Day 1

Let's talk deodorant people. This is going to be a tough one for me because before my cruelty-free quest, I was using Secret Clinical Strength. This deodorant actually worked pretty decent, but of course they test on animals. I live in hot and humid Florida so I need something that can take the heat. Literally. 

Today I am trying a deodorant by the company JASON. I bought the "Purifying Tea Tree Deodorant Stick". 

Our Deodorant is clinically tested to effectively control odor for all day protection. Zinc Ricinoleate, Corn Starch and Baking Soda neutralize odor while Tea Tree Oil and Grapefruit Seed Extract, known for their antimicrobial properties, help fight odor-causing bacteria.

This first thing I noticed when I put it on this morning was that it was very wet feeling. I have used gel forms in the past that gave a similar feel, however this "wet" feeling lasted for a few hours. Almost as if it wasn't completely dry. It is a solid deodorant so this was a little odd to me. It did go on completely clear, which I love. As the day progressed, my underarms felt sticky. I have read other reviews that say the same about the sticky feeling. Towards the end of my work day, I noticed I could kind of smell myself. I hate that! I feel that if I can smell myself, anyone around me can smell me too. I was really hoping I would like this deodorant but it looks like I'm going to have to keep looking for a cruelty-free deodorant that works better and will keep up with the Florida sun. I still plan on trying many more products from the company JASON though.

I get by with a little help from my friends...

Thank goodness for Leaping Bunny and Peta for making these handy shopping guides! Leaping Bunny even has an app so I can search for cruelty-free products right there in the store! 


Leaping Bunny Cruelty-Free Compassionate Shopping Guide

PETA Cruelty-Free Company Search

New Year, New Goals

I'm not usually one for setting resolutions for the New Year. I feel that it usually leads to me being disappointed in myself if I don't follow through. I am all about setting new goals, at any time of the year. But I thought the beginning of a brand new year would be a great time to set two new goals for myself! The first being to become a vegetarian. Again. I attempted this the year before last, and was a vegetarian for 7 months. I had some very personal health problems arise leading to my doctor "strongly recommending" me to start eating meat again. It wasn't terribly hard for me to not eat meat during those 7 months. There are so many alternatives nowadays. Did you know they make vegetarian sausage?! My main reason for becoming vegetarian was and is the fact that I love animals and it has become hard for me to eat meat knowing where it comes from. Sometimes I would literally lose my appetite while in the middle of eating because I would start thinking about exactly what it was that I was eating. Which leads me to my second goal starting this year, to purchase products that have been deemed "Cruety-free". I am including everything from makeup to laundry detergent. Unfortunately, this is proving to be more difficult than I imagined. Most of the "big-name" brands out there still test on animals. It blows my mind that in this day and age this is something any company feels the need to practice. I think comedian Ricky Gervais summed up my thoughts on the subject when he said:

I've decided to document my journey and share with anyone who may find it useful.