Cruelty Free 2017

This year I am making a concerted effort to up my cruelty free game. I have always been conscious of make up brands that test on animals but apart from make up, I haven't really looked into other things like hair products etc. When I started looking into cruelty free alternatives for skin care and hair products I also brushed up on my knowledge of cruelty free cosmetics, only to discover that the situation is a lot worse than I thought!

Above is the current list of brands that DO and DON'T test on animals. I was so shocked to see that in 2017, the majority of brands STILL test on animals? It doesn't make sense, surely they have felt the pressure of society to change their ways? Apparently not :( When you buy a brand that tests on animals you are supporting the extremely inhumane treatment of animals. I'm not going to post any graphic images or videos as I'm sure we have all seen or can imagine the effects of harsh chemicals put into bunnies eyes and other awful tests that are done on them. 

Make up was first used in Egypition times 12 000 years ago. There is no need to STILL be testing products on animals, we know what ingredients are safe for human use so there is no need to put billions of animals through torture on a daily basis. 

Whilst most companies still test on animals there are some that don't, so where you have the choice, please rather consider using a cruelty free brand. 

Catrice is firm favorite of mine. Their products are very well priced and they really do have a great range. All my make-up is from Catrice and if you haven't tried their range yet then give it a go! Their camouflage cream is particularly amazing! 

For hair products, I used to switch between Treseme and Head & Shoulders which sadly both test on animals. There are little to no cruelty free hair products at places like Dischem and Clicks so I turned to Faithful To Nature, an online shop that stocks environmentally friendly products. 

Firstly, I must commend them on their excellent service and turn around time. I placed my order online and the very next day it was delivered WITH a few free samples of other products they thought I may like. Their online shop has absolutely everything you can think of so they're a great starting point for someone looking to start a 'greener' lifestyle. 

I first tried Hemporium Shampoo which I didn't really like as my hair never felt clean enough afterwards. Upon looking at the ingredients I also discovered that it had palm oil in it. Whilst this is not considered 'cruelty to animals' I have read so much on how palm oil extraction is causing deforestation which IS cruelty towards animals. So, the hemporium shampoo gets a thumbs down from me. 

You can read more about the harmful effects on palm oil HERE 

Next I tried Africa Organics Marula Shampoo and conditioner which smelt amazing and left my hair feeling super shiny! The only problem with this shampoo and conditioner is that I found myself having to use a lot more than I normally would which means that it isn't very cost effective.

Basically I haven't had much luck in the hair products department. Woolworths  have their own hair, skin and body products which are all cruelty free so my next move is to give their shampoo and conditioner a go. Travis has switched to their hair & body wash (Boys love the 2 in one thing, don't they) it smells amazing and actually works out cheaper than what he was using!

Travis has also switched from Nivea skincare to Young Solution.

Whilst Nivea (and L'Oreal) do not directly test on animals they do supply products to China where testing on animals is mandatory.

This means that cruelty free brands such as Nivea, L'Oreal and others have allowed China to test their products on animals so that they can be sold in the country. For me this shows that the brands are more interested in sales than animal well-being and I won't support them. If markets outside of China stopped purchasing products from these brands there might be enough pressure for them to pull out of China. When this happens China would be forced to reevaluate their animal testing laws. 

Again, we are in 2017 and mascara is still being tested on animals - it's ridiculous! 

Learn more about animal testing in China HERE

I have a long way to go but as my products need replacing I am opting for cruelty free options and making a small difference to animal welfare.

Do your part and try support cruelty free brands! Save the bunnies :)