Shea Moisture — Product Reviews & More

As with any lifestyle change, going cruelty-free can seem overwhelming at first. A good way to tackle the problem is by starting small. So if you find yourself in spring cleaning mode over the next few weeks, why not use it as an opportunity to make your daily life more compassionate? Below, three easy starting points to begin a cruelty-free lifestyle.

#1 Your Handbag
You’ll need: Lip balm, hand cream, hand sanitizer

With springtime upon us, you may already be swapping out your winter bag for your spring one. Take this time to go through your “essentials” and swap out anything that isn’t cruelty free. Right now, I don’t go anywhere without my EO Products Peppermint & Citrus hand sanitizer, Shea Moisture Replenish & Rejuvenate hand cream and a Crazy Rumors lip balm.

Total cost of the above? $12.47

#2 Your Shower/Bathtub
You’ll need: Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial cleanser, shave lotion

Have a mess of nearly-empty shampoo and bodywash bottles in your bathroom? Go ahead and recycle those suckers and swap in some great cruelty-free items. Easy drugstore/supermarket/Target finds include brands such as:

Shea Moisture
Yes To
Giovanni
Method
Paul Mitchell
Avalon Organics
JASÖN
Kiss My Face
Alba Botanica
Burt’s Bees

Want a spa-like experience? Try a Shea Moisture hand and body scrub ($9.99)

Like to multi-task? Leave a bottle of Method Daily Shower Cleaner in Ylang Ylang. It costs $3.99 a bottle and requires zero scrubbing.

#3 Your Laundry Room
You’ll need: Detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener, bleach alternative, stain remover

A variety of companies are making cruelty-free laundry alternatives, many of which you can find in places like Target. Popular, Leaping Bunny-certified brands include:

Mrs. Meyers
Caldrea
Biokleen
Method
Seventh Generation

While I can’t deny that I love raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, I love cruelty-free beauty products even more. Below, four short write-ups of beauty essentials that I’ve recently discovered I can’t live without -- and once you try them, you won’t be able to either.

100 Percent Pure Black Tea Long Last Liquid Eyeliner,$28

A full sized bottle of this came in November’s Vegan Cuts Beauty Box and I’ve been loving it (and for $28 dollars, it was a real treat). It really is long lasting -- so long lasting, I really do have to scrub it off at night. It’s rich and thick so it takes a minute to dry, but the results are totally worth it. The price tag may not make it budget friendly for all, but trust me, this is indulgence is worth it.

Pacifica Stellar Gaze Length & Strength Mineral Mascara (in Supernova), $14

Have been loving all of Pacifica’s offerings, especially as I get familiar with their cosmetics. The brush is big and totally vegan, and easily coats lashes. However, I feel like too much mascara gets caught on the brush, so I’ve been wasting it a little -- have to learn to be less slapdash in the morning! Works like a dream, doesn’t flake or make my eyes itch, and washes off easily.

Shea Moisture Zanzibar Marine Complex Replenish & Rejuvenate Hand Cream,$5.99

Bought this at a Target in Colorado because the dry air completely dried out my hands. Man, this stuff is my new best friend. Not only does it smell awesome, but after just a couple applications that day, my hands felt markedly improved. Because it’s hand cream, it soaks in quickly. As an added bonus, it’s part of a Community Commerce initiative, meaning 10% of sales go to “women-led business, to support communities that supply ingredients for [their] products, or to support The Sofi Tucker Foundation.”

Dew Puff Konjac Sponge,$8

This came as part of my bonus gift for re-upping my Vegan Cuts subscription in December, and it rocks. Way more gentle on my skin than even my softest washcloth, and you can use it with or without cleanser. I find that that it gently exfoliates without being rough on my skin. I’ll definitely be buying more of these.