Cruelty Free? Here Are Some Products You May Have Missed

I went cruelty free long before I changed my diet. Why? Because it's much easier. I understand how it can be hard for people to go vegan. Not all of us - especially young people living at home - have the privilege to go vegan.
This can be down to judgemental family, not having the money for your own food (or parents willing to pay), not being confident cooking your own meals, etc. Yet there are still many other areas in life we can make a change for the better. Even vegetarians/vegans may not realise what products they are buying that are not cruelty free, but luckily I've been researching into this so you don't have to.

Make-Up

This was the first area of my life I made cruelty free. It may be hard giving up a beloved products, but it is so easy to find cruelty free dupes and there are so many budget friendly brands. My personal favourites are Lily Lolo, Honeypie Minerals, Barefaced Beauty and Everyday Minerals. You also have e.l.f cosmetics, NYX, Kiko Cosmetics, Colourpop and many more. If you would rather stay in the "high" end you also have Too Faced, Urban Decay, Nars, Illamasqua. Trust me, there are many brilliant make up brands out there. With a quick google it is so easy to switch up your makeup products.

Beauty

Beauty products can be a little harder to switch as many people pick them up from drugstores or supermarkets that offer little to no cruelty free options. My favourite place for beauty is Lush, but it can get a little out of budget for some people. There are a few great budget options - their shampoo bars can last for months and are only £5 odd each! They also make solid conditioners for around the same price. Just make sure you apply them correctly - a quick google or visit to store will set you right. Their facial and body soaps also last for ages, and are well worth the buck.

If Lush isn't your thing, check out The Body Shop, Greenpeople or Faith in Nature for a range of beauty products. If you're feeling creative try DIY-ing some products to save cash (and your skin). Read more about DIY-ing products on my blog here.

Art Supplies

This is one I've just came across recently. Everything from your glue to your paper may have been tested on animals, or may contain animal derived ingredients. Luckily my favourite pencils - Faber Castell Polychromos, are safe. Apparently Faber-Castell haven't tested on animals in 22 years. Also Winstor and Newton have said they don't test on animals, and I found a list of their animal-free products here.

Drink

Yes, drinks! Not all are vegetarian. Did you know that many ciders and beers aren't cruelty free? Although they may not contain any animal ingredients, they are usually used in the fermentation process. Spirits - such as vodka, gin and whiskey - are usually free from this, but I try to double check now. I've also started trying alternative milks - such as oat and rice - with white russians (my favourite cocktail!). You can't be too careful!

Clothes

Yes, sadly clothes aren't always cruelty free. As if it's not bad enough that many companies have their clothes made abroad in workshops where the workers are treated horribly, many clothing brands test on animals too! I already try to avoid leather and fur, but even silk is a no-no. Silk, obviously from the silk worm, isn't always a cruelty free process. Now I didn't throw out my leather shoes and bags when I went vegetarian. but I wouldn't ever add to my collection now. It's so hard to be completely cruelty free with clothes as ethical brands are usually quite pricey. Unless you buy everything second hand you're kind of stuck. Hopefully it won't always be that way!

There's no doubt many things I've missed out, such as cleaning products. Unless you want to DIY your own stuff it can be pretty hard to find cruelty free cleaning products. Sadly it is extremely hard to go completely "cruelty free" as so many products can be traced back to causing some sort of human, animal or environmental harm. Every little swap can make a difference and the more people that start supporting cruelty free or vegetarian/vegan brands, the more in demand it will become. Sadly the world will never be perfect but it doesn't mean we can't do our bit!

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The Skincare Routine That Rescued My Skin

This last year I've been picky with what I put on my skin. Nothing harsh. Nothing unnecessary. Nothing unnaturally scented. Nothing that's been tested on animals. Has my nit-pickiness and high standards been worth it? Yes, oh yes. I've always had bad skin. Not terrible, but bad. Mild acne, redness, dry skin,.. you get it. My skin just always lacked that "glow". I never woke up in the morning  and liked what I saw.

I've tried and tested near enough every drug store brand from Simple to Dermalogica and nothing worked. So I decided to take things into my own hands. Why was I trusting products with illegible ingredient lists the length of my arm? The answer to me seemed logical: Ditch these companies. Ditch the harsh chemicals, stop funding animal testing and start doing things for myself. 

My research has made me discover some amazing brands: Lush, Neals Yard Remedies, Balm Balm, Arran Aromatics, Lily Lolo and Honeypie Minerals, just to name a few. I also discovered that sometimes the best thing for your skin is lying in the kitchen cupboard: olive oil, coconut oil, honey, turmeric, oats... These are all ingredients I use often on my skin. Over the last year I have completely changed what I use on my skin and have watched acne disappear, redness fade, texture improve, and I can barely remember what an oily T-zone feels like. My make up applies much better and I also like how I look barefaced. So without any further rambling, here is the skincare routine that rescued my skin!

Morning

I try to start my mornings off with a short jog. Yes, exercise helps the skin, so try to get moving every day. Afterwards I wash my skin and mildly exfoliate with my DIY facial scrub. It contains oats, lavender and chamomile which soothe and soften my skin. When washing your face, always start with warm water to open the pores, and finish with cold water to close the pores.

I apply a few drops of my DIY facial oil to moisturise my face. This is currently a blend of jojoba, grapeseed, rosehip, lavender, patchouli and frankincense oil. I change the ingredients every time it runs out to suit my current needs, but a blend of jojoba, geranium and lavender is a great starting point for everyone. My recipe for this is here. Also, please never moisturise with oil on a dirty face or it will just seal in the dirt and make your face break out. Always cleanse beforehand. I point this out as people are always coming back to me complaining that oil broke them out. "Do you cleanse beforehand?" I ask. "No". 

If I'm wearing makeup I give the oil a few minutes to sink in, then wipe the excess away. I then apply pure aloe vera gel as a primer. I've only just discovered how great this stuff is. It's quick to dry and smooths the skin wonderfully. The first few times I used it I felt like I'd just gotten a face lift.  It's great for skin and is the best primer I've used for my makeup - it also helps my brows stay in place. 

I then do my makeup and I'm set to go. I use a mixture of products from Honeypie Minerals, Lily Lolo and Everyday Minerals. I won't go in to my makeup routine just now - perhaps in a future post!

I set my makeup with a rosewater spray. If you're prone to acne, witch hazel is a great alternative. I personally love the smell of rosewater and just wanted something to give me a burst of moisture and "set" my makeup. It gives my makeup a glowing, airbrushed finish (or as close as I'll ever get!).

I try and make sure to drink plenty of water during the day to keep my skin hydrated and looking good. Water is so important for good skin and this is why I count it in my skin care routine.

Yes, it's the same with food.  Make sure you're eating your fruit and veggies. You think 5 a day is enough? That should be your minimum. I never realised how important these were until I started eating more, so eat up as many different colours as you can. It's worth it in the long run and I have my skin to show for it.

SPF is also something you have to consider. Yes, even in Scotland we have to protect our skin from the long term damage of the sun. Especially us paler girls. My mineral makeup has a natural SPF, so when I leave the house I always try to have some on. If your makeup doesn't have an SPF, look into finding a cream with an SPF rating. I personally prefer my mineral foundation over an extra cream, but it's up to you. Just protect your face from those rays - you'll thank me when your less wise friends begin to wrinkle.

Evening

I like to cleanse my face in the evening rather than right before bed. I heard once that you should always wash your face before 10PM as that is when your skin starts repairing itself. Despite the many flaws in that statement (Time zones? Body clocks? Daylight saving hours? Doesn't the body repair when you're sleeping?) I've always preferred to cleanse the day off before it's too late.

I use my DIY facial cleanser to remove makeup. I massage the oil into my skin then wet a cloth with warm water and sit it on top of my face for a few minutes. This is called "hot cloth cleansing" and it is amazing.  The oil cleanses away any makeup, dirt or whatever I've managed to get on my face that day  while the hot cloth opens up my pores and "draws" the dirty stuff out. I then wipe it all away.

Twice a week I follow this up with a face brush and a face mask. I don't use the face brush in the morning as the harsher exfoliation (compared to me DIY face scrub) leaves my skin rosy. It is brilliant for getting rid of dead skin and leaving my face baby soft - no need for harsh scrubs or micro beads, yay!

Now that my pores are open it's the perfect time to tidy up any facial hair. I recently learned how to thread hair myself, and have used this technique to rid myself of any dark chin or stray brow hairs. My trusty tweezers are there for anything else that's too stubborn to move. 

My go to face mask is organic set honey from tesco, but a few other ingredients have made their way into it now. I add turmeric to help with redness and cinnamon for it's antiseptic qualities (but only a little as I hate the smell and taste). If my skin needs some extra loving I'll add in a dollop of aloe Vera.  I mix in a little cornflour to turn the honey into a paste to stop it dripping off my face. I leave this on for about 20 minutes before washing it off with cool water.

I then massage some of my DIY facial oil into my face.  I also use my DIY acne oil on any spots on my face or body. If my skin is feeling particularly dry (from not drinking enough water, being in the sun or drinking alcohol) I'll follow up with my nettle cream from Caurnie Soaperie.

And that is my daily skin care routine for an average make up-wearing day. I don't actually wear make up most days, so the routine is even simpler. So if I'm not wearing makeup and it's not a "facemask" day, the routine is more like this:

AM 

wash with DIY face scrub

moisturise with DIY facial oil

PM

cleanse with DIY cleansing oil

wash with DIY face scrub

moisturise with DIY facial oil

    

It may seem a lot, but in reality it's quick and low maintenance. It's also fairly cheap. I use the same ingredients in most of my DIY recipes, sourced from either the supermarket or online. 

When I started this routine my skin did take a few months to adjust. I had overly oily skin for a while and it seemed like every time I solved a problem another appeared. Once I got through the transition period I was amazed with my skin. I rarely get spots, my redness and dullness have dramatically reduced and my skin is as smooth as a babies bum. I have more of that "glow" I envied in others and I wear far less makeup. My own devised routine made up of DIY scrubs, masks and facial oils has done for me what big branded, drug store "miracle" products could not. More so, it has healed the damage they have done (bar a few spot scars that are still fading). 

So if you're having skin problems, want to shake up your routine or want to start using purer products, give this routine a try. The best thing about DIY skin care is that it can always be adapted to your own skin, but this routine works great for me and could be a great starting point for anyone.

All photos that are not my own sourced from pixabay.com

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Why I Don't Wear Fake Tan

Firstly, this is not an attack against fake tan. I don't care if you do or don't wear fake tan. If you like it and it makes you feel confident you lather that stuff on until you're a bronzed goddess.

But seriously, there's so much hate for pale skin. Girls seem to think that if they're not lathered in fake tan that they're not beautiful. Yes it can be thrown round as a joke, but where's the self love? Make-up, fake tan, hair dye... it's all great, but you got to believe you're beautiful under all that too. I'm not saying this is some huge problem, it just feels pretty rubbish seeing girls putting others down. I'm sick of hearing girls say pale skin is ugly. It's not. No skin shade is "ugly". It's like the war between girls who do and don't wear make-up. Why care? It's personal choice. If you want to cake that face up with a bold lip and smokey eye, go for it. If a little wipe of lip balm is enough for you, rock it. Stop putting others down girls, please. Anyway, lets get to why I don't wear fake tan.

1) Health. Any time in the past I've used fake tan it has not been good for my skin. Have you looked at the ingredients in that stuff? Pretty nasty. I personally like to stick with body oils and lotions to help heal, repair and moisturise my skin. There are some friendlier tanning products out there, from brands like Lush and Green People, but they just don't tickle my fancy.

2) Time. It's been a long time since I've wore fake tan but damn that stuff takes a while to put on. Making sure every bit of your body is covered evenly, getting help with your back, messing around with those big mitts on... Then waiting for it to dry in just for it to ruin pyjamas and bed sheets alike with its runny colour. Nope, not for me. I'm already too lazy to style my hair beyond a brush through most days, so I certainly won't be starting a tanning ritual any time soon.

3) Money. Yes, there's cheap fake tan. Every one I've tried has stunk. Or stained. Or been too dark and orange. Or streaked. They just plain suck. I have tried ones that performed much better - they were fast, long lasting and had little smell. They were also £30 odd a bottle. £30? No way. I have better things to spend my money on (books, art, games...) basically anything but fake tan. There's only a few beauty products I buy at higher prices, and only when I think they're worth the money. Sadly, fake tan isn't one.

4) It just doesn't suit my colouring. I have very pale skin. I also have coppery hair and brown-green eyes. I have rosy lips and blush and get freckles in the sun. Tan somehow looks... wrong on me? It doesn't work with my cool tones. I certainly don't turn in to the bronzed goddess I imagined.

5) Self Acceptance. This is the most important reason. I feel fine without it. I may not love everything about how I look, but I'm beginning to be comfortable in my own skin. I like my "paleness" and think I can still look great without a tan. Whether you wear a lot of products or not, it is important to feel great in your natural state.

I apologise for the awkward poses but I'd never had shots like that taken before. Yes, I got these photos especially for this post. I don't always feel great in my own body, but I'm learning. I may not have the coveted warm tan, or the long model legs (I'm only 5ft4!), or the picture perfect face, or anything the media labels as "beautiful" - but I still feel great. And I believe everyone else out there should, and can, too. Fake tan or no fake tan.

10 Hours in Paris - What You Can Fit in a Day

Ah, Paris. Is there a way to say that without thinking of great food, cute boutiques, high-end fashion and, of course, the many world famous landmarks? 

I currently live a while outside of Paris, but I plan to visit as much as I can. At the time of writing that is currently three times (disregarding the day I arrived at the airport). Paris has so much going on that you can easily fill half a day doing many different things. So here is how I spent 10 hours in Paris:

I awoke at 5:30am to leave at 6am for the train. Why so early? Because I can get a lift to the train station that way. I was in Paris bright and early for 7am. I started the day with a hot chocolate and a croissant (could I be any more predictable?) and a wander round some streets. Almost every building is just pleasant to look at. 

Seriously, every corner you turn there's something impressive -big and small. So I started to plan my day, and firstly headed off to the Bastille monument.

Despite the clouds it was very bright. I struggled to get a good photo. I went a walk round some nearby streets and ended up outside a pretty impressive building. 

As I said, there's something interesting around every corner. I'm still not too sure what this building was... Next I headed to Musee d'Orsay. 

Of course I snapped some more pictures in the streets on the way there. Someone may have been playing "spot the tourist"!

Musee d'Orsay is the top rated museum in Paris according to Trip Advisor- even beating the Louvre! It was wonderful, and I haven't even checked out every floor yet. They just have everything in there - sculptures, classics, impressionism, graphic art, sketch books, architectural art, photography, caricatures, upholstery, even a mini model of Paris you can walk over! And I'm sure there's much more I've yet to see.  

Next up, the "Tour Eiffel". My Gran and Grandpa once visited France. When my Gran reached the base of the Eiffel Tower and looked up she said her legs went to jelly. It's a pretty accurate description of how it feels. I recently discovered that I have a fear of heights (after going to the top of the tallest building in Poland) so I definitely got shivers. It's one of those buildings that look a lot taller in person. It dwarfed everything. I've still to go to the top, but I'm waiting on my mum visiting. I'll need someone to clutch onto and remind me that I'm not going to die. 

Afterwards I headed back to Bastille to do a spot of shopping on one of the nearby streets. I chose there just because it had a "Lush". For followers of my skincare posts, you'll know it's a brand I'm pretty obsessed with. I left with a new body lotion, face scrub and shower gel tester. You always need to get a tester in Lush.

I then met with another lovely au pair for some lunch. We decided to head out to see the Sacré Coeur. There were lots of narrow, cobbled streets and cute cafés in the area. Not only did the streets climb uphill, but we had to climb around 270 steps to reach the landmark, but it was worth it.

Again, as you'de expect, Sacré Coeur was beautiful. There was a "no photo" policy inside (although I didn't see it being enforced!) so I will respect their wishes and only show the exterior here. The white stone walls shone in the sun, and although it's not as big as other places I've visited like Saint Peters or Basilica di San Giovanni, it certainly wasn't petit.

So we decided to pay €6  (main entry is free) to climb another 300 steps to the 272 foot high dome. For someone with a fear of heights, I'd say that was pretty brave! The views were astounding, sadly my phone camera is not. You could see a lot of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Opera House, the Pompidou centre and I think someone even spotted the Arc de Triomphe (although I never). It really puts the scale of Paris in perspective. Does it ever end? Sadly, yes, yes it does.

I'd love to say that my day ended enjoying this chocolate covered monster of a crepe piled with cream. Sadly I really ended the day sprinting through the Gare de Lyon underground trying to find my way from the metro to the train. Seriously, every line and hall was signposted apart from mine! Thankfully I did make it in time and I hopefully won't have to repeat that fiasco again.Oh, and the crepe was delicious - or at least the half of it I managed to eat was.

So there it is, my 10 hours in Paris. Paris is bursting with places to see, restaurants to dine in and things to do. Whether you're there for half a day, half a week or half a year, there will always be things to do. It's definitely a place to check of your bucket list - perhaps more than once.

Au Pair - My First Week Living In The French Country

Or rather, my first week and a half in the French country. I'm incredibly lucky to say it's all I'd hoped for and more. Just look at those blue skies (they were dull and grey back in Scotland that day - I checked).

Most au pairs seem to try and get a placement in the city when they come to Paris. Many people online had warned against living outside the city. It would be "inconvenient", "lonely" and "boring". The city life and the country life will both have their pros and cons, but the country life here is far from a disaster.

It is very peaceful out here - perfect for alone time. Whether unwinding with a book, in a bath, or doing some yoga, I'm never interrupted. There's also a greater sense of community. People here all seem to know their neighbours, and I already have my eye on some weekly local events to check out.

Thanks to the many quiet roads and the peaceful farmland I've been running a lot more. It feels great in the morning, the sun shining in the fresh new sky amidst a sea of green. I'm not saying the city is ugly, but these are sights I'd favour over streets and buildings any day. It's also great motivation knowing that it's unlikely for anyone to catch you all red-faced and sweaty when you've just begun!

Living in the country has also forced me to look for stuff I want to do on days out, as I can't just walk out of my city apartment and visit the closest shop or café. So when I go out, I'm doing as much things as I can and visiting the best places possible. Such as local tourist spots such as Chateau de Fontainbleau...

... Famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower...

... and cute coffee shops for French crepes.The one above was done with pear, chocolate and cream. Try as I may, I couldn't finish the beast.

So my first "week and a half" has been great. I've settled in really well and love this new country lifestyle, If anyone reading this is considering working as an au pair, I urge you to just do it! So far the experience has been amazing for me and it;s only the beginning. Just make sure you do your research and find a family you get along with. It's been a long day for me so to everyone out there - Bonne Nuit!

Mineral Make Up, Lily Lolo - Review

Discovering Mineral Make-up is one of the best things that has happened to my skin. It's helped my acne and redness heal, never looks "cakey" like heavy powders and liquids and always blends brilliantly with my skin tone.

When people hear mineral make-up they usually think of Bare Minerals. I started off with Bare Minerals, but then moved on to higher quality and less expensive brands. Lily Lolo is one of my favourites, and a brand I think everyone interested in make-up should try.

I'd say their stuff is around half the price of Bare Minerals. I've loved every product of theirs I've tried already. 

Pictured above (from left to right) is the Blush Away Colour Corrector (£8.49), Mineral Foundation SPF 15 (13.99) and Peepo Colour Corrector (£8.49).

Lily Lolo are also completely cruelty free and their products are kind on skin. You can pick up cheap samples from their website, and they do great kits if you already know your shade. Speaking of the shade range, they cater for a lot of skin types - from the fair porcelain to the deep tan. Check out their shade guide.

Pictured above (from top to bottom) Eye Primer (£8.99), Eyebrow Duo (£7.99), Mineral Foundation Sample (£1.49).

They have a great range of products covering staples such as foundation, blusher and lipsticks. If you are more adventurous with your make-up, they do great eye shadow pallets, setting sprays and shimmers.

Mineral Make-up is much kinder on your skin, as long as you ensure you are using minimal ingredient formulas. I'd opt for makes like Lily Lolo, Barefaced Beauty, Honeypie Minerals, Everyday Minerals or Meow Cosmetics over brands such as Bare Minerals or Mac. They are cheaper, have minimal ingredients and tend to have a superior quality. 

Always make sure you are applying mineral make-up correctly, especially foundations, or they will not work. Build in light layers by "buffing" the product into the skin. I like to start from the outside of my face and work inwards. The reason for this is because my T-zone can become oily, and I find the less product I put there the better it looks. Product is usually applied with a kabuki brush. I use eco tools, but many mineral brands sell their own. The brush can make all the difference with mineral make-up, so I'd make sure it's a good one. 

If definitely recommend looking into some mineral make-up brands and trying out some testers if you haven't already. The brands praised above are cruelty free, have minimal ingredients and most can be purchased online in the UK. They have saved my skin!

Finding Cruelty Free Make Up - In Italy

Rome, to be precise. I've been lucky enough to say goodbye to the Scottish December and hello to the Italian December for a week. All I can say is that it's passing by too quickly. It's averaging around 16/17 degrees here (a lot warmer than home). 

I've noticed a fair number of makeup and beauty shops near the apartment when staying here, and tonight me and my mum ditched the guys for a little shopping. It's needless to say that checking out some of these shops was top of my list. 

Here are the combined makeup purchases of me and my mum. 

On the far left is the Butter Pencil from NIYO & CO in "Beige". This make had a varied selection of products and colours, and at great prices. (this was only €4.90!) 

Next is the Lip Liner pencil from Young Blood in "Truly Red". It looks lovely on and I will be doing a post on it shortly. 

The rest of the products were all from a make called "Kiko", who had their own shop. I was overwhelmed at the amount of products and colours they had in store. The pricing was cheap, and so far the quality seems high. 

The store was beautiful inside, but when I pulled out my phone for a photo I was quickly told that photos weren't allowed. 

My mum picked up two lipsticks, a blusher, and a creamy glitter nail polish. All can be seen in the photo above. I picked up a pinky nailpolish and two eye shadows. I've decided to do a separate post on the eye shadows, so I'll only look at the other products here. 

This nail lacquer was the perfect match for the lovely shade already on my nails. I got a polish done before I left for Rome and decided it's a shade I'd like to have myself. There seems to be no name for the colour on the bottle, but it should be on their website if interested. 

My mum was looking for a dupe of Benefit's "Sugarbomb" as she's went cruelty free. I think we found it today with Kiko's Shade Fusion Trio Blush in "03". When swiped on her hand in store it was very pigmented, but also blendable. 

There were too many different lipstick and lipgloss formulas to count, but I really think they have something for everyone. It proved so for my mum who picked up these two - the Crystal Sheer Lipstick in "412" and the Luminous Chrome Lipstick in "702". Both colours do look lovely, and the casing is pretty too. 

To the best of my knowledge all these brands are cruelty free. Young Blood display a cruelty free logo on their box, and I researched the other two brands online whilst in store. 

Shopping cruelty free doesn't have to be hard, and it doesn't mean the quality of product will go down. Honestly, I've found it the opposite. 

So I hope you're enjoying your December, whatever country you're in! 

PS. Keep up with me on instagram here.