Cruelty-Free beauty and skin care subscription box

In June 2013 I became 100% cruelty-free with my diet by becoming a Vegan. Eighteen months ago it just became apparent to me that I needed to make the switch to cruelty-free skin care, hair care and beauty too. Why? I realized that if I’m being conscious of what I’m putting IN my body, I need to be equally as conscious of what I’m putting ON my body. Did you know the skin is the body’s biggest organ? Yep everything you put on your skin gets absorbed. So really it’s better to NOT use damaging chemicals. But how do you know what companies are truly cruelty-free, organic, natural? I decided to avoid the headache of research and frustration and sign up for a cruelty-free beauty box subscription service from Vegan Cuts.

Cruelty-free subscription service

Each month I get a box of goodies that are all 100% cruelty-free and vegan. Every box contains 4-7 products of mostly full size and deluxe sample size products. There are no single use sample sachets in these boxes! The products contained in the box are mostly organic and natural and contain no parabens. So if you’re looking to switch to natural products for health reasons (not just cruelty-free) then this is the box for you! No nasty chemicals here.

Vegan Cuts offers a few subscription options, so there is something for every budget. For the first year I was doing monthly, but decided recently to pay upfront for the year. Yearly is definitely the best value at just $18:50 a box. If you can afford the upfront cost, I definitely recommend it. Each box is valued around $40-$60 and has free shipping within the U.S. and you can cancel at any time. Honestly when I get my box each month, it feels  a little bit like Christmas morning. Unwrapping the gift box and discovering new goodies inside.

In the last 18 months I’ve had such a blast with my subscription. Plus I’ve found some amazing new products. I’ve been pretty lax in unboxing the monthly boxes but really want to get back into posting consistently. Spreading the word about cruelty-free lifestyle is something I’ve become very passionate about in the last 12 months. So I’ll be sharing more beauty box unboxings, plant based recipes/reviews and natural health related posts. The website will see a shift to health and fitness while following a plant based cruelty-free lifestyle but providing more value and information.

Unboxing the Vegan Cuts Beauty Box

December is always a busy month isn’t it? I admit that my box sat on the table for 2 days before I got chance to open it. Usually I rip that sucker open and start playing but like I said, I’m trying to do more content so I got my camera set up and did a video unboxing. You can see that below. If for some reason that doesn’t play you can check it out on my YouTube channel.

The December Box

This month’s box contained five products six if you count the shampoo and conditioner separately. Every box comes with a promotional card that tells you about the products, the brands and the value of each item. I like this as I can then connect with the brands via social media and tag them in posts where relevant. Plus if I like their product I’m more inclined to follow them, and be influenced to try future products with them. For example: I’d never tried Pacifica before Vegan Cuts beauty box and now I love them. I’ve also found a cruelty-free skin care company that’s 3 miles from my house that I never knew about!

Co-curated with Leaping Bunny

This month’s box was co-curated with Leaping Bunny. For those unfamiliar with Leaping Bunny, it is a program offered by the CCIC – The Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics . The CCIC are an organisation that was formed by a group of eight national animal protection groups who were tired of the confusing, misleading and frustrating labelling of “cruelty-free” products. The leaping bunny program requires products be 100% cruelty-free companies of all new animal testing. That includes the finished product and the ingredients. All companies in this month’s box are Leaping Bunny approved.

Product #1 – Eyeliner

I have a few favorite products I’ve had from previous beauty boxes and this one is going to be on that list. It’s an eyeliner pencil by Devita Skincare. Infused with jojoba oil to give your eyes a sultry look, this eyeliner can also be used as a brow enhancer. I love that the lid as a sharpener built in, and the other of the pencil has a smudge pad. The shade is “absolute obsidian”, or as I know it: black. The eyeliner has a $15 value. A staple for any cosmetics bag.

Product #2 – Moisturizer

As I’ve gotten older I really appreciate moisturizers and creams more, because my skin is drying out bigtime. Plus it’s winter. So I really liked the addition of this Day Cream by Andalou Naturals. This satin soft cream for sensitive skin contains ingredients like alpine rose stem cells, pomegranate and aloe vera. I’ve been searching for a new day cream as I’ve yet to settle on one that really seems to suit my skin. I’m really eager to try this one out as it seems very hydrating yet light on the skin. This sample size has a $6 value.

Product #3 – Nail Polish

I was happy to get this nail polish by Modish Polish as I’ve been wanting to replace an old nail polish in a similar color. incidentally the color of this Modish Polish is called “control freak”, which could not be more me! It’s a deep maroon and perfect for the winter season.Modish Polish nail lacquers are “5-free”, meaning that the entire nail lacquer line does not include formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin or camphor. All harsh chemicals known to be harmful to the wearer. I wore this polish over the Christmas week and liked it a lot. Modish Polish retails at $12 each

Product #4 – Shampoo & Conditioner

Two full size products, and one sample, and now a double whammy with a deluxe sample size Shampoo and Conditioner by Juice Beauty. Their organic Green Apple  shampoo and conditioner is high in antioxidants to help brighten, revitalize and add strength to your hair. I love these deluxe sample sizes for throwing in my gym bag, or saving for vacation/travel. Lately though I’ve been using them in my own bathroom as a hotel at home experience. Sometimes all you need a new shampoo, conditioner and body wash to feel like you’re in a hotel. The apple smell is totally invigorating and left me feeling energized post-shower. These have a combined value of $9

Product #5 -Lip Balm

Winter is coming. Sorry couldn’t resist the Game of Thrones reference. Seriously though on Christmas day we had a frost, in Southern California. Winter IS coming! For us that means cooler temperatures and gale force winds. The winds here can be awful and do real damage to skin, hair and lips. I always keep a lip balm in my bag, and one in my car.  This plum apricot lip balm by Crazy Rumors is a great great little addition to this month’s box because December’s winds have been terrible. It’s smells very fruity, and reminds me of plum pudding. I also have their cinnamon bun which is also awesome! They aren’t heavy like most lip balms, and don’t clog. Tip: I’ve also used these as hand/nail moisturizer sticks. They contain shea butter and are very moisturizing.

In all this month’s box is valued at $46 which is great value for the $18.50 I paid. I love that I can now say after 18 months that all my beauty products are cruelty-free as I’ve replaced all my old products. During that time I’ve also been made aware of things like “eyebrow shaping”, and nail wraps. Things I would never had thought to use but have enjoyed so much.

Interested in signing up?

If you’re interested in any of the products in this post I’ve included Amazon affiliate links. If you choose one beauty box as a subscription I’d definitely recommend signing up for the Vegan Cuts one. I have included affiliate links, but be assured I’ve bought all my own boxes and I only recommend products and services I personally use and love. Vegan Cuts has many subscription options so there is something for everyone. Plus if you want more they have a quarterly makeup box. If beauty isn’t your thing they also have a snack box. Any of these would make a perfect gift too!

Questions:

Are you concerned about the ingredients in your beauty and skin care products?

Favorite nail polish color?

Anyone else do home-spa days?

DISCLAIMER: This blog post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. This helps support my website and allow me to continue to make content like this. Thank you for the support!