Not tested on bunnies

A couple of months ago I wrote about drugstore/lower priced brands that don't test on animals. I'm trying to do better about being a responsible consumer, so I've decided to stop buying from brands I know do testing. As someone who sees stars whenever she spots a new shiny makeup product in the store, sticking to this has and will continue to take some serious will power. I've been trying to train myself to just focus on the brands I know don't test, and ignore everything else, no matter how shiny it is.

As a follow-up to that decision, I've been going through everything I currently own - makeup, skin care, and bath/body products, as well as making lists of things I have tried and loved in the past, and checking what comes from bunny-friendly brands. Based on that, I've compiled a list of what would be safe to repurchase once I run out of what I'm currently using. I have tried not to repeat anything I mentioned in my earlier post. The following are brands that don't do animal testing, along with my thoughts on some of their products.

• Lush: Although I had seen Lush stores and Lush areas in department stores, I had never stepped foot into one into my stepmother introduced me to some of their products a couple of years ago. Then I got sucked in. They're really actively against animal testing! All their products are handmade by an actual person and each one has a sticker of that person's name and a little cartoon representation of them on the packaging! Their bath stuff smells so good! Their skin care works! Although a Lush store can be a little overwhelming at first, I have found that the folks that work there are always super helpful, and almost cult-like in their love of their favorite products of the brand. I'm personally a fan of the tea tree water, lemony flutter, ocean salt, and a their bath products.
• Bare Minerals: I really like their matte mineral foundation, and I've heard great things about the rest of the line as well. 
• Carol's Daughter: Hair and body care that I generally only buy when I can get it on sale, since I can never find it in economy sized containers. I haven't tried their body/skincare, but really love their haircare, which has quite a few products that work great for keeping my mane from going full-on Mufasa. I love the smell of the Tui hair smoothie, as well as the great things it does for my hair, and really like their macadamia styling products as well.
• Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap: one bottle of this stuff lasts me forever. I get the unscented baby version, which I find is great to both clean my sensitive body parts as well as my makeup brushes and delicate clothing. It's fair trade too.
• IT Cosmetics: A new discovery for me. I have fallen IN LOVE with their Naturally Pretty matte eyeshadow palette. Beautiful, long-lasting and pigmented matte eyeshadows that blend like a dream, AND claim to have anti-aging ingredients. I want to take our relationship to the next level.
• Hourglass: I got a sample of their mineral veil primer, and that started my obsession with this pricey British brand. Then I tried their ambient lighting powders...and now I am tempted to start pawning things so I can buy everything they sell. (So far I have not given in to that temptation.)
• Lather: I loved the products I sampled when a hotel I stayed in had them as toiletries so much that I took the time to visit the mothership in Pasadena when I had a work trip in L.A. a few years ago. Love the smell of their bamboo lemongrass stuff. 
• No Ad Suncare - it works, doesn't smell too offensive. I dig it. 
• Organix Hair: smells nice, and you can buy it at most drugstores at an affordable price. My favorite is the macadamia oil to help control my frizz.
• Tarte: I generally love this makeup brand. All their stuff is formulated without parabens, mineral oils, or sodium lauryl sulfate. I particularly love their Amazonian clay blushes and the Amazonian clay finishing powder. The blushes in particular have great lasting power for me. I like their eyeliners, a couple of their mascaras, and lip products as well. Honestly, I've tried quite a bit of their line, and the only thing I didn't really care for was their lights, camera flashes mascara.
• Too Faced - their milk chocolate soleil bronzer is matte, doesn't make me look like an Oompa Loompa or muddy, and it smells like chocolate. (Because it's made with cocoa powder!) What's not to love? Their eyeshadows and makeup kits are quite lovely as well, although several of their palettes tend to be a little too shimmery for my taste. 

A couple of things I feel I should disclose: a lot of the things I list here are pricey. My earlier post did cover bunny safe drugstore brands, and mention some of my favorite products in each. Some people buy shoes compulsively, I'm a bit of a compulsive beauty product shopper. I shop deals. I buy products when they are deeply discounted on sites like Hautelook or when the line's website or my favorite beauty retailers has a friends & family sale. I subscribe to a couple of beauty boxes, which allow me to sample a variety of products for a pretty low price. And much like Donna and Tom on Parks & Recreation, I believe that sometimes you have to Treat Yo Self.