Beauty Without Cruelty

Reasons to switch to vegan makeup

There are so many popular makeup brands out there today that consumers cannot wait to get their hands on. From brands such as Sephora and MAC to extremely sought after makeup such as Kylie Jenner Cosmetics. Women today are willing to pay the price for good makeup. The cosmetic industry is doing better than ever, but many are still not aware about the growing trend of green beauty. Here are some eye-opening reasons to switch your makeup to all natural, cruelty free, vegan cosmetics: 

Saving animals one brush stroke at a time  

You would be taking a major step to helping stop animal cruelty. Makeup brushes are commonly made from products such as squirrel, mink and sable which are all products from the cruel fur industry. It is important to switch to synthetic hair brushes that are still high in quality but do not harm animals at the same time. Elf Cosmetics is an example of a makeup brand that has teamed up with PETA to sell synthetic brushes as well as many other cosmetics that are vegan friendly. 

Your skin will thank you 

Vegan beauty products not only support animals, but they are also better suited for sensitive skin types. By using all natural ingredients, you can avoid using beauty products with chemicals in them that may irritate and harm the skin. Therefore, if you are struggling with acne or blemishes it is important to use vegan cosmetic brands that contain safe ingredients which are approved by the FDA.

Leading by example 

Celebrities and popular makeup artists are all getting on board with vegan friendly makeup. Kat Von D Beauty is a widely successful brand of makeup that has switched all of its products to be completely vegan. The brand even marks all of their beauty products with #VeganAlert hashtags to indicate that the finished product is 100% vegan. Kat Von D never tests on animals and she has even eliminated the use of ingredients such as beeswax used in lip balms and Carmine which is a dye made from beetles’ wings. Her makeup line is hugely successful and her products basically always sold out. With well known names like Kat Von D making major changes like reformulating her entire makeup collection to vegan, it is time for us to take a closer look into our own makeup bags.

Vegan going mainstream 

In Toronto, just like the vegan food movement, vegan makeup also has a loyal following. Here are a couple top places in the city to buy cruelty free and organic makeup: 

Province Apothecary --provinceapothecary.com 

If you ever find yourself in the area, make sure to visit an all natural, organic beauty shop called Province Apothecary, located near the intersection of Dundas St. West and Dufferin. The owner, Julie Clark wanted to create pure products with all natural ingredients that will benefit even the most sensitive complexions. Her mission was to make people feel comfortable and beautiful in their own skin. The name of the business comes from the fact that they source organic goods from each province across Canada and put it into their wide selection of products. Some examples of favourite ingredients being used are organic seaweed from Nova Scotia, maple syrup from Quebec, organic sunflower oil from Ontario, and organic beeswax from Alberta. Province Apothecary is vegan, proudly Canadian, completely cruelty free, and their ingredients are ethically sourced. Trying these products is a great way to use high quality skin care products while remaining animal friendly.

Bite Beauty--bitebeauty.com 

Located on Queen Street West, Bite Beauty is one of Toronto’s proudest natural cosmetic companies. The brand uses ingredients such as agave nectar balms, and even matte lipsticks that are derived from orange peels. By buying their products you know organic ingredients are used which means not only is their lipstick long lasting but it is also safe enough to eat. Bite Beauty even has Lip Labs where you can sit down with artists and create your own personal lipstick with custom textures, colours and flavours. The process only takes about half an hour and you can be walking out with a personalized lipstick that best suits you, and more importantly is completely vegan. 

Next time you pick up a new mascara or lip gloss, take a quick look at the ingredients and check for markings that prove it is cruelty free and certified vegan. After all, cruelty free vegan makeup has become a beauty trend and it’s benefits are worth switching products for.