Going Cruelty-Free and Vegan: Part 1

Like most of my generation, I'm on a budget.  

This means it's been easy to fall into the habit of buying cosmetics sold at the big chemists. They're cheap*, convenient, and man are they well-marketed. Brands like L'Oreal and Revlon have become masters of making us feel like we absolutely need their products to obtain new levels of flawlessness. I'm a sucker for packaging myself, and am easily dragged into buying a product with striking colours and elaborate adjectives (Telescopic Explosion Mascara anyone?)

But I'm ashamed to admit that something I often overlook is if the brand is cruelty-free. 

Recently, I started doing some research and realised that animal testing is still prevalent in most of the major cosmetic brands, many of which I use everyday. Animal testing is often fatal and puts an innocent creature in a situation where they're trapped, mistreated and tortured. I'm not alone in believing that there's no reason why animals should suffer because we feel the need to draw on our faces.

Also, although I'm not a vegan, I definitely don't think there's any need to slather animal products on my skin. So I've decided to completely change my range of makeup and skincare. And by change, I mean, throw almost everything out, then replace it with cruelty-free, vegan products. 

I'm starting with the basics. Cleanser, moisturiser, foundation and concealer. 

I chose Sukin for my skincare, due to its had great reviews and the fact that it didn't break the budget (each bottle was $12.95 from Priceline.) I have normal skin with a slightly oily T-zone, and so far, both products have suited me very well. The cleanser is light and leaves my skin feeling clean but not dry. The moisturiser isn't oily, and provides a good amount of hydration. As an added bonus, they both smell lovely.

Natio was another brand I chose because of the reviews and price. The Natio Invisible Blend foundation blends into my skin perfectly and is exactly the right colour. The coverage is light, which I like, but at the end of the day it gets a bit oily, so I definitely need a setting or foundation powder on top. I absolutely love the Natural Cover Concealer! The consistency is slightly chalky, which feels nice and stable, and it covers any redness extremely well. 

Below are the stages of a normal days makeup routine (and despite my best attempts, I could not get the lighting looking quite the same.)

No makeup (what's up with the bags?)

The Natio foundation and concealer only.

Added mascara, Australis Fresh & Flawless Pressed Power  

              and a slick of lipgloss to finish. 

*depends on who you're talking to