The market for cosmetics never seems to slow down and in recent years a growing number of companies have properly embraced vegetarian and vegan cosmetics, which means there’s now a great range of products spanning everything from nail varnish to bubble bath that allow you to stick to your principles.

Writing for the Guardian, Sali Hughes recently picked out her 50 top ethical beauty buys, but noted that she could have extended the list considerably.

“It is entirely possible to maintain your principles without sacrificing either luxury or performance,” she stated.

Her full selection is too long to replicate here, but she drew attention to a range of products and brands – including NHS brand My Trusty, which has its own skincare range. Ms Hughes explained that it was developed by NHS scientists who weren’t happy with the available treatments for dry, scarred or dehydrated skin.

Another brand she highlighted was Clean Reserve, which she described as “an eco-positive perfumer”, while Barry M also got a mention for the transparency of its animal-welfare policy and its simple labelling system.

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the impact cosmetics can have on the environment, and cruelty-free products are becoming ever more popular. With more and more options out there, consumers are happy to switch to other products, which means brands that claim to be cruelty free need to be very careful.

Makeup brand Nars recently discovered how important the issue is when some of its fans called for a boycott of the brand after it decided to start selling in China. The problem arises from the fact that all cosmetic products have to be tested on animals before they can be sold in China.

So, even though the Nars products on the shelves in the UK and elsewhere in Europe are cruelty free, consumers feel the brand has stepped away from its core values and sold out.

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