Cruelty Free Consumer

Here is a list of some surprising animal ingredients to look for on cosmetic labels and some greener alternatives:

Ingredient: Allantoin

Source/Use: Found in cows and other mammals and used as a healing agent in many cosmetic creams and lotions

Alternative: Allantoin is also found in many plants, particularly the extract of comfrey root.

Ingredient: Beeswax 

Source/Use: Wax from virgin bees is used as a sealant in lipsticks, mascaras, eye creams, lip balms and nail whiteners

Alternative: Paraffin, vegetable oils and fats.

Ingredient: Boar bristles 

Source/Use: Hair from boars commonly used in makeup brushes and toothbrushes 

Alternative: Nylon or vegetable fibers.

Ingredient: Biotin 

Source/Use: Found in all living cells and used in cosmetics and shampoos

Alternative: Plant sources.

Ingredient: Stearyl alcohol or sterols 

Source/Use: A mixture of solid alcohols that may sometimes be prepared from sperm whale oil and is used in skin creams, hair rinses and some shampoos

Alternative: Vegetable stearic acid

Ingredient: Fish liver oil 

Source/Use: A source of vitamin A sometimes used in cosmetics and hair dyes

Alternative: Vitamin A derivatives from carotene (carrots) or synthetic sources

Ingredient: Mink oil 

Source/Use: An emollient used for its moisturizing properties in cosmetics and skin creams

Alternative: Vegetable/natural oils such as avocado, almond and jojoba

Ingredient: Silk/silk powder

Source/Use: The tiny fibers made by silk worms to form a cocoon — used as a coloring ingredient ion face powders and soaps

Alternative: Milkweed seed-pod fibers or synthetic silks

Ingredient: RNA (Ribonucleic Acid)

Source/Use: Slaughterhouse waste that is commonly used in many protein-enriched shampoos and conditioners

Alternative: Plant cells

Ingredient: Sponge (luna and sea) 

Source/Use: A sea animal that looks like a plant and is used as an ingredient for sponges and loofahs 

Alternative: synthetic sponges

Ingredient: Stearic acid 

Source/Use: Fat extracted from cows, sheep and pigs and used as a lubricant in deodorant, hair spray, shampoo and soap

Alternative: Vegetable fats or coconut

source: http://www.rominachirre.com/romina_chirre_english/rominas_blog/?cat=5&paged=3

Abandoned

Nowadays empathy is nothing but a faded dream in a reality that can only be defined as cruel. People don't care about people, so what expectations can I have towards animals. Today I was supposed to give for adoption a kitten that I fostered for a couple of days. The girl (she was over 20 years old) neutered an indescribable lack of respect and she was definitely incapable of taking her own decisions at that age. In the end the kitten remained in the association's custody.

Another volunteer had to take her over from me, so we met close to the place where we hold our weekly adoption fair. While talking, we saw a dog with a collar around his neck wondering around, looking lost. I managed to catch him, thinking that he might have a phone number on the collar...how stupid of us...we live in Bucharest...of course he didn't. Just then a women passed by, with her dog, and asked whether the dog is ours. This is how we found out that two girls have just abandoned him and she thought it was we. We couldn't leave him on the street now, it was clear that he wasn't wanted. Silvia soon remembered that two weeks ago, at the fair, two girls came with the dog. They wanted to leave him in our care in exchange for a smaller dog. They claimed that he has gotten too big and they wanted a small dog. We didn't fall for that...but it seems that in the end his faith was to become one of Robi's dogs. After a short adventure, we managed to take it to the president of the association. We felt bad about it, but none of us could take him home. He's going to stay in her car over the night, and tomorrow he will be taken to Glina. We are lucky that tomorrow another dog from Glina will be adopted, and this one will take his place. It seams like a never-ending rollercoaster between the minds of people who just don't seem to care when they let their animal bread and abandon or kill the puppies. In their minds it's much easier to commit murder then to spay or neuter their pets.

Silvia thought that we might be going crazy after this short adventure. I honestly think that we are all crazy, but we are a bunch of crazy people who save lives...could you say that a doctor or a fire fighter is crazy?

How to tell a fake when you see one

No, this is not a post about bags or shoes...it's a post about people. Out of the many fakes a had around me in my life, I must admit that I only recognized a few. Or maybe I could tell long before, but my tolerance accepted to have my powers drained and my nerves cracked at the end.

I have had many "best friends". I mostly trusted people I met in school, my 1-4th grade best friend with who I haven't spoken once the 4th grade finished, my 6-8th grade best friend with who history repeated. Weirdly in highschool I got closer with a few people....some got lost while high school years passed. With my best friend and desk mate a had a quarrel as soon as school ended. I'm ok with her know, after about 2 years of not speaking. Anyway... my quarrel with her confirmed that I shouldn't play this game anymore. But...my stupid stubbornness refused to accept that.

So...I was there again. Listening, comforting, visiting....accepting that my problems are way smaller that anybody else's, and keeping them only for myself most of the time. When I didn't, I did the mistake of opening my mouth, only to be punished for that after and being called a trader of generosity. My friendly requests have been refused by being told that guys are sometimes better to be around than me. I've been left aside when new friends popped, even when I was suppose to be a guest myself. But I was still there...listening, comforting and visiting. They say a Taurus's trust is not easy to brake, and they'll be there no matter what...but when you do break it and they reach a boiling point...there's no way back. As an atheist I do trust astrology, as it proven right a lot of times...not just to me, but also in the people around me.

I am happy to say, that after one year of being at home, I managed to prioritize things in my social life. No more substance abusers, no more self centered camera guys, no more married people and definitely no more fake friends. Life is cruel and I am afraid to say that it's getting worse. People are confused and the desperation to be pleasant and adored by other makes them say and do stuff, that show their low character and lack of attitude towards life.

Or at least that's my opinion...