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Cruelty free beauty has always been important to me. Years ago, I wrote a post about it, which is (proudly) still one of my most viewed pieces to date. First of all, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! You guys are great, for caring and taking a look. But it also serves as a reminder to me, as I sometimes stray from my inner compass, to reassess where I’m at in my cruelty free journey, and make changes where necessary.
Back when I wrote that post, it was a struggle to find any Korean beauty brand that didn’t test on animals. And believe me, I tried! As I wrote then, there were exciting changes ahead, hopefully, but they were years out. Which felt like millennia at the time, even though it seems to have passed in the blink of an eye!
In the years since, it’s been pleasing to see a number of vegan Korean beauty brands pop up on the scene. Of course, I can’t speak to how readily available they are on the streets in Korea (as opposed to an Etude House store, for instance), but online & globally, these brands are easy to get a hold of. And that’s a win!
What I will say, is that my cruelty free journey has, in a way, waxed and waned. And I blame my lack of an attention span for this. It seems there’s only so many things I can focus on before I throw my hands in the air, give up, and watch Gordon Ramsay clips on YouTube (highly recommend them, btw). I think this is always the issue with animal cruelty, or with any big topic, really: it gets very tiring. And when things are unclear, it’s even harder to discern what’s actually cruelty free, what’s not… and to even rustle up enough energy to find out.
I think it all comes back to decision fatigue; the fact that there’s a finite number of decisions we can make in any given day. And when you’re trying to choose between making sure sure a product is cruelty free, or treating that red rash on your face (anyone else!?), you get a kind of tunnel vision and just solve the problem at hand. Maybe this is excuse making (probably), and it just requires a teensy bit more effort on my part, but sometimes that effort just isn’t there.
The best way I’ve found to remedy this is to just make everything as simple as possible. With all the eco-friendly-trending going on, what’s often forgotten is that the best way to be kind to the environment… is to just buy less. A tough pill to swallow, I know! And especially coming from a beauty blog of sorts, constantly talking about products. However, I do stand by the fact I named this blog to be about anything positive/that makes happy, and a lot of the products I have been talking about are ones I already own or have finished! I’ll stop yelling now!
One very convenient and positive step has been, as I said, the abundance and ease of accessibility of vegan and cruelty free beauty brands. Specifically, Korean beauty brands! That’s one thing I love about Klairs, Rovectin, Cosrx and a bunch of other brands on Wishtrend—they don’t test on animals, and they make it very clear. It just makes it easy to shop for cute products, without having to check another thing.
(By the way, if you’re wondering why I’m talking about Wishtrend so much, they’ve been very supportive of this here blog! And you’re welcome to be, too!)
A few other brands from memory were Aromatica—I remember trying to get my paws on it in Korea and I found it supremely hard, but it’s probably available online now—as well as Benton, By Wishtrend, and more. I actually just found this handy cruelty free K-beauty list to make it even simpler!
There is the caveat with many brands about testing in China: if a product sells in China, it is required by law to submit to animal testing. This just repulses me, to be frank, and I’m not sure why it’s this way, when there’s plenty of other brands managing to make quality products just fine. To me, it again comes down to a psychological, belief-based difference in cultures, and in perspectives of living. And the quality of life. And whether an animal’s life is worth as much as a human’s. Heavy stuff on a beauty blog, I know, but also quite simple, really.
So, the title of this post was to update you on my cruelty free journey, and…? I’m getting there, and getting back on track. The sunscreens I’ve been purchasing or receiving have generally been cruelty free, as have many other products I’ve treated myself—but not all. This post is also a way to hold myself accountable, remind myself to stay on track, and as I sit here patting my gorgeous cat, thinking about the beauty of animals and the joy they bring—and how they should be treated as the sentient beings they are.
Well, that’s it for now. This is definitely a rabbit hole I could go down (like watching Dodo clips on Youtube, a different vibe to Chef Ramsay’s… thank me later), but I will try to keep it short and sweet today. Hopefully my openness and semi-advice can help you in your journey as well, and just know that every little cruelty free decision you make strengthens your resolve to continue on, and to make more. It really does start with small steps, and you can do it! Just make it as simple as possible, find brands/products you love, keep your eye on the prize and celebrate the little wins. The animals will thank you!
Have you tried cruelty free beauty? What’s your stance on the matter? I’d love to hear below.
Until next time (…tomorrow, the way I’ve been writing on here!),
Steph x
P.S. We adopted Ella from a local shelter/foster program, and it’s been one of the best decisions of my life. If you’re looking to give a pet a new life, there’s so many adorable, loving, sweet and darling animals waiting to be adopted. Please take a look and try to adopt, instead of shop! They’re just waiting for their forever home—and we’re so glad we could give Ella hers.