10 Things You Didn't Know Weren't Vegan

 

Razors
You might be wondering how on earth a razor of all things could NOT be vegan. It comes down to two things: first off, the little lubricating strip on many razors is made with either lanolin (which comes from sheep's wool) or from the animal derived kind of glycerin (there is also vegetable based glycerin!). Secondly, while razors themselves are not necessarily tested on animals, most of the big brands that you're probably familiar with definitely do test on animals in other areas of their companies. No thanks! Investing in a straight edge razor is always an option as an alternative. Or if you're on a budget there are also some great vegan razor brands that are affordable, eco and animal friendly! 

 

 

We all know plastic bags aren't great for the environment, but it turns out they're also not great for the animals either. Most of them have what's called a "slip agent" to reduce friction. Those slip agents are made from animal fat or tallow...the same thing that's used in our dollar bills. 

Obviously the alternative for this one is pretty easy - don't forget your reusable tote bag when you're out shopping! And, if you do happen to forget, ask for a paper bag instead.

Cigarettes 

You might wanna think twice before lighting up again! Smoking cigarettes is definitely not vegan for a few reasons. Many people don't realize that the tobacco industry still tests on animals. It's pretty disturbing, especially when tobacco affects different species in different ways. Why would we torture dogs, monkeys, rats and other animals when the tests aren't even accurate? Some cigarette brands also contain pig's blood, beeswax and/or castoreum (which, in case you didn't know is the discharge from a beaver's anal sac!) And as if that's not bad enough, discarded cigarette butts are also a major problem; trillions of them are thrown away every year which not only can harm animals, but the filter core of most cigarettes is made of a kind of plastic (which can take up to ten years to decompose). The filters also contain arsenic, tar and ammonia which seep into the ground and bodies of water, also harming fish, wildlife and humans. So, is there an alternative? Maybe - the jury is out on vaping; there is a lot of conflicting information on whether or not some kinds of e-juice may have some animal products added.  Again, it doesn't hurt to contact the company directly. And, it's not quite the same as smoking tobacco, but it is now legal to smoke marijuana in Canada! Ya know...if you're into that!

 

Tampons 

Okay, tampons are definitely something most people never really think about, when it comes to whether they're cruelty free or vegan. And, to be fair it's only about half the population who thinks about tampons, period. Pun unintended! The bottom line is that tampon companies routinely test products on animals; from subcutaneously inserting tampons into the necks of rabbits to vaginally inserting rabbits, baboons and guinea pigs with TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome) laced tampons to see what happens. Live chicken embryos were also injected with TSS and in almost every experiement cow's blood was used to simulate human's. Insane, right? It literally makes me nauseous even writing about it. So, what other options are there? If you're set on tampons, there are a few companies now who are vegan and do not test on animals (you can usually find these in specialty health stores). The same vegan tampon companies also make pads, although re-usable pads are another alternative (and not as gross as one might think!) And, of course there are also the re-usable cup options available, these days! 

 

 

Sugar

Before you panic and think you have to give up all things that are delicious and sweet, there IS vegan sugar! There are three main sources where sugar comes from: sugarcane, sugar beets, and coconuts. It's mainly the white cane sugar you need to be aware of because it's often processed with bone char. How many times do I have to write "gross!" in this blog post?  The ground up bones of cows is widely used as a decolourizing filter to make it white, although it can also be used in brown sugar. A couple of things to keep in mind - if you're in Western Canada, the Roger's brand sugar that's produced in Taber, AB is vegan; if it's produced in Vancouver, they do use bone char. You can look at the product number that's printed on the bag to tell: if it starts with a "22," it's from Taber and is vegan friendly, if it starts with a "10," it's from Vancouver and is not. 
Also, if you're from or travelling in Australia, all sugar there is apparently vegan friendly! Yay! 

 

 

Makeup Brushes

It's true - many makeup brushes aren't vegan because real animal hair is used as the bristles. Usually the hair is taken from horses, mink or squirrels, among other animals. But, it's also true that many companies have switched to using synthetic fibres, like nylon or taklon. It makes more sense (besides just the ethics of it), because the synthetic brushes are are easier to clean, they're hypo-allergenic and they actually hold powders more effectively. If you're shopping for a new brush, a quick google search of whatever brand it happens to be + vegan will usually tell you what kind of bristles are used. Some will even say "vegan" right on brush or package, which makes life even easier!

Written by Kelsey Linsig for The Grinning Goat.