When I decided to go vegetarian, I decided I also needed to make some changes in other aspects of my life, focusing more of my attention on the kinds of brands I was purchasing products from. More specifically, I decided to switch to cruelty-free products or products that are not tested on animals.

Prior to this, I had become conscious of animal testing and had already switched some of my favorite products out for cruelty-free alternatives, but last summer I decided to finally go all in.

What I discovered I doing this was that not only does a wide range of cruelty-free products exist, but most of these products are actually better for our bodies (and better at their goals) than the big-brand bottled parabens, sulfates, and impossible-to-pronounce chemicals that are tested on animals and tend to be the first things we grab.

Going cruelty-free forced me to explore the world o natural and organic alternatives, something I had always been interested in but never actually took the time to look into. I ended up with a new skincare routine that not only causes no harm to animals but also no harm to my skin.

By this, I mean that I ended up with clearer, smoother, softer skin, just by switching to natural, cruelty-free products. Burt's Bees, for example, is one great option, as is Tarocco, a lesser known, amazing brand. When the opportunity presents itself, I love the options small businesses have to offer, for example, while vacationing in Cape May I always make it a point to stop by Bath Time, a small, all-natural and cruelty-free bath and skincare shop. Obviously, any natural, cruelty-free option is a great one, but I always think it's nice to help out small businesses.

In the way of shampoos and conditioners, I have tried quite a few cruelty-free options, ranging from all-natural products to those that are just sulfate and paraben-free. Some of my favorites thus far have been the Love Beauty and Planet products, which boast natural ingredients as well as a leaping bunny certification. I also love the Tarocco options, as these are all natural, cruelty-free, and sulfate-free, which is incredibly important as sulfates are damaging and drying. Its a 10 offers a whole range of hair care products from leave-in conditioners to heat protectants, all of which are sulfate-free and cruelty-free. Pureology is another very highly-regarded brand, and next on my list of products to try.

Makeup-wise, Physician's Formula and Winky Lux are two brands which truly offer you everything you could possibly want, and both are amazing. Covergirl also recently became cruelty-free, if natural products aren't something you care about so much. Cruelty-free, waterproof mascaras can be hard to find in the all-natural makeup world, but Covergirl and Wet n Wild have great options, neither of which test on animals.

Switching my makeup to cruelty-free opened my eyes to so many natural alternatives (such as Physician's Formula and Winky Lux, as mentioned), and my skin has never been healthier. I fully attribute this to the fact that I am now using products which do not contain all of the lab-produced, toxic crap you find in most formulas.

More cruelty-free, natural brands include Hempz (another one which will not be leaving my collection anytime soon), Simple, and Josie Maran.

All in all, going cruelty-free steered me towards products that have left me (and my hair, and my skin) healthier, and I am much happier knowing that I am no longer feeding into an industry that preys on innocent animals.