Ever since I discovered that huge brands like Rimmel and Maybelline tested on animals back in May, I have made it my mission to live a cruelty free lifestyle by sourcing out amazing vegan brands that do not test on or harm animals such as NYX, Tropic Skincare and more. But when it came to finding out brands that were specifically formulated for hair, dental hygiene or finding new, up and coming brands that were cruelty free I was flummoxed. As a passionate advocate of animal rights and a staunch vegetarian, I had no knowledge that the brands I knew and loved were buying into an industry that tortured, murdered and harmed poor innocent animals like cats, dogs and rabbits, all for the sake of vanity and it broke my heart. I threw out the makeup, the skincare and hair products and went back to the drawing board. Each product I brought I scanned intensely to ensure it was ‘cruelty free’ and I was pleased to find that being kinder to animals did not mean I had to compromise on my budget, as there were incredible Cruelty Free Brands out there.
While I had been a frequent user of Lush and my make up bag was full of cruelty free budget brands like NYX and Barry M, when it came to skincare, dental hygiene and hair products, I found that the products I had come across were fairly limited and not suitable for my skin, my teeth or even my hair type, which as those who know me in person all well know is a big tangly mess of a mane. In fact I’m pretty sure that in my past life I was a lion or at the very least it was my spirit animal. But enough about spirit animals and lions, behold Faded Spring’s discovery of five key brands that you need to try in 2018. From making your bathtimes smell as delicious as your fantasies about food, to dying your hair, I have got all the key bases covered. And if you are after ‘new cruelty free make up brands’ then don’t worry, keep your eyes peeled for some amazing make up brands that love animals as much as I do, coming soon!
Dental Hygeine: Splat
Before I began my cruelty free journey in May, I had been using Colgate and Arm and Hammer, in an attempt to ‘whiten’ and strengthen my teeth, before finding out that both brands were still testing on animals and it made me feel sick. I could not believe that even the toothpaste or the mouthwash we use could result in the direct torture of animals and I was determined to source out brands that would make my dental hygiene an animal friendly routine. Which is where I came across Splat, whose passion for animal rights and remaining cruelty free transcended staunchly through their ethics and policies. When asked about whether their oral care products tested on animals, they gave the following statement
‘All information provided on the packaging of our products, on our leaflets and the website is confirmed by certification research protocols where it is stated that Splat uses an alternative testing method – in-vitro, also often called “test tube experiments”. It means that Splat performs studies with cells and biological molecules outside their normal biological context — not with animals. The certification with the world recognised organisations like BUAV is a lengthy process, and Splat is a relatively young company. However, we do believe that Splat products will bear the leaping bunny logo — the world recognised symbol of ethical attitude towards animals — in the not so distant future’
Often up and coming brands do not bear the ‘leaping bunny logo’ but that does not mean that they are not cruelty free, as the process of obtaining the coveted ‘logo certification’ is extremely expensive, so I was pleased to hear that they had offered substantial evidence to determine their cruelty free status, by explaining in detail about what ‘In Vitro’ entails and how no animals are used in the process. Formulated for both adults and children, products include oral care foam, mouthwash, charcoal and non charcoal toothpastes and even toothpastes for babies aged 0-3 years old, meaning there is something for all the family to enjoy.
Price Range: Budget Cruelty Free Brand That Does Not Compromise On Quality And Has A Host Of Accolades To Prove Its Merit.
Best Product: Express Oral Care Foam (Winner Of Beauty Shortlist Awards 2017)
Available To Buy Online And From The Following Stores: Superdrug, Harvey Nichols, The Natural Dispensary, Blukoo, Natures Healthbox, Ethical Superstore,Healthstore UK and A Little Find.
Skincare:Urban Veda
Urban Veda Purifying Discovery Travel Set
When I say this is the ‘best skincare range’ that I have tried, I mean it. Developed specifically to cater to your exact skin type, Urban Veda is a cruelty free and vegan skincare brand, who uses a ‘scientific quiz based on discovering your Dosha, which determines which of their skin care ranges are best suited to your skin.The Ayurvedic term to describe the physical and emotional tendencies within the mind and body, I was told that my Dosha was ‘Kapha’ which refers to oily skin with large pores and prone to breakouts and irritation. As someone who has ‘olive skin’ with inflammation in the T-Zone area and mild acne, with sensitivity to certain chemicals, I was pleased to find a cruelty free brand that would address my problem areas and soothe my oily skin, without retracting the natural oils that my skin produces.
As someone whose ‘Dosha’ is ‘Kapha’, I am ruled by the elements earth and water, meaning that I am meant to be ‘quite loving and forgiving by nature’, which made the skincare a fascinating purchase. Philosophical attributes aside, Urban Veda is a holistic brand who is proud to promote that they have never tested on animals, nor will they approve animal testing in the future. Furthermore this fantastic, cruelty free and vegan brand who holds the ‘Vegetarian Society’ certification is also sustainable and eco friendly, with bottles made out of post-consumer recycled plastic. Furthermore this award winning brand is also Forest Sustainability Certified, meaning that Urban Veda are passionate about the environment as well as animals.
Price Range: Medium, Cruelty Free, Sustainable & Vegan
Best Product:Purifying Facial Oil For Breakout Prone Skin
Available To Buy Online At Urban Veda and Select Waitrose Stores, The Good Life and Elysium Holistic Therapy
Hair:Tints Of Nature
Tints Of Nature Sulfate Free Shampoo
Here is a fact that might shock you… I have never dyed my hair before. In a world where I describe myself as being a part time mermaid and a maven of colour, it might surprise you that I have never dyed my hair a shocking shade of pink or dabbled in a blue or two. Not that I haven’t wanted to, its just when it comes to my hair i’m a little old school. I don’t cut my hair because the last time someone cut my hair they chopped off half my mane (and considering I have hair that is nearly down to my bum that is saying something). But those pesky greys are creeping in with gusto, and I’m pulling out more grey hairs as time goes on. So I have been searching for cruelty free hair dye brands that will give me a natural, well applied colour that is closest to my natural hair colour (which is blackish brown, with tints of red) and thus Tints Of Nature was introduced to me.
Not only does Tints Of Nature have natural hair dyes, but it also has cruelty free shampoos without sulfate, conditioner and even dry shampoos to keep your hair looking fresh and healthy. Before my cruelty free journey I had been using John Frieda and Pantene, but as Pantene is owned by Proctor and Gamble, which tests on animals, I wanted to find a good quality cruelty free brand that would tame my wild mane. Not only is the sulfate free shampoo chemical free, organic and eco friendly but its amazing conditioner (which smells like strawberries and cream) helps detangle hair and all hair products are specifically formulated for colour treated hair too!
Price Range: Award Winning Budget and Vegan, Cruelty Free Brand
Best Product: Sulfate Free Shampoo
Available To Buy Online At Tints Of Nature
Bathtime Fun:Miss Patisserie
Peony + Pear Bath Slab Vs Mango Bath Slab
When it comes to bath bombs, we have all heard of the skincare giant that is LUSH, but what if I were to tell you that there was an equally amazing cruelty free and vegan skincare brand to rival Lush? Queue Miss Patisserie, a colorful ethical skincare selection of treats to make your bathtimes that bit more fun. From bath bombs like Ziggy that will transport your bathtub into a magical bathtime paradise, to bath slabs made from peony and pear that will make your skin silky and smooth, inject colour into your bath time with Miss P. Become a mermaid with the rainbow river vegan bath ball, as you swim through legions of colour and sparkle, or scrub yourself into ecstasy with a watermelon bath scrub that will transport you back into summer.With everything from bath balls to shower steamers, whether you are a solo rider or have got your partner to hop in with you for some good ol’ fashioned ‘bathtime fun’ Miss P has the goods to turn your night into one to remember.
If you are more of a unicorn than a mermaid, or a unicorn at weekends like me, then why not stick a rainbow unicorn hoof in your basket? Turning your bath into a kaleidoscope of foam, no unicorns were injured in the making of this glorious hoof, in fact the Goddess of the Unicorns, even gave Miss P her blessing, by sprinkling confetti, glitter and colour into Miss P’s office.
Price Range: Budget Vegan Skincare Brand With A Penchant For Colour
Available To Buy Online At Miss Patisserie
Best Product: Peony & Pear Bath Slab
Cruelty Free Tampons!
Intimate Health:TOTM
2017 became the year when I made it my mission to be ‘more period positive‘ and work on being more kinder to my vagina in the process. So many young people are forced to go without sanitary products worldwide or are conditioned into viewing vaginas and periods as disgusting. Well let me tell you something, be proud to have a vagina because it is mother f***ing awesome. Not only do we give birth, take on multiple roles and generally kick ass on a daily basis but having periods is not something to be ashamed of either. It makes us as women connected, it teaches us to love and appreciate our bodies and most of all it teaches us gratitude. I wasn’t always mindful about my periods and in fact would always complain, because of how painful and lengthy my periods can be. But without my period, I wouldn’t be as aware of my body as I am now and it’s a truly amazing feeling.
Which is where TOTM comes in, a cruelty free and vegan intimate health brand who creates animal friendly tampons, pads, liners and accessories, TOTM is one of the most incredible brands that I have had the fortune to work with. Not only is their team ridiculously nice, but they also go to period protest movements, give to charity (with every box purchased donating 10 P to the Gynecological Cancer Fund) and are also staunch supporters of the animal rights movement. Furthermore their tampons are free from carcinogenic dioxins which are found in chemical laden mainstream tampons and have previously been linked to endometriosis, has also been shown to disrupt hormones and cause problems with the immune and reproductive systems. So I don’t know about you but a brand that is not only eco friendly, vegan and cruelty free but also free from additives and chemicals, sounds like a much better choice for our vaginas… don’t you think so?
Price Range: Budget, Chemical Free Intimate Health Products. More Exciting Accessories & Ventures Coming Soon
Best Product: Super Plus Tampons
Available To Buy Online At TOTM
What Are Your Thoughts On The New Cruelty Free Brands? Which Brand Appeals To You The Most?
*PR Samples
I love the look of those Bath slabs, I think I might have to treat myself!
Thank you so much for sharing these, Ana. Although I’m not vegan, I do tend to use vegan beauty products as I just feel that they make my hair and skin look and feel so much nicer. I’m definitely going to try Splat and Miss Patisserie as they sound right up my street 🙂
Louise x
I’d heard good things about Urban Veda and didn’t realise they were cruelty free. Will definitely pick some up now!
I am gradually switching to cruelty-free cosmetics. There are other drugstore brands that are ethical and sometimes even vegan. Thank you for this list!
I keep seeing the miss pattiserie stuff in Boots and once I have used up most of my Lush goodies I am definitely going to treat myself to some goodies from there x
I absolutely love Urban Veda products – I have really sensitive skin so it’s good to find something that fits me as well as being cruelty free. Not heard of Miss Patisserie but those slabs look amazing so I’m definitely going to give them a go.
I still haven’t tried Miss Patisserie! I walk passed it in Boots all the time but now Christmas is out the way I think I can start treating myself again. I also never knew there was vegan tampon alternatives! It’s such a shame so many brands still think it’s acceptable to test on animals.
I need that bath slub! and I love NYX!!!
I think it’s great that you only use cruelty free brands.
x
It’s always fantastic to find out about more cruelty-free brands – the Bath Slab really stands out to me 🙂
I haven’t tried any of these products before. I’m intrigued. Especially with those bath slabs. What pretty colors!
Interesting tampons too. I should appreciate my vagina more, but when it’s making me uncomfortable I basically tell it to piss off.
Those bath slabs look amazing. I tend to use Lush though as it is a local company to me and I like shopping for local brands.
Yes! I loved this post! I have been using cruelty-free products for years, I am happy to have foundyour blog!
I did not know Maybelline tested on animals; thank you for sharing that. I love supporting cruelty free brands as well, and those bath slabs look like must haves!Does the Splat Mouthwash help with whitening?
I too read labels to check for animal testing! Thanks for introducing me to some of these brands that I had never heard of before. Those bath slabs look so great. The fun bright colors would totally be something my daughter would love.
Ooh- I like those soap bars and Urban Veda. They look like great products to try
The Urban Veda set looks like something I would be interested in and the bath slabs are so pretty that it would take me a long time to use then for the fear of destroying them lol.
Thanks for sharing as I am into cruelty free products now and these are a good selection for me to have a look and get in the future.
I’m so impressed by the volume of cruelty-free and vegan-friendly products that there are on the market at the minute. My beauty cupboard consists mostly of items from these ranges as well 🙂 you have given such a lovely selection of items as well
I had no idea that Maybelline and Rimmel tested on animals!!! That is shocking!! I will definitely not be using them in future! Those bath slabs look amazing and I love that there are cruelty free tampons too – and rightly so!
Great list, I’m trying to switch over so it’s good to hear of new brands.
I have never heard of the brands you’ve mentioned! What I love is that I can go to lush and buy any product and it’s cruelty free! There really needs to be more awareness towards products that are crusty free.
My wife actually uses the Miss Patisserie stuff…the Peony and Pear bath Slab smells amazing. I hear they have other stuff as well, just a tad bit on the expensive side.
For feminine hygiene products I’ve used the diva cup before and think it would be a good option for women as it is usable and cruelty free! Something to consider.
Its always nice to discover new products and read about them. I have not really come across these brands but I always try to buy cruelty free products so will definitely check them out.
I had no idea that all of these companies tested on animals either, I assumed that in this day and age they wouldn’t. That makes me sad! Thanks for sharing these brands – I’m particularly interested in Miss Patisserie as I adore Lush and baths! I’m also pleased to know Barry M is cruelty free as I use a lot of Barry M products.
wow i had no clue that some of these brands were cruelty free. I’m so excited to learn this!
All the products here sound fab. Would love to try them.
These are some fab new brands for me to try, love the look of the bath slabs! Happy new year x
I do like cruelty free. Lush is one of my favorite cruelty free brands
I had never thought about feminine hygiene products and whether they were cruelty-free or not. Something for me to look in to now for sure!
Goodness, I cannot even imagine those big name brands are still doing animal testing! Thank you for collating this list of products. I will definitely do my research and ditch those brands that are not cruelty free. I am interested to try the Miss Patisserie bath slab. No guilt feeling whatsoever every time I take a shower.
Cruelty free products are so important. I will check these out
I am currently using a cruelty free shampoo from Maple Holistics and I am obsessed with it… These are some great products either can’t wait to try them ☺️👍🏻
I have actually never heard of any of these brands before. Thank you for the introduction. I will definitely have to check them out.
Awesome compilation! I have used Urban veda scrub and body lotion and they absolutely fab for me. have not tried other brands, so need to give others a try as well.
Loved this post! It seems to be so complicated doesn’t it, as though everything you buy you need to research! Thank you for doing the work for me, I LOVE the look of the Miss Patisserie range, a colourful bath bomb is a real treat.
Yes!! This! Cruelty free forever. I love your recommendations. They all look like they smell good. 😀
Me and my girlfriend would like to try the Urban Veda. I love the travel set packaging. This brand got me really curious. I’ll read more about this.
There’s quite a few brands you’ve mentioned that I haven’t heard of before. I’ll definitely have to do some research and give some products a try!
It is great there are so many more cruelty free brands hitting the shelves (so to speak). I can’t have baths anymore but I like to pop a bathbomb in the bottom of the bath while I have a shower so I could definitely enjoy those slabs!
Going on a cruelty-free journey sound like a big task, I am so proud of you for doing that, I must admit I’m only using products that my cosmetic is giving me, I wouldn’t even be able to tell you most of the there names, so happy for you that you found the right products that fit you.
Thanks for sharing. I am a vegan, never eaten meat in my life. Never used leather products. So, I think it’s really nice of you to post such a list, especially for those who are for “animal rights”, they can definitely try some of these products.
Hello ,
I saw your tweet about animals and thought I will check your website. I like it!
I love pets. I have two beautiful thai cats called Tammy(female) and Yommo(male). Yommo is 1 year older than Tommy. He acts like a bigger brother for her. 🙂
I have even created an Instagram account for them ( https://www.instagram.com/tayo_home/ ) and probably soon they will have more followers than me (kinda funny).
I have subscribed to your newsletter. 🙂
Keep up the good work on your blog.
Regards
Wiki
How come I’ve never heard of any of these! But oh wow cruelty-free tampons! So interesting. That bath bomb looks so pretty as well! That travel set looks so clean and pure! Need to check them out. 🙂
As usual I love your posts! I wish I could try them all but first of all the cruelty free tampoons because I’m very upset because I can’t use the moon cup 🙁
I literally can’t believe that companies are still testing products on animals. There are clearly alternatives they can use. these sound like great alternatives
I never realised that tampons could be organic and cruelty free, I love that idea of them and saved the site off.
Thanks for posting, I wasn’t aware of any of these before! I love cruelty-free products, and will have to give some of your suggestions a try. The bath slabs look particularly intriguing!
I’m always amazed at the big companies who exert cruelty. There’s really no reason to do it. None at all.
I never thought even toothpastes and mouthwashes could be used as direct torture on animals. Nice find on Splat being an animal-friendly toothpaste. Good job.
In 2017, following your lead, I switched our household to cruelty-free products as well. Not sure if Aveeda is available in the U.K. but it’s become my brand of choice. A couple of questions though, Ana. Where do you turn to research if a product or brand is cruelty-free? It would be so handy if there was an online clearinghouse of sorts. Also, when we’re looking at labels, are there any gotchas that we should look for? Telltale signs a product is not cruelty-free?
The leaping bunny logo or the peta bunny logo lets you know that they are definitely not tested on animals. Telltale signs that they do test is when they say nothing at all with no logo, or use ambiguous wording like ” This product is not tested on animals” This typically means that the end product is not tested via vivisection but the ingredients in the product are tested. Or if they sell in china.. that means it’s tested. A good rule of thumb with this kind of thing, is most big name brands that are on tv with their adverts, do test.
I love the look of Miss Patisserie! Will definitely consider that as an alternative to LUSH, the products look so cute and it’s great that they’re ethically made.
I actually love Urban Veda as well as Pearl and Pear. Never heard of the others! But, will give them a definite try!!
I NEED those Miss Patisserie bath slabs!! They look divine! I’m all for cruelty free products so thanks for recommending these products 🙂
I have so many Vegan friends and I absolutely love that lifestyle. My family was vegan until 6 for years. I look forward to shopping these brand for them.
Even though I am not vegan or vegetarian (I was for a period of five years when I was younger but I didn’t really pay attention to my nutrition and I became seriously aenamic) I am all in favor of cruelty-free brands. I need to check out those tampons.
Tints of Nature sounds like an interesting brand. I’m always looking for ways to preserve my hair color without adding harmful chemicals.
I am glad you are passionate about not including beauty products that were obtained by being cruel to animals. It is good to be passionate about somethings, as passion is like a driver- a life force -that adds some kind of meaning to our lives. I am also appreciative of the time you took to research the information on non animal cruelty free products for our use. Thanks for sharing
I haven’t heard about any of these brands. I never thought tampons would be tested on animals. But I guess..?
Those soap slabs are gorgeous too! I need to keep that in mind for Christmas next year.
I love that more and more brands are becoming cruelty free. It’s awful that so many companies still test on animals, especially if in vitro testing is available.
I haven’t heard of most of these brands, the Miss Patisserie products look amazing so I will definitely try some of those bath bars soon.
Yay for a cruelty-free post! I’ve been looking for new cruelty-free tampons to use so I’ll check this brand out as I’ve never heard of them before.
These all sound like such great brands! I need to try them out. Definitely on my list for 2018! Can’t wait!
Adding these to my must try list for 2018. I’ve heard of Miss Patissere before, but none of the others. x
Oh no! We never realised that Colgate was testing on animals 🙁 We need to hunt down the products above. Great list!
Loving this list! I am becoming a patron of cruelty free brands lately.
I really want to try Peony and pear, their bath slabs look fab
I have been trying to use cruelty free products for a long tie now but most often it is not possible. The cruelty free products are either very expensive or not suitable for my skin and hair type. I will definitely check out if any of these brands are available in my country. I am from India and I mostly reach out to local Ayurvedic brands which are always cruelty free.
I try and use as many cruelty free products as I can do it is always great to get a few new ones as options. I really want to try the Miss Patisserie slabs the most!
I LOVE Urban Veda products already- their rose range is lush and I’m not even a fan of rose! xxx
I absolutely love urban Veda! One of my favourite brands 🙂
I actually use Peony + Pear! Its one of my favorites. I need to try some of the others that I’ve never heard of.
I really want to try the Peony + Pear Bath Slab Vs Mango Bath Slab! They both sound so great 🙂
Thank you so much for posting this! I love this. I’m trying to live a more healthy lifestyle and have been looking for products like these.
Those bath slabs look so good!