Top ten cruelty-free toiletries

In tandem with my new eating habits, I am trying to buy animal friendly products wherever I can these days. However I have found it really difficult to find out which are "safe".

I have had to do quite a bit of research on the big brands in the UK who do or do not test and animals. And I have to say, I have been pretty shocked.

According to the website NotTested.co.uk, there are scarily few brands that are able to make this claim. Instead, it seems that it is own brand high street products that are leading the way with ethical toiletries.

Although there are lots of cosmetic companies seem to say that they don't test on animals, in actual fact, the same can't be said for their component parts.

Anyway, to try and help others where I have struggled, here is my list of top ten high street brands that don't test on animals:

1. Asda own brand
2. The Body Shop
3. Burts Bees
4. Lush
5. Morrisons own brand
6. Neals Yard
7. Superdrug own brand
8. Waitrose own brand
9. Neals Yard
10. The Sanctuary

And if you are trawling the high street yourself for animal-friendly products, the best option is to look for the PETA sign...

Diet schmiet...

Diet. The word of the month.

The word that we beat ourselves round the face with after Christmas along with "resolution" and "dry". And maybe this is why it is always associated with going without and general misery...

I for one have been in an extremely bad yo yo cycle - that old classic: Getting into shape and eating well, followed by "I'm just gonna forget being healthy for a while" and piling the pounds back on...

So this January, I have decided not to go on a diet as such, but rather to change the way I eat, change and change the things I eat. So nothing too radical then...

In April 2014 I made a decision to start eating meat again. This was a big one for me as I had been veggie for five years. However at the time I was diagnosed with anaemia and my hair had started falling out, so I was willing to try anything to sort it out!

However, for 2015 I have decided I want to go back to my veggie ways - after all, I had chosen that way of life for a reason.

This time though I am going to do things slightly differently. I am cutting out meat altogether, but will keep eating ethically-sourced fish to keep getting my protein and healthy oils. In recompense for this I am also going to try and cut down on dairy and buy more PETA approved products too.

Rather convoluted I know...

At first, I worried that this wasn't "proper vegetarianism" so it "didn't count" and to some extent I suppose I still am, but my reasoning is - at least I am doing something...I am doing what I can. Even if it doesn't fit neatly into an established category.

And without sounding over the top about it, in today's society of political apathy, I think it is better to be voting with my pound again - to be making a conscious choice about what I buy and what I put in my body.

So there you go - I will stop rambling now, but just to let you know, my blog will no doubt soon be littered with veggie recipes and other hippy shit...

You have been warned!