A Word on Vegan & Cruelty-Free Products

When it comes to beauty product labels, “vegan” or “cruelty-free” can be confusing for the everyday consumer. Many people want to make the most ethically sound shopping decision they can, but sometimes, don’t even know where to begin. Put simply, cruelty free means that the product was not tested on animals. Vegan, on the other hand, means that the product contains no animal products or ingredients. Can a product be both vegan and cruelty free? Of course. Here are some vegan and cruelty-free body care products we love:

Toothpaste: Hello Activated Charcoal Toothpaste 

Vegan, cruelty-free Hello Toothpaste specializes in “delicious, natural flavors that taste natural AF,” according to their website. Their thoughtfully-sourced ingredients include coconut oil, charcoal, farm-grown mint, aloe vera, matcha, white turmeric and hemp seed oil. If you’re not a fan of charcoal toothpastes they also have a find-your-perfect-paste quiz to see which toothpaste is right for you. 

Photo courtesy hello-products.com

Body Wash: Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap

Dr. Bronner’s most popular soap scent, peppermint, contains real, organic peppermint oil. In addition, this soap is biodegradable and made with organic, fair trade ingredients. And this body wash comes packaged in 100 percent post-consumer recycled materials — so you’ll smell great while saving the planet. 

Photo courtesy shop.doctorbronner.com

Shampoo & Conditioner: Superfood Shine by Evolve Organic Beauty

Composed of sugar and coconut cleansers, both the shampoo and the conditioner contain natural ingredients to nourish your hair. Baobab proteins increase shine and strength, organic pomegranate extract protects and organic aloe vera hydrates.

Photo courtesy evolvebeauty.co.uk

Facial Cleanser: Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash Unisex

This face wash’s claim to fame is its anti-aging properties. Great for all skin types and formulated without parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate or mineral oil. With ingredients including coconut water, coconut oil, sea algae and white tea, it gently cleanses without overdrying. Feel the power of advanced marine phytonutrients to refresh and balance your skin. 

Photo courtesy pacificabeauty.com

Moisturizer: e.l.f Daily Hydration Face Moisturizer

This daily moisturizer is infused with ingredients such as aloe vera, jojoba oil, vitamin E and grapeseed oil to hydrate your skin without weighing it down. It’s  free of phthalates, parabens, nonylphenol ethoxylates, triclosan, triclocarban, hydroquinone and sulfates. 

Photo courtesy elfcosmetics.com

Deodorant: Schmidt’s 

Natural and effective. That’s what makes Schmidt’s our choice for best vegan and cruelty-free deodorant. Arrowroot, baking soda, coconut oil, shea butter and jojoba seed are just some of the ingredients you’ll find in Schmidt’s natural deodorant. We also love Schmidt’s because it’s unisex, so all you have to worry about is smelling great.  

Photo courtesy shop.schmidts.com

Sunscreen: Alba Botanica Sunscreen

Alba Botanica makes plant-based, cruelty-free, biodegradable, and reef-friendly sunscreen. Their tropically-inspired green tea sunscreen is SPF 45 and water resistant for up to 80 minutes. You’ll appreciate their non-greasy, fast-absorbing formula that includes  no oxybenzone or octinoxate. 

Photo courtesy albabotanica.com

Lip Balm: Crazy Rumors

In addition to being 100 percent vegan and cruelty free, Crazy Rumors offers extensive flavor options including french vanilla, coffee bean, spiced chai, amaretto and more. Family-owned and operated and manufactured in the U.S., all of their flavors come from food-grade ingredients. Packaged in BPA-free tubes containing less than 30 percent plastic and cartons made using wind powered energy are just a few ways that this company does their best to be eco-friendly. 

Photo courtesy crazyrumors.com

Final thoughts 

At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with any of these vegan and cruelty-free body care products. All of these products are unisex and many of them are all-natural, biodegradable and eco-friendly. Adding just one of these products, if not all, is sure to be a great addition to your daily routine. If you found this information helpful, share it with a friend and get them started on their vegan and cruelty-free body care journey.