Hello you lovely bunch! Today I thought I would bring you a rather lengthy post about the different types of cruelty-free beauty and a small insight into my journey through cruelty free products.
**Before I start let me just state that I am in no way an expert on this subject, and all views and thoughts I have about the products I own and companies I choose not to purchase from, are my own and the only influence on my choices have been of my own doing and self-exploration about what kind of person I want to become. I’m also going to be honest in this post as I believe this is what you deserve, so yes I will be naming and shaming some companies… enjoy!**
There are many different types of being cruelty free. I want this blog to be a non-judgmental space as everyone is on their own journey. Being a friend of the environment and to all living creatures around the globe, most of you reading this will be just like me in which you only use products that are not in any way tested on animals. When I started purchasing CF only, I realised there were many steps to this new found shopping structure:
1.The first step is checking your current products to see if they have any written statements on about their animal testing stance.
2.Then on your next beauty-store trip, begins the (at first) annoyingly disheartening attempt at buying cruelty free products. You begin to notice how vague companies are at labeling products and if you’re anything like me, give up and go home.
3.Then begins the internet search: typing ‘cruelty free companies’ into google you’re bombarded with PETA messages, random animal testing facts and some companies you’ve never even heard of (but will grow to love)
4.A short while later you stumble onto a list, for me it was the Logical Harmony list (Lists are my drug, seriously they make my chosen topic feel much easier to digest) Being able to easily distinguish which brands suit your new lifestyle and those that don't, makes everything easier. Except again you’re faced with a new conundrum- to parent company, or not to parent company?
This topic separates the CF community and I believe, as accepting as we are, it always will. The same goes for vegan products, as it’s such a touchy subject and some may say hypocritical. This is a personal matter which i’ll touch upon later but when you’re just starting out, at this stage it seems like this is another thing to add to your ever expanding, but equally demanding list of companies that are “safe”. At this point some of you may begin to feel disheartened, but if you’re doing this for the ethical side then consider all of the amazing reasons to carry on!
This is how it all started for me. When I first started shopping cruelty-free I didn’t think it would affect my beauty stash so heavily but you quickly realise how shady most common companies are. I’m looking at you L’Oreal, MAC, Benefit, Estee Lauder, Unilever, P&G and countless other brands! There are however some wonderful people out in the blogging world who have provided numerous resources for us to make this easier, which I will link below. I would never dictate who you should and shouldn’t believe and I firmly believe that your own research can sometimes be the truest. However that is again a personal matter, and I do hope that you guys will trust my views on companies! Earlier I touched on Parent Companies. Below I’ve summarised what parent company testing policies can include, and how they can get out of it. This includes:
- 3rd party testing (whereby a company will pay another company to carry out such nasty deeds so that they themselves are doing “nothing wrong”) I do not believe in using my hard earned money to support a company which inadvertently funds such activities.
- Selling to ridiculous and backwards continental markets where they have legal requirements to test cosmetic products on animals “to ensure they are suitable for human use”. Makes total sense, right? If a company, however much they assure you of their animal-friendly status, sells to the mainland Chinese market then they are deceiving you (It is also legal in many other countries but mainland China is the main one)
- Whether or not they are owned by a parent company which conducts such shady wrong-doings. Again, if I have knowledge that a company is owned by a much bigger company that cannot guarantee itself as 100% cruelty free, they are not okay on my list. In these circumstances you can never tell what your money may be unintentionally financing.
- Also, if their manufacturers test ingredients or products on animals. Companies that consider themselves to fit the bill will be willing to verify to anybody who asks that their raw ingredients can comply with this. Many a company will work around the “not tested on animals” phrase by stating that their finished product is indeed not tested on animals. In actual fact, many times this is the case and if you can abide by this then this saves you a whole lot of hassle! I however feel that, unless they can guarantee that at no point in the whole manufacturing process that no creature was harmed in the process, the product and the entire company cannot deem itself truly cruelty free. They are often also accredited by an animal rights organization such as PETA or BUAV. This gives me more reassurance that the suppliers are also cruelty-free.
I hate it to break it to you all, but I’m going to hazard a guess that for the most part, 80% of your favourite brands fall into at least one section above. I hope to eventually curate my own list of cruelty-free brands that I have researched and personally communicated with which will comprise of the companies us in the CF community know & love, but also the naughty companies that I do not and will not purchase from until their stance on the subject dramatically changes. (If this peaks your interest feel free to let me know, as it’s something I um-and-ah about as there are so many amazing lists already out there)
I myself took the plunge about 3 years ago and when I first started researching into it, I was deeply saddened to learn of so, so many brands that I would have to leave behind me. Thankfully though, there are some amazing CF bloggers out there who have made the transition so much easier with their friendly help and detailed blogs. I will leave the links below but be sure to check them out if this is a subject that you want to know more about. As I have said about, I am not an expert in this subject. I have compiled my own opinions based on my own judgement and through contact with certain companies. Before I even thought about purchasing cruelty free products (as I believed such a thing couldn't surely exist in this day-and0age) my beauty bag was full of MAC, Benefit, Revlon, Clinique, L’Oreal, Max Factor and the list goes on. Obviously these are all shamed brands because they take part in some form of animal testing. I quickly learned with the help of social media that there is such variety on the CF world. Luckily in the UK we have a drugstore called Superdrug which has an own brand that is BUAV approved and mostly Vegan (however they do have a parent company, that don't test, but are equally shady) however if you’re just beginning your journey then they are a fantastic starting point. I don't exactly remember what made me begin the transition, I believe I was watching a vlog and the YouTuber made a comment that "so & so its cruelty free so that's awesome" and it made me stop and think "wait, aren't all brands cruelty free?" Even 3 years down the line, I've seen so many companies sell out to other big name naughty parent companies and it makes me realise how insignificant the "movement" can feel at times, but then again there are brands who have made the decision and taken the time to ensure they are now cruelty free! It's apples and oranges and you have to take every success, however small, as a win.
I should also state that I am not a vegan, however my diet is probably 80% vegan: meaning that when I eat out, or have company over I will eat vegetarian. However my day-to-day diet rarely contains dairy, and even then the only ‘real’ dairy I consume is cheese. Some may call me a hypocrite, and hey- that’s okay! Because you know what? We are all entitled to our own opinions. And yes I suppose I am to some extent, but referring to myself as a Vegan right now feels hypocritical, why is why for now this is a Vegetarian lifestyle blog, although, I will continue to only purchase CF products for as long as I live.
Phew! I hope this has enlightened some of you, and again these are just my opinions and I thought it was the right time to clarify why I will choose to shop cruelty free, as everyone has different reasons. This is not meant to come across as a demeaning post for those of you that still purchase from said "naughty" brands, it is simply my take on the term and is a post that I would have found interesting to read a few years ago. However, should you choose to swap over to cruelty-free only products then fantastic and i applaud your effort! Personally, as there is SO much variety out there, I see no real need to purchase otherwise. And if you have any questions, again feel free to ask away. Like I've said this is an open and friendly space for all!
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