3 must-have cruelty-free products to making crying more comfortable (and chic)
Tips From a Young Cancer Widow Who Has Done a Lot of Crying
I have always been a crier. A great crier in fact! An expert! I can shed a tear with the best of them - at the end of a good novel, at every wedding speech, during Hallmark commercials, any time a cute animal does…well, anything. But since becoming a young widow, I have put in enough hours weeping to graduate in status from Expert Crier to Elite Crier.
But all that sobbing can be grueling - both emotionally but also on your beautiful little face. We’re not just talking puffy red eyes - we’re talking swollen, painful eyelids, chapped, blistered noses, and dry, cracked nostrils. So today I am sharing the tips and products I have found helpful in my tearful daily routine:
Must-Haves:
High-Quality Tissue: This is the most simple, but more important tip: Invest in good tissue paper. If you have some serious crying to do (be it from depression, grief, etc) one-ply bargain brands are not going to cut it. You need three-ply. You need aloe. You need (my personal favorite) soothing lotion! If you follow none of my other tips, you’ll at least be well ahead of the amatures if you invest in a high-quality tissue. (Note: As of 2023, Kleenex brand is no longer in Canada, so give Scotties or Puffs a try!)
Artificial Tears: Your eyes will quickly become irritated with intense crying, and mine would become so painful they felt like burning coals in my skull. I found artificial tears to be crucial, but most of them are not cruelty-free and are not even vegan (they contain animal fat - ew!). The A.Vogel eye drops are the only vegan and cruelty-free brand I was able to find.
Vaseline-type Balm: You need a humectant product that helps maintain a moisture barrier on your skin. This is great to layer over top of a moisturizer around your undereyes and under your nose. Vaseline is usually not made by cruelty-free companies, and some vegans object to using fossil fuel derived products. A few alternatives are the Live Clean Non-petroleum jelly, and my personal favorite, Dr. Pawpaw’s Original Balm.
Bonus Suggestions:
Nasal Spray: If you’ve been crying so long or so often that your nose is beginning to get dry inside, a nasal spray can make you a bit more comfortable, much like artificial tears for your eyes. Once again, A. Vogel dry nose relief was the only vegan and cruelty-free option I could find.
Cooling eye mask: A gel or more natural flax eye mask can work wonders for red, swollen eyes, and feels great after applying artificial tears. I keep two in the fridge, ready to go at all times.
Jade or Quartz roller: Much like the cool eye mask, a jade or rose quartz rolling tool can be kept in the fridge, and pulled out to treat puffy eyes and cheeks.
Mint roller stick: Hard sobbing can cause headaches. In addition to your Tylenol, a bit of peppermint at your temples can help relieve a throbbing head. There are lots of options, but I use Saje’s Peppermint Halo.
Navigating the journey of being an Elite Crier demands more than just a box of 2-ply! The toll of tears on your face necessitates an arsenal of products that offer comfort and relief during emotionally taxing moments. From the sanctuary of high-quality tissues with lotion to the gentle touch of vegan balms, the combination of these essentials provides a comprehensive toolkit to combat the physical toll of frequent weeping. These products not only cater to the demands of a tear-stained face but also deliver a touch of chic comfort to the ritual of shedding tears.
Happy crying, babe!
-Kassia
