Cruelty-Free Gift Guide

Hello! How has your holiday season been going so far? Per usual, the days are flying by quicker than ever. (Which is terrifying, but also supposedly normal?) Yet another reason why it's been so long since there's been a new LunaVida post. But I'm back with a 100% vegan and cruelty-free gift guide! (If you'd like to see past gift guides for even more ideas, you can check those out here.)

I wanted to post this with a bit of a disclaimer though. You may have noticed over the past few years that, while I've never been one to not re-wear the same articles of clothing (for literally years and years), this blog has really transformed over the years. That's because I really don't want to contribute to unnecessary consumerism. Our planet just can't handle our ongoing wastefulness. It simply can't. That being said, you know what would be better than any of these presents listed here? Donating to a cause that is close to your loved one's heart. Cooking a plant-based holiday meal for a neighbor in need. Spending our most valuable resource (our time) to volunteer at an animal shelter or picking up litter. Isn't that what the holiday season should be about anyway? Not Dudley Dursley-level numbers of toys that kids will break in a few hours or yet another gray sweater. (Don't get me wrong. I love a good grey sweater on Black Friday sale too, but once I learned about the environmental impact fast fashion is having on our planet, I can't in good conscious keep buying whenever a whim strikes or simply because something is a good deal.)

Trust me. I enjoy stuff as much as the next person. And I still have a long way to go in lessening my unnecessary waste and fast fashion. (Truly ethical brands are so expensive! 😓 But really, if you know of a good one that someone on a nonprofit salary can afford, please share.). But over the past couple of years, I've been trying to make a conscious effort to resist the rampant consumerism that is alive and well in our society—especially when December hits each year. If we're going to be making those holiday purchases though, let's collectively agree to at least do so as mindfully as possible, yeah? That's why today's gift guide has vegan, cruelty-free, and affordable ideas for all sorts of people in your life! (And please know that this is not me shaming anyone! I am just as guilty as the next person and can do so much better. And hey, if you have been needing something, hell yes take advantage of all the sales going on this time of year! Save that hard-earned money, honey. But many of us can certainly be more cognizant of our "spending just to spend" habits.)
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Stocking stuffers

Handheld plant milk frother I admit that I bought this with no real need for it, other than that I was trying to cut back on our weekend morning trips to the coffee shop down the street from our house. That being said, Matt and I LOVE ours. And yes, best of all, it has drastically reduced the number of coffee shop oat milk lattes we buy. We make our weekend AM cups of coffee at home so much more now!
Reusable K-Cups I am SO bummed that K-Cups are still even a thing. They are so heartbreakingly wasteful. We do have a Keurig, but we've never bought K-Cups. Instead, we buy bulk size coffee grounds of our favorite flavors and use these reusable coffee pods instead. It literally takes under 10 seconds to fill them up, so it's still super convenient and quick like a Keurig's purpose is supposed to be!
Pacifica products There are so many to choose from, but you can't go wrong with this 100% vegan and cruelty-free brand! They're a go-to for me for allllllll types of beauty products. These sheet masks or this skincare set would be fun (and actually desirable) for White Elephant.
Tarte Cosmetics Collection The mascara included in this set is by far the best I've ever used! It's so good that it's the only kind the I use. My mom and sisters are hooked too! I also love the other Tarte makeup I've used, so this seems like a solid option.
Herb garden This is such a cute idea for anyone who may not have outdoor space but wishes they could grow their own food. Plus, who doesn't love beautiful greenery in their home?
CANDY Enough said.

Gifts under $30—and that make donations on your behalf!

Dog tee - 20% of profits are donated to animal shelters!  I personally have this shirt (seen here and here) so I can vouch that it'd make an amazing present for the animal lover in your life.  (I also have this Extra Dog Mom sweatshirt and this Home With My Cat t-shirt from the same shop. Highly recommend those too!)
100% Human tank - $5 from each product in this collection sold goes to the American Civil Liberties Union. This brand is known for its transparency. They partner with only the best factories and ensure employees are paid a fair wage and work reasonable hours in a safe environment.

Socks - For each clothing item purchased, a "specially-designed donation clothing item of the same kind is donated to someone in need."  My mom told me about this company. She loves their no show socks. They are pretty pricey and, let's be honest, not everyone wants socks for a gift... but I love how they give back and had to include them!
Ethically responsible subscription box - They partner with orgs that empower disadvantaged communities and create jobs. My sister got me this for Christmas last year and then again for my 30th birthday. It's that good! The value is insane—and even better, they source only the highest quality, cruelty-free, and socially responsible brands! I've literally loved every item I've received in those boxes and found new brands I want to support.

Amazing organizations who I'm sure would love a donation from you :D

The Humane League Yes, it may seem that I'm being biased because this is the group I work for. BUT it was my favorite organization long before I was ever employed by them! THL fights to make largescale change for billions for animals on factory farms across the globe every day. I know firsthand that your gift goes on to help great work be done :)
A Well-Fed World You know what doesn't make any sense? Using meat, which uses a disturbing amount of resources, to feed those experiencing hunger. You may be like "WTF are you saying? Why?" Well, for example, more than half of the grain in the United States and nearly 40% of the entire world's grain is being fed to livestock, rather than being eaten directly by people. That is A LOT of wasted food. How about, instead, we cut out the middle part and feed healthier, more sustainable, and less cruelty-centric plants to humans? This NGO lets you donate a meal, similarly to another very famous org that has you purchase a live animal to feed a family; however, rather than killing an innocent creature, you feed an impoverished child healthier and more sustainable plant-based options!
Planned Parenthood Because access to affordable healthcare FOR ALL matters. Plain and simple.
Everytown For Gun Safety This group is helping to bring commonsense gun reform to the United States. There are 100 gun-related deaths every single day in America. That is unacceptable. We can do better. Everytown is working to make a safer world a reality by fighting gun violence.
American Civil Liberties Union This human rights organization's mission is to "defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States."
Groups in your local community Your own neighborhood may need your help! Whether it's spending time with the elderly, meals on wheels, socializing cats at your local shelter, doing a river cleanup, helping to build a barn at a nearby farm animal sanctuary, or any of the other thousands of things that need our aid, you can do so much to help the causes your loved one's care about without ever having to spend a penny. *During this time of year, a lot of these orgs probably have donors who are matching gifts, so your donations can be doubled—even tripled in some cases!*

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It's odd (and kinda hard) for me to create gift guides. That's probably because I'm just not a big "gift person" personally. It's my very last love language (Matt's too, actually), so I'm both not great at giving or receiving gifts. This is not a great trait, I know, but presents just don't cross my mind often. I'd rather someone spend their money on an issue that's dear to them or help someone they know who's actually in need rather than give me something that I don't need. I know that sounds kinda bratty, but we live in a 750 square foot home—I simply don't have the space for anything extra! (Ha, just kidding.)
Oh, one more relevant thing that came to mind for this time of year! My sister recently told me about ThredUp's Clean Out Kit. They send you a bag, you put the clothes you want to donate in it, ship it back for free, and they either sell (and give you money or you can donate it) the clothes OR responsibly recycle them for you. Isn't that amazing?! And since I imagine a lot of us will be purging our closets in the coming weeks, you can sign up right here for a free kit to be mailed to you!
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Happy holidays!

PS: Yesterday was LunaVida's seventh anniversary, which is insane! Thanks for sticking around all these years and through all the changes 🤗
PPS: And yes, I am aware how long it's been since I wrote a post on LunaVida. I apologize. I was not joking about how busy life has become in my 30s. So I'll try to be back here again as soon as I can! And as always, for more timely updates, follow along on Instagram @alliegee319 :)