Switching to cruelty-free makeup is a conscious decision. It takes time and a lot of research. Here’s what I learned when I traded in my favourite beauty products for their cruelty-free counterparts.
I decided to make the switch to cruelty-free makeup about a year ago because I didn’t feel comfortable wearing cosmetics that had been tested on animals. Makeup is essentially a luxury. We wear it to express ourselves and it makes us feel confident but we could live without it if we had to. It didn’t seem fair that an animal had to suffer because of my love of red lipstick. Beauty shouldn’t have a sacrifice.
I chose cruelty-free makeup out of my love of animals. But I also wanted to start using products that have more natural ingredients. Skin is porous and any cosmetic you put on it gets absorbed. Testing makeup on animals is just an excuse for some companies to put dodgy chemicals into their products. I wanted assurance that the makeup I was wearing wasn’t damaging my face.
It’s tough knowing where to start when making the switch to cruelty-free makeup. If you already have favourite makeup brands it can be time-consuming and expensive trialling new ones. The process is a combination of research and a gamble. You can read as many reviews as you want but you won’t know what the makeup is like until you try it yourself.
You can’t find most good quality makeup on your local high street. You have to rely on customer reviews online to inform your choice about the product. Wanting to be cautious with my money, I looked to beauty influencers for guidance.
You have to take a beauty influencer’s opinion with a pinch of salt because you can never be too sure if it’s their own. Still, you get to see the makeup in action which is almost as good as a tester. You don’t get to see it on your own skin but you can get an idea of how it will look.
I also discovered that following beauty influencers who specialise in cruelty-free makeup opens your eyes to new brands you may not have heard of otherwise.
Before I switched to cruelty-free, I would just buy makeup from a high street shop when I needed it and not give it much thought. I wasn’t very makeup savvy. All I wanted from a product was for it to function and not slide down my face.
Going cruelty-free introduced me to the world of makeup. I had to search beyond the convenience of the high street to find new brands and there was something very satisfactory about sourcing cruelty-free makeup from an obscure label to add to my collection.
Branching away from mainstream cosmetics gives you the opportunity to find cruelty-free makeup made by less known brands. Since mainstream makeup companies tend to monopolise the beauty market, putting your money towards small businesses gives them a chance to flourish.
Choosing to go cruelty-free isn’t as simple as switching all your favourite products to brands that don’t test on animals. Some cruelty-free brands are owned by larger parent companies that do test on animals so you have to choose how far you want to go.
I think supporting a cruelty-free makeup brand is important even if it’s owned by a parent company that tests on animals. As consumers, we have the power to influence makeup brands with our money.
Putting our money into cruelty-free brands emphasises the demand for companies to operate with an ethical conscience. Being cruelty-free is one step closer to making the world a better place and I’m glad I made the switch.
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