Welcome to Nancy's Blog!

Hello readers! 

I've "blogged" before, but it was on a different site.  I will endeavor one day to bring some of that data here for your educational enjoyment.  If you'd like to read some of it now, here's the link:

http://vanitiesspa.yuku.com/forums/66

Aside from blogging, setting up websites, running a spa, and generally "horsing around", I also read a lot from the web, mainly spa forums where I keep in touch with my peers and learn what's going on outside my treatment room.

Well, today I read a post that really bothered me.  It is about an activity that I thought we had moved away from, but apparently the skin care industry is still at it:

ANIMAL TESTING!

The list is a LONG one, those companies who are still testing cosmetics on laboratory animals (even thought there are better methods) . 

BOTOX is one of the worst.  If it wasn't bad enough to put a NEUROTOXIN in your FACE, this is how they test it's "saftey":  every batch is tested on huge groups of mice to find the "average lethal dose" or the dose where exactly 50% live and 50% die, and that dosage becomes the standardized "unit" for that particular batch.  The mice that do not die immediately will die slowly in 2-3 days of progressive asphyxiation from paralyzed lung muscles (remember, it takes 2-3 days to kick in).  The testing is referred to as LD50 (Lethal Dose 50%) and is the only FDA approved method to standardize dosage for a biological product like Botox ... even though researchers have proposed non-animal tests that may actually be MORE effective.

It is so frustrating reading this.

SO ... here is my sales pitch ... Vanities Spa NEVER allows a product through our doors that has been tested on animals (except humans!).  I can't believe I have to say that - shouldn't it be the norm NOT to abuse animals?  Rest assured that all Vantastic Skin products are CRUELTY-FREE (and always will be).  Another reason to choose us!

Throw out your L'Oreal and your Oil of Olay and choose Vantastic Skin!

Here is a PARTIAL (no-shopping) list:

Aveeno
Biotherm
Cacharel
Clearasil
DDF
Escada
Fekkai
Garnier
Gillete
Armani
Head & Shoulders
Helena Rubenstein
Helene Curtis
Ivory
Herbal Essences
Johnson & Johnson
Kerastase
Kiehls
Lancome
LaRoche Posay
L'oreal
Matrix Hair
Maybelline
Neutrogena
Natural Instincts
Nair
Nioxin
OLAY
Pantene
Ponds
Redken
Ralph Lauren
Rembrandt
Sebastian Hair
Shiseido
SK-II
Suave
Sunsilk

Most commercial deodorants and cleaning products also conduct animal testing.

*If you are looking for an all-natural deodorant (not antiperspirant) a company called "Thai Crystal Deodorant Stones" works amazingly well, with no negative side effects.  I find them at Whole Foods, but I'm sure they are hiding in other stores, as well.
They have a convenient roll-on and a spray that I can personally recommend.

BOYCOTT where you can, and CHOOSE kindness instead of CRUELTY.