My Favorite Cruelty-Free Beauty & Healthcare Products
Today we are talking all things health and beauty. Since going vegan a little over a year ago, I have slowly begun switching out my beauty and healthcare products for cruelty free ones. I am still learning a lot about which companies and brands are cruelty free and do still have some non vegan products that I purchased before going vegan. I guess that is what happens when you don’t wear makeup that often.
I love all of the companies and brands that I am sharing in this post and have used/am currently using all of them. The all natural products have really made a difference when it comes to my face, hair, and skin. The products that I buy are also very COST FRIENDLY! There are some cruelty-free products that are crazy expensive, but all of the products I buy are about the same price as other drugstore deals. I often just wait for a sale, buy these items from Vitacost, or buy them at target or WholeFoods!
Face Wash
I have tried a few different all natural face-wash products and have loved every single one of them! I am going to share my 3 favorites because I definitely couldn’t pick just one! I always have at least 2 of these on hand and generally use one at night and a different one in the morning.
Alba Botanicals Acne Dote
This face wash & body scrub is actually my most recent find and I am obsessed with it. It smells amazing, and leaves my skin feeling so healthy and refreshed. What I love even more about this scrub is that it doubles as a body scrub as well. I don’t use it on my whole body (mostly for cost effectiveness), but use it on my neck, upper back and shoulders to ward off any pesky little zits that come from working out/sweating. I was getting a few pimples/ blemishes on my chest, upper back, and neck for a little while (I think mostly due to working out/sweating a TON), and using this has cleared that right up! I got this on sale for $7.50 at Whole Foods and it have had it for 2 months and it is only about half way gone. I would say that is a major bargain!
Acure Sensitive Facial Cleanser & Acure Brightening Facial Scrub
Acure was actually the first cruelty free face wash that I was introduced to. My sister had a sample size of the Brightening Scrub from a beauty box that she let me use and I fell in love. I later tried the sensitive skin cleanser and loved that one as well. If you have sensitive skin at all then I highly recommend it! I have purchased this face wash both from Vitacost for only $5.65, and also at target for $9. It is definitely an economical buy, though it is a smaller bottle than the Alba Botanicals scrub.
DESERT ESSENCE
Desert essence is another great face wash that I have tried. Again, this is a natural cleanser marketed for oily and combination skin. I love the smell of this cleanser- the tea tree oil really makes it so refreshing! I have gotten this from Vitacost.com as well for $5.99 and at Whole Foods for $7.99. This face wash is different from the others in that it is really liquidy when you pump it out, but it lathers up really nicely. This particular face wash also always seems to last me a really long time! This is the face wash I keep in my shower and use it pretty much daily.
Body Wash
I love using more naturally scented body washes that don’t smell too artificial. I have really been loving Jason body wash lately. They also have lots of other beauty care products that I plan to check out eventually. I love how affordable their body washes are, and how big the bottles are! I purchase mine from Whole Foods, but I know you can also buy it from Vitacost.com, and Walmart. I got this big sized bottle on sale at Whole Foods for $6.99. I always wait for when my favorite products are on sale at Whole Foods and end up saving about $3-5 on average on my health/beauty care products. I believe Walmart sells this body wash for $10-12 (depending on the area you live).
Shampoo
Nature’s Gate Shampoo is one of the best and most affordable all-natural shampoos that I have come across. I was lucky to score this shampoo for only $2.50 in a store opening sale of Fresh Thyme back in June and still have not finished the bottle (and I use it every time I shower- so basically daily). The average price that I have seen this shampoo being sold for when not on sale is $4-7. This shampoo lathers up really nicely and a little bit truly goes a long way. Nature’s Gate brand has tons of different scents and varieties to their shampoo. They all smell delicious and have lots of natural health items in them like tea tree, aloe, pomegranate, and avocado :). I have also seen this shampoo at Whole Foods and I know they sell it on Vitacost.com as well. I definitely will be trying more natural shampoos in the future so let me know your favorite brand in the comments!
Toothpaste
Ahh…toothpaste. This one has been the most difficult for me to switch to cruelty free. As a future dentist, I definitely think it is important to use a toothpaste enhanced with flouride. Fluoride is one of the best protectors against caries and tooth decay. I have tried this Tom’s of Maine toothpaste that does contain flouride. I got a ton of free samples of it and do enjoy it, but I still have lots of non vegan toothpastes in my home. I am still in search of a better cruelty free whitenting toothpaste that contains Flouride. I do like this Tom’s of Maine, but I don’t feel like it has as much whitening protection as some other non-cruelty free toothpastes. I am definitely going to be doing much more exploring & trying out some of the brands that Oradyne suggests! I highly recommend checking out their website for the latest on all things oral health. They break down the best toothpastes, mouthwashes, and oral hygiene practices. I have been loving checking out their breakdowns on different natural and standard oral health products. Seriously check out http://oradyne.net/ – you will learn so much!
That about rounds up my favorite cruelty free health care products! I actually find that all of these face/body washes and shampoos work much better than traditional brands. They don’t differ much in price and in many cases are even cheaper than traditional drug store deals!
Do you use any of these products? Do you try to buy cruelty free health and beauty products? Do you have any recommendations for me? Which of these products do you want to try??
