Cruelty Free Swap #3: Micellar Water

Next up on the cruelty free swap train we are stopping at station #3: Micellar water. Anyone worth their weight in Urban Decay Naked Palettes knows the amazingness of micellar water: the rinse free makeup remover and cleanser that is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin. Long before it ever came to light in Priceline’s for us mere mortals, it was a staple backstage at fashion shows for its multitasking wonders and ability to remove a models full face of makeup in seconds.

The go to and holy grail micellar water has always been Bioderma. Girls buy it in hoards when they go to France because of how cheap it is over there and over priced here. It has such a cult status for a reason and I’ve been using it since it was released in Australia. But alas, our relationship must come to an end. Bioderma tests on animals and subjects unnecessary pain to such defenseless little creatures. For such a gentle product on our faces, its history is cruel.

But don’t fret all you micellar water loving people because I have a solution! So wave bye bye to Bioderma and hello to Swisse! Yes, Swisse! The company that makes your multivitamins also has a skincare range that includes a micellar water free from animal testing, animal ingredients, mineral oils, silicones, parabens and dozens of other nasties. If you love cucumbers you will love this, because it smells like you’re rubbing a giant cucumber all over your face!

Quite a few people recommended this to me before I actually went in and brought a bottle for myself, so my hopes were high, and it actually exceeded my expectations. It got off every particle of concealer, foundation, blush, highlight, eyeshadow and even got rid of my waterproof mascara and eyeliner. So because of this I am no longer on the hunt for a cruelty free eye makeup remover to replace the Clinique Take The Day Off. Hoorah!

If you are also one of those people who likes a streamlined makeup and skin care routine with as many multitasking products as possible, this could be your go-to to replace cleansing wipes, eye and lip makeup removers. Its just a little bottle filled with wonderful ‘do it all-ness’.

Another perk is the price. If you’re an avid Bioderma user you will know how ridiculous the price is. $40 for a 500ml bottle. The Swisse version costs $10.95 for a 300ml bottle. So you can save your change and go buy a packet of wagon wheels. Sounds like a win/win to me!

Moxie Box Club

Periods suck. You’re bloated. You have a pimple on your face the size of Mt.Wellington. You cry at the lotto commercials. You just want to be wrapped up in your doona like a burrito with a block of chocolate and a bowl of mashed potatoes scrolling on Instagram. The last thing you want to do is run down to the local IGA to stock up on tampons and be served by some guy who is too embarrassed to acknowledge what you’re buying. So hallelujah for Moxie who are the company that some how manage to make periods adorable when they aren’t providing underprivileged girls in Uganda with reusable pads so they can continue their schooling. They have come up with the absolutely brilliant Moxie Box Club so you are never caught off guard again. Shipping is free and you can customize what is in your box out of five items and at what time of the month you want it delivered to suit you. You can choose monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly and even choose what specific day you would like. And for every box you buy, Moxie sends the same amount to a Ugandan schoolgirl (who can miss up to 20% of her school year due to not having access to menstrual supplies) through the Pads for Pads initiative. Its pretty damn amazing and a totally wonderful sisterhood they are creating throughout Australia and across the world.

First of all, how gosh darn adorable is the box itself? 

Here are the items you can choose from:

One of the items in my box is a pair of the adorable Moxie branded underwear that I couldn’t pass up because of how cute they are. You can choose five items for your box for $30 and they even throw in some extras! I received two Lindt chocolate balls and an ‘In Case of Emergency’ tin of panty liners completely free.

This is a really amazing subscription service that a lot of girls should be aware of so we can spend less time ducking out to the shops to buy pads and more time ordering pizza and being wonderful.

You can find the Moxie Box Club right here: http://moxie.com.au/moxie-box-club/

Cruelty Free Swap #2: Cleansing Wipes

I have been an absolute avid user of the Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Wipes since I was 18 years old. That’s nearly six years of dedication to a brand that’s keen on being gentle and kind to skin and not including any nasties. Because of the whole vibe of the Simple brand I never even thought that they would test on animals. But they do. What is disappointing is that they come across on their website as being against animal testing but the Unilever owned company still do test. So with that came a need to bring some new makeup wipes into my life. At the Priceline 40% off skincare sale I picked up the ModelCo Double Sided Facial Wipes and the Burt’s Bees Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleansing Towelettes, and it’s so hard to pick a favourite!

The ModelCo ones come from the brilliant Australian owned company that makes cosmetics and skincare that are cruelty free and pretty bloody good as well. I first got a taste of these when I received a sample in a beauty box and they’ve been on my mind ever since. One side is your normal cleansing wipe while the other has a brilliant exfoliating side that isn’t too harsh but does a great job at getting rid of stubborn makeup and dry skin. It even works as an amazing lip exfoliator for flaky winter lips. These wipes aren’t heavily scented, are great for all skin types and are chockers full of Aloe Vera, Cucumber Extract, Green Tea and Vitamin E, which means they are super soothing on the skin. But you know what these wipes are missing? Nasties like parabens, animal derived ingredients, sulfates, silicones, synthetic colours, synthetic perfumes and mineral oils.

Next up are the Burt’s Bees that smell like heaven on earth. If you love rubbing divine smelling things all over your face, you are going to go nuts for these. They do a great job at removing makeup for normal and oily skin while smelling like freshly cut grapefruits. The Burt’s Bees brand is completely free from animal testing and these wipes don’t contain any parabens, phthalates or petrochemicals and the cloths are 100% natural. These don’t do the best job at removing waterproof mascara and eyeliner but they are pretty damn divine otherwise and really are the bee’s knees.

Bellabox July 2015

This month the theme for Bellabox was ‘Beauty Wanderer’ and this meant that all products are travel size friendly and great to chuck in your carry on in a hurry. Though personally I believe a better name for it could have been ‘Beauty DeJa Vu’ instead because 99% of the products (besides from the ModelCo eyeshadow stick) had been used throughout other beauty boxes. Just because it was a tad repetitive this month doesn’t mean the products weren’t great, so lets jump in shall we?

ModelCo Shadow Stick

We received a sneak peek preview of these, so when it arrived I was surprised by how tiny it is. But this tube seriously packs a punch. Just a light application of this gives the most intense colour and it applies so smoothly. I swatched it on the back of my hand and it is still there after many hours and hand washings, so its extremely long lasting. I received the purple shade but when I took off the packaging it was broken in half, which is so disappointing. These come in a pack of four for $39 and are a great cruelty free alternative to the Clinique Chubby Sticks for eyes. They would be even more amazing in different colours and with the ability to purchase them individually. Deluxe Sample. Cruelty Free. 

Essenzza Fuss Free Naturals Facial Treatment Mask

I’ve only tried cloth masks from Lonvitalite and Neutrogena before so it’s exciting to try a different brand. I’ve tried their makeup removing wipes before which I really enjoyed so I had high hopes on the masks. The Japanese silk mask is infused with citrus and pineapple enzymes and contains three layers. Once you remove it from the packet, you remove the white protective layer and apply clear side down and smooth across your face into place. I had to customize mine and cut extra slits around the eye and mouth areas because they were ridiculously tiny. The nose hole fit my schnoz perfectly, which was surprising because my big nose usually never fits properly with cloth facemasks, so this was a lovely bonus. Once all smoothed into place you peel off the blue layer so you are left with a fine film to cover your face for 20-30 minutes. I find a lot of cloth masks to be quite heavy and slide slightly off your face, meaning that you have to lie perfectly still during the duration while it works its magic. But this mask was so thin and clung to the face that made it easier to move around. Once the 30 minutes was up I removed the mask and let the formula dry. My skin didn’t feel or look any different but it did feel quite soothed and hydrated. Essenzza claim these are fuss free masks unlike traditional ones from a tube, which I do not agree with. It took far longer to fiddle around with the 3 layers and find the nail scissors to cut larger holes than it would take to smooth some mask from a tube onto my face in five seconds. Because of this, I why would probably not repurchase these but it was something new and fun to try. Deluxe Sample. Cruelty Free.

Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub

I’ve received this scrub before in a different box and while it does its job, it isn’t a total WOW product. It is gentle enough to use daily and leaves skin feeling a tiny bit softer, but I would say it isn’t really worth the money compared to some other amazing exfoliators that are out there on the market for a similar price and are a bit more ethical. Though it does contain salicylic acid that is great for us gals and guys with problem skin, it also contains plastic microbeads, which are an absolute no no. These beads don’t break down when they wash down the drain and can cause damage to sea life when they enter the ocean. Neutrogena also test on animals so this scrub isn’t the greatest thing to use if you love our furry or ocean friends. Sample Size. TESTS ON ANIMALS.

Neutrogena Make-Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes

I think this is the third time I’ve received these cleansing towelettes before, but like shampoo and conditioner, you can’t go wrong with popping some makeup wipes in a beauty box. It’s an essential that we all need and get frustrated when we run out of them and only realise at 3am and these ones are super gentle and get the job done without irritating skin. Deluxe Sample. TESTS ON ANIMALS.

Palmolive Body Polish Shower Gel in Strawberry

This range of shower gel contains real fruit seeds and makes me want spring to hurry up to my doorstep so I can pick berries and wear sun hats and floral dresses. This also smells IDENTICAL to The Body Shop Strawberry shower gel, so if you are looking for an affordable alternative this may be it. Though Palmolive does test on animals so that should be something to keep in mind. This smells amazing and feels great so I will use up the bottle but won’t repurchase it since it is not bunny friendly. Deluxe Sample. TESTS ON ANIMALS.

BONUS

Marc Daniels Blue Cypress Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner

I’m always extremely chuffed when I get products for blonde hair in beauty boxes, as blonde hair maintenance can be super pricey, so anything to help is a total A+ to me! Marc Daniels is a great Aussie owned and made brand that are super affordable and don’t test on animals. I tried a full size treatment that was in a previous Bellabox and really enjoyed it, so I had high hopes before I washed my hair with this last night and it did not disappoint. It is bright purple and contained enough for a double shampoo and a generous conditioning. It left my hair feeling fresh, bright and not weighed down with product. A great product for blonde gals. Sample Size. Cruelty Free.

Coral Colour Lip Liner in Espresso

Oh gee wiz. This is probably the most unappealing lip liner I have ever seen in my life. The consistency is dry which means it drags across skin and means you’re less likely to get lovely stable lines. The colour is so brown that I originally thought this was an eyeliner but there is no way that it would look even close to okay on my skin tone. Total dud. Full Size $5.95. Animal testing policy unknown.

Cruelty Free Swap #1: Green Concealer

While I’m in the process of swapping over all my cosmetics to cruelty free and bunny friendly options, there were some products I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find a quality replacement for; and green concealer was one of them. I use a green concealer every time I apply my makeup after my primer and before my foundation to even out the redness in my skin from having severe cystic acne when I was 20 and I’ve only ever used the Maybelline Cover Stick Corrector Concealer in Green and haven’t tried any others. My first thought was to switch over to Napoleon Perdis, but seeing as they are quite shady with their animal testing practices and how they stock fur makeup brushes, I decided I will no longer be purchasing from that brand.

So a quick Google search brought up the NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer in Green that has some really great reviews and is priced pretty cheaply at $9.95 through Target Australia. So after work one night I popped down to my closest 24 hour Target and trotted over to the NYX stand that was currently having a 30% off sale. The stand had been absolutely ransacked and there were barely any cosmetics left but I managed to find a tub and pick it up for an absolute steal.

This is the first product I have tried from NYX and I am not at all disappointed. The consistency of this concealer is absolutely beautiful and it applies so smoothly. While I did love the Maybelline one for quite a while, I did find that the texture wasn’t as great and it was a lot thicker and patchier. The NYX one isn’t as vibrant in colour but it covers redness beautifully and feels wonderful on the skin. The only fault I have with it is the packaging. I’m not a fan of tub packaging as I don’t think it is that hygienic and there could be some difficulties getting the last bits of concealer out of the bottom of the tub. If this came in a wind up tube like Maybelline it would be absolutely perfect. I did notice online that they make a HD Concealer Wand in green that is a bit more liquid style so I would love to get my mitts on that and give it a try.

So if you’re looking for a cruelty free way to cover any redness or break outs, the NYX Above & Beyond Green Concealer is your ticket because I couldn’t recommend it enough.