Cruelty Free Skincare

Over the past year, I have become increasingly aware of the cosmetic products I am using in my day-to-day life and have tried my best to only use companies that are cruelty free and environmentally friendly. Surprisingly, I found that a lot of the products I used already were not tested on animals and I soon realised that the wide availability of cruelty-free items on the high street meant that it was very easy for me to cut out animal testing companies. Here, I have compiled a short list of the skincare brands and products I use that I believe to be both mindful of the environment and cruelty-free.

Simple

Simple is a brand I have used for a long time. When I Googled whether they are a cruelty-free brand, I found that Simple do not have a cruelty-free certification as "some governments test [their] products on animals as part of their regulatory requirements" but the company do not test on animals themselves. Regarding their environmental impact, in their FAQ's, Simple state that they are "committed to being kinder" to the ecosystem by making many of their packages recyclable and biodegradable, however they know that there is "a lot more to be done" and are determined to become as "green as possible". The Simple products that I use the most are the Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser and the Kind to Eyes Eye Make-Up Remover. The moisturiser retails for £4.29 in Superdrug and Boots but it can be found at a cheaper price in stores such as B&M, Savers and Home Bargains. Similarly, the make-up remover retails at £.3.79, which I feel is a little expensive, but there are usually offers on all Simple products in the larger shops and they can be found for less in budget retailers. Some people aren't a fan of the Simple moisturiser as it can dry out certain skin types, but personally these products work really well for me and I find that the make-up remover lasts a very long time.

Soap and Glory

Soap and Glory is brand that I have only started using within the past 12 months and I have really been enjoying their products! As I have visible pores, I decided to buy some things from the Soap and Glory Fab Pore range on the 3 for 2 offer in Boots. I purchased Fab Pore Purifying Foam Cleanser (£8.00), the Daily Micro Smoothing Moisture Lotion (£12.00), and the Fab Pore Facial Wipes (£4.00) and I really noticed a difference in my skin. I  initially used both the face wash and moisturiser twice a day, but as they were quite expensive I started using them just once as I didn't want to run out of them too fast. As the face wash is a foam, it has lasted me a long time and I still haven't got through it, however, I have had to repurchase the moisturiser as it is significantly smaller. I find the wipes really refreshing as they create a tingling effect on my face, but I was disappointed to find that you only get 20 in a packet and I would usually rip them in half to get more out of them.

For Christmas, I received the Star of Wonder gift set along with some other smaller collections. Initially, when I delved into the big box of stuff I was a little worried as some of the products, such as Scrub Of Your Life, appeared to contain microbeads, however, after tweeting my concern to Soap and Glory, they informed that their company stopped using microbeads in 2014. At the moment, my favourite product is definitely the Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub Body Smoother as it the best body scrub I have ever used and is made from amazing natural ingredients that create a great scent! Although I am pleased that Soap and Glory are against testing on animals, I honestly don't think I would repurchase the body care products individually as they are all quite expensive. That being said, the full-size products do seem to last a very long time and the gift sets that are available in Boots over Christmas are particularly good value for money. If you have never used Soap and Glory but are interesting in trying their stuff, I would recommend asking for a gift set for Christmas (or buying it yourself) as they give you a good selection of full sized products and it will last well into the following year.

The Body Shop

The Body Shop are widely known for their strong position against animal testing and they are  currently petitioning with Cruelty Free International to get cosmetic animal testing banned worldwide. They are certainly not the cheapest shop on the high street, but if you are loyalty card holder you can get access to discounts and they often have sales throughout the year in which their products can be reduced by up to 40%. The products I have bought from The Body Shop are always good quality. I have purchased the Elderflower Eye Gel which I use to reduce puffiness and bags under my eyes and I also use Tea Tree Toner as part of my daily skin routine. The product I use most from The Body Shop is the All In One BB Cream , but I am hoping to discuss that more in a later post about cruelty-free make up. Without their 40% off sales, I would probably never purchase anything from The Body Shop as their prices are just simply not within my budget, however, they usually have discounts and offers available every week (especially near Christmas) that bring their products down to a reasonable price.

Dermalogica

Dermalogica is a high quality brand aiming to create products that improve the health of your skin without using common irritants and ingredients. Whilst their products are great, they are definitely a luxury brand with prices that aren't affordable for the average consumer (including myself). I first came across Dermalogica at my local salon as my beauty therapist gave me some small samples to try out. I was especially pleased with the sample of the Daily Microfoliant that I received as it is a gentle exfoliator containing finely ground rice instead of harmful and abrasive microbeads. As much as I would have liked to, I could not afford to buy full versions of these products but I did receive some travel sized ones for Christmas that have lasted me a really long time. I use the Essential Cleansing Solution or the Ultracalming Cleanser followed by the Daily Microfoliant, and I also have a full version of the Gentle Cream Exfoliant that I use once or twice a week. These products have a phenomenal effect on my skin and leave my face feeling smooth, clean and fresh, but their extremely high prices (£39.50 for the Gentle Cream Exfoliant!) simply make their products too expensive to buy on a regular basis.