Vegan Makeup Brushes-Where Are They?

By Suzanne Kale

It's so easy to overlook. We see a pretty set of makeup brushes at a great price - maybe at the pharmacy or the superstore - and we buy them. But as animal lovers, we must be more careful. Most of these brushes, though inexpensive monetarily, extract a much greater price in terms of creature suffering. We need to be as vigilant about our makeup brush purchases as we are about our cosmetics.

What Not to Buy

When you purchase brushes that have no specific labeling to the contrary, chances are the brushes are made at least partly from animal fur. So rule number one is: Unless they are from a manufacturer you trust, don't buy makeup brushes that aren't labeled as cruelty-free, vegan, or 100% synthetic.

Where to Buy Vegan Brushes

Following is a list of companies that carry vegan cosmetic brushes. These are manufacturers and retailers you can trust. Find them on the web (put them into your search engine to get their website addresses), or at specialty stores like Sephora and Ulta.

* All Natural Cosmetics - some brushes are vegan, so check the brush descriptions before buying (click Make-up from the left menu, then click Brushes)
* Blick Art Materials (look for Taklon brushes)
* The Body Shop (write Makeup Brushes into their search box)
* Etsy (enter vegan makeup brushes into the search field)
* Forever Female has a vegan Kabuki brush, and a vegan lip brush
* Hard Candy Cosmetics (at their site, click on Vegan Items from the horizontal top menu)
* Herbs of Grace (click on Brushes & Accessories on the left menu)
* Larénim Mineral Makeup has a Vegan Kabuki brush (click on Brushes from the left menu)
* sevi vegan cosmetics
* Urban Decay Cosmetics: Good Karma Cruelty-Free Brushes
* VeganEssentials carries a beautiful set of handmade Ecco Bella brushes (from their home page, click on Cosmetics)
* The Vegan Store
* Vegan Unlimited

For more vegan makeup brush resources, check out My Makeup Mirror. We're fortunate to be living in an age where these products are available. Looking gorgeous without harming little critters is a blessing indeed.

Suzann writes for the website My Makeup Mirror http://www.MyMakeupMirror.com - a potpourri of articles, product reviews, and how-to's on hair, cosmetics, and well-being.

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Can a Child Thrive on a Vegan Diet? YES!

Can a child thrive on a vegan diet? The answer is yes! Far more studies show that a
typical 'Western Diet' has deleterious effects on health compared to the risks of a
vegan diet. In fact, vegetarian diets are associated with disease resistance and even
higher I.Q.'s in children. (1-5)

With proper planning and a bit of self-education, parents should feel confident in
giving their child a diet free of animal products.

Healthy food choices include the following:

Protein dense foods: beans, soy, whole grains, nuts, etc.

Calcium sources: beans, leafy greens, figs, blackstrap molasses, fortified beverages,
etc.

Iron sources: grains, dried fruit, coconut milk, blackstrap molasses, soybeans,
beans, etc.

Zinc sources: nuts, seeds, grains, chickpeas, soybeans, etc.

Avoid wheat and nuts until after one year of age, to avoid possible food sensitivities.

Supplementation may be necessary for children who are picky eaters, but most
nutritional needs can be met through diet. Vitamins D and B12 may be the
exception, and parents should ensure an optimal supply through fortified foods or
supplements.

Finding community support can be very important in helping your child maintain
healthy eating habits, as vegan diets are often misunderstood and even feared by
well-meaning family members, neighbours, and teachers. Many excellent resources
exist that can help educate those in your child's life who have concerns, and
possibly alleviate any misconceptions they may have.

Raising a child on a vegan diet can be challenging in today's world of hot-dogs and
ice cream, but parents should be assured that research is on their side.

The following sources are particularly supportive of vegan diets for children:

The Vegetarian Society UK http://www.vegsoc.org

The Vegetarian Resource Group http://www.vrg.org

European Vegetarian Union http://www.ivu.org

Physician's Committee For Responsible Medicine http://www.pcrm.org

Becoming Vegan Brenda Davis, R.D., and Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.

1. O'Connell JM, Dibley MJ, Sierra J et al: Growth of vegetarian children: The Farm
Study. Pediatrics 1989;84:475-481.

2. Fisher M, Levine PH, Weiner B, et al. The effects of vegetarian diets on plasma
lipid and platelet levels. Arch Inter Med 1986;146:1193-1197.

3. Chang-Claude J, Frentzel-Beyme R, Eilber U. Mortality pattern of German
vegetarians after 11 years of follow-up. Epidemiology 1992;3:395-401.

4. Thorogood M, Mann J, Appleby P, McPherson K. Risk of death from cancer and
ischaemic heart disease in meat and non-meat eaters. Brit Med J 1994;308:1667
-1670.

5. Dwyer JT, Miller LG, Arduino NL, et al. Mental age and I.Q. of predominately
vegetarian children. J Am Dietetic Assoc 1980;76:142-147.

Stacelynn Caughlan is a Clinical Nutritionist and Certified Herbalist who specializes in pregnancy, birth and childhood. She is currently the editor of http://www.motherandchildhealth.com an online resource for women looking for information on natural health and healing for themselves and their families.

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