The "Safe Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Act" will hurt businesses and animals

The Safe Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Act is a bill that has good intentions such as minimizing animal testing, establishing a safety standard and setting label requirements for ingredients, however there is a major flaw in its design- if passed, a company must be forced to comply with animal testing requirements for at least one year or not be allowed to sell their products. 

This bill states that yes, a business is allowed to use alternative methods of testing their ingredients and products, approved by the Secretary, that do not require animals but there aren't any actual alternative tests listed as of yet. This means that a business must either comply to the laws that require them to use ingredients tested on animals or not be allowed to legally sell their products. These ingredients that would be retested will include already FDA proven safe ones. Not to forget to mention, the awaiting alternative methods do not necessarily mean that animals will not be used at all. It could possibly mean that perhaps more animal testing methods could be made, however just with less than 350 animals per test. Either way, an animal had to suffer because painkillers are not used in these tests as they could disrupt the study. A study that does not accurately depict an animal's anatomy to one of a human. Therefore a business has two choices, change from cruelty free to animal tested or pull out of the market. If a business chooses to stay in the market, that business would be forced to pay fees to have their finished products be tested by a 3rd party. Not only that,  the cost of already FDA proven safe ingredients would become higher from Fair Trade farmers just trying to get by. To add salt to the wound, fair trade farmers would not be allowed to export their ingredients outside of the USA to countries that have already banned animal testing due to alternative methods that include computer models and synthetic cells in long term studies. Fair trade farmers from outside of the US will not be allowed to import to the USA unless they pay the fees for 3rd party testing, however then they will not be allowed to sell to countries that do not allow testing on animals. In conclusion, we as a country can not afford to widen the poor vs rich gap if it means giving up our independent morals or carry a heavy unnecessary distasteful burden

This dog was not given any pain killers as his eye was being cut out. 

Here is what you can do:

In order to prevent this bill from passing, please write to your political representative stating that you OPPOSE this bill.

 http://www.opencongress.org/bill/hr1385-113/show

Health, Beauty & Blog Resolutions for 2014

I see every new year as a chance to better myself in a healthy direction. Past resolutions that I've accomplished included transitioning into all non-animal tested makeup, be more social, learn to cook and quit red meat. The goals that I make are not accomplished overnight but as a gradual transition. Sometimes goals can be like a cha-cha dance with two steps forward but one step back. However, I know that if I keep pushing myself in a healthy direction and do baby steps, a goal can not only be reached but stay.

1. Have a healthy sleep cycle

I don't sleep enough and have very bad insomnia. I sleep maybe four hours a night on average, hence the chronic eye bags and poofiness. I want  to try to set my schedule to sleep at 11pm and wake up at 6am. If I get to bed by 10:30pm then I can try to make my body get used to needing to sleep at a certain time. Not only that I should try to spray my bed with relaxing scents after I do my skincare so I can further train my body to know it is time to say goodnight.

2. Shop Small Business
I want my money to go to real people. Spending money on small business helps families and the economy thrive. I'm exhausted on spending my money on companies that pay their employees only minimum wage and don't seem to appreciate their customers. Helping out the underdog helps real people and families get ahead and a chance to have more opportunities such as education and healthy living. In order to accomplish this goal, I plan to spend my money on small businesses such as independent cosmetic or soap companies, family owned produce stores and various other items such as jewelry or clothing.

3. Be more naked
In the past few months I've felt more happy with my body. In the past I felt too skinny or very unattractive physically. Now, I love my body and don't feel shy to wear tank tops or bikinis. I know that my body is just for me and I don't need to prove anything to anyone. I'm healthy and I'm happy with it. In order to accomplish my goal of being more naked, I plan on wearing more bikinis at the beach, wear more skirts and whatever I want to wear according to the warm weather that makes me happy. I'm not doing it for attention, I'm doing it because I love and accept myself.


4. Home cooked meals, juice and smoothies

Eating out all the time is not only costly but has some mysterious ingredients for flavor that can be unhealthy for me. First of all, buying juice and smoothies add up for the price of convenience when I can easily make my own. Second, cooking my own meals means that I know what is in my food as well as where the ingredients come from. I can guarantee that the vegetables or fish I buy is fresh and not spoiled or full of pesticides. I can accomplish cooking my own food and making my own juice and smoothies by going to the grocery store twice a week to buy fresh ingredients and setting time aside the night before to cook my meals for the following days.


5. Support my beauty blogger friends more
My beauty blogger friends are some of the most positive people I know. I tend to stay friends with the ones who are down to earth and kind. I want to show my support to them more to know that I appreciate them. I plan on doing this by retweeting their blogs, sharing their blogs and leaving more comments.


Overall, I believe each of these goals can be reached. They are realistic to me and can be built up over time.

What are your new years resolutions?

"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal"

Albert Camus

Hello

Hi everyone,

I read each and every one of the emails you send to me despite being slow at responding. I overwhelmed with emotion to hear your stories and how my blog has touched your life. I can not thank you all enough. Many of you are going through pain or tough times but remember you must keep going, seek the resources available to you and don't give up. There are people who do care that you are struggling and maybe those around you in person are unable to notice but there are people willing to help see you through tough times. Continue to seek others like you and know that you are not alone. If you are feeling alone in the world, don't forget that you mean something to me in my life.

With Love,
Sara

I'm against 'Grey Thursday"

This is a repost from a status on my Google+

I've worked in two hospitals and on the field as an emergency medical technician. I was at the deathbeds of numerous people both young and old. Many confessed that they regret spending money instead of spending more time with loved ones. Please do not go out to shop on your holiday off if it requires time away from those you love and cherish. Spend time with those you love, because you never know when you'll never have that opportunity again.

"Life is a series of disastrous moments, painful moments, unexpected moments, and things that will break your heart. And in between those moments, you savor, savor, savor."
– Sandra Bullock

No regrets

Pink Bullets by The Shins

Cyberbullying & Privacy

A computer is a mask which can be a voice for positive or negative opinion. Sadly, many people choose to voice negative opinions. Honestly, people who go out of their way to say negative things to strangers are just losers and are somewhat a sociopath. Cyber bullies have a source of anger and hatred draining them in their own lives such as parents, bosses or even other bullies and since they can not return that pain, they take it out on others. No healthy person does this, because healthy people do not target others to anonymously take their anger out on others. Bringing others down to make oneself feel better is a sign of low self esteem and a feeling of entitlement. You know who else feels entitlement? Serial killers and people who commit mass murders in school or other public places. Their harmful words and actions most likely do not even reflect the person they are bullying. Cyber bullying is not like a protest which tells an organization or individual to stop a harmful action but picking on an individual without real reason. They feel they have a right to do harmful acts to others even strangers because another person was mean to them. It is a reflection of their own lives which usually has nothing to do with the target. They do not understand nor can even slightly comprehend that the harm must stop with themselves, instead of spreading it to others. Hurting strangers is not power, but more of a inner cry of help. 

If you have ever been cyber bullied, just ignore them or get a police report for harassment without interacting with the bully. Internet addresses from emails, comments, etc can be traced and investigated if you feel your safety has been compromised. The more you interact with the bully, the more encouragement and pleasure they feel to continue on to the next stranger. 

Secondly, I'd like to talk about my own privacy since I'm on social media quite a bit. I've had to get a police report on a dog trainer who kept sending me death threats. I did not personally know this woman nor even interact with her. She just found me and saw my dog died in March so she kept writing long hate mails threatening violence toward me and my family. She was just utterly delusional, because if she actually took time to know me, she would know that I am a HUGE animal lover, help companies get up to leaping bunny standards and network cruelty free cosmetics. Her long hateful speech really didn't have anything to do with me personally. She was not there when my dog died nor does she even know what happened. She just felt entitled to be behind a computer screen, safe and cozy in her office and write such mean things. Honestly, I doubt I would be the only one she targeted since I was a random person. Either way, I didn't take it personally, because she didn't know me, who I am, nor what I do. However, ever since then I make sure that I do not reveal too much information about my workplace or current locations like a yelp check-in to the public. Not only that, I do not upload pictures of my daughter or anything that could reveal my home. My mailing address is like 4 miles away from my actual home. Therefore, I've become more aware of my own surroundings as well as my family's surroundings. 

The random hate mail I receive is usually racist or people trying to get attention, even borderline hilarious. I haven't reached the point where I want to stop blogging, tweeting or even going outside in public, but for those I love I will sacrifice. If it ever gets to that point I would quit all social media, but I know that all my interactions have been personal expression, sharing what I love and the positive desire to restore harmony. My main goal on twitter and pinterest was never money nor fame but to teach others that you can still feel beautiful without using products tested on animals. And my goal of my blog was to reach out to others in a form of anti-suicide stating that life does get better from that particular moment, you just have to keep going. I know that for every random hate mail, I get about four or five personal mails saying thank you or talking about how my blog as helped him or her reflect upon their own experiences. If I can save one individual from suicide or help push them through depression to a healthy mindset then my time online has been worth it. Not only that, my twitter has helped me meet like minded people who love animals and want to eliminate pseudoscience from cosmetic safety. So what if I get random hate from people I don't know who probably have nothing better to do in their free time? I'm bigger than to sink to that level and repeat that cycle.

Aimee's Lullaby

I struggled with thoughts of suicide, absolution, and disconnect on a daily basis. I didn't even sleep everyday. It's not like I was just staring out into space but I might as well be. Sometimes I just wrote or did sit ups-something mindless without focus. I fear I was not capable of any other emotion other than hatred. I feared that hatred may consume me someday. This hatred isn't even wrapped in anger but in confusion and sorrow. It is the darkness within me. Anger and rage presented is just the heavy burden of reflex. I still think to myself, it would be so easy to just put a gun in my mouth and pull the trigger. Maybe even start another bad habit or two. I could become what I was trained to be, a shell of hatred's decay. Then I would no longer feel the existential crisis in my mind- every morning, every night, and every breath. But my black eyes never matched my heart. I know now it is because of the hatred in my every being that I know that the world doesn't need any more. This world has seen enough hatred, suffering and pain it is would be a waste of freedom of flesh and voice to not try to learn otherwise. Yet I never really understood this concept until I adopted Aimee.

Aimee was a dachshund I adopted from a rescue that rebirthed my soul. She was from a hoarder situation that sold puppies. Sadly, she passed away shortly after being free from that situation but in the time I spent with her, I learned a lifetime of clarity and light. Despite coming from an abusive situation she was so loving and adventurous. Everyday was the first day of her life to give kisses, eat new foods, jump for joy and explore new smells. She was never mean nor bitter. Her simple nature was nothing but love and excitement. She did not continue the darkness that was her past but embraced her new freedom. She didn't let it seep in a brand new day. Unlike me, whom hatred was a mask and a blank lifestyle, to be alive but it not living.  Hatred was nothing but a form of suicide and murder, preventing an opportunity for circumstances to get better as well as seeing the beauty of a new day. Today, I still find myself often falling into darkness but think of Aimee and remember the light and beauty in each day. Aimee, my dog saved me from my greatest fear, hatred consuming me. I'll never forget her and never stop loving her even in death. Aimee taught me despite the darkness that weighs a heavy burden, it is by living you have life.

RIP Aimee