Are you thinking about living a more cruelty-free and natural lifestyle? You may have never thought about the impact the products you use every day makes on the world! How could simply using one shampoo or nail polish over another effect anyone or anything? Little do you know, the products you use may be supporting the exploitation of animals.
Thankfully, you are here and ready to learn about all it takes to introduce cruelty-free brands in your home!
Where should you start?
Having a better understanding of what cruelty-free brands are available to you, of course!
What does cruelty-free mean?
There are many terms outlining a more natural way of living. It can become quite confusing for someone beginning their journey to a natural lifestyle. One term that is often used when describing both beauty and cleaning products is cruelty-free. How is cruelty-free defined?
Well, this term is defined in many ways. There is no legal definition for this term allowing companies to use it as they please. A broad definition of this term entails the creation of products that are not tested on animals. However, since there is no legally binding definition, organizations can state they have cruelty-free items when this may not be entirely true.
There are many aspects one must look at when determining if a product is truly cruelty-free. Important questions must be addressed before acknowledging a product as cruelty-free. These questions include:
- Have any ingredients used in said product been tested on animals?
- Does the company use suppliers that test on animals?
- Does the company use 3rd party companies to conduct animal testing?
- Does the company sell products in countries requiring animal testing?
If you can confidently answer all of these questions with “NO”, then the product can be described as cruelty-free.
How do I know if a product is cruelty-free?
As stated, it can be difficult to determine the validity of cruelty-free products. You can’t simply walk into a store, find an item marked ‘cruelty-free’, and have complete faith in that statement. Plus, you may not know how to answer the above questions if you don’t have prior knowledge of the company. However, there are steps you can take to ensure the products you purchase are, in fact, cruelty-free.
When researching cruelty-free items, you can:
- Find products with cruelty-free certification such as Leaping Bunny and Choose Cruelty-Free
- Reach out to particular companies asking the above questions to ensure their products are cruelty-free
You may think that these steps sound pretty serious. Or, it may seem like a lot of work to ensure the products you are using are cruelty-free.
Changing over to cruelty-free products can take a little bit of effort. You must ask yourself if the work you put in is worth it. Let me tell you, promoting animal safety is worth it!
Of course, there are several databases out there claiming to have already done this work for you and suggests numerous cruelty-free brands for you to try! This could save you time from figuring out which brands work for you. However, while these databases are great, it never hurts to also do your research yourself. That way, you can ensure that the products you are using are 100% cruelty-free.
After all, we did just learn that companies can claim anything on their product, right? Why wouldn’t a random website on the internet do the same?
Are cruelty-free products natural?
Many individuals looking to start a natural lifestyle begin by researching cruelty-free items. However, it is important to ask the question of whether the products described as cruelty-free are indeed natural.
Cruelty-free products may or may not be natural or organic.
When looking for ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ products, buyers consider the ingredients in the product while cruelty-free is simply based on whether it is tested on animals or not. This does not examine how a product is made or what the product is made of!
Now, don’t be discouraged by this! There are many companies now that recognize the importance of both cruelty-free and natural products. Therefore, more and more products are being created that meet both criteria.
The best cruelty-free brands
There are several brands out there contributing cruelty-free items! While you can find entire databases of these brands and information about their products, here are a few brands that are especially sought after and rated highly!
Cruelty-free beauty products
Aesop
Aesop is a Luxury Australian brand for aromatics. The great part about this company is that they sell a variety of products also considered vegan. This helps those of us that want more natural ingredients in our products as well!
Dr. Bronners
Dr. Bronners is a very popular and common brand for those seeking a natural lifestyle. It is a company that is free of GMOs and uses certified organic products. Again, tackling both ethical and natural products! This company provides soaps, lotions, shaving cremes, shampoos, and more.
Jason
Jason’s goal is to provide gentle and safe ingredients in their products. This company produces haircare, skincare, sun-care, and dental-care products safe for all ages!
Lush
Lush is a British brand that has become more and more popular in recent years. Lush gives its customers a great variety of vegetarian products. This company actively fights against animal testing and has a variety of natural or organic products. Note that they offer individuals a variety of organic products.
When shopping at Lush, you must do some prior research if you decide that organic products are important to you. Some products sold here do not meet all criteria to be organic. Though, organic products are typically marked by an organic seal! This is why researching your products beforehand is essential to buy great products.
Cruelty-free cleaning supplies
The Honest Company
The Honest Company houses many cleaning supplies ranging from wipes to laundry detergent to multi-surface cleaners! These products are all made from plant-derived ingredients adding to the list of products considered both natural and cruelty-free.
BioKleen
This company produces cleaning supplies that are plant- and mineral-based. BioKleen is a huge supporter of animal safety and promises a long history of cruelty-free products! Not only have they committed to not using animals for testing of their products, they specifically keep our pets in mind by creating pet-friendly products since pets can be just as sensitive to cleaning products as we are!
Simple Truth
Simple Truth cleaning supplies offer many benefits! The products made by this company are promised to be non-toxic, non-GMO, USDA organic, and cruelty-free. This company is a great addition to the (already lengthy) list of companies supporting an ethical and natural lifestyle.
ECOS
ECOS is a long-standing natural company that has provided plant-based cleaning products for more than 50 years! The advantage of this company is that they give the benefits we have already talked about with other brands and more. Not only are the products from this company cruelty-free and natural (did I mention that they have treeless toilet paper?), some products are made to be hypoallergenic as well. If that doesn’t sell you, they have taken their love for animals to a new level with a special line of cleaners for pets.
Cruelty-free isn’t a lifestyle. It is life.
While you may be here to find tips and tricks for leading a cruelty-free lifestyle, it is important to know this isn’t simply a lifestyle. By choosing to purchase cruelty-free items, you give life to other living beings.
The products we use don’t have to cost a life to be great!
It may be difficult to understand the impact you make by choosing cruelty-free products. However, every person who makes this switch slowly changes the world for the better. You have just made the first step in creating a better life for yourself and many animals in the world!
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