Lady Bon's 5 cruelty free budget beauty must haves....

So, again, it's been an eternity since I last wrote a knew blog, but I've been a busy bee this last few months with home improvements and making all kinds of faux taxidermy goodness.
I have been continuing to update the list of cruelty free veggie/vegan cosmetics as usual though (read it here), so fear not, it is still current.

Let me start this post by stating that; you get what you pay for = a croc of shit!
We all know it's true, even when we go out and blow a chunk of our wages on that little big budget beauty buy we just can't resist, lets face it! Now, I'm not saying that there aren't some pretty pricey pieces in my make-up kit, but there is such a wealth of great products out there that'll fit even the thriftiest of budgets.
So, I though I'd throw myself back into the fray with a little review of some cosmetics goodies you want in your make-up bag that won't leave you penniless.  And, as always, all items are cruelty free and veggie friendly.

First up.....

E.LF Studio Mascara Primer £4.50

OK, I should start by admitting that I've not actually tried any other mascara primers. But when the first one you try is bangin' and a snip of a price at under 5 quid, who cares!
I have long but fine lashes which can sometimes lead to the spider legs effect. I don't like to layer my mascara as I really don't like how it feels and I am terrible for touching my face....and no one needs that much mascara rubbed in their eyes!
I got this guy a while back to give my lashes a thicker look and I must say, I am smitten! It works a treat.  I only apply one coat to the underside of my lashes, then when dry apply one coat of mascara to the top the underside of my upper lashes. I'd also only apply it to your bottom lashes if you're looking for an Aunt Sally look.
E.L.F is available online and all make-up products are vegan.

B. Flawless Complete Coverage Foundation £9.99

OK, so maybe £9.99 isn't everyones idea of a 'budget' foundation, but it sure as shit is mine! I've had some incredibly expensive foundations over the years that were mince compared to this bad boy! And this is Superdrug we're talking about here friends, so you know you'll get it on special every other week. The last time I bought it it was a FIVER!

No matter the price, this is by far one of the best foundations I've used in a long time. I wouldn't call it complete coverage, more medium, but then, I've had some foundations that were like painting your face with emulsion! It goes on just lovely and has a nice dewy finish and because it's moisturising it doesn't look dry under your eyes the way many fuller coverage foundations do. I highly recommend it.

Flawless Complete Coverage Foundation is available in Superdrug stores and online and is vegan.

Superdrug Naturally Radiant hot cloth cleanser  £5.99

I'm a big fan of this product. Mild enough to use daily but good enough to remove make-up, it's a great all rounder. It's also a dupe for the Liz Earle hot polish cleanser which a lot of us have forsaken since Liz Earle are owned by Avon, who are no longer cruelty free.

I'm not a fan of muslin cloths, I substitute them with a face cloth (which you can get from the pound shop....keep it budget, yo) as they hold the heat better and give your face a light exfoliating.

Although it's full price is £5.99 I don't think I have EVER paid that for it. At the time of writing this blog it was £2.99. 

Naturally Radiant hot cloth cleanser is available in Superdrug stores and online and is vegan.

Sleek I-Divine pallets  £7.99

I actually have bother believing that these are only 8 quid sometimes. 12 pigment packed eyeshadows in one pallet, Sleek I-Divines have to be the ultimate budget make-up. To put it in context, they are actually cheaper that one MAC eyeshadow. 

They have been massively popular and there are now umpteen pallets to choose from, with a great colour range. So if your into your natural shades and won't be using those electric blue shades any time soon (or vise versa) not to fear as the shades within the pallets are all very complimentary. 

Sleek I-Divines are available in Superdrug, Boots and Pauls Hair stores as well as online.

I-Divines are now vegan (check individual product info on other make-up for details)

City Chick Petite Pre-glued lashes - £1.59

An extreme camera phone close up of lash lover Freddy face in City Chick lashes...

I seriously LOVE these lashes. As anyone thats used them knows, false eyelashes can be a right pain in the arse! They are often so stiff they pop off the corner of your eyes, they are too long and need trimmed, which can leave them looking a bit mental, they're so long they obliterate the eye makeup you just spent the last hour doing.....you know what I mean.

Now, I'm not a fan of a pre-glued lash generally, so I usually just peel the glue strip off. Having said that, I have used them with glue band when pushed for time and they were significantly better than any other pre-glued I've tried.
I think these wee guys strike the perfect lash balance. They're soft and mould to the shape of the eye, and the band is fine enough that it blends with the lash....no need for a eye liner cover up. Being petite means that they look great on most eyes (the edge is very easy to blend in with mascara on longer eyes) and they're natural enough to enhance your look rather than overwhelm it. I've used them on brides, shoots as well as friends on a night out. I've had some pretty expensive lashed over the years and these Chity Chick lashes wipe the floor with them. Give them a try....your eyes and purse will thank you.
City Chick Petite Pre-glues lashes are available in Savers stores as well as online.

So there we have it friends, a little list of handy beauty products that all combined won't even cost you 30 quid! I hope you found it useful.

Goodbye for now. Always remember.....Lady Bon loves you.

UPDATE: Vegetarian/vegan CRUELTY FREE cosmetics list

So, another update for you, it's pretty much just a list for your reference. (updated 15th DEC '15)

This is something I think I'm gonna have to keep on top of and possibly update every few months.....hopefully I'll be adding rather than subtracting!!

You can read the first blog I did on the subject, which includes info on former cruelty free companies,  here. I will ensure that I update it too....

I like to split this list into high street and online. Although most are likely to be found on the internet its always good to know where you can pop into when you feel like treating yourself to a new lipstick!

Most links will be to the UK websites where applicable, by most either ship worldwide or have a sister .com site.

So here goes....

It's Daryl from the Walking Dead with a cat.......yas!!

ONLINE

Handy sites

Logical Harmony - This site is a really great resource. They have all kinds of useful information ranging from product reviews to a detailing typical animal derived ingredients. They have a complied a list of cruelty free companies that have vegan options. Every company on the list has been contacted directly by Logical Harmony. 
See their list  here.

My Beauty Bunny - this is a fantastic blog. Def worth a follow....even has a phone app! 

Cosmetic companies

Ajani Cosmetics - Soon to be new kids on the block, Ajani Cosmetics currently have funding page to help them get set up, hopefully by the end of April '15. They're plan is to provide us with matte lip creams full of all natural ingredients, cruelty free and vegan. Go check out their Instagram page (here's the web version http://websta.me/n/ajanicosmetics)

Arbonne Cosmetics -  Arbonne are a company specialising in botanically based cosmetics and toiletries with a bit of nutrition thrown in for good measure. Their cosmetic products contain no animal by products. If you want to buy online you need to go through their international site (http://www.arbonne.com/pws/homeoffice/tabs/home.aspx), other than that they seem to mainly be sold through 'reps', a bit like 'Avon calling' of days of yore, although I am aware that they sell through some beauty salons as well. 

Austrailis Cosmetics - Australian company that is cruelty free and they have a vegan list on their website. They offer a velour finish liquid lipstick that looks lovely. Can't find a UK based distributer just yet, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

Beauty Without Cruelty (uk) - A pioneer of cruelty free beauty since the early 80's all their products are vegan .
I have their foundations (it's pretty good, by the way) and their mascara is the next best one to the B lengthening mascara that I've used in recent times.

Concrete Minerals - All Vegan make-up specialising in vibrant eye shades. 

E.L.F - E.LF have gained iconic status over the last 10 years for their wide range of budget cosmetics. Their lash primer is a favourite of mine. All E.L.F cosmetics are now vegan, although they do have a couple of animal hair brushes.

Gabriel Cosmetics Inc - US All cruelly free and vegan cosmetics company.

Honesty Cosmetics (uk) - Another good all rounder site. Everything on here is vegan and products range from make-up and skin care to hair products and sun care. Well worth checking out.

Honeybee Gardens - Worth checking out for the name alone! They're all about being natural and recycling and use all organic ingredients and they're very reasonably priced. Most (i'm not sure if all) products are vegetarian and most of them are vegan. Check the ingredients panel for details.
UK stockists include Amazon and Henna Herbals.

Inika - All vegan make-up and skin care. One of the companies included in Birch Boxes.

Insomnia Cosmetics - Another Etsy brand. Not tried these guys, but they have a great range of lip colours and fairly reasonably priced.

Jeffree Star Cosmetics - Drag extraordinaire Jeffree Star has started his own product range. So far we have a range of velour liquid lipstick, but I'm sure there will be more to come.
All cruelty free and vegan. UK wise it can be found on Love Make-up

Makeup Geek - Seeing this company all over Instagram just now. Most of their products are vegan so they have a list of these that are not. See it here.
Cant find a UK supplier yet, but they have a wee video link on their Facebook page concerning international orders.

Manic Panic (uk site link)-The original iconic cosmetics of the alt scene. I emailed them to double check that their full range is still vegan as I couldn't see anything about it on the website and got the following response.
'Hello, Yes, the entire Manic Panic range is Vegan, and also PPD Free. Kind Regards Sian Austin'

Melt Cosmetics - Another one slightly on the pricier side, but my friend has some of the eyeshadows and raved about them. All cruelty free and vegan items are marked on their websites listings.

UK supplier here.

OCC Obsessive Compulsive - All vegan make-up. These guys have become icons in the beauty world thanks to their lip tars and airbrush foundations. UK stockists are Cocktail Cosmetics.

Paula's Choice skin care - The aforementioned Paula is a cosmetics critic who started her won range of beauty products, make-up included, most of it is vegan. She has a UK site, but (confusingly) the list of NON-vegan products is on her .com. Many of the non-vegan products are veggie friendly. Read this list here

Pretty Zombie Cosmetics - All vegan company that specialise in liquid lipsticks....and not in your average colours. The can be bought straight from their site.

Sarah Hill Cosmetics - Sarah Hill is a Glasgow based makeup artist who has turned her hand to creating her own line of cosmetics. Everything is vegan with the exception of the eye liners (which are veggie). Have heard so many good things about her line, really looking forward to trying some.

Sugarpill Cosmetics - All cruelty free make-up with a vegan section on their website. UK stockists are Cocktail Cosmetics. 

Tarte Cosmetics - All cruelty free make-up with a vegan collection.

The All Natural Face - Handmade make-up to be found on Etsy. There are many handmade vegan makeup options to be found on Etsy, but this seems to be one of the bugger ones....& i'm dying to try their eye shadow primer...

Wet'n'wild cosmetics - Budget, all cruelty free make-up brand with vegan options. There is a list of their vegan products on their FAQ They can often be found in UK stores such as B&M & the even the pound shop!

White Rabbit Cosmetics - Eyeshadows handmade by an American lass in Glasgow, the full range  is cruelty free and many are vegan. See product descriptions for details.

Sites with whole vegan sections

Cocktail Cosmetics  (uk) - This is a website which only stocks cruelty free products. Even better than that it has a whole section dedicated to vegan products.  It's fantastic. 

Brands included -  100% Pure Cosmetics,  Bdellium tools,  Cozzette Brushes,  Everyday minerals,  Illuminare Cosmetics,  Lily Lolo,  Lime Crime,  Neve Cosmetics ,  OCC Obsessive Compulsive,  Real Techniques,  Rosebud Company,  Sugarpill Cosmetics,  Yaby Cosmetics,  Eco Tools,  EOS,  Konjac Sponges

        Do as the bunny says!

Its worth noting that often, when looking online, when a company has a UK site that the lists of vegan/veggie suitability can actually be found on their .com or US sites. It's always worth having a look.

On the high street

Now, like I said, most of these companies can also be found online and usually that is where they're full range of products is to be found.

'B' by Superdrug - Most of Superdrug's own brand products are suitable for veggies and vegans (see individual products for details). B is a skincare and make-up range and I think almost of, if not all, of the make-up is vegan. 

They're Full Coverage Foundation and B All mascara are fabulous!Needless to say, B can be found in Superdrug.

Barbra Daly for Tesco - Tesco aren't the easiest to make contact with, so you can imagine my delight when I came across My Kind of Beautiful blog and find that she had done just that & provided a list of Barbra Daly make-up that's vegan! (see it here). I highly recommend the moisturising foundation.

Barry M-  All products are veggie friendly and their vegan products are marked as such in the individual product ingredients on their website.

Barry M can be found in both Superdrug and Boots.

Body Collection makeup - Another budget beauty. This one is a bit harder to find on the high street as it seems to pop up randomly, usually in sets at Christmas. I've seen it in Debenhams before during the festive season as well as B&M and pound shops. It's not bad quality either, especially when you consider its price, so if you come across it it's definitely worth checking out. A list of their products which are NOT suitable for vegetarians/vegans can be found on Love Thy Make-up, read it here. Body Collection can also be bought from this site.

(Thanks to Silly Sarah for bring this to my attention). 

Butter London - Most know Butter London for their nail products. They are cruelty free and have a long list of vegan products. Admittedly most of their make-up can be found online, but their makeup is creeping in there and lip glosses are on the stands with the nail lacquer. 
Having said that, it is worth noting that the were using the Leaping Bunny logo without permission back in 2013!! How rude. See blogger Hotashi's post on it here. (Credit -  Je Taime by Hotashi).
Having said that, hopefully this is something Butter London will look to remedy by getting actual certification! 
The Plastic Diaries contacted them for a list of their vegan products (2014).
Butter London can be found in larger BOOTS stores.

Collection - Formally known as Collection 2000, this make-up has been a budget beauty favourite for many of us since our teen years. Good news is they now have a list on their website of items suitable for vegans and/or vegetarians! Find it here . (Thanks to Silly Sarah for bring this to my attention).

Collection make-up can be found in Superdrug stores.

GOSH - GOSH make-up is cruelty free and much of it is vegan. List here (credit: mykindofbeautiful.org)

GOSH can be found in most Superdrug stores

Illamasqua - Illamasqua have a good range of vegan products, they were kind enough to send me a list of their non-vegan make-up which was only 13 items long. They asked I don't print the list for legal reasons. However beauty blogger got a response from them detailing some products (link here) & My Kind of Beautiful has another (link here).

I have seen on Peta2 that they are in the process of compiling a list of their vegan products (ref - PETA 2 here)

Illamasqua can be found in Debenhams stores.

Lush - All their make-up vegan. Their Emotional Brilliance loose powder is great. 

All of their products are veggie and vegan items are clearly marked.

Lush stores can be found on most city centres as well as online

Make-up Gallery - Firstly, this make-up lives in Poundland! How good is that?! This brand received a lot of attention when it launched for offering good quality products for incredibly low price. It is cruelty free & the Vegan Womble has a list on their blog listing vegetarian/vegan options. Read it here. (Thanks to Silly Sarah for making me aware of this).

Make-up Gallery is available in most Poundland stores.

Miss Vegaloucious - If you're lucky enough to live in Glasgow you should def check this place out. If not, don't worry as they're now online!! (link here). They only sell veggie friendly make-up and most of it is vegan. Lots of different brands, some of which I'm unfamiliar with, but the ones I do know are impossible to get anywhere else in store. They have Yaby, OCC Liptars and Sugar Pill!! Not to mention a range of beautiful Bedellum brushes.
They are also working on their own brand products, I recently got a black eyeshadow and it's pretty fantastic.....

Models Own - Models Own used to be a staple of most BOOTS stores, but they do seem to be vanishing, bar the cosmetics tools and brushes. However, they do have other stockists dotted around the UK. 
All their products except lipsticks were once vegan (see), but this is no longer the case. They are good enough to mark their vegan products in their ingredients section. See it here.

Sleek - Sleek now mark which of their products are vegan and vegetarian in the ingredients section. The I-Devines are veggie (sorry vegans) and pack a whole to of pigment in them. And at 8 quid a pallet they're well worth a try.

Sleek can be found in Superdrug and some branches of Paul's Hair.

Too Faced - Too Faced products are all cruelty free and they have a vegan list in the FAQ section of their webite, read it here. 

Technic makeup - Almost the same as Body Collection, they seem to appear in stores randomly, especially at Christmas. Again Love Thy Make-up have a list of their products NOT suitable for vegetarians/vegans. Read it here.
Again, their products can be bought on this site.

Whole Foods Market - Whole Foods supermarkets are dotted all over the country, the Glasgow store is to be found in Giffnock. They have a small make-up but I don't know if they vary from store to store. They definitely have vegan approved make-up but it is pretty pricey Each brand marks it's products accordingly. 

It's not just rabbits that get fucked over....

Well, it's still a pretty big list, especially when you consider all the brands within Cocktail Cosmetics.

As always, if you see anything here that you think may be incorrect or any companies you think should be added, please LET ME KNOW!

Lets all work towards ending the bunny (and all the other animals) torture.

Sorry to end on a bum note, but I thought it best to add this to the blog

ONES TO LOOK OUT FOR

So this may be a bit of a downer to end a blog that has such a large list of great ethical companies, but i felt it important to add, as there are still A LOT of misconceptions out there.

Lime Crime - Lets start with a controversial one, why not!
Lime Crime are ever expanding and the have a lot of loyal fans, not least of all due to their Velvatine lip colours. They have claimed to be cruelty free and marked their products vegan for a long time,  they can even be found in the vegan section of Cocktail Cosmetics (although this will soon cease to be the case as they have pulled distribution and will only be able to be bought direct from their own site). But there is SOOOOO MUCH information now out there saying Lime Crime is are indeed NOT vegan as well as alluding to all sorts of shady shenanigans. Claims that they have bought cosmetics wholesale and simply changed the packaging, claims that they have threatened to sue bloggers for simply giving their products a bad review, claims that they're ripping off other brands....the list continues. 
There is some pretty nasty and personal stuff out there, most of it targeted directly at Lime Crime founder Xenia (aka Doe Deere) and quite unnecessary. However one blog which I believe to be reliable on this matter is Oh Dear Doe Deere. The writer of this, Nicola, has done her research!! This is one gal who knows whats she's taking about and strives to information unlike some of the other sites I've seen on the matter.


Urban Decay - Urban Decay were once champions of the cruelty free and, bar one hick-up with the Vegan Eye Pallet, were much loved by followers of cruelty free. They had good products in a great range of colours and vegan items were clearly marked. Unfortunately in 2012 they were bought over by notorious animal testers L'Oreal. L'Oreal then decided to take them into China where animal testing is compulsory, carried out by the Chinese government. After a rather fierce consumer backlash they then turned on their heels and announced that they would no longer be entering the Chinese market.
While that is great news, they are still owned by animal testing giant L'Oreal. There are two schools of though on weather to still buy from companies like Urban Decay; those who feel that by purchasing their products that they are sending a message to companies like L'Oreal that they should change their ways as consumers want to shop 'cruelty free' and will not purchase from the mother company. And then there are those who will now consider Urban Decay to no longer be cruelty free until L'Oreal, and all companies under their umbrella, change their ways. I am of the latter, I want no part of them, regardless of their retaining their PETA and Leaping Bunny symbols.

Body Shop - This one breaks my heart. Again, pioneers of cruelty free (with all products vegetarian) and sending out the ethical message well before it was 'trendy', they were bought over by L'Oreal in 2006. They have never tried to take then into China, but other than that the above information applies.

Liz Earle - Almost the same again. All vegetarian products and they have maintained their Leaping Bunny status, but are owned by Avon. Avon are another one who denounced their cruelty free ways and decided China was the way to go (although they have not taken Liz Earle with them).


Thanks for reading. 
And always remember...Lady Bon loves you... 
http://www.tattybon.com

Product review - LUSH Mask of Magnaminty face mask

Hay, hay. So another day, another cruelty free/veggie product review.

This time I'm focusing on the face with a wee sneaky face mask.

I'm not fond of my skin at all. Combination skin is a pain as you often feel like you get the worst of both worlds. Recently my skin was feeling kinda congested. My pores were clogged, the dryness on my cheeks didn't seem to want to budge, even with a micro dermabrasion wash, leaving it looking pretty dull. I was having none of it, so I popped down to Lush.

When I was in there a few weeks back I was talking to one of the lovely ladies who work there (who had some rather fabulous green rimmed glasses, by the way) & was having a whinge about my skin. She sat me down and had a chat to me about a couple of products she thought might help. She really knew her shit. One of said products was the Mask of Magnaminty. She gave me a wee sample and a couple of weeks later I was right back in there buying the biggest tub I could get my hands on!

I know a lot of people who didn't like going into Buchanan St Lush in Glasgow. The smell in there was pretty over whelming, you could smell it on your clothes when you left and it's not somewhere you'd want to spend a lot of time if you're prone to sore heads. However, a few months back they moved the store to new premises right across the road and, I have to say, I think any issues former Lush haters may have had are a thing of the past. The new Buchanan St branch is all on one level, looks great, the layout makes it much easier to shop and they must have some shit hot ventilation because the old over whelming smell problem is a thing of the past. It still has the smell of a hundred and one bath bombs (it just wouldn't be Lush without it), but I doubt it'd irritate even the most delicate snoze.

Mask of Magnaminty, as the name suggests, is a face mask for troubled skin containing peppermint oil. It smells pretty great. As with all Lush products it's Vegetarian Society approved, but contains honey so not one for the vegans. It smooths on the face (& back and chest if you so wish) really easily, you leave it for five to ten minutes then rinse it off with lukewarm water.....& boy, what a difference it makes!!

It feels nice on, doesn't dry so hard it hurts your face, and has ground evening primrose seeds and aduki beans when you rinse it off it lightly exfoliates. My skin felt GREAT when I rinsed it off and moisturised. It was brighter, the areas of dryness felt soothed, not tight or sore, my pores were reduced and much, much cleaner. I really chuffed I was recommend this product.

Prince point wise it's £9.25 for 315g (which is what I got) or there is a smaller tub of 125g for £5.25.  I know a few folk might see that as pricey, but it's pretty poplar (it was actually the first thing I saw when I logged onto the Lush website), & I got the last one in the shop when I was in. You get a lot of product for your coin, it goes a long way and, most importantly, it works. So I for one won't quibble on the price of this one. If you're not sure about it you can always pop into your nearest store and ask for a sample....that's the beauty of Lush!

So if your face is feeling a bit beluch, get on it......

Thanks for reading and always remember.....Lady bon loves you...

http://www.tattybon.com

Cruelty free noggin......vegan/vegetarian hair care

Ok, firstly, prepare yourself, cos this is a long one...you may want to go have a cup of tea half way through.

So, it's came to my attention that I've been banging on about cruelty free make-up so much I've neglected all the other products us ladies are so fond of! So where better to correct this than with HAIR!

I have a bit of a 'thing' for shampoo (along with foundation & mascaras it's my cosmetic obsession). I have fine hair and lots of it, this means that A LOT of products are too heavy for my hair and it tends to look oily and lackluster very quickly as a result, often leaving me with dull lifeless hair more often than not. So, needless to say, I have gone through a fuck tone trying to find shampoos etc that I like....your gonna hear me whinge a lot about my hair in this post I'm afraid.

So I have compiled a list of hair products and brands, most of which I've used, that may be of help to the discerning lover of cruelty free, vegan/vegi to boot, hair care products! 

Lets start at the very beginning....a very good place to start.

Shampoo & conditioner

Superdrug

Ah, good ol' Superdrug, I do love you.

See, the wonderful thing about Superdrug is that almost all of their own buy products are vegan and/or vegetarian, marked clearly on the back of their packaging.... & it is very light on the wallet! 

They have 2 shampoos that are among my favorites, their Extracts cherry and fig shampoo & conditioner & their Pro Vitamin full volume shampoo. I found both of these great for my fine hair and got a full day before my hair started to look oily. The fig and cherry smells amazing, so if you don't like it, you can always use the shampoo as a body wash. 

As for the Pro Vitamin volumising, I don't think I've ever been given so many 'oh my god, your hair is so shiney' compliments in all my days as when I use it! Which is lovely. Now, granted, I do have dyed black hair, so it is likely to have a bit of shine, but still.....

I'm also a fan of their dry shampoo. Not only is it cheap with a range of fragrances and colours but it's good stuff too.

Oh Superdrug, your hallowed aisles are like a cruelty free, budget wonderland.

Lush

Again, you can't go wrong with Lush. Most of their products are vegan and all are vegetarian.

I'm currently using one of their shampoo bars. Granted their price point is a good deal higher than Superdrug, but in fairness their stuff does last a good long while. Their hair care is also free from any nasties such as silicones, parabens and sulfates, and as a lot of folks find these very irritating it's good to know you can get cosmetics free from these all in one place.

The shampoo bar I'm using is a sea salt affair for hair that gets oily quickly called Seanik. This is the second time I've bought it and I can get a full day out of my hair, so I like it. The only pain in the arse is trying to get that wee bloody tin I got for it open with wet hands!!

Co-op

Co-op is another you just can't go wrong with if you're a fan of cruelty free. Much like the Superdrug they're Leaping Bunny approved and very few of their own buy products have contain animal byproducts and it's clearly marked on their packaging.

I don't think I've used their hair care yet (I've used so many my brain sometimes turns to mush), but they do have a tea tree shampoo, and as tea tree is good for fine hair that gets oily quickly, I'll def be giving it a bash at some point. Price point wise you can expect to pay just over £1 for shampoo and the same again for conditioner, which is pretty damn reasonable.   

Having at least 3 shampoos at any one given time? Yes, I'm aware I'm mental

Asda

I've read a lot of bitching on forums about Asda products along the lines of  'it said it was vegan, but when I read the ingredients it had beeswax in. OMG, sob, sob'. Now, this is because Asda DO NOT mark their products vegan, they mark them vegetarian. To be fair vegans, that has knocked most of the negative ingredients off the list, so it shouldn't be too hard to work out the ones that actually are vegan.

Price point wise, Adsa has 'V' marked shampoos and conditioners from as little as 22p, so if you're on a tight budget or have a family, these are the guys for you. Some of the bottles are MASSIVE as well. 

I have used Asda hair care, but found it a little too heavy for my fine, limp hair, although I have only tried one shampoo and one conditioner so far.

Holland and Barrett

Holland and Barrett, your local friendly health shop chain, has a whole host of cruelty free cosmetic products. I think a lot of people don't realise this as they think of it as a health 'food' store. They carry the Dr.organic range which is vegan and free from sulphates, parabens and artificial colours, so another good one for those with sensitive scalps. The price point is just below 6 bucks each for a shampoo & conditioner, but Holland and Barrett often do buy one get one half price and penny sales, so you can still get a bargain.

I've used the Dr.organic rose otto volumising shampoo and conditioner. This was maybe a wee bit too heavy for my hair, but not too bad. Again, as it smells of amazing rosey goodness, so if you don't like it as a shampoo you can use it as a body wash!

Wholefoods

Wholefoods is another chain of stores that offers a range of cruelty free cosmetics and toiletries. They have the likes of Weleda who are cruelty free and offer a lot of vegan and vegetarian options and everything they do is free of any nasty chemicals so, again, another good one for you sensitive types.

I haven't used any of the toiletries from Wholefoods as yet (& there's way more besides Weleda), but know folk who use Weleda skin care and love it.

Price wise....well, Wholefoods ain't cheap I'm afraid.

Daniel Field

Daniel Field has been cutting about for years and has always offered cruelty free, vegan hair care...bravo sir!

He was a hairdresser with a chemistry background (weird, right?) who decided to make his own hair friendly range. 

I used his shampoo many, many years ago, so can't really make any fair comment on it. It used to be available in Boots, but I can only see it online just now.

Ion

Ion is another of my favorites. It's available in Sally (Salon Services) as it's a 'professional' product. I used their Vitalising Thickening shampoo and not only did I get a full day of  fresh, clean hair from it, but boy, did it give my hair volume! I think it's wise to use a conditioner each time you wash with this one though.

For some reason you it only tells you what's vegan (which is most of it) on Sally's US site. It's in the box below each product description in the 'more details' section.

As a 'professional' product they price point is a it higher, but on a par with Lush. Luckily there are Sally stores everywhere, but you may only find this in the larger stores.

Tara Smith.

Tara Smith is another brand I used years and years ago when it was available in Tesco. I think it I found the shampoo I used a wee bit too heavy for my shitty fine hair, but it'd be unfair to say that with any certainty. The packaging has changed a lot since then and it looks fucking awesome! 

It's another organic, free from nasties hair care range and, lets face it, Tara Smith seems just lovely!

Marks and Spencer (who are Leaping Bunny approved, by the way) now sell a plethora of Tara Smith products!

Price wise, again, it's similar to Lush.  

Styling

OK, this is pretty much the same as what you see above. All of those brands also offer styling products. 

Superdrug have a fair few own brand ranges, all with different names, so keep a keen eye out when you peruse their shelves. I use a heat styling cream and volumizing dry shampoo from their 'This One' range and they're just dandy....& watch out for those special offers too.

Osmo

Osmo are another 'professional' hair brand to be found in Sally. They're cruelty free and I found on the lovely 'Vegan Beauty Blog' a list of their products that ARE NOT vegan...and it's a pretty short list HERE

Hair colour

Superdrug

My hair is currently black. Now, when I die my hair black I want it as dark as it can be, blackety, black, black. Think of that scene in Father Ted where Ted's describing how preist socks are the blackest of black...well thats how black I want my hair!! 

For a while now I've been using Superdrugs Vibrance Darkest Black 2 and I fucking love it!! It's also pretty cheap and, as you'd expect with Superdrug own buy, and sometimes on special offer.

They offer a few different ranges of colourants, including a 24 washes one, but watch out vegans, as some of them have beeswax and are only vegetarian.

Smart Beauty

This brand is a wee hidden gem, so it is. They have a fantastic range of hair colour products all cruelty free and vegan. 

Now, apart from black my other 'signature' colour is a deep bright red. Whenever I decide it's time for red locks I reach for Smart Beauty. They have fucking coloured bleach!! How good is that?!! Now, like I say, I like a deep, rich red in my hair, so I still use a crazy colour over the top, but what a difference that coloured bleach makes. I remember when I went to the 2007 IMATS in London, the hard water there actually stripper all of the temp colour from my hair & you could really see the difference between the lower sections of hair I did with standard bleach and the hair with the Smart Beauty red stuff.

They offer both permanent and non hair colours ranging from bright as fuck unnatural affairs (think bright red, pink, blue...) to more natural shades. Highlights, bleach, ombre, full head permanent dyes and crazy colours and pastels semis...what more could you want? 

I put a wee blonde streak at the front of my hair and use their Silver Moon pastel dye over it and it's super white. 

You can buy some of their range in Superdrug and, even better, Saver stores! The rest is available online. They're also really cheap, with the most I've ever paid being £5, & they last for ages. I love them! I highly recommend Smart Beauty dies, they're fantastic.

My wee white stripe and current haul of Smart Beauty products.

Directions

With the rise of super trendy brands like Bleach London it's easy to forget the classics. And if ever there was a classic it's Directions hair dyes.

Cruelty free and vegan, Directions was the first dye I used back in the mid-90's. I've heard it slagged rotten over the years, but I always found it to be a good friend. It has a thorough range of semi-permanent crazy colour hair dyes, I have used many of them, the most common being the trusty ol' Pillarbox Red...I loves it.

Again, it's as cheap as chips at around £3 a tub which lasts ages. You'll normally find it in your local friendly goth store as well as online.

Manic Panic

Another classic. Tish and Snooky's Manic Panic is a brand that harks back to the 80's, offering all manner or rainbow coloured cosmetics when they were a bit of a rarity for a long time. They have always been cruelty free and vegetarian, although the whole brand is now vegan. It was a bit of a bitch to get hold of over the years, coming and going from the goth shops but, when I could, I used their Vampire Red dye. It's a damn sight more expensive than Directions, but comes in a larger tub and lasts ages.....but it's a bitch to get off the bathroom tiles!!

It's available online through the likes Ebay and Amazon and now in Glasgow through Lady Bon's favorite Miss Vegalusious.

Directions and Manic Panic. Don't ignore the classics...

Daniel Field

As before, I don't think there's any shops stocking this just now, but the dyes are available online. There colour range is all natural shades, so a good one to try if you're not into super bright hair or if you're only looking to cover greys.

Price wise you're looking at £6.99, which is no bad.

Holland and Barrett

As mentioned before, Holland and Barrett is home to quite a range of cruelty free toiletries. Among them is Naturtint Hair Colour. Now, so far, I haven't used this brand, but it does offer a vegan friendly colour range that is also free from all the nasties that those with sensitive scalps try to avoid....and with hair dye, that's pretty hard! All that and it's eco-friendly.

At £9.99 it's certainly pricier than the others, but it's a godsend if you have sensitive skin and want to dye your hair, so a tenner ain't to bad, eh?

Naturtint and Daniel Field; hair dyes for sensible people?

Now, if you made it to the end of all that, you deserve to see a really bad video of the really funny Father Ted black sock chat...

Thank you for reading. And always remember....Lady Bon loves you...http://www.tattybon.com