Trials of Green Beauty: My cruelty-free mission

It has been difficult at the best of times as animal friendly products are not exactly known for being cheap!

So why now? For me, it was all about inside knowledge and budget. I had already boycotted several brands (and their products) for unethical operations but I still knew I wasn’t doing enough…

So I began collecting information about ethical products and saved some money aside for my green beauty trials.

I will admit that, over the years, I had done my research into alternative brands and been immediately scared off by the prices and lack of accessibility.

Maybe I wasn’t looking in the right places but I just couldn’t find a high street alternative…

I know that being able to hold and see the products is not exactly the most important thing but personally, I like to have this option if I’m paying more than £10 for an eyeliner.

Thankfully in the end, I started to get somewhere and kept finding and hearing about great brands.

I actually got the most useful tips from word of mouth and recommendations plus I got to know some great people!

So, in light of my mission and hard work, I have listed out the brands, ranges and products that I think are worth a try!

Superdrug B. Make up and Skin Care

The B. (B is for Beautiful) range is a premium beauty brand that has been exclusive to Superdrug for a few years now.

To my shock, I had never heard of it until just a few months ago but boy, am I glad I finally caught on!

The range has everything you could possibly need from make up brushes and palettes to nail polishes, foundations, lipsticks and eye shadows. Too good to be true, huh?

I haven’t looked back since trying out this brand, it’s now my favourite. Not only is it cruelty-free AND vegan but it’s also affordable for everyday make-up and skin care.

Superdrug B.Pure Micellar Water

Without sounding too negative, I have always been very sceptical of products like this one as I believe they can be a huge waste of money. But I put my judgements aside for this one and I’m glad I did.

As it’s a 3-in-1 formula, I love that I don’t need to mess about using three different bottles for cleansing, toning and refreshing. I can just quickly wipe over my face in the morning/evening and get on with what I’m doing (I’m a very busy woman nowadays).

It also makes light work of my makeup and cleans my face after a long day. Plus, it suits me a lot better than washing my face with soap all the time and drying my skin out.

I also don’t need to use a lot so it’s lasting me a lot longer than other water products I have tried.

Superdrug B.All Lengthening, Defining and Volumising Waterproof Mascara

I could not have been more excited when I found out that this brand sold mascaras. I have been looking for a good, ethical mascara since I began wearing make up i.e. quite a while ago!

I decided to go with the lengthening, defining, volumising AND waterproof one as I am the kind of person who wants everything from a mascara. I was impressed with the idea that I could get that much out of this product…

I’m pleased to say that it definitely didn’t disappoint my high standards. I fear sounding like a broken record here but I love this mascara, it works really well and does what it says on the stick…

What makes this product even better is that it actually conditions your lashes as you wear it. What more could an ethical girl ask for?

Many people have complemented me on my eyelashes since starting to wear it and it does a good job of lasting all day.

Most importantly, the thing that makes Superdrug even more fabulous (in my eyes anyway) is that ALL their own branded products are cruelty-free and branded with the leaping bunny logo. Here are some of the products I have tried;

Superdrug Classic Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

I started using this a few months back as a temporary fix for dandruff but it kind of turned into my everyday shampoo and luckily, my hair seems to love it.

Unfortunately I’m not one of those lucky people who don’t need to wash their hair for days on end. I have extremely oily hair so I need an everyday product that will last.

I would rate this shampoo down to the ground. It’s so cheap and you get a huge 500ml bottle for your money. What more could you ask for? Other than dandruff, of course.

It works just as well, if not better, than any other anti-dandruff brand I have tried and is part of a range so you have a bit of choice.

Now I know, from a girls point of view, that this product isn’t exactly the same as a lovely fruit or floral smelling shampoo. So, for those who need it, I have found an alternative…

Superdrug Extracts Shampoo & Conditioner range

I have to be honest here, I have not tested this range out YET but I 100% plan to as they look great.

The Refreshing Green Apple and Tea Tree combination is next on my list to try as I can imagine the scent is wonderful.

I would still recommend anyone to try these out and report back though. There are other cruelty-free shampoo/conditioner brands out there but from my research, they don’t come as cheap as this.

Superdrug Coconut Oil

This stuff has been a real miracle for both hair and purse. It works great as a natural hair conditioner, meaning no nasty silicones, parabens or chemicals for your locks.

Adding to its appeal, it smells gorgeous and melts beautifully into your hair. You can use it everyday or create hair masks with it when you need an extra moisture boost.

I have been using this for over a year now and I’m still on my first tub. It has saved me so much money that I would have otherwise been spending on normal, bottled conditioners.

Barry M Waterproof Gel Liner

Barry M have been a cruelty-free cosmetics company since their foundation in 1982. They proudly stand by their strict no animal testing policy and support the Humane Society International’s Be Cruelty-Free Campaign.

This was the very first product I switched to on my cruelty-free mission and I haven’t looked back since.

I use eyeliner pretty much everyday and I have only had to buy two in the last six months. It is good value for money.

It’s also excellent for staying put. I rarely need to correct it if I’m at work all day or on a night out. (I suspect this will be good news to most girls.)

The only thing that lets this down is its bottle… It can become quite annoying to try and open, particularly if the eyeliner has dried around the lid. However this is fairly minor considering all the positives.

What’s great about Barry M products is that there is so much choice! This eyeliner comes in so many different colours so you aren’t limited when it comes to ethical eye make up.

So there you have it! I have listed some prices and links to the products I found below (correct at time of posting).

Superdrug Cocunut Oil 125ml – £2.29
Superdrug Classic Anti-Dandruff Shampoo 500ml – £2,29
B.All Lengthening, Defining and Volumising Waterproof Mascara (Black) – £4.99
B.Pure Micellar Water 150ml – £4.99
Barry M Waterproof Gel Liner (Black) – £5.49

Do you rate any other ethical brands that I haven’t mentioned?

Please feel free to add comments or suggestions below. Happy reading!

First photo credit: Pete, 2013. Source link here