Vegan Shower Gel

I went grocery shopping at Whole Foods yesterday and while I was there I decided to check out the beauty aisle to see if I could find any good vegan body washes since I'm almost out.  The body wash I have been using is from The Body Shop and is actually labeled cruelty free, but I wanted to see what other options I could find.  And maybe something a little less expensive ...

 

While I didn't check every brand Whole Foods carries, everything I looked at said it was not tested on animals.  It might be the case that everything they carry is cruelty free, which would be a good thing to remember when it comes time to replace my shampoo and conditioner - both of which were tested on animals. :(

 

There were so many options, it was hard to choose.  Finally, I went with one of the basic, store brand options in herbal mint scent.  It didn't hurt that it was only $4.  Plus, not only is it not tested on animals, but the bottle is also marked that it does not use any animal ingredients - a fact that may be true of other brands but is often not specified. 

I used the new shower gel last night and it smelled amazing.  I used it in the shower, but I think it would be great for a nice, soothing bubble bath.  The scent just smells fresh and clean, like you can literally wash your stress away. 

 

From time to time I'm sure I will get pricier bath washes, but it's nice to know there is a go-to shower gel out there that is vegan, smells good, and won't break the bank. 

Cruelty Free Wrinkle Cream

Maybe it's a bit of paranoia, but I feel like I'm at that annoying age right now where I'm still worrying about clear skin but I also need to start concerning myself with wrinkles.  The laugh line on my left cheek, for instance, is starting to look a little pronounced even when I'm not smiling.  I moisturize (not every day), but I started to think maybe it's time for a specialized product to fight back against aging before it gets too firm a hold. 

I'm not about to start importing $100/oz creams from France.  I'm really more in the market for something that would run me no more than $20 and I can get easily while on one of my regular shopping trips.  But rather than just grab any old wrinkle cream, I decided to try my luck scouring the extensive selection at Target for something not tested on animals.  Seems simple, right? 

 

Far from it.  Turns out nearly every single product in that picture is tested on animals.  It's ridiculous!  I picked up something  from every brand they sold and I literally found one item that said it was cruelty-free. 

What I ended up with was this Yes to Blueberries age refresh cream, which set me back about $20.  I'd never heard of the brand, but it had that all-important rabbit on the back label. 

 

I've used it twice now and the wrinkle does seem less noticeable.  I certainly wouldn't consider it any kind of miracle cream, but nothing short of the French imports is likely to get such accolades.  But the blueberry scent does smell delicious :)