Is There a Squirrel in Your Makeup Bag?

Brush Up on Synthetic Makeup Brushes
You already know that being kind to animals is as easy as choosing cosmetics made by companies that don’t test on animals, such as Revlon, Estée Lauder, Avon, and Mary Kay. But wait … before you dust on that bronzer, take a good look at your makeup brush. Chances are that it’s made from animal fur, and if you wouldn’t wear fur, you definitely don’t want to use it to apply your cruelty-free cosmetics!

Cruelty That’ll Make You Blush
Makeup brushes are commonly made from squirrel, mink, sable, horse (sometimes called pony or camel), or goat hair. Mink and sable brushes are products of the cruel fur industry. Every year, millions of animals are trapped, drowned, and beaten to death in the wild and strangled, gassed, electrocuted, or skinned alive on fur farms. Horse hair is commonly obtained from horses who are slaughtered for their flesh. Squirrels are hunted or trapped, and goats are shorn like sheep. Workers are often paid by volume, so they shear the goats quickly, which can result in serious injuries.

Many makeup brushes are manufactured in developing countries where there are few or no animal welfare regulations.

Super Synthetics
There’s no reason to use animal-hair brushes when there are so many high-quality synthetic brushes available. Check out these companies’ luxurious offerings:

• Branded J knows that animal-hair brushes aren't just bad for animals—they're also bad for your skin. Unlike animal-hair brushes, which are loaded with dead skin cells, bacteria, and chemicals that can cause your skin to break out, Branded J's collection of custom-cut Taklon brushes is animal-friendly, anti-bacterial, and awesome for applying make-up.
• The Body Shop knows that if you wouldn't put on makeup using your cat's tail, you don't want to use any other animal part, either—its brushes don't contain animal hair.
• Ecco Bella Botanicals has a range of non-animal brushes that complement its cruelty-free cosmetics.
• Paris Presents' EcoTools makeup brushes are made with cruelty-free taklon bristles, sustainable bamboo handles, and other natural and recyclable materials to keep you and the Earth looking beautiful. Alicia Silverstone is a celebrity fan of these luxurious-yet-affordable brushes, which can be found in many drugstores.
• Garden Botanika brags that its 100 percent Taklon brushes are actually softer than those made from fur, allowing more makeup to cling to the brush and providing a smoother application.
• Origins Natural Resources brushes look and feel like animal hair, but don’t worry—they’re cruelty-free just like the rest of Origins’ personal-care products.
• Urban Decay Good Karma brushes tickle your face using synthetic Taklon.
• Aveda brushes are also made of Taklon, with a flax-infused, recycled-resin handle. They’re animal- and environment-friendly!
• Hard Candy uses super-soft synthetic hair in its brushes—cruelty-free just like its luxurious cosmetics.
• Sevi Cosmetics' 100 percent Taklon brushes are the perfect complement to its vegan makeup. No cruel animal testing and no creepy animal ingredients!
• Valana Minerals knows that "[t]here is no need to sacrifice quality or animals in the pursuit of beauty." Its six luxurious synthetic makeup brushes are perfect for applying Valana's cruelty-free and vegan powder, foundation, blush, bronzer, and eye color.
• Afterglow luxe professional cosmetics brushes are uniquely designed to provide a beautiful, flawless finish. Handmade of the highest quality Taklon, they're super soft and ideal for applying loose mineral makeup evenly.

What You Can Do
Please write to your favorite makeup companies that still use real animal hair in their brushes and ask them to switch to Taklon fibers. E-mail us if your favorite cruelty-free company makes vegan brushes but is missing from our list—we’d love to add it.