Sadly, Bath & Body Works now states that they test as required by law and I no longer consider them to be cruelty free at all. 🙁

I know that in some areas there are machines where you can “trade in” gift cards for other gift cards or cash. These are run by Coinstar and are often in the same places. Depending on your state, you may also be able to cash out the gift cards in store too. If you want to donate items with the gift cards, I would call a local shelter and ask what option is best for them.

Definitely feel for you on that second bit – where people get offended since they feel their gift is being “rejected”. What I like to do actually is do one of 1st or 3rd options. Then when a gift giving event comes along I get something from a vegan cosmetics company to give out as a gift. This is actually a really positive way to open a dialogue and open them to vegan possible products for next time (not only for gifts but for themselves as well!).

My mother in law who isn’t very veg savvy actually bought me some CF stuff for the first time because she knows all the cosmetics I give are CF/Veg!

The second option is great too, but it’s hard to bring up a topic with some people in a situation where they give you a gift, especially if you’re not that close with them. I’ve had people think I’m being pretentious or scolding them for not also being cruelty-free even if I’m really polite about it, so I use the teaching moment card sparingly. The last thing I want to do is put-off a person from the idea of going cruelty-free because they thought I was being rude or ungrateful.