The cosmetics industry is pretty vile not only in terms of exploiting animals for ingredients and testing products on but also preying on our insecurities and frailties.

But there are some companies out there that have tried to avoid causing animal and human misery.

Beauty without cruelty make vegan cosmetics, so you can be sure you are not smearing your face or lips with whale blubber or blood or hormones.

Honesty are a company that stock Beauty without cruelty products and a load of other vegan beauty stuff, all available on line and by mail order. Check out their stock of Dolma perfumes which includes vegan musk (you'll be glad to know that no deer have been deprived of their anal scent glands just to make you smell good).

Lush do have some vegan stuff but it can get annoying trying to establish what is ok and what isn't as labelling of vegan products isn't always their strongest point. But they do have a high street presence in most large cities, so are at least raising some vegan awareness. But why do they use honey and milk and beeswax when it is SO unnecessary and so cruel!!!

At this moment in time the main products I have had difficulty finding are vegan permanent hair dyes. Daniel Field (stocked by Honesty) does a great semi permanent hair dye, and henna (available in Lush and any Asian grocers) is gorgeous but not so great if you don't like turning your pillow a different colour. Or maybe my head just sweats more than normal people. In the mean time I'm trying to learn to love my graying locks.

My other bugbear is waterproof mascara. I've tried Beauty without Cruelty and Logona but still end up looking like Alice Cooper by midway through an evening. On me this isn't a good look. If you've got any suggestions I'd be most grateful. (I realise I may live to regret this last statement).

I haven't actually found anywhere locally that does vegan cosmetics, so I've usually resorted to mail order. If you know of a local secret vegan cosmetics supplier email me!