My Cruelty-Free Summer Picks!

So, is it safe to say that summer is finally upon us?! After some pretty rainy days, I feel as though we’ve finally experienced our first few breaths of summer this week. Blue Rose Baking Co has launched at the farmer’s markets, and we look forward to sticking around until fall. I plan on spending plenty of summer days out and about, enjoying the outdoors, and the markets! Meanwhile, I will never be worried about my summer regime, because I’ve found a handful of cruelty-free items that have me covered! I’m kind of in love with Polyvore now that I know how it works, so please humour me, if you will!

1. Pacifica Coconut Water Cleansing Wipes: My very favourite recent product discovery hands down!  At about $6 at the local organic market, these were an attainable treat, as I love Pacifica products and have been looking for a good makeup remover and cleanser! These cleansing wipes certainly do the job, removing even the most stubborn of brow pencil remnants, makeup, oil, and dirt from my skin! They are perfect at the end of a long day, when I’m just ready to wash my face, and go to bed. They are also very gentle on the skin, and I’ve never once had stingy eyes from them. They also smell delicious, if you weren’t sold already!

2. Alba 45 SPF Sunscreen (Lavender): Do you know how hard it is to find a decent cruelty-free sunscreen up in this?! I’ve searched high and low, and I think I’ve finally settled on this gem from Alba right now. A little pricey- but it was recently on sale at Superstore (Loblaws) in the organic section so I decided to give it a go! I have heard many rumours that there are more ~*natural*~ ways to protect your skin from the sun- everything from rubbing coconut oil all over one’s body, to eating a lot of sundered tomatoes (?!). However, I am not THAT KIND of vegan, and still appreciate the science of lotion when I know it will save my skin and tattoos from drying out. So far, this gem has done just that. PLUS, it doesn’t have that weird sunscreen smell. Just smells like delicious lavender, one of my favourite soothing scents!

3. Neuma Neurepair Argan Oil: I was recently paying my awesome hair dresser a visit, and they’ve recently brought in a new line called Neuma! This is an all vegan hair product line, and seems quite sustainable! On my visit, we used a few products, but one that really stood out for me is the neuRepair Argan Oil! I use this towards the end of my blow-dry or straightening journey to give my hair a smooth shine and reduce my blow dry time (for realsies)! Also, this has great UV protection, which is super important in the summer!

4. Tokyo Milk- Yesterday: My summer scent! On Tokyo Milk’s website, this scent is described as “the dark of evening thick with stolen memories.” SO MOODY AND POETIC GUYS. Notes of this fragrance include asuka rose, linden, ginger root, and aged wood. To me, it’s floral and sweet, deep rooted and mossy, and thick dusk air in the woods in the summer. I also love the convenient roll-on, easy-to-travel-with packaging. It makes me feel relatively elegant, even.

5. Hurraw Black Cherry Tinted Lip Balm: I’ve already rambled about Hurraw being one of my favourites ever, and making the best vegan lip balms. This little Montana company-that-could has now stolen my heart again with a gorgeous tinted lip balm that moisturizes, but also kind of tastes and looks like I’ve eaten one too many cherries out of the orchard. 

6. Lush- Feeling Younger Skin Tint: If you decide to leave the house with only one makeup product on your face, forego the concealer, foundation, or anything else, and go with this guy! I’ve finally found a creamy, luminous vegan highlighter that I love! Highlight your cheekbones, brows, collarbones, or wherever you’d like to brighten up your look! Instead of smothering makeup all over my forever-Italian dark eyes, I prefer to protect my skin with some moisturizer, and then throw on a little bit of this stuff on my nose and cheekbones, to brighten the area. I love how it catches the light and feels like I’m wearing nothing on my face!

So, there you have it friends! My six favourite cruelty-free products to use this summer! Please keep in mind that The Cozy Vegan has no affiliation with any of these companies aside from thinking they’re awesome, and these are simply my opinions (although if anyone wants to send me a lifetime’s supply of sunscreen and lip balm, I won’t be mad)! I hope that this can help some of my other pals choosing a cruelty-free lifestyle, as it’s taken a long time to find my favourites. I am looking forward to a summer of smelling good, and taking half decent care of my skin and hair! Plus drinking lots of sweet teas, slinging all the treats, and having a generally awesome time. I wish all the same for you lovelies, and hope to hear how these work for some of you! Cheers! xo