5 Non-Cruelty Free Products+ Cruelty Free Options

5 Non-Cruelty Free Products+ Cruelty Free Options by meow-barry 

These are some non-cruelty free products that I had used in the past. Although I enjoyed using them, I will not repurchase them because they have been tested on animals. Furthermore, they contain ingredients that I am not comfortable using on my skin and hair. That is why I have created a list of cruelty options for the products that aren't cruelty free. 
As you can see, the prices of the non-cruelty free products are much cheaper compared to the cruelty free options. It makes sense because you are paying for products that contain many synthetic materials and chemicals. Cruelty free options, on the other hand, have high quality ingredients that are natural and good for you. Over time, they will be much more beneficial for your health and the environment (since they are also biodegradable). 
Keep in mind that prices may vary so you can always find the cruelty free options for a much better price. Places like TjMaxx, Marshalls, Amazon (online), and Vitacost (online) have great cruelty free options for an affordable price! So don't feel like buying cruelty free products will cost you an arm and a leg, because there are many cases where I have spent LESS money on them than non-cruelty free products. You just have to give a little extra effort to look for those bargains. 
So that is my list of cruelty free options for some non-cruelty free products. Please take this information with a grain of salt because what works for me may not work for you. I wish you all the best of luck!

XO,
Meow-Berry

Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash Review

I have recently used up my Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash so I thought I would come on here and give my honest review on it. (You can click on the link to purchase or find out more about the product). 

Starting with the reason why I bought this product- I have always been a fan of the brand Pacifica. Not only are they cruelty free, they are also vegan and all natural. Their products smell heavenly and their packaging is always on point. Even more, some of their profits goes to charities and organizations that help the environment, I give that two thumbs up! On the back of this particular product it says, "portions of proceeds support clean water", which is incredible. Because of all those reasons I decided to give this face wash a try and I must say I absolutely adore this product.

Pros & Cons- I found that there aren't really any "cons" about this product, besides the fact that it has a scent. However, the scent isn't offensive at all. It smells lightly of coconut and citrus which I quite like. But I know that some people don't like scented products so that is one thing to look out for. Besides that lets jump into the "pros". First off, this product is priced very reasonably (I bought mine for about $11 for 5 oz.), considering how long it lasts. I would only use a quarter size amount on my finger tips and slowly massage the product into my skin. It goes from a clear gel to a milky foam consistency. What is so amazing about this product is that it doesn't leave my skin feeling dry or oily, which is usually the problem I have with other facial cleansers. It cleanses my skin without it stripping away the natural oils on my face. Plus it helps melt off any makeup on my face without causing my eyes to burn, which shows you how gentle this product is. I am always pleased by how my skin always feels after using it- clean and refreshed. A definite winner in my book!  

XO, 

Meow Berry

Cruelty Free Makeup

Cruelty Free Makeup by meow-barry

Going cruelty free can be overwhelming. That is why I have created this makeup starter kit for those who need some recommendations. I have also decided to make this makeup starter kit all drugstore. Yay for keeping it affordable! These specific products are great but you should also look into other products from these companies. Keep in mind that these are only suggestions. There are so many other great cruelty free brands out there that I haven't displayed. I hope you like this makeup starter kit! 

*Update: NYX is owned by L'oreal, a company that does test on animals, however the individual company does not test on animals.

XO, 
Meow Berry  

Why Choose Cruelty Free?

A couple months ago I made the big decision to go cruelty free. It was a big step for me considering that I had little knowledge on the topic. Therefore I wanted to come on here to document my journey on going cruelty free, and hopefully inspire you to also make a change. 

As a little background story- I was aware about animal testing, but I never really knew what that meant. I probably thought that a group of bunnies had their makeup done, a funny picture but nothing harmful at all. It never occurred to me that animal testing actually meant injecting chemicals or pouring acid on an innocent animal only to watch them suffer to their deaths. More than a hundred MILLION animals are being tortured each year because of animal testing. It isn't just rabbits that are being tested on; dogs, cats, rats, mice, monkeys, and many more are being abused. The facts are more shocking than I make it seem, but I can't conjure up the right words to describe how horrible animal testing really is. 

Taking on this new lifestyle will have to require some time and dedication, so as of right now being "cruelty free" is only my goal and not yet reality. There are far too many items that I own that are NOT cruelty free. I will not purge those items for it would be far too expensive. Instead, I will be slowly using them up and swapping them for cruelty free options (which I will share with you in future posts). Starting the journey, I have realized that things can get overwhelming when diving into the whole cruelty free realm. So I have decided to only go cruelty free in my skincare, hair-care, and cosmetics.

Now that you know why I am going cruelty free, I wanted to add a a disclaimer- I am not labeling myself as "cruelty free" and I do not want to be labeled as "cruelty free". Cruelty free means so much more than using products that aren't tested on animals. Cruelty free even goes beyond being a vegan. Think about it, there are farmers who don't receive the treatment and pay they deserve. Many of them are growing the fruits and vegetables that you eat on a daily basis. There are factory workers, many of them children, around the world who work hard everyday yet they can't afford to feed their families. They are the ones who sew clothing that you can find in any clothing store (which explains how some brands can sell their clothes for really cheap). Not to mention that slavery is still an issue to this day! Forced labor for all the things above. 

In a nutshell, all I am saying is that civil rights is just as important as animal rights. It isn't just about WHAT is in the products, but also HOW it was made and WHO made it. Those are only a few reasons why I can't label myself as "cruelty free". GOING cruelty free, however, is different to me. It means that I am being more aware about these kinds of issues and doing something about it. So from now on I will do my research on the work ethnics of companies before purchasing from them. However, companies are very sneaky at hiding that kind of information, and unfortunately a lot of goods on the market haven't been made using good ethics. Therefore, I can only do so much. It isn't in my hands to stop all cruelty in the world, but informing others about it...that I can do. 

Although I have done my fair share on research, I do advise that you do some of your own research because if I had only learned one thing, it would be that ignorance is NOT bliss. Many of us are privileged to have access to this kind of information, all we have to do is take a little time to look for it. With it we can change the world.  

XO,
Meow Berry