BRIEFS
GUILT-FREE
GLAM BY MARLÉNA AHEARN
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Lanolin, beeswax, carmine, and gelatin—these animalderived ingredients, commonly found in cosmetics and skincare, come with a price. In producing these byproducts, cosmetic manufacturers often abuse and exploit animals to produce as much as possible, as fast as possible. Fortunately, the switch to cruelty-free is much easier than you might think, as makeup brands have caught onto the vegan trend. Tattoo artist Kat Von D has begun overhauling her Sephora beauty line to make it 100 percent vegan. Urban Decay has followed suit—its newest releases are all vegan. Follow these basics to achieve a guiltless makeup bag: look for cruelty-free or vegan certifications and read the ingredients carefully. Bunny Certified Easily enough, you’ll often find products that say vegan or crueltyfree right on them. Cosmetic companies can choose to label products as vegan or get Leaping Bunny Certified. The Leaping Bunny Program is a coalition that evaluates products based on their ingredients, how they are made, and how the company does business. Although the Leaping Bunny Program specializes in cruelty in a product’s manufacturing, not all of its certified products are vegan. Your next step is to check the ingredients.
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Your makeup bag may promise a pretty boost, but that mascara wand wields a less-than-ideal truth for animals.
Animal Ingredients If the ingredients sound convoluted, it’s probably best to pass. According to Environmental Health Perspectives, many of those unpronounceable ingredients can potentially harm people and the environment: think cancer-linked parabens and airpolluting petroleum. Luckily, there are lots of quality vegan products to help jumpstart your clean makeup bag.
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Common Ingredients to Avoid Beeswax, derived from bee habitats, of ten leaves hives destroyed. Opt for a synthetic alternative to protect these threatened insects.
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Lanolin is the greasy, sweat-like bui ldup from wool animals, like sheep. Skincare and lipsticks of ten contain lanolin.
Carmine is frequently used to color a makeup red. How? The pigment comes from crushed-up insects. 1. Milani’s Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow ($3.99) 2. Urban Decay UD Pro brushes ($18 to $59) 3. Physician’s Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Jumbo Lash Mascara ($9.95) 4. N Y X Super Fat Eye Marker eyeliner ($10) 5. ColourPop Blush in “Birthday Suit” ($8) 6. Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in “Dolce Vita” ($27)
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Gelatin, made from animal bones, is most commonly found in skincare products, but can also be in primers.