GOING CRUELTY FREE + HAUL

GOING CRUELTY FREE

I'm sure how to explain the reasons behind me deciding to go cruelty-free with my beauty without rambling on so I'll just keep it short- I am o longer buying any products that test on animals. For now, I place emphasis on the word buying; I still own products that aren't cruelty-free and unfortunately I don't have the funds to just throw them away and find an alternative. 

I started by clearing my make up out getting rid of or giving to friends anything I no longer used. Next was research; I spent hours looking at list upon list of products that don't test on animals and those that do finding out what brands to stop buying from and those that are A-okay to carry on repurchasing. 

Sadly, this means a lot of my favourite products I will longer be buying with the main culprit being L'oreal. I think it's sad how the makeup industry is so old and yet they still feel they need to test on animals. I no longer feel it's necessary to do this and that's the main reason I've decided to make this change.

This change, however, isn't going to happen overnight. Like I said, I'm going to carry on using the products I have-cruelty-free or not- until finished with. Also, I'm solely concentrating at the moment to converted make-up, skincare and haircare products to cruelty-free before finding basic alternatives such as toothpaste and razors which maybe a little harder to get hold of. So I thought I would share this with you and say I will no longer, on purpose, be sharing products on my blog that aren't cruelty-free. To celebrate this change, I thought a little spend was in order. 

THE HAUL

Lush is already my main source for skin, body and hair care and it will continue to be. After speaking to a lovely assistant she recommended I try the Fresh Farmacy Cleansing Soap. This I love and been using for the past few weeks; it's already a favourite. I also was persuaded by another of the workers to pick up the Experimenter Bath Bomb. Glittery bombs like this have always scared me but after being reassured that it easily washes off and I won't exit the bath looking like a disco ball I had to pick up this vibrant and amazing smelling bath bomb. 

It's been a while since I tried any Soap & Glory Make-up so I decided to pick up the Brow Archery Pencil in Love Is Blonde. I could tell from first use that this is too light for me but like most products, I can make it work. While there was a buy get another half price offer, I picked up my beloved One Heck Of A Blot Powder. I have missed using this and seeing as my usual Rimmel Powder isn't cruelty-free, it was worth picking up. 

Gosh is a brand I'd never really delved in but after seeing a Sleek lip liner I was after was out of stock I found myself at the Gosh counter admiring their Mac looking lip liners and so I picked up the Velvet Touch Lip Liner in Antique Rose. Since buying this I haven't stopped wearing this under a lip gloss. It's a gorgeous colour and doesn't bleed. 

My first "test" since going cruelty-free came when I saw Maybelline had released a new highlighter stick. I went over and swatched it and it looked so lovely and glided so smoothly I did wonder whether I should just buy it but then I realised how stupid it was to give up all this for a highlighter that other brands probably do. I headed over to the Barry M stand, a brand I knew going in was well known for being cruelty-free. The I saw their Illuminating Strobe Cream. It looked just as gorgeous and felt smoother than the Maybelline one and so I picked it up. 

The last thing I got was from Freedom. I'd had my eye on this for a while and after checking they were cruelty-free I picked up their Eyebrow Pomade in Medium Brown. While the pencil mentioned earlier was too light, this seems too dark but with a light hand I make it work. I've never tried the Anastasia brow products but if you are looking to I wouldn't waste your money when it's £4 pot works great and seems to be exactly the same. My local Superdrug carry this brand but if you can't find it there, they have an online website.

As for skincare, the only new product I picked up was the Nip + Fab  Hydrate Dragon's Blood Pumping Serum. This had 50% off on their website and thought I'd give it ago and I love it. I apply it before my moisturiser before bed and before makeup. It locks in more moisture during the night as well as helping my get a smooth base for my makeup and being just £10 while on offer I'm very happy with this. 

So there's a little bit about me choosing to go cruelty-free and a little haul thrown in for good measure. 

Would you consider going cruelty-free with your make-up? If you already have, what brands would you recommend? 

Hope you're doing great,

Sarah x