Nitpicky Question for Vegans

J

Jcrew3082

Cathlete
Hi everyone,

I'd like to buy some new makeup brushes, and I see very few that are labeled vegan. Some brushes, such as those for concealer, are great in synthetics, but I couldn't imagine say a synthetic powder brush working well. I know brushes use animal hair, and I'm wondering if animals are harmed to gather that hair. And, if they are not harmed, is it still sort of against veganism to use them?

Thanks for any responses!
Gina
 
The hair is probably taken from dead animals rendered for meat and other products.

I am not a vegan, but an omnivore. Does vegan only refer to what you eat?

Susan L.G.
 
Veganism is as much of an ethical philosophy as a way of eating. Due to the animal suffering and environmental impact of animal exploitative activities, vegans avoid all animal-products. This includes cosmetics with animal ingredients, foods obviously, leather and silk and wool. Gelatin capsules. Everything like that.
 
There are some very nice vegan-friendly make-up brushes available from www.gardenbotanika.com . www.veganstore.com and www.veganessentials.com may also carry some. I'm not much of a make-up maven, but I have a couple of synthetic powder brushes and they seem to work fine.

If something is made from animals or their "parts", I always assume that some harm was done to them, unless otherwise informed. Ie: wool could possibly be shorn in a humane way, but often wool is what is called "pulled wool," gathered from the skins of animals slaughtered for other reasons.
 
Hi Mogambo,

Thanks for replying! I need to read up a little bit about gelatin. I knew about Jello Gelatin, but it didn't occur to me that gel capsules are in that category.

Thanks!
Gina
 
Hi Kathryn,

Thanks for answering. I'll check out those sites. It's only been a year or so since I've become so conscious of environmentally friendly and animal-free products. I suppose I'm somewhere between vegetarian and vegan, because I still eat cheese, but otherwise, my lifestyle would be considered vegan. I think I have a lot more to learn, though. Even with the best intentions, it's easy to purchase products that you'd never imagine contain anything animal-related. Do you happen to know of any good books? Most that I come across are more about vegan recipes than practices.

Thanks!
Gina

Edited to say that I just visited Garden Botanika. The brushes appear to be very well made. Thanks for the reference!
 
Wow - it sounds like a very ascetic lifestyle. Cheers to anyone who has that kind of discipline.

I guess horseback riding, my absolute love, would not go long with the vegan lifestyle? Do vegans allow themselves to have pets? If you do, are your carnivore pets like cats allowed to eat meat?

Not trying to start and argument, just trying to cure my ignorance. ;)

Susan L.G.
 
Hi Susan,

I adore animals! It's certainly not against veganism to have a pet. Having a pet is a privilege and a responsibility, as I'm sure you know, and horseback riding, in my opinion, is just fine. Of course it is partially for your enjoyment, but you are also bonding with the animal, giving him some exercise, maybe a treat or two lol, and usually there is no inhumane behavior going on.

I have a dog, and he eats meat. He particularly loves chicken & turkey, and when I make him dinner, I feel horrible. He is almost 6 now, though, and since he is the family dog, it's not up to me to change his diet. I would love for him to at least cut down on the meat, but I even have trouble trying to get my mom to stop feeding him hot dogs (no offense to anyone who likes hot dogs :)).

Hope that clarifies a bit!
Gina
 
Even with
>the best intentions, it's easy to purchase products that you'd
>never imagine contain anything animal-related. Do you happen
>to know of any good books? Most that I come across are more
>about vegan recipes than practices.
>
>Thanks!
>Gina
>
Hi, Gina!
An excellent book on veganism is "Becoming Vegan" (I don't remember the authors, and a friend of mine has my copy). Lots of info on what is and isn't vegan, and on other vegan sources. I'm pretty sure you can get it at www.veganstore.com or www.veganessentials.com .

I just found another source of vegan brushes: www.eccobella.com . They also sell a marvelously yummy smelling "vanilla hazelnut" room spray.
 
>Wow - it sounds like a very ascetic lifestyle. Cheers to
>anyone who has that kind of discipline.

It does seem ascetic if you feel that the average American lifestyle is something to aspire to, along with the traditional American way of eating. It is challenging at times, to be sure, but I find it very rewarding.

I find that it's much easier to avoid things that I am avoiding for moral reasons than to avoid things (junk food, for example) that I try to eschew for health reasons.

>I guess horseback riding, my absolute love, would not go long
>with the vegan lifestyle?

Some vegans would say "yes," some would say "no." We don't necessarily agree on everything. And veganism is rather more a continual striving towards a goal than being 100% perfect at all times.

Do vegans allow themselves to have pets? If you do, are your carnivore pets like cats allowed to eat meat?

Again, we don't all agree. Some vegans have pets, and some of them feed them vegan food (easier with dogs than cats), while others feed them regular pet food. I have 3 cats, and I sometimes find it difficult to reconcile having pets who eat cat food with my veganism. But they are my family and I love them. I like living with other species, and I just happen to feel a real connection to felines, though they are carnivores. I would try to convert them to a vegan diet (there are a few vegan pet food companies) if I didn't have to deal with my older diabetic cat (who would be very resistant to the change, and might not take it very well medically). Since one guiding idea behind veganism is to do the least harm, in once sense I'm not, because I'm keeping carniverous pets, but in another sense I am, because while they are carnvores and eat meat, I choose to not do so, and I am pretty much 100% on that.

If you want some good info on veganism (just to satisfy your curiosity), visit the site www.veganoutreach.org (I think it's org, but it might be com because they also sell literature) which has lots of info, incluiding an on-line version of a pamphlet called "Why vegan?"
 
Gina -

Thanks for the kind reply although please don't feel bad feeding your dog meat - after all - that's how he was made, it's not like he has the choices we do (or the moral dilemmas - LOL!). If he were on his own, unfortunately for us he'd rather be raiding the hen house than the corn field, no?


Cheers -

Susan L.G.
 
Kathyrn -

I just saw your post after answering Gina's post.. Thanks again for the positive-spirited response, and for not taking my post as an attack (which it wasn't meant to be).

I will be sure to check out the link.

Thanks again for the info!

Susan L.G.
 
Hi Kathryn,

Thanks for the Eco Bella suggestion- I've seen that brand at Whole Foods. I agree that at least for me, it is much much easier to avoid foods for moral reasons.

You're right that veganism is about doing the least harm. Like everything else, I believe it's also about doing the best you can. Some circumstances may prevent us from living a fully vegan lifestyle, but we do what we can, and that's what is important :)

Thanks!
Gina
 
Hi Susan,

We joke about Mikey often because many of his behaviors seem so human. We certainly helped him adapt to a human lifestyle comfortably- sleeping on the bed with his blanky lol. He is very gentle, and we often jokingly call him "wilderness boy" when he explores jungle-ish areas at the park or say "Oh, Mikey, you sound like a wolf" when he howls at the fire trucks. I can't imagine him living without humans and having to get his own food. I'm glad he doesn't have to :)

Gina
 
Gina -

Sounds like Mikey's got a good life! I'm glad he doesn't have to struggle for his food either.

If only I could live as carefree as my cats...I wouldn't care if I couldn't do pikes on the stability ball - LOL! Or if my tummy sagged a little too much...and swayed back and forth when I walked - haha!

Susan L.G.
 
I know what you mean, Susan. My dog is about 5lbs overweight, which we're working on. Whenever someone says, "Mikey is getting a little chubby," I reply, "But he is still the handsomest little boy in the world" lol. Then when that person isn't present I reassure him that he is adorable and very muscular.

Gina
 
What's with all us fit folks having overweight pets? My cats Simon and Bobsie (but not Scooter) both have pot bellies (Bobsie gained 2# iin a few weeks after I brought her home from the shelter). In fact, Bobsie has a "dubba chin" and bra overhang (even though she doesn't wear a bra).
 
Aww! I think obesity in pets is kind of correlated to the obesity epidemic in the US with humans. Too much food, not enough exercise. For us, as humans, we control what we eat and how often we move. Even though we attempt to do so with our pets, it is so hard (in my family anyway) to resist those big eyes that are saying "give me a treat."

For city dogs, or even suburban dogs that don't have much room to run around, it's difficult to get enough exercise. We walk Mikey a few times each day, some long walks, some short, and we "play toys" with him at night, but he gets bored after a little while. Since Mikey is a little dog, I can't go running with him or even on super long walks because he gets tired. At the park, I can't let him run free because he has to be on a leash, which is of course for his own safety. I'd love to play with him in my yard, but it is really small, and my parents covered all the dirt with wood chips, patio furniture, and cement blocks. We had a pool until a few months ago, and in the time after we took it down but before we added the cement & chips, it was totally empty. Mikey loved it! I ran around with a garden glove on my hand and he'd chase me in circles forever. I digress lol...

My other theory... Because dogs age must faster than we do, it becomes harder for them to keep weight off after they are 2 or so, because they are already adults.

Maybe Cathe could develop a workout for us and our dogs- "T-step Mikey, hop turn to the back..." lol.

Gina

By the way- I'm loving Garden Botanika- thanks!
 
>By the way- I'm loving Garden Botanika- thanks!


I really like their "stuff." I love their hand treatment: softens without being oily and has a very light odor.

Did you see that if you join their buyers club for $10, you can get 10% off all orders, 20% off on the first Tuesday of every month, and 30% on the week of your birthday (3 days before, day of, and 3 days after)?

It's nice that with every order, you get free samples of stuff to try out.
 
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