The shampoo that does not burn your eyes, the
fairness cream that makes you look gorgeous or that lipstick that gives you
instant pout may have a darker side to them too. Most cosmetics makers use
brutal animal testing to check the effects of their beauty products, like the
levels of acidity or the side effects on skin, to name a few, before launching their
products in the markets. It is a known fact that lipsticks contain fish scales which
make them more glossy and shiny. However, here I am more focused on products
that are tested on animals rather than those that contain their parts in any
way. Such things take place at high levels and that too quite discreetly so we
cannot be sure completely. To be on the safer side, it is always better to go
for beauty brands that are cruelty free and if possible, vegan as well.
A few days back, I and my blog friend Katrin discussed
about the right cosmetic brand and animal testing. Well, the term ‘right’ for
us means a brand that is completely cruelty free. Since then I have been
reading quite a lot about this topic and fortunately have found a few brands
that are not only cruelty free but vegan and chemical free too!
Animal testing is one of the cruelest things one can
do to the hapless creatures. To check the levels of burning sensations of
shampoos and conditioners, they are commonly poured into the eyes of rabbits,
puppies, kittens and chickens leading to extreme pain and mostly permanent
blindness. Bleaches and creams are tested on their skin that leads to severe skin
irritations. These creatures experience a living hell and brutal torture that
ends only with their lives. If this is the cost of beauty, it is better to
ditch such cosmetics and opt for natural products that are gaining fast
foothold in India. We do not need to compromise on quality because that
is the biggest concern that stops people from switching to more environment
friendly cosmetics. Various herbs and natural products are far better than any chemical
could be. We just need to be a bit careful and check out for a few symbols.
This
leaping bunny is a sign that the product is free of any sort of animal testing.
This
Green dot means the product is 100% vegetarian.
Before you pick that beautiful bottle that can make
you look like a goddess, just close your eyes and try to remember that poor
animal that suffered unending torture and died a brutal death to make you look
a bit nice, that too only for some time. I believe that real beauty is just another
form of kindness.
In our little ways, we can contribute much to
abolish such obnoxious testing and most importantly,
As I sat down to
express my love and affection, it seemed every word pulled me back to memory
lanes. Only a few years back, I paced my room, sulking.
“No more drama;
you are giving us a lot of headache, girl. What is your problem?” my grandmother
shouted from that side of the door while I sat brooding on the other side.
“I have told you
a thousand times” I cried
“And we too have
told you a thousand times” my father replied
“Listen, come
out, we can talk” finally, my elder brother said in his usual calm and soothing
tone that made me open the door.
“He is very
average and there are no six packs. Look at his hair, no spiking, no in-thing, and
no fashion sense” I lamented, beating the dining table.
“See, are looks the
only thing? I know him and he is one of the most sincere and hardworking man I
have seen” brother replied, patting my head.
“And spiked hair
and funky T-shirts suit on college students; people in real life are not filmy
heroes. I don’t want you to learn it the hard way li...” my elder sister said
loudly as if choking on her words.
“You are a fool didi,
you will never appreciate jijaji” I replied rolling my eyes.
“Alright, Ok,
listen, you still have the final word” said my parents.
But finally, I
decided to go ahead; after all, apart from his looks, there was nothing, I
could poke holes in. Now, lying down
on my bed, right under the air conditioner with a pen and writing pad, planning
to add to the surprise I have for him, I scribble a line.
‘Far from the
madding crowd’
I go back in
time and recall the day I married him. It was a cold November evening. I silently
cursed my fate and felt a pang of jealousy for my sister, who never cared for
her dashing husband. I would sometimes gape at jijaji’s visible six
packs when he would come to take her home, for she often arrived unannounced with
a sullen face, to stay for weeks together.
I fiddle with
the AC remote and scribble one more line, smiling to myself on that tattoo
drama I did after a month of marriage.
“Wear my name-tattoo
if you love me” I demanded
“I do not like
them” he said
“You don’t love
me, you are sick. You are a complete pakau, I am stuck, oh God!” I cried
and stomped out of the room
“Alright, please
relax” he replied calmly and that weekend, he was there with a temporary one on
his left wrist.
“Keep smiling”
he had told me in such a loving way that cannot forget. Slowly, it seemed he
started to sort me out. I was way too entangled in mindless dreams that made me
constantly compare everything to films and TV.
“I want to have
a bob cut, just like that heroine in that movie” I cried one day out of
mindless rebellion and of course, to spite him.
“Alright. I love
you as you are, go ahead and do what makes you happy” he replied with a smile.
Of course I did
not cut my long hair but that smile certainly disarmed me! I look at my
notepad and after a few lines that I could relate to. I close my eyes and lie supine.
Tapping the fingers on the notepad, I get up and write one more.
‘Where no mob
treads, no noise prevails’
I recalled how I
would rob him of his every free moment after he would come back from work. Even
then, a busy office schedule and my nonstop blabbering at home did not irritate
him. My brother was right, he was one of the most family oriented person one
could meet. Looking after his parents and obliging duties at every step. Some
eight months after marriage, I confessed I loved him. I really did! Now, after
four years, I realize he is my life. I wondered how didi would
spend so many days alone sulking at parents’ house.
‘Peace and
love dripping from the sky’
I write another
line, and blush! Love is a feeling that can give immense happiness and a life
worth looking forward to. I recall and feel like laughing at myself, my
inability to comprehend important matters and situations. He, who manages every
member and nurtures us lovingly like a gardener tends to his precious flowers,
deserves a break from the daily drudgery and the toll it takes, while I spend
time either at home, ordering servants or tending to my pets, kid and garden.
‘Hold my hand
and step into a new world’
I scribble
another line and read the entire work again and make a few changes, here and
there. I rewrite the lines on a scented paper and put the poem and the surprise
in a pink decorative envelope, waiting for him eagerly! ... ..
You must be
wondering! Well, after two hours, he came back from his office! He opened the surprise
and I saw a smile and wetness in his gentle eyes! He looked tenderly at the
London tour tickets and the poem. I could not describe the moment when I saw
that smile and a particular calm on his tired face, I realized, what we had
been missing! He took the
paper and read the poem aloud, hugging me tightly! You can read it too!
Far
from the madding crowd
Far
from this silent pain
Far
from this cacophony loud
Far
from dull days mundane
Hold
my hand and let us dive
Miles
away from a humdrum life
Where
no mob treads, no noise prevails
Stepping
on the clouds, following the trails
High
up in the air no eye could see
To
a world where no madness could be
Peace
and love dripping from the sky
Far
from daily grind eating into our lives
And
everyday drudgery that takes a toll
Hold
my hand and step into a new world
That
belongs to us, none else allowed!
Now, we sit
holding hands, watching the limitless sky and the twinkling stars. It seems as
if the moments of tenderness are calling us from the horizon. We spot an
airplane in the clear sky and looking at each other, smile!
Animal testing is one of the cruelest things one can
do to the hapless creatures. To check the levels of burning sensations of
shampoos and conditioners, they are commonly poured into the eyes of rabbits,
puppies, kittens and chickens leading to extreme pain and mostly permanent
blindness. Bleaches and creams are tested on their skin that leads to severe skin
irritations. These creatures experience a living hell and brutal torture that
ends only with their lives. If this is the cost of beauty, it is better to
ditch such cosmetics and opt for natural products that are gaining fast
foothold in India. We do not need to compromise on quality because that
is the biggest concern that stops people from switching to more environment
friendly cosmetics. Various herbs and natural products are far better than any chemical
could be. We just need to be a bit careful and check out for a few symbols.
