Top 10 Cruelty-Free Must Haves

These beauty and skincare products are my Desert Island Disc equivalents; no tracks but a little selection of a few things I just couldn’t live without…

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  1. The Body Shop Drops of Youth Cream

This is quite possibly my favourite face moisturiser of all time. I ADORE The Body Shop; all of their products are 100% cruelty-free and vegetarian – plus, they’re expanding their vegan range, too! This cream is brilliant, it’s non-comedogenic so it doesn’t clog your pores and it’s so lightweight and fresh that it’s genuinely lovely to put on your skin.

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  1. Nip + Fab Dragon’s Blood Fix Cleansing Pads

These face pads are an incredible product, one that I’ve only started using this year but am now completely hooked on. I’ve noticed such a difference in the appearance of my skin; it looks plumper, fresher and I’m experiencing fewer breakouts. I’ve never known a product produce results so quickly!

  1. Scrub Love Body Scrub

I get really bad ingrown hairs on my legs, so bad that on the rare occasions I have to have my pasty pins on show, I will plaster them in foundation. That’s as annoying and time consuming as it sounds. I’ve tried every method of hair removal there is (epilators were created by the devil) and no matter what, they all leave me with itchy, unsightly red bumps on my legs. I’ve begged beauticians for answers but have just been told to moisturise and exfoliate regularly, which I do. I then get the sympathetic head nod and an unhelpful, “ahhh, some people are just more prone to them than others”, accompanied by a blasé shrug of the shoulders and a poxy half-smile. I thought camouflaging them was my only solution, until this wonder arrived in my Glossybox this month (Birchbox vs. Glossybox review coming soon). The smell isn’t great, I won’t lie but so far, it seems to be the only scrub out there that is starting to make a difference to my skin! It does leave a grey tinge to the skin, turning me from Casper to the Corpse Bride, so make sure you use your soap/shower gel after using the scrub to get rid of that unwanted after-effect. I’ll see if the benefits continue with regular use, but for now, I’m seriously impressed.

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  1. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

This is the best mascara out there, in my humble opinion. It makes your lashes basically triple in volume and extends their length dramatically. If you want your mascara to provide some serious oomph, then this is absolutely the one for you. I’ve tried quite a few on my quest for the perfect product and this is easily the winner.

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  1. Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette

I could do an entire post on my favourite cruelty-free eyeshadow palettes (actually, I will at some point) but for now, I’m just going to focus on Urban Decay’s original Naked palette. It’s got all the shades you need to perfect a subtle day look and some gorgeous darker shades to transition to a more dramatic evening look. If I could only have one eyeshadow palette for the rest of my life, it would have to be this one. It’s just so incredibly versatile and the colours are beautifully intense and pigmented and glide onto your skin like they’re made of buttercream. It’s a game changer.

Brush collection

  1. Spectrum Collections Makeup Brushes

As you know from my Glam Clam review, I’m a massive fan of Spectrum Collections and their stunning, cruelty-free and vegan range of makeup brushes. I also have their Marbelous 7 Piece Smoke set (full review coming soon) which is utterly fabulous at creating a whole host of eye looks. Eye makeup is probably my favourite to play around with; I love experimenting with different shadows and shades and these brushes make me feel like a pro. They’re super soft, absolutely gorgeous and ethically top notch, too. I’m hooked on this company.

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  1. Dr PAWPAW Multipurpose Balm

This is a product that is going to live in my bag forever; I will never not have it near me! It’s fabulous at soothing cracked lips (and also a brilliant base for liquid lipsticks, which have a tendency to be quite drying), moisturising cuticles and nails and is just an all round superhero of a product. It’s also 25ml, meaning it can go in your hand-luggage for lengthy flights to provide a necessary moisture boost.

  1. The Body Shop Vitamin E Cleanser and Toner

I’ve tried a few cleansers and toners out there, but this duo is my favourite. The Body Shop’s Vitamin E range helps to protect your skin against pollution, UVA/UVB rays and also aims to halt premature ageing. Your skin feels so clean and smells beautiful after each and every use. And the bottles are pink, so you know, bonus.

  1. Liz Earle Botanical Shine Hair Oil

I used to dye my hair lilac on the ends and whilst I loved the look, my hair couldn’t quite hack it. This gorgeous oil was like heaven in a bottle and saved my hair from looking like a haggard old witch’s. Liz Earle products are also Leaping Bunny certified, so you know you can trust their entire range. I always have a bottle of this oil in for days when my hair just needs a little extra TLC.

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This was a personalised festive edition I got back in December – it doesn’t get much cuter than this!

  1. The Body Shop Coconut Butter

As you’ve probably guessed, I’m a big fan of The Body Shop. This is my favourite body butter of theirs; it’s intensely moisturising and smells like summer, which makes me feel happy. It’s so rich and luxurious, I just love it and I’m never without it.

So, there you have it! My Top 10 cruelty-free must haves. I’d love to know your thoughts or any of your own cruelty-free must haves – let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading,

Jess XO

All images are my own and all opinions are my own honest views.

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