How to create the perfect lip balm, plus 5 top cruelty free lipsticks
Beautiful, pristine, unflawed. This is the image most of the beauty market may present today, but the ugly truth is that some brands are still testing on animals.
But if you want to stick with a cruelty free beauty regime, help is at hand.
Meet. E. John – she is a former registered nurse with 39 years of experience in care. Now nearing her 60s, she has a keen talent for natural beauty remedies with her own sparkling secret for beauty.
“Natural is always the most beneficial,” says John. “During my childhood years in my native home in India, I was surrounded by nature. I used to roam around in the fields and breathe in the fresh atmosphere. I would hear monkeys in the coconut trees chattering, and during the day, I would eat tasty, fresh mangos that grew in the sunshine.”
John still applies this method of natural living to her daily life. Knowing full well the treasures of her native home, John draws her inspiration from the natural beauty of India. From homemade masks to cough remedies, she attributes her remarkable youthfulness to simply being as natural and organic as possible, using plants like aloe vera as an inspiration.
“Aloe vera can be an amazing lip moisturiser,” she says. “This is very beneficial for chapped lips. It’s safe to use aloe vera for your lips because it will condition and heal them during the cold seasons. I recommend applying just a dab to your lips daily with some coconut oil.”
Image courtesy of Colleen Mae Taylor
To go au naturel yourself, shop these hot colours for your Christmas list this season. And, best of all, they’re all cruelty free.
Top 5 cruelty free lipsticks:
1. Planet Organic serves up a quality line of completely cruelty free and vegan cosmetics. Its edible line is so healthy, you could just about eat them. Try the Antipodes Orient Bay Plum Lipstick, which is now £10.50. This moisture-boosting lipstick contains plant oils for conditioning.
2. The Body Shop, which was the first to start the movement against animal testing in 1997, has stated on its website: “Thanks to your support, we’ve gathered 8 million signatures for our campaign to end animal testing in cosmetics forever. The petition has now closed, so we’re on our way to the United Nations with all your signatures.”
For a very berry Christmas look, John is modelling The Body Shop Color Crush lipstick in Tahiti Hibiscus below.
Image courtesy of Colleen Mae Taylor
3. Bare Minerals has a beautiful collection of Gen Nude lip shades, with a whopping 40 different colours to suit you. Dark, fair and every skin tone in between, you’re bound to find your perfect match.
4. Source some Scandinavian inspiration with The Beauty Archive. These products are hand crafted in small batches from organically derived ingredients. As stated on its website: “GMO, fragrance and paraben free, the lip colours are made with mineral pigments rather than animal-derived pigments, and are blended by hand so each shade may vary slightly. Sustainable and hand crafted with your skins best in mind.”
5. Burt’s Bees is as sweet as honey and you’ll find 18 brilliant shades to fit any skin tone. As stated on its website: “Burt’s Bees does not test its products on animals nor do we ask others to do so on our behalf. You’ll see the Leaping Bunny seal on our packaging to reinforce our commitment. Please know we are absolutely committed to our no animal testing policy.”
You too can perfect your pout with a glistening look. What better way to give the gift of going natural than creating it yourself? Follow John as she shows you a few simple steps to create a rich, deep pigment to put your friends in awe this season.
Image courtesy of Colleen Mae Taylor
Start by slicing a beetroot in half.
Gently use a grater to shave off the excess beetroot. Press and squeeze into a tea sifter or other applicable sifting device.
Scoop up your Vaseline (John is using Aloe Vera Vaseline by Lip Therapy) into a giant spoon and prepare a bowl of boiling hot water. If you don’t have Vaseline at home, John recommends that you use coconut oil as a substitute.
Add 1/2 tsp of beetroot juice into your Vaseline mixture, stirring over the hot water until it is smooth and the lumps disappear. This will become a rich, creamy mixture.
Then, you can test the colour on your hand. John recommends you set and cool your balm for 1-2 hours.
Simply apply and you’re done.
For a trendy look, try the blotted lip – which makes you look almost half-done with a soft and hazy look.
Surprise your friends and family with this gift and they’ll be delighted when they discover you’ve made a natural product on your own. So don’t forget to check for that Leaping Bunny label when shopping for the ones you love. Have a cruelty free Christmas by going all natural this season.
❦
This post has been published by _shiftLondon.org, a University of the Arts London student news website which you can also view HERE
Home 
