3 Tips for Adopting a Cruelty-Free Lifestyle

What if the law of karma wasn’t just applied to the things you said and did, but to what you consumed as well?  What if the bad karma from the frightened and abused animals was carried over into the animal products you ate and used?

…or maybe you just hate the idea of adorable, sweet, cuddle-bunnies being tortured, since it’s absolutely barbaric. Whatever your reasons for wanting to adopt a more cruelty-free lifestyle, I commend you.   And just like starting an eco-conscious life of reducing your plastic waste – it’s a journey that needs a good roadmap. 

When this post was written, 36% of women only buy products from brands that don’t test on animals.  Our money talks, and together we can end animal testing for good just based on the purchases we make.  Let’s join the movement and start helping other women kick the cruelty train! 

1. Start with a Plan

It’s fair to say that you’ve probably invested quite a bit of time and money into finding your favourite products. I’m not asking you to let those animals be tortured in vain.  Keep the products, use them until their last drop, and then head to your favorite beauty counter to ask for the best cruelty free substitute to sample. Even when you do make your purchase, you can always return the products for your money back to try something else until you get the right match.  A little trial and error is expected, but I feel confident you might find something even better than your old makeup – maybe it will even be chemical free and better for your skin and anti-aging efforts too! Cruelty free doesn’t mean more expensive either, Elf products don’t test on animals – and they’re just about the cheapest in the game!  (I love their powder compact!). Just take it one step, and one product, at a time.

2) Look for the Leaping Bunny

….not just the PETA Bunny. OK, so you’ve committed to taking the first step, but how do you know which products are actually cruelty free? It’s a shocking statistic, but every year as many as 10 million animals suffer and die due to cosmetic testing. Some companies are eager to jump on the cruelty-free band wagon to keep consumers happy, but they don’t check everything that goes into their manufacturing process, just the product itself. That’s why Cruelty Free International was set up: to help animals on a worldwide scale. You can search for products online that they’ve certified, on their app, but also in your favorite cosmetics stores, just by looking for the leaping bunny symbol on the packaging. It’s simple: if a product has it, then it’s not been tested on animals. The PETA logo, while a good sign that the company is at least moving towards ethical production, is not a cruelty-free guarantee.

3) Always check for China

This is a useful and definitive way of finding out if a brand you’re interested in is cruelty-free. Currently, all countries in the European Union and growing numbers of others worldwide (including New Zealand, India and Taiwan) are all banned from testing cosmetics on animals. China is the opposite, because it enforces animal testing. That means that no cosmetics can be sold there without first being tested on animals. So, if you know that a company sells its products in China, then you know right away that it is not cruelty-free.

With over 50 forms of non-animal related tests out there and available for use, there’s lots of choice when it comes to ethical options and companies really don’t need to test on animals any longer. And, because the list of companies who don’t is growing, it’s easier than ever for you to help make a difference. 

>>Shop my fav cruelty free products>>

If you’re all fired up and want to make a change faster, you can donate to The Humane Society’s fight to ‘End Cosmetic Animal Testing’ here. Tell me if you donate, I’ll try to match!