Cat Meffan

CRUELTY FREE SKINCARE & BEAUTY: MY FEBRUARY FAVOURITES

Since changing to a plant-based diet last year, I realised that there was more I could do when it comes to animals, so I started looking into cruelty free skincare/beauty brands and making some changes to my beauty routine. I thought I was making good choices long before last year, but it was clear I needed to educate myself more. Some of you might not know that for a brand to sell their product in China it means that by Chinese law they MUST test on animals. Some brands are able to get away with saying they are cruelty free when it comes to the UK market, even if they stock in China, which is where I was getting confused. Remember that a product that is all-natural and organic can still be a product that is tested on animals.

It’s such a shame because with China being such a large revenue for companies, they aren’t going to be pulling out any time soon, so it’s up to China to change it’s law. There are petitions in place to make this change happen, so make sure you sign here to be part of the change.

The Body Shop Forever Against Animal Testing Campaign.

I thought it might be helpful to share with you the brands I’ve been using throughout January, making them some of my February favourites, on my quest to find cruelty free products.

Obviously there are many other cruelty free brands out there, but these are the ones I’ve been using most and therefore want to share with you all. I have hyperlinked every product that I use, so you can click straight through to shop.

HAIRCARE:

Maria Nila – This is the newest addition to my cruelty free favourites, as I’ve always found the right haircare for me a little harder to come by. I have very fine hair, but lots of it and it gets extremely knotty. To the point that I can brush it, not move for a minute, brush it again and somehow knots will have appeared! I need a conditioner that can soft my hair enough during a wash to then be able to get a brush through it. Maria Nila does just that. Vegan, cruelty free, smells great and does the job. I’m currently using Luminous Colour Shampoo and Conditioner.

SKINCARE:

The Body Shop – If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know by now how much I love The Body Shop, as they are my go-to for cruelty free skincare. They are more of a lifetime favourite than just a February favourite. I use so many of the products, so I won’t list them all. My absolutely favourites right now are the Himalayan Charcoal Mask, Oils of Life Face Oil and the Sleeping Cream, Moringa Body Butter and the Spa of The World Polynesian Monoi Radiance Body Oil – for any yoga teachers out there, this is what I use in Savasana.

Not only are The Body Shop cruelty free and 60 % vegan they also have an amazing programme called Trade Not Aid, which helps empower people in other countries within business and works with them on long term trading contracts for sustainable ingredients. Now can you see why love them so much?! If you missed my latest vlog, click here to see what I got up to in Rwanda with The Body Shop.

By Sarah London – I hadn’t heard of By Sarah London before this year, but after having the nighttime face oil kindly sent to me a while back I’m now really keen to see what’s in store next for the brand. All about minimal ingredients and clear labelling, By Sarah London makes easy for you to know exactly what you’re putting onto your skin. I recommend the organic facial oil.

Neal’s Yard – Another brand that I’ve been a fan of for many years and one that has such a wonderful ethos around our world, the environment, animals and people. Neal’s Yard are my go-to for all lifestyle products such as candles and essential oils, but they also do some amazing cruelty free skincare products too. The Frankincense Intense Lift Duo is one of my favourite things to use. The moisturiser isn’t particularly light, so you don’t want to be putting make up on straight away, but for someone like me who works from home and doesn’t wear make up much anyway, it’s perfect. Really hydrating and leaves my skin feeling all smooth and lovely! Oh and anything Lavender from Neal’s Yard is amazing!

MAKE UP:

Inika – Inika isn’t just a cruelty free skincare and makeup brand, they are also fully vegan giving them extra brownies points in my eyes. I love the baked mineral foundation, the BB cream and the bronzer. On days when I don’t really want to wear make up, but would like a very light coverage, just to even out my skin tone, the mineral foundation is perfect. Inika also does a lose powder mineral foundation too, which I’m going to try.

Charlotte Tilbury – This is my current go-to brand for those days I want to look a little more awake/glamorous! I’ve never been a fan of liquid foundations, as I never liked that slightly sticky feeling and also the thought of my skin not being able to breath. This is why I love the Charlotte Tilbury range, as it’s not like that at all. The light foundation is exactly that, light. And of course I can apply extra to give myself more coverage if I need to. I’m also using the Charlotte Tilbury concealer and the Filmstar Bronze & Glow. Charlotte Tilbury also saved me on the lipstick front. You know when you’ve been using a lipstick for so many years and it’s your ‘thing’, well as I won’t be buying from Mac anymore, I needed a replacement and Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Matte Lipstick was perfect.

Glossier – This one splits across make up and cruelty free skincare. I’ve been using the milk jelly cleanser on and off since last year and really love it. I’ve always had a very simple skincare routine, so cleansers are rather new to me. This one makes my skin feel really soft after use and doesn’t irritate my eyes, which is something I’ve always disliked about a lot of cleansers. I can’t be dealing with the “keep away from eyes” warning, I just want something that is friendly to my whole face. The other Glossier product I’ve been using is the Boy Brow. It’s taken a little bit of getting used to, as I was always using a dry product before, so at first I didn’t like the feel of putting this on. No I use it alongside a pencil, which works for me really well.

 

I’m always up for trying new brands and products, so do comment below with your cruelty free skincare and beauty favourites. 

Love, Cat x