Wild and Cruelty Free launches this week

Last year we interviewed Marisa Robinson, a vegan beauty / makeup blogger and content creator about all things vegan beauty. Marisa has a passion for all things cruelty-free make-up and after going vegan has focussed on curating the best on offer within the beauty market. Read the interview here.

Her latest initiative is the launch of her incredible new online store aptly named Wild & Cruelty Free. When Marisa informed us of the concept we knew we needed to find out all about this wonderful new venture of hers!

Read all about it below and be sure to go and follow W&CF on Instagram too!

Tell us why you decided to start a store, and why now?

I have been trialling and reviewing beauty products for close to 10 years and in 2018 I made the switch to Cruelty Free beauty and more recently I decided to go Vegan, not just for the products in my beauty routine but for my diet and lifestyle too.

As an animal lover and advocate I just couldn’t fathom the thought of innocent animals losing their lives for the sake of our vanity through animal cosmetics testing, which is sadly still occurring throughout the world today. When I made that switch it was quite the learning curve but I was also met with a lot of misinformation along the way. I started to wonder, if this has been confusing for me, how would it be for the average consumer and are they even aware of what is going on behind the scenes of some of their favourite beauty products? I regularly speak to women who don’t even realise that animal testing is still taking place and are often shocked to learn that the brands they use and love are tested on animals.

I have made it my mission to spread the word about switching to a Cruelty Free beauty routine through my content but I also wanted to make shopping for Vegan and Cruelty Free makeup, skincare, haircare and wellness products easier while supporting Australian brands who tread lightly on the earth and are creating a circular economy.

So Wild & Cruelty Free was born.

With an abundance of beauty products on the market, greenwashing and lists of ingredients we can’t even pronounce, I know that it can be difficult to determine which products are truly safe and ethical. I started Wild & Cruelty Free to not only make Vegan and Cruelty Free beauty products more accessible, but to help people become more aware of an industry that disguises harmful behaviour with pretty packaging. I have dedicated endless hours to researching and trailing to eliminate confusion and to help guide women on a journey towards better beauty.

What can a shopper expect to find at W&CF? 

At Wild & Cruelty Free shoppers can find a conscious collection of Australian Cruelty Free and Vegan Makeup, Skincare, Haircare and Wellness products that work harmoniously together.

Each product has been personally tried and is trusted by me and comes with a free video tutorial to help shoppers implement them effortlessly into their daily routines. The aim was never to stock every single product from every brand, but rather curate a considered capsule collection of products to simplify your beauty routine and amplify your impact.

Wild & Cruelty Free is a safe and judgement free space where we provide resources and information to help people make the switch to a Cruelty Free beauty routine.

What is your big vision for the brand? Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?

I have such huge plans for Wild & Cruelty Free! In addition to adding more tried and trusted products to the online store, I will be holding Cruelty Free Makeup Masterclasses to teach people how to make the switch to a Cruelty Free beauty routine and get the most out of their products. I want to launch pop-up shops and eventually open a physical retail space on the NSW South Coast. But in 5 years time the ultimate goal is to have multiple retail stores throughout Australia, open an Animal Sanctuary so I can continue to help animals in need and be able to proudly say that I have helped more people switch to living a cruelty free life.

You’ve tried all the products, what are you personally loving at the moment?

It’s so hard to choose a favourite because I personally love everything and use them in my daily routine, but at the moment it would have to be the Sunset Days Liquid Rays Bronzing Pigment Drops. They come in 3 shades for light, medium and deep skin tones and you simply mix a few drops in with your favourite sunscreen, moisturiser or foundation to give your skin a beautiful, golden glow. The beauty of them is that they add a subtle tint but they don’t compromise the product you are mixing them with, so by adding to sunscreen you’re still getting protection from the sun while creating safe, sun-kissed skin. 

If someone is looking to make the shift towards vegan/cruelty-free make-up what are the main things to look for? Any tips or suggestions?

I always recommend becoming familiar with the Leaping Bunny logo which can be found on the packaging of Cruelty Free products and guarantees that no animal testing has taken place in the development, production or manufacturing of the product. It also means the ingredients that make up the product haven’t been used in animal testing and that the finished product hasn’t been tested on animals too.

But being Cruelty Free doesn’t necessarily mean a product is Vegan so it is important that people become familiar with ingredients that are derived from animals or a by-product that are often included in beauty products. For example, beeswax is a derivative from bees and is known to be used in lip balms meaning those lip balms are not vegan. Lanolin is from sheep wool and can be used in moisturisers and body balms which means they are not vegan. More recently goats milk, camels milk and donkey milk is also being used in skincare, making those products not vegan friendly. We also need to be mindful of Carmine being used as the red pigment in colour cosmetics. Carmine is the result of beetles being killed and crushed to create this colour pigment – definitely not vegan.

I find that most brands who are proud to be Vegan and Cruelty Free are very transparent about this on their packaging and in their marketing. If a brand isn’t clear about their stance on veganism or if it is really hard to find this information on their website, I ask them to confirm and provide supporting evidence. If I don’t receive a clear response or if I don’t hear back I personally won’t support that brand.

By shopping at sites like Wild & Cruelty Free you can rest assured that the products you are purchasing are both Vegan and Cruelty Free.

You have a ‘give back’ program, can you tell us a little about that?

Absolutely! Everything we do at Wild & Cruelty Free is led by kindness and compassion, especially for animals. I truly believe that no animal should have to suffer for our vanity so I will be donating $1 from every order (in addition to my personal donations) to animal rescue organisations and charities who are out on the frontline being a voice for animals and protecting them from harm. Collectively we can make a difference and create a kinder, cruelty free world for all.

Dream brand you would love to work with / stock in the future?

I have my sights set on a few Australian beauty brands that I use regularly in my routine but I would absolutely love to stock Holme Beauty. Hilary has created such an incredible range of products that are kind to animals and your skin while enhancing your makeup.

Final Thoughts

Marisa, W&CF is such an inspired concept and something that conscious make-up wearers are going to love!

If you are a makeup wearer be sure to checkout the store and as always if you have a comment please leave it in the comments below.

To see more vegan beauty, visit our vegan beauty page here.

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LGV!