FIVE TIPS TO BECOMING CRUELTY-FREE


If you're thinking of becoming cruelty-free, or perhaps are currently in the midst of changing your lifestyle, then this is a good place to start. Changing at first can be difficult, and as a quick disclaimer: no judgement from me if you buy products that test on animals. The onus is on the greedy corporations selling their products in China knowingly allowing animals to be tested on.

However, if you've considered and would like to change then please keep reading. Every little change helps and shows companies that we're not interested in their products, and by using my blog as a resource it can hopefully ease the process of becoming cruelty-free for you.



1. DO NOT BIN YOUR ANIMAL TESTED PRODUCTS

This is one of the first things people do when becoming cruelty-free and not only is it a waste of your money, it also is setting you up for a fall to go from zero to one-hundred like this. You've already given the companies your money, they've made their profit so you may as well keep the products until they're used up or expired.

If you're so repulsed by using something that has been tested on animals then you could try swapping them with someone for a cruelty-free product, sell them on Depop, or give them to your friends.

TOP TIP: Bring your makeup with you when shopping to compare the colour, texture, finish etc. of your current favourites to the testers in store. It'll mean you don't waste money buying dud products. It has taken me years to find my perfect foundation, so it'll take a while to find a worthy cruelty-free alternative too.

2. BABY STEPS

A huge pitfall I've seen people fall into is not following step number one and proceeding to replace their whole collection in one shopping trip. Not only is it tough on the back account, it's tough to make such a big change all at once. Assign yourself a section of your life such as cosmetics or skincare. Once you've decided on a section, select a subsection. Start searching the shops online and offline, reading reviews, checking resources, to replace your foundation. Once you've found the perfect product, move onto the next product.

It gets easier as you go on. Once you're familiar with certain brands, you'll start to learn which brands you favour and it'll make the rest of the process so much simpler.

3. CHECK MANY SOURCES

Don't rely on just one source for your cruelty-free information. It's easy to make a certain website or company your bible, but all these resources are fallible and can make mistakes. Here's a brief list of places I trust for information:
PETA are probably everyone's first stop regarding animal welfare and although they're a reputable organisation, their method for proving companies are cruelty-free is not very thorough. Cruelty-Free Kitty wrote a very informative post about it on her blog. I would definitely recommend them to gather a basic list on who is and isn't testing, but further research is definitely required.

You may know Leaping Bunny from the cute logo you see on the back of your animal-friendly products. Unlike PETA, any company that signs a pledge with them is opening themselves up to independent audits and shows that the company is committed to not testing on animals.
Probably the source I go to most when in doubt is Cruelty-Free Kitty. I've discovered so many great brands through her blog and she is always up-to-date with the latest news. Her blog is what motivated me to start my own. I could never find information on Irish brands or smaller European brands, so decided I would seek out the information and share it with those who are curious. Go follow her, you won't regret it.

I've only discovered her recently, but I've started to check her blog nearly as often as Suzi's. Vicky's blog is great if you're looking for information outside of just the "cruelty-free vs. animal tested" conversation as she has information on clothing and general vegan lifestyle tips. Definitely check her out too.

  • Your own research.
If you're unsure of a companies status then check out their FAQ section or email them yourself. Make sure to not just ask if they test on animals. Other important questions are whether they sell in China, test their ingredients on animals, or pay other companies or third-parties to test on their behalf.

TOP TIP: Actually just taking this time to shamelessly promote my blog. It's a great resource regarding all things cruelty-free, ethical buying, and trying to go plastic free. 

4. SUBSCRIPTION BOXES

If you haven't heard of subscription boxes, they pretty much are what they sound like. You pay a monthly fee to be sent a box of products. You may have heard of mainstream boxes such as Glossybox or Birchbox, but since the first subscription boxes were originated, there have been hundreds more created for every interest possible. I must confess I have never subscribed to one before... yet. It's a quick way to try a bunch of different brands every month and get value for money. Check out Cratejoy for subscription boxes full of cruelty-free cosmetics and vegan snacks.

5. WATCH OUT FOR MISLEADING INFORMATION

When buying cruelty-free products, looking through natural/organic/vegan products is always a good place to start. Most of the time vegan products don't test on animals. This isn't always the case though. Some brands advertise themselves as organic and natural and it is often assumed they are cruelty-free, but it's important to research the products before buying into the misleading advertising. Brands such as OGX and Original Source are two brands guilty of this.


Another way companies can mislead consumers is by putting rabbit logos or other animal logos on the back of their products to mimic the Leaping Bunny, Caring Consumer or CCF Rabbit. Unless you see one of the rabbits above on a product, it is not a legitimate cruelty-free symbol. The product could be cruelty-free, however I wouldn't be quick to trust them because if they were truly cruelty-free they could just join one of the organisations above.

WHAT'S NEXT?

There are plenty more tips and tricks to becoming cruelty-free and honestly I could've have written double this post easily, but I think I'll save some of that extra info for a different time. These are the basic steps to starting off. Don't throw out your old products, take one step at a time, check reliable sources, try some subscription boxes and don't let the companies fool you. 

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