Wellness Wednesday (n°5): La Bonne Beauté

Bonjour, and happy Wednesday! It's been a bit, but I'm back with a Wellness Wednesday. Today's post, titled La Bonne Beauté, means good beauty. Today, I am going to be talking beauty products that feel good - in the sense of confidence, in the sense of kindness towards all living things, in the sense of kindness towards our planet, in the sense of kindness towards our bodies. A little disclaimer before we get started: I am new to this topic. While I've known about cruelty free and vegan cosmetic options, it wasn't until a few weeks ago when I was chatting with my boyfriend's sister that I really started to think about it. I'm no expert. All ideas and opinions here are mine, and I am not promoting any of these products and brands for any other reason than to discuss healthy beauty options with you. :)

If you are new to cruelty free (as I am), Cruelty Free Kitty is a great starting place. It is here that you can find answers to the questions "Why switch to cruelty free?" and "What does it really mean to purchase and use cruelty free products?" One of the biggest reasons to go cruelty free is to stand up against harmful animal testing, but there are other benefits to shopping and using cruelty free cosmetics. Here are some of the reasons I have become interested:

*Less is more. When it comes to items in my home, in my closet, in my medicine cabinet, I've been really drawn to the less is more approach. I want a beauty routine that is simple and uses high quality products that make me feel good inside and out. I want to buy fewer, higher quality items to reduce both my waste and my spending. 

*I want to take care of my body. As Cruelty Free Kitty reminds, "Our skin absorbs everything we feed it, and using lotions [and other products] full of parabens, fragrance, and harmful chemicals isn’t a healthy habit." You only get one body, one beautiful skin. It is so important to protect it. 

*I want to take care of the environment. Cruelty free brands are often natural brands too. The same harmful chemicals absorbed by our bodies are absorbed by the environment, and I know I can personally increase my role in helping the planet.

I recently subscribed to Petit Vour and am eagerly awaiting my first box. Petit Vour is a company with a standard to be la crème de la cruelty free. Petit Vour's monthly subscription boxes contain samples from different cruelty free and vegan brands. I already have the lavender body oil from Mullein and Sparrow and love it, and I'm really looking forward to trying out some products from French Girl Organics. 

In addition, I took some time to explore cruelty free options at my local Target this past weekend. Here are some of the items I picked up to try:

Thayers Witch Hazel Toner in Lavender  (Click here for my lavender products I love.)

*Several of the products listed on my past lavender post are cruelty free including the Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Liquid Soap and the J.R. Watkins Natural All Purpose Cleaner. I listed a lavender deodorant that is not cruelty free and am going to purchase Lavanila or Jason next. 

Acure Facial Cleansing Gel

Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer SPF 15

So far I am loving all of these products. Follow me on Instagram @fleurdestlouis to see what's in my first Petit Vour box and learn more about my journey with cruelty free products. 

Do you use cruelty free or vegan products? If so, what are some of your favorites? I would love to hear from you about how you are loving your body, all living things, and the planet through your beauty routine. Let me know in the comments below!

Warm and beautiful wishes from me to you,