To test or not to test? That is the question...

Hello lovelies! 

Today I thought I would talk testing, and no, I don't mean swatches. I'm talking animal testing. I am strictly against animal testing. I'm not naive, and I do realise that a lot of cosmetics do still test on animals, however I do not condone it, and where I can, I always try to go for brands who don't test on animals. I've gotten together a little collection of brands who don't test on bunnies and pooches for you, so without further ado...

(Apologies for the creased sheets! - Oops!)

The Body Shop 

The Body Shop have been against animal testing for as long as I can remember, and are always a safe bet if you want naturally sourced ingredients too! 

Lush 

Not only are Lush against animal testing, they actively fight it, and even have 'against animal testing' printed on their bags. Lush's ingredients are sourced ethically, and are all handmade. They may be a little more pricey, but by paying that little bit more you get so much more in quality. 

Good Things 

Good Things are a brand that are aimed only at young skin, and pride themselves on using no animal ingredients, SLS or parabens. Good stuff, Good Things! 

Sanctuary Spa 

I was actually surprised to find Sanctuary in this list, however when reading the back of a gift set I received for Christmas, there it was in black and white; 'Not tested on animals'. Hurrah!

Sleek
I only own a sirum from Sleek, however since finding out that they are cruelty free, I have my eye on a few blushes! 

Jergens 

Jergens are a new found love for me, I received the Aloe moisturiser for my birthday and love how fresh and clean the scent is, so I was very happy to discover that I can slather this on with no guilt! 

Soap and Glory 

Another brand I was actually very surprised with. Soap and Glory can be found in Boots stores and feature some of the greatest smelling products in the world! 

REN 

Ahh REN, my new love. The 'Invisible Pores Detox Mask' is a firm new favourite of mine, and boasting no nasties as well as no animal testing, my conscience is as squeaky clean as my face! 

Liz Earle

I recently ordered the 'February Favourites' and have to say, I'm seriously Impressed with this range! 

Urban Decay

I'm so happy that I can add Urban Decay to this list. Apparently they were in talks with a company in China about selling the brand, however pulled out as they found that selling would go against their beliefs and morals about testing. Good on yer, UD! 

Rimmel 

I was utterly shocked to hear about Rimmel - I have a feeling it was a recent change with the new laws that have forced this brand to find alternative methods. I may be wrong, but I always presume that make up brands automatically test...I know, I need to move with the times! 

Barry M 

I guess you dont really think about mainly nail polish brands testing, but I guess they have to. Thankfully Barry M have taken a stance against testing on the furry ones and have found other ways! 

Bourjois 

Again, another popular high street brand I'm happy to report are cruelty free!!

Bumble and Bumble
Possibly one of the most hyped brands of 2013, I highly recommend you try them out if you haven't already, especially now you know their products come without a side order of guilt! 

Illamasqua

Finally, Illamasqua. I own one of their blushers, and absolutely love the formula and pigmentation, so i'm over the moon that I can colour my cheeks without thinking about what else might have had a makeover in the process!  

Obviously, this list is only naming a few, as animal testing in Europe has been banned (Yay!), and generally, only brands who's products are made outside of Europe are still tested (MAC, I'm lookin' at you!) But we now have a much wider variety of non tested choices and can now shop safe in the knowledge that no animals were harmed in the making of our appearance! 

Favourites | January 2014

I don't know about you, but after all the craziness of Christmas and new year, January always leaves me feeling deflated and seems to drag like no other month. 2014 has been no exception and I'm actually glad the month of blues is reaching it's end! 

Nevertheless, I have been using this month to get well aquainted with some beauty products. Here are my January best picks! 

Soap and Glory 'Lid Stuff' Eyeshadow Quad

I've forgotten to photograph this, but you find it on the Boots website here. I bought this quad back in the summer last year and I have made a serious dent in at least two of the shades! If you're a neutral palette kinda gal, you NEED this in your life. For £10 you get four gorgeously pigmented shades, perfect for creating a variety of nude looks. The size of each colour is almost exactly the same as a Mac Pro Palette refill but for a fraction of the price, and in my opinion, it's a serious contender quality wise as well! The shades are butter like and apply like a dream, definitely one I'm glad to have in my collection. 

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in 'Peach Blossom' 

This little baby was on my Christmas list and since excitedly opening it on Christmas morning it has been a firm favourite and has lived on my lips through the majority of this month. The perfect sheer peachy nude goes with, and has been going with EVERYTHING!  

Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker XL Lip Gloss
Other than my MAC lipstick, this gloss from S&G has lived in my handbag and is perfect for a quick fix throughout the day. I'm quite partial to a gloss at the minute and this smells like caramel, and plumps your lips (Be prepared for immense tingling). The bubblegum pink shade is so cute too and has been pairing quite nicely with my cold flushed cheeks! 

REN Invisible Pores Face Mask

Oh my. When I first used this mask, I must admit me and REN had a bit I a moment, I actually thought I'd fallen in love! We all know what a clay mask does;  draws out imperfections, tightens pores, leaves your skin feeling smooth albeit a tad tight? Well this little beauty does all that except my skin doesn't feel tight, rather it feels soft and just...clean. The best part? REN is against animal testing (something I try to steer clear of as much as I can) and doesn't contain any of the nasties that were all trying to keep away from out skins! 

Sleek Zuri Brightening Night Sirum

Who knew sleek did skincare? I certainly didn't, not even when I bought it! It wasn't until I perused the labels that I noticed the brand discreetly on the back of the packaging! I'm fairly new to sirums but the 'brightening' aspect had me sold. I'm not sure if the effects actually brighten my skin, but it certainly feels plump and injects extra moisture into the skin, which makes for an overall brighter appearance! 

Barry M Nail Polish in 'Berry Cosmo' and Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in 'Caramel Cupcake'

I have worn nothing but these two shades throughout January, you know you love a shade when you remove it, just to reapply! The Barry M offering is the most gorgeous deep berry, which lived on my nails throughout the first half of January, whilst the Rimmel beige/caramel is the perfect nude, perfectly polished but barely there colour! 

Jergens Natural Aloe Soothing Moisturiser 
I got this for my birthday back in September, and had used it here and there, favouring thicker body butters, however this month with the short days and hectic schedule, I just haven't had time, so I've been reaching for this thinner cream for a quick injection of moisture, and have barely touched any other body moisturiser. It has such a clean scent and leaves me feeling thoroughly moisturised. 

Soap and Glory 'Hand Food' 
I wasn't in the market for a new handcream, however in the 'Yule Monty' set I received for Christmas, there was hand food. I have been having a slight love affair with its marshmallow scent ever since! 

Dainty Doll Blusher Shade '004'
I bought this last year from Fragrance Direct and was thoroughly disappointed when I opened the packaging as I didn't realise it would be so shimmery. It was put into a box and forgotten about. I decided after Christmas to have a make up shuffle, and came across this again. I gave it a go, and with a light hand, it has easily become my go to blush for an everyday make up look. The shimmer is actually perfect for these cold, winter days as it injects some life into my pale skin. It reminds me a lot of the Nars Orgasm blusher, which is a cult favourite, however never appealed to me. After rediscovering the Dainty Doll blush, I may have to rethink... 

Combination/Oily Skincare Saviours.

I had a really lazy skincare day today, and missed out toner and primer from my usual routine. Having to leave the house at 6:20am will do that to you... 

It wasn't until my train journey home when I looked into my compact and realised my whole face was glowing, and not in a good way. I was very oily. Toner and primer are products that I use, but don't really think too much about their effects, and up until today I didn't really think they had much of an effect. Sat on that train, burying my face into my scarf so that nobody could see my greaseball of a face, I thought about all the products made for oily/combination skin that I use, and just how much of a difference it makes when I skip a step or two. 

I've decided to put together a little post of my current rotation of combo/oily skincare items, and give my two cents on them.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser

This is the first primer I tried. Primer was a new concept to me in 2013. Before that I used to just slap foundation onto my skin and didn't really think about it. I'm lucky that my skin isn't overly blemish prone or blotchy so longevity was never a big issue for me. As I've gotten more into make up and skincare, I've taken more care over my choices, and primer was introduced into my routine. I have to say I love it. The tea tree really helps to keep any blemishes at bay. I can't say I've noticed a huge difference n the size of my pores, however it does smooth out my skin, making foundation easier to apply, and keeps any shine from peeping through for at least 3-4 hours more. 

The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Toner

Specially formulated for oily/combo skin, this little baby is amazing. I use it every morning, and this is my second bottle of the stuff. I've used toner for years, but this one has a special place in my heart for keeping shine at bay. 

Good Things Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser

This cream claims to mattify your face, and again is targeted to us oily skinned girls. It has extracts of blackcurrant and goji berry which are quickly absorbed by the skin, and absorb any excess oil, leaving your skin with more of a matte finish. Good things pride themselves on being free from parabens, SLS, mineral oils and animal ingredients, and also aren't tested on animals.

REN Mayblossom T-Zone Control Cleansing Gel
This has been my first foray into REN, I got this and the Invisible Pores Detox Mask for Christmas. so far, I love it! I always use a balm/hot cloth cleanser for taking make up off and deep cleansing in the evening, but I like to have something refreshing and light to use in the morning. This is also aimed at reducing excess oil production in the T-Zone. Definitely a thumbs up from me!

REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask
A REN wishlist wouldn't be complete without this bad boy, and it thus far lives up to the hype completely. I have only used it once, however it blew all other clay masks that I have used out of the water. My skin felt so squeaky clean and soft, but not dried out and tight, like some clay masks are prone to doing. I'm planning on a full review of both REN products so I won't say too much more!

Lush Coalface Cleanser
I went in for the herbalism cleanser, and was somehow talked into buying this lump of black soaplike stuff. At the time I almost felt like I had been tricked....until I tried it. It's full of charcoal and other impurity soaking goodness. Using this in the morning, or evening, or any time of day really completely mattifies my skin and keeps oil at bay. The great thing about this is that you can cut off little bits to use as and when you want. This block only cost me around £4, but has lasted me since last May of fairly regular use, and I still have loads!

I'd love to know if anyone has any recommendations for me that they use so pop a comment below and let me know!

Gem. Xx