Barry M do a lovely range that’s not tested on animals, and most of the products are vegan too (except for the cream-based products which contain beeswax). The Dazzle Dusts come in lovely little glass pots with black screw tops. The Dazzle Dust is not glitter, but a very fine powder that smoothes onto the skin very easily. I dip my little finger into the pot to get a small amount of the dust then apply to my eyelids. I usually apply a tiny bit of foundation to my eyelids to make them smooth and moisturised, and I find the Dazzle Dust goes on very nicely. The colour range is superb – they literally make every colour imaginable. I use a metallic beige colour that is really natural looking, and gives a healthy sheen. The Dazzle Dusts are also nice used as a highlighter on the cheekbones. The colour lasts very well throughout the day, and I think these are the best eyeshadows I’ve used, and they are cruelty-free which is an added bonus.

My pot of Dazzle Dust cost me £4.50 in Superdrug. It’s only a tiny pot, but I think it will last years because the dust is so fine, and goes such a long way.

8. Faith in Nature Lavender and Geranium Shower Gel

The first thing I will say is that this product is AMAZING value. A 400ml bottle costs £3.99 and it lasts me about 3 months, which is fantastic value. Faith in Nature is a UK company that uses only biodegradable vegetable-based ingredients. They don’t use sodium laurel sulphate (which can cause skin irritations) or any other chemical foaming agents. Their products are paraben-free, completely natural and very kind to the skin. This shower gel can also be used as a bubble bath, and gives very nice dense bubbles. It has a delicious and relaxing herbal smell, which is the blend of the lavender and geranium. It doesn’t dry the skin and leaves your skin lightly fragranced.

It’s available from www.faithinnature.co.uk and costs £3.99.

9. Liz Earle Hand Repair

This cream really saves my hands during the winter months. It’s a very rich, yet non-greasy cream that relieves dry, sore hands. It contains echinacea, hops, pure essential oils and natural vitamin e. It has a lovely refreshing herbal smell, and is so moisturising. As with all Liz Earle products, you know you are getting pure quality. It comes in various sizes, and a pump dispenser is now available so it’s a good idea to keep one of these by the sink. This is my favourite hand cream and it doesn’t contain any chemicals or animal ingredients.

£7.75 for 50ml from www.lizearle.com

10. Kiss my Face Olive & Aloe Moisturiser

It’s not just the name of the company that’s incredible: this multi-purpose body cream is so effective. This Olive & Aloe Moisturiser is for extra-sensitive skin, and doesn’t cause any irritations. It softens dry skin on elbows and feet, and moisturises the legs after shaving or waxing. It comes in a huge 473ml (16 Fl Oz) pump and lasts for months and months. It’s completely fragrance free and is very soothing on the skin. It’s actually formulated to use on the face, so it is very gentle, yet rich and moisturising. I couldn’t be without it in the winter when my skin is dry from the cold weather and the central heating. On the bottle it says that it contains no animal ingredients, no artificial colours and is not tested on animals.

Kiss my Face is an American company and their website is www.kissmyface.com. They sell a vast range of skincare products and it’s a lovely site to have a look at. The Vegan Store also sells some of their products (www.veganstore.co.uk) and this 473ml bottle costs £8.99 from the online shop.

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I hope you have enjoyed reading about my top 10 cruelty-free cosmetics and skin care products. It can be difficult to find vegan alternatives to products that are easily available on the high street, so I hope this has given you some helpful leads. The good thing is that companies that are cruelty-free and ethical also tend to focus on natural preservatives and ingredients, so in buying vegan products, you are also getting top-quality natural cosmetics.

Summary: Cruelty-free and vegan products are kinder to nature and to your skin.