Tagged: longreads
the art of asking about animal testing
There’s been a couple of posts on here, on this tricky issue. It’s too easy to ask “do you test?” and a company to answer “no.”
Here, from recent correspondence, are some refinements to add; plus an open question. Continue reading
some ridiculousness
Now: bear in mind that I’m not an American, I live in Canada, grew up in western Europe, and my slant on these things might be a bit different. But this all struck me as utterly ridiculous. And thus, a useful contribution to the grossly underused “folly” category here on Praise of Folly. Continue reading
recent reading
This is really just another of these stop-gap posts, a List Of Ten Things. It’s not a top ten nor in any particular order. The things in this instance are things recently read, half-read, reread, and bookmarked.
Hope some of the following are enjoyable and/or informative. Mainly enjoyable. Given it’s summer and the season for enjoyment. Seasonally-appropriate news first.
- Some great news: smart hand pumps (using mobile/cell phones) help clean water supplies in Africa (Kenya, Zambia). Great news, given that water is one of the most important environmental issues (if not THE single biggest): not using it all up, not abusing it, distributing it equitably, maintaining it, preserving it for the future, etc.
- related, from futher back: news of huge water resources under the African continent (BBC, April 2012)
- and, alas, a water map showing “water insecurity” (BBC again, back in 2010)
- Gorgeous Skin has been testing some sunscreens
- the most expensive moisturiser in the world
- look! even the Daily Mail can have an environmentalist conscience: here, on disposable “bargain” fashion
- The Beauty Brains ask: does Vaseline lengthen lashes?
- and a post (and comments) about DIY cosmetics in colonial America
- “Skin photoprotection by natural polyphenols: Anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and DNA repair mechanisms.” Joi A. Nichols and Santosh K. Katiyar. Archives of Dermatological Research 302.2 (March 2010): 71.
- from a Pixiwoo post (2010) about L’Oréal and animal testing: great discussion, and I’d especially recommend the very last comment (May 2012) which offers a good template base for writing emails and letters to companies asking them about their cruelty-free status and policy.
cruelty-free: some comments (5)
UPDATE (2014-05): see also
- other posts on animal testing in/and China
- and especially this one (2014-05-12)
Continuing along from comments (4), with thanks to Anna for her comments on this post about the Urban Decay débâcle which generated this post. Which started out as a very lengthy comment in reply to her first comment; then I thought, no, that’s not a comment but a post—and let’s not drive the poor girl cross-eyed—then discussion continued so if you’ve been following comments on here, sorry, you’ve already seen the links and main gist of argument…
On the different rules for Hong Kong and China.
You may recall, assorted bits of broohaha over the last three months: testing MAY be required by the Chinese authorities in order for imported products to be sold in China (depending, some discretion, outside control of manufaturers or their selling agents). The ethical issue: washing hands of your responsibility for your goods once you decide to sell them in China. (Mind you, the same is true, but with slightly more transparency—very slightly—in other jurisdictions such as Japan and the USA.)
Hong Kong: such testing IS NOT required. Goods sold there ARE NOT subject to the same laws.
Hence: if a product is sold in Hong Kong, that DOES NOT MEAN that it’s been tested on animals (technically, remember also: the fact that a product is sold in China doesn’t automatically mean it’s been tested either). It IS possible for a product (and indeed a whole brand) to be sold in Hong Kong, but not China. And if that’s the case, that product, brand, and the company behind them WOULD still be cruelty-free. M’kay???
plus ça change
plus ça reste la même chose?
Or is there some hope of mellowing in one’s old age? Previously, was I just being harsh, and in error in thinking I was being harsh but fair, being cruel (and overly “fruity”) to be kind? See other posts in the EWG category, and other MakeupAlley interactions reported therein.
OK, on the other hand, I still persist in thinking that adult humans should bear and take responsibility for their actions. If you’re old enough and deemed to have the mental competence to have a credit card, to go to war and kill people, to drive a car and risk killing people: then there is no reason (or excuse) for not taking responsibility for informing and educating yourself. Not just on makeup and skincare; but on all manner of things in life, and their implications and consequences and associations. And makeup and skincare and suchlike there too, and all manner of other things that might individually seem small, petty, and trivial (hence “nuttiness”) but that add up together and are integral parts of (what ought to be) a coherent consistent whole that is life (or, to finish up that analogy, that whole, wholegrain, wholesome fruit+nut bar).
So: living ethically.
But there’s also being, ethically.
An ethical obligation towards kindness. Being charitable. Giving the benefit of the doubt, putting oneself in someone else’s shoes (however hard that might be), exercising tolerance, thinking of others. Loving one’s fellow-man (and beast, and plant, and rock—even trolls!).
A conversation today: Continue reading
grumpy
mascara trauma
Probably pointless dramaramal(l)amadingdong nonsense, but hey, you never know, it might amuse someone out there. In a bored at work kind of way.
My favourite Irish beauty blog (and one of my favourite ones anywhere, come to that) had an item on favourite mascaras. Now, as you know, I love mascara and would like to think that decades’ experience poking myself in the eye with several hundred different short pointy brushes on sticks means I might know a thing or two about it. So Continue reading
fool of the week!
Quack, quack, quackery
Or: LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP—AN EASTER BUNNY SPECIAL.
And a sort of an Easter duckling, of the “awww cute” variety. She’s been featured on here before: welcome back to the girl with the boho goin’ on, blessed with perpetual youth: Continue reading
cruelty-free: some comments (4)
UPDATE (2014-05): see also
- other posts on animal testing in/and China
- and especially this one (2014-05-12)
Continuing along from comments (3)
why posts on cruelty-free and otherwise “green-ish” mascaras might be necessary and matter
Aside from the usual needs: because there’s a fair amount of misinformation, misreading, and pubvertising pseudo-articles around the place.
See for example this recent exchange on the MUA Green Board (a little over a week ago): Continue reading
cruelty-free: some comments (2)
UPDATE / NEWSFLASH Continue reading
The Praise of Folly 