What the heck is all this cruelty-free junk we wax on about ad nauseum, and what does it have to do with keeping your lip gloss poppin’? We get your emails all the time; “What’s the best all-natural mascara?” or “How can I be sure my deodorant hasn’t been tested on dogs eyeballs?” Gotcha covered, Sisters n’ Bro’s.
Be Nice to Bunnies (BNB) is a new search-able application for your iPhone or iPod touch that helps you make an informed decision about cruelty-free purchasing anywhere, anytime, at home or in-store. Certified and regularly updated, BNB v.2.0 is an extensive database of personal care (from cosmetics to toothpaste), household and animal companion products at your fingertips. Search by brand, manufacturer or by product category, and view a full list of ‘Do’ and ‘Don’t’ test companies. Mark your most used products and brands, adding them to your personal ‘favorites’ list perfect for quick and easy reference for busy women on the run! Companies and products that are vegan (don’t contain animal byproducts) are also noted.
The app is available for purchase from the iTunes store for $1.99. You can check out this link for more information on the app and to watch a demo video here:http://hotfrogiphoneapps.com/hotfrogiphoneapps.com/main.html.
Don’t have an iPhone? No sweat! Find out which cosmetic, personal care, and household products have been certified by the CCIC’s Leaping Bunny Program by viewing the Compassionate Shopping Guide.
Just some of the MANY great cosmetics companies that don’t test on animals: Too Faced, Urban Decay, FACE, Zia Natural Skincare, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Kiss my Face, Origins, Beauty Without Cruelty, and Aubrey Organics. Just because an a company doesn’t test on animals does not mean it is vegan. You’d be shocked to hear how many of your favorite lipsticks are made from fish scales and ground beetles… yes, that close to your pout!
Do you own a rocking compassionate company? Let consumers know you care by joining the Leaping Bunny Program.
Even scarieir still is how many products currently in your bathroom cabinet were most likely tested on animals. Animal testing is no longer crucial, and it’s more hideous than you can imagine. We are sparing you the photo’s in this post, but trust us, it’s BAD and not something a big-hearted diva of your stature would tolerate. Chimpanzees, dogs, rabbits, and yes – even rats – are intelligent, social animals, capable of many of the same emotions as humans, such as fear, boredom, happiness and empathy.
As our friend Marisa at Kind Green Planet so eloquently puts it;
As we expand our circle of compassion to include more formerly oppressed/marginalized groups, our worldview changes. In the 1930’s, scientists in Alabama conducted cruel experiments on black people by giving them syphilis and not treating them. If any humans were forced to endure such tests today, people would be horrified. Now, instead of Jews or disabled people, labs conduct tests on animals. The medical community should use their creativity and intelligence to find alternatives. Whether it’s programs that focus on educating people on the lifestyle choices that have been proven time and time again to actually prevent diseases (that the pharmaceutical companies are trying to treat the symptoms of) or it’s computer programs that create simulations of biological processes, there are many options that save human lives and don’t hurt non-human animals.
“Behind the Mask” is a MUST SEE film about people who risk their lives and freedom to save animals in labs. You can buy this film and read more about it here: uncagedfilms.com. It’s a mind opening and lifestyle changing film.
Want to learn more? Check out the hilarious Breasts, Not Animal Tests PETA campaign. The campaign was created to help women, without hurting animals, and the website includes a fun game that tells you to click on the breasts, not the rest!
Want to get involved a little less scandalously? Check out one of our favorite organizations; PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine,) which works tirelessly to promote alternatives to animal research. They have worked to put a stop to gruesome experiments, such as the military’s cat-shooting studies, DEA narcotics experiments, and monkey self-mutilation projects. They also promote the most technologically advanced non-animal methods in medical education. Currently, more than three-quarters of all U.S. medical schools have dropped their animal labs for medical students thanks to organizations like PCRM, but there is still a ways to go.
A true Glamazon *always* goes cruelty-free.
