I’m so bad about this whole “figuring out what to write on” thing….. Writers block is a nightmare.
Anyways….
Recently I have started the transition to using products that do not test on animals. Once I run out of one product that does test on animals, I’ll replace it with one that does not. My three most recent switches were totally worth raving about:
From Benefit “Gimme Brow” colored clay to Tarte colored clay
From Dove dry shampoo to Dry Bar Detox dry shampoo
From Suave shampoo and conditioner to Deva Curl “no-poo” shampoo and conditioner
First, let me say that all of these products were so so so much better than the one I was originally using that does test on animals. Now let’s break them down individually….
The Tarte colored clay, for one, was cheaper. (can I get a hell yeah for saving money?!) You also get more in the Tarte container which makes that money saving even better! But if we are ignoring the cost of the product and how often you have to make a Sephora run, it’s hard to ignore how much better the Tarte applicator is. Benefit’s applicator was like a fiber(?) brush type thing that often got clogged up with my eyebrow hairs. It was clumpy and downright gross. Tarte’s applicator is still a brush but much skinnier and plastic and rarely ever pulls out my eyebrow hairs, which is really good considering I need as much eyebrow hair as I can get because ya girl is lacking in that department. Honestly, I just like the taupe color better from Tarte too. Less is more with this one especially coming from Benefit where I had to go over my eyebrows a solid 3 times before it would make a noticeable difference.
Up next: dry shampoo. This one was a hard one for me. I swear by Dove’s dry shampoo but I just couldn’t keep supporting a company that tests on animals, so my quest for a new dry shampoo was on. Honest to God, I just grabbed the first one I could find that didn’t test on animals. This took a lot longer than I expected, to be honest. You’d be surprised how hard it is to find a dry shampoo that doesn’t test on animals. Dry Bar was the lucky winner. When I saw I was about to spend $23 on dry shampoo as opposed to my $5 dove bottle, I was devastated and honestly rethinking this whole thing. But I pushed through and bought it. The amazing thing about this product is just how little you need to use. With Dove, I had to spray it generously all over my head. With Dry Bar, less is so so so much more than you may even want. If you use too much, your hair turns white (and this is coming from a dark blonde). But if you just tap the sprayer a tiny bit one layer to the left and one layer to the right of your normal part, you’re set. You don’t even have to apply every day between washes. I applied it once the day after I washed my hair and I haven’t had to do anything with it in 2 days!! The key to this stuff is figuring out the trick to not using too much.
I was planning on switching from Suave at some point anyways because I was honestly so tired of my hair being stripped of its natural oils and replaced with synthetic oils to make it soft again. What better time than the present?! With Suave, I was having to wash my hair every other day. With Deva Curl, it’s now every 4-5 days! I’m hoping to build up to a week. Obviously my hair doesn’t feel as “clean” as it would after Suave because this shampoo doesn’t lather like Suave does but it is as clean and also soooo much healthier!!
Up next on my to do list: toothpaste and deodorant!! Do you have any suggestions?! Comment below!!
Do you want to make the switch to cruelty free beauty products? Read on for my (almost) pro tips!
1. Download an app called Bunny Free. All you gotta do is type in a company and it’ll tell you if the company tests on animals!!
2. It is possible for the brand to not test on animals and the parent company still test on animals. For example, Urban Decay as a brand has stood by not testing on animals but they are owned by Loreal who does test on animals. For me, I’m cool with buying from a brand that does not test on animals even if their parent company does but that’s just a call you’re going to have to make based on how extreme you want to go.
3. “We only test on animals where it is required by law” does not mean they have to test on animals. What this means is, “we chose to sell in China, where all products are required by law to be tested on animals”. Here’s the thing though: they don’t have to sell in China! They are just greedy butt-munchers that see nothing wrong with testing on animals if that means they can make more money!! (Like that insult, butt-munchers? Whipped that one out from my middle school days. You’re welcome.)
4. Do a lot of research on this topic before deciding to make that switch. It can be expensive. To me, it’s worth it. But is it to you?
Dream Big and Achieve 