I’m trying to switch to buying only cruelty-free beauty products. This is the first step of my journey.
I’ve written about cruelty-free beauty in the past, and all the while, there’s always been a nagging voice in my head that reminds me I’m being a hypocrite. I really do love some of my vegan products– I use Macadamia Oil on a daily basis, and I chug the Lush Kool-Aid– but I also cling to my drug store aisle crap. When faced with a four-dollar eyeshadow palette, it’s easy to forget that animals had to suffer before they could reach the shelves. After researching cruelty-free products and seeing that some of my favorites are consciously made (hooray for Too Faced!), I realized that all my excuses are kind of bullshit. It’s really possible to find quality makeup companies that care about animals, so isn’t it time that I tried a little harder? I’ve decided to commit myself to this.
So why am I focussing on animal welfare when other issues matter more? I keep asking myself the same question. A lot of other things have been weighing on my heart lately– the fact that I feel entitled to long, hot showers in the middle of a catastrophic drought, the fact that I buy clothes from fast-fashion retailers when I need a pick-me-up– but buying cruelty-free products is one way I’m able to inch towards a clearer conscience. I have other things to work on, but this is a start. There’s a lot of evil in the world that I’m powerless to change, but I do have the ability to pick a few causes and give myself to them… and if I can ensure that fewer animals are dying in the name of mascara, all because I went to Sephora and looked harder at the shelves, I’m willing to do it.
I’m not promising I’m going to get it 100% right from the beginning, but I’m promising to try. After I use up all the conventional products I already own, I’m going to try to avoid anything that wasn’t made with animals’ best interest in mind. If I receive makeup that’s been tested on animals as a gift, I’ll cross that bridge. And if I slip up… oh well. You know? For me, it’s not about getting it perfect. It’s about making an effort, making some kind of small difference.
If anyone reading this has experience with buying cruelty-free, don’t hesitate to give me (and the other readers) advice! I’d love to know that someone else is going on this journey with me, and it’d be especially comforting to hear from people who’ve already successfully made the switch.
