Shop the aisles of Whole Foods and you will find nothing but products manufactured by cruelty free companies. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to shop exclusively at Whole Foods, but most of us can afford to shop at a local drugstore or discount superstore. Fortunately, you can find a number of beauty products created by cruelty-free companies at most budget-friendly stores. Others may be found online, through mail order, and at many department store cosmetics counters. Some of the most popular (and oldest) cruelty free companies include: Almay, Beauty Without Cruelty, Bonne Bell, and Clarins. These vegan and vegetarian friendly companies have been around since the late 1800s to mid-1900s.

Almay has been in business since 1931. Even back then, Almay used pure, hypoallergenic ingredients that were safe for even the most sensitive skin. Almay is the world’s first hypoallergenic cosmetics brand, and the first brand to make 100% fragrance-free products. It was also one of the first cosmetics companies to disclose all ingredients used, the first brand to perform safety testing for allergy irritation, the first brand to formulate for contact lens wearers, and the first brand to create cosmetics regimens for specific skin types. Almay does not test on animals and it uses natural ingredients such as soybean, rosehips, licorice, milk thistle (plant derived), and aloe, to name just a few. These products are safe for vegetarians and vegans alike. Almay products can be purchased online through the official website or at any beauty supply house, cosmetics retailer or drug store.

Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC) was founded in 1963 in England. The trustees of BWC Charitable Trust, an animal welfare organization, came together for a common goal – to manufacture and distribute natural, color cosmetics that were not tested on animals and products that did not contain any animal ingredients. Beauty Without Cruelty offers a full line of cruelty-free vegetarian, skin and body, and hair care products made from natural ingredients and organic aroma-therapeutic essential oils. Beauty Without Cruelty’s full line of color cosmetics reaches across all lines in order to meet the beauty needs of all women.

Beauty Without Cruelty Products may be purchased from your local natural foods retailer, and at some drug stores and vitamin shops. You can also purchase BWC products online directly from the Beauty Without Cruelty website at www.beautywithoutcruelty.com.

Bonne Bell was established in 1927. Although the company’s products are not 100% vegan, the company’s methods of obtaining lanolin and beeswax are 100% cruelty-free. Beeswax and lanolin are the only two animal by-products used by Bonne Bell. Bonne Bell stands behind its mission to deliver cruelty-free cosmetics to young girls. The company does not use animal testing, either in-house or through outside contractors, for any safety or efficacy evaluations of products. This policy works well with Bonne Bell’s development programs. Bonne Bell products can be purchased online or at any beauty supply house, cosmetics retailer, or drug store.

Clarins was established in 1954. In 1987, Clarins became the first cosmetics company to stop all product testing on animals and in 1991, the company stopped using cellular extracts of animal origin. The Clarins Group prides itself on consumer safety and the protection of both the environment and animals. As a result, since 1994, the French company has not used any ingredients of animal origin in its formulas. This move cemented Clarins’ place in history as the first cosmetics company to end the use of ingredients derived from animals. Instead of using animal ingredients, Clarins uses plants – the key component of the Clarins brand. The use of plants has benefited many animal species as well as the environment. Clarins sells cruelty-free cosmetics, face and body care products, and fragrances.

Clarins products can be purchased online through the official Clarins website at www.clarins.com, or at a number of Clarins cosmetics counters around the world. Just a few of the fine department stores currently carrying the Clarins brand include: Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, Lord and Taylor, Bloomingdales, and Nordstrom. Clarins can also be purchased at Sephora and a number of freestanding Clarins stores around the world. To search for a Clarins counter or freestanding store in your area, visit the official clarins website to search for stores by city and state.