A few of my favorite vegan things

To say I'm a girly-girl could be an understatement.  I love beauty products and could roam aisles and browse stores filled with them for much longer than most would deem appropriate or necessary.  My lip glosses pile high in my makeup case, as does a wide variety of colorful, often admittedly unused, eye shadows.  Shortly after going vegan, along with minimizing and downsizing my stash, I began considering how I could find cruelty-free, vegan versions of some of my favorites.  I'm still in the process of making these transitions, but here are a few that are at the top of my must-have list.   


I recently did a search for vegan mascara and discovered one from Urban Decay.  Urban Decay is a mainstream, specialty cosmetic company that can be found in beauty havens like Sephora.  The company has made a commitment to being cruelty-free by pledging that neither they nor their suppliers conduct animal tests on ingredients or finished cosmetic products.  In addition to this, Urban Decay furthers demonstrates their support for animal welfare by specifically identifying vegan products on their website; those marked by a purple dog paw, stating it is "Marley Approved", are vegan.  Knowing UD's policy on animal testing and seeing Marley's paw print led me to find my new favorite mascara that I can actually feel good about using. .                                                                                                                                                                                                    

I am incredibly picky and particular when it comes to mascara, and UD's Lush Lash Mascara delivers.  I want something that definitely offers lots of volume, but also length, without excessive clumpiness, dryness, wetness, or flakiness.  I think I've tried dozens of different mascaras over the years, drugstore and specialty brands, searching for that perfect one.  This one's pretty perfect for me, and knowing that it's vegan and cruelty-free makes me love it that much more.  

Shortly after becoming vegan, I wanted to find a more natural, vegan shampoo and conditioner that would be gentle for my colored hair.  While browsing the shelves in the natural foods section of the local grocery store, I came across Nature's Gate Mandarin Orange and Patchouli shampoo and conditioner.  It's specifically for color-treated hair, keeps my hair soft, and smells fantastic.  Love it.

Several years ago, a close friend introduced me to the magnificence of LUSH body products.  Walking into one of their small shops can send you into sensory overload from all the unique scents of openly displayed bath bombs, bubble bath bars, and samples of all their products.  LUSH is another company that actively opposes animal testing while also seeking to include natural, organic, and vegan ingredients in their products as much as possible.  While I have lots of LUSH favorites, one of my greatest must-haves is LUSH Silky Underwear, a perfumed dusting powder.  It makes your skin soft and silky and smells a-mazing.  It's particularly great for summer.   

What are some of your favorite vegan beauty/hygiene products?