Living Cruelty Free

This is a great cruelty-free deep conditioner — I use it once a week to keep my hair from becoming too straw-like. The Paul Mitchell website claims that it is supposed to be used once a week to make coarse hair “soft and silky,” and “impart deep moisture” with panthenol, soy proteins, and vitamin E for “extra conditioning and protection,” that it “improves elasticity,” and has a blend of aloe, chamomile, rosemary, and jojoba to “enhance shine.” It’s very thick and rich — and I don’t know about elasticity or shine, but it definitely conditions my hair a lot, without making it become oily or flat. It’s just what I want in a deep conditioner! It’s also nice that Paul Mitchell products are available at many salons and beauty stores — I picked up a bottle of the Super Charged Moisturizer at Pure Beauty.

Paul Mitchell Super Charged Moisturizer is available for $10.95 (16.9oz) from Goddess Within and many local salons.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Stearalkonium Chloride, Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone, Hedychium Coronarium (White Ginger)/PEG-12 Dimethicone, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone/Algae/Aloe Barbadensis Leaf/Anthemis Nobilis/Lawsonia Inermis (Henna)/Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba)/Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary)/PEG-12 Dimethicone, Lecithin, Glycerin, Wheatgermamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Citric Acid, Fragrance (Parfum), DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbarnate.

I’ve already discussed the wonders of Method products in a previous post — I love the way Method products look — they’re very modern looking in direct contrast to most cleaning products that all seem to have hokey flower prints all over them. I don’t own a mod-inspired loft, but if I did, I’d only use Method products because they would look great in that environment. Method Home Inc is also an ethical company — not only are all its products cruelty-free, but it also only makes biodegradable and recyclable products (which are also inexpensive and available at Target!). Method Home also has a blog devoted to cleaning and environmental concerns.

So it’s no surprise that I’m also a fan of Method Laundry Detergent — which is a laundry detergent that works in both normal top-loading washers and front-loading high-efficiency washers that require a detergent that doesn’t foam as much. I have the Fresh Air scent, which smells nice — mostly I can’t smell it, which is what I like in a laundry detergent! It also comes in “free and clear,” which I assume is unscented, “baby,” which I assume is formulated for baby clothes(?), “morning bloom,” and “sweet water.” It’s triple-concentrated so the bottle is very small and you only have to use about a tablespoon per load, and each bottle washes 32 loads. I really like the triple-concentratedness because I have to haul everything I buy up two flights of stairs, so the small bottle is much nicer to carry than a giant bottle of normal detergent, and means fewer trips up and down the stairs! Method claims that its laundry detergent’s “active enzymes penetrate deep” to clean your clothes — I don’t know about the “active enzymes” part, but my clothes do come out of the washer very clean, so I’m happy.

Method Laundry Detergent is available at the Method Online Store or your local Target for $8.00

Ingredients: Anionic and Nonanionic Surfactants, Enzymes, Buffering Agent, Stabilizer, Stain Penetrant, Brightening Agent.

I’m really excited that by 2013 all EU cosmetics and household products will be cruelty-free! Only 6 more years!

The EU passed a ban on animal testing in 2003 — it has already started to be put into effect, and should be completely in effect by 2013 — the idea was to phase it in slowly over a ten year period.

The ban on animal testing of European cosmetics and household finished products went into effect in 2004, and in 2009 the ban on animal testing of ingredients will go into effect except for animal testing for three types of toxicity (reproductive toxicity, repeat dose toxicity, and toxicokinetics). (It’s important to remember that banning animal testing on finished products is a very small percentage of animal testing — most of it occurs in the ingredients.) However, in 2013 those three exempted toxicities will no longer be exempted from the ban, and companies will have to use non-animal-based tests to determine those toxicities (alternatives do exist! really! they’re called in vitro alternatives to animal testing, and they are much nicer — they involve taking a small sample of human or animal flesh, and keeping it alive in a petri dish, and dousing it with chemicals to see if those chemicals are toxic (to my understanding)). A ban on importing cosmetics or household products from outside the EU that have been tested on animals will also go into effect then as well (see details here).

So just think — by 2013, anyone concerned with cruelty-free products will no longer have to look at my lists or the CCIC’s website to see if a company doesn’t do animal testing or not — they can just buy any European product! It really does sound wonderful. Also, it should save approximately 38,000 animals a year that the European cosmetics industry currently tortures and kills for animal testing purposes. Even better! (Though I do realize that key stakeholders such as cosmetics companies may manage to push off this deadline, so whether 2013 actually sees the end of animal testing in European cosmetics is questionable — the amendment could be repealed or extended indefinitely.)

This animal testing ban in the EU is called “The Amendment to the Cosmetic Directive.” I’ve been trying to find the people and organizations behind it, but I haven’t had much luck. You can read it in full here, though I personally found it a little . . . I hate to say it . . . boring (but excellent! I love it!). So, those organizations that are behind it — good for you!

I hope this will encourage the U.S. government to enact a similar ban in the future — I’m sure there are lots of cruelty-free organizations working on this right now, like the API, PETA, and of course the CCIC and its seven member organizations: the American Anti-Vivisection Society, the American Humane Society, Beauty without Cruelty, the Doris Day Animal League, the Humane Society of the United States, the New England Anti-Vivisection Society . . .

Seventh Generation makes great cruelty-free tampons. The tampons are made of 100% certified organic cotton, so by buying them you are supporting organic farmers. The tampons are not whitened with chlorine, and they have no dyes or fragrances — so by buying them you are unlikely to experience any adverse reactions which are common with chlorine-whitened, scented feminine products. Also, because they are whitened without chlorine, they will not increase the level of dioxin pollution in the environment or your body (oddly, they are still white-colored — is it that they use a non-bleaching but longer and more expensive whitening process like with unbleached flour?). The tampons are offered in regular, super and super plus sizes.

I have nothing except good things to say about Seventh Generation tampons. The tampons are almost completely identical to O.B. tampons, except, because they aren’t produced Johnson & Johnson, they’re cruelty free! Much like O.B. tampons they are comfortable, they don’t leak (like most applicator tampons do), and they’re flushable (thank God). They are actually required by law to have exactly the same absorbency as O.B. tampons. You can toss them in your purse and leave them there for weeks — they have a tough, thin plastic casing that keeps them pristine. Or you can put one or two in the lipstick pocket of your jeans — they’re very small. They are also fairly inexpensive — $4.99 for a box of 20 at drugstore.com — which is slightly more expensive than the O.B. regular tampons which are $3.99 for a box of 18 — only 3 cents more apiece than the bleached, nonorganic tampons. All in all, they are definitely 5/5 stars.

Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Tampons are available for $4.99 for a box of 20 at drugstore.com.

Ingredients:
Rayon and/or Cotton Fiber, Polypropylene (polyethylene cover), Cotton (or polyester string)

I really like L’Occitane Eau des 4 Reines Perfume. It’s a lovely cruelty-free rose perfume. It has a well-rounded, delicate, powdery rose fragrance that is not strong or harsh at all. It smells a lot better than essential rose oil, and it smells very . . . modern . . . for a rose perfume. Oddly, it smells sort of “moderately priced” to me — neither cheap nor ultra-expensive (and it is moderately priced! Amazing). Unfortunately it has a few minor drawbacks: it doesn’t last very long, it has kind of alcohol-y undertone, and even though I like it a lot, there are other perfumes I prefer — that’s why I took one star off.

The description of Eau des 4 Reines at L’Occitane is:
“Fragrance of the 4 Queens: Four royal roses comprise the heart notes of this delicious and fruity spray infused with muted hints of violet, black currant leaves, white cedar and heliotrope. Fresh and modern. An affordable luxury.”

Other people at basenotes.com have reviewed it as well — their descriptions are:
- “Eau des 4 Reines” sounds so regal and formal that I expected this to be a sort of new Nahema. Not so! This is a bright, fresh rose with fruity undertones. This is unmistakably a rose perfume, but the tea, mandarin, and blackberry in the blend provide a take on rose that I’ve seen before only in the great Rosines. I honestly prefer Eau des 4 Reines to Roseberry!”
- “I have the edt and the lasting power is shameful. I can smell it for all of a minute, and then it completely disappears. I look forward to trying this in edp, because it’s such a beautiful fragrance. If the edp doesn’t last, I’ll surely buy the bath products so that I can layer for better lasting power…
- “Even though this scent is fresh and lively, I like to wear it at night, and to spray my bedsheets with it. It’s a lazy romantic kind of fragrance that smells warm and sweet.” by Tovah , 07 December 2006, United States
- “I must agree with truedeluxe, this scent is wonderful. If you’re looking for a rose scent that’s not too “old” smelling, Eau des 4 Reines is a good one. It has a sharp, sophisticaed rose smell.” by flowergrrl , 31 May 2006, Switzerland
- “A clean, fresh rose bouquet, springy and cool, like walking into a florists’ refrigerator filled with roses and ripening, tart fruit. Light and modern, not your grandmother’s rose sachet smell!” by truedeluxe , 17 January 2006

Eau des 4 Reines Perfume is available at L’Occitane for $42.00 (4.2oz)

Ingredients:
ALCOHOL DENAT, WATER, FRAGRANCE, OCTINOXATE, AVOBENZONE, OCTISALATE, BHT, RED 33, BENZYL SALICYLATE, HYDROXYISOHEXYL 3-CYCLOHEXENE CARBOXALDEHYDE, ALPHA-METHYL IONONE, BUTYLPHENYL METHYLPROPIONAL, CITRONELLOL, EUGENOL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, GERANIOL

I’ve been thinking about cruelty-free pet food a lot lately, what with the ever-expanding pet food recall. For me, it’s important to buy cruelty-free pet food because I don’t want to buy food that has caused any other living-creature-with-a-nervous-system needless suffering. I’m not against animal slaughter, by the way, I just think that before being slaughtered, all animals should lead suffering-free lives.

I’m especially fond of cats and dogs, and it makes me sad to think of cats and dogs being kept in cages in laboratories — I think they should be kept in homes by people who love them. As anyone who has ever had a cat or a dog knows, cats and dogs are friendly, social creatures who love their owners — locking them in cages and keeping their contact with people to a minimum is cruel to them. (I realize I’m an extremist — if you don’t hold these views, that’s fine with me!)

Because of this, it made me very sad to read that Menu Foods deliberately fed their laboratory dogs and cats contaminated pet food on February 27th, 2007, a week after Menu Foods executives first heard that the food might be poisonous. Most of these dogs and cats then died (painfully) from kidney failure a few days later (original article here). I doubt Menu Foods employees gave them any pain-killers.

Now whenever I go to a pet store and see a pet food brand I know is made by Menu Foods (most of the available brands, it turns out), I remember those cats and dogs who died after being maliciously fed poisoned pet food on February 27th.

I alternate between shaving my legs and waxing them — I hate shaving because it’s a very short term solution, a lot of razors are made by Proctor & Gamble or Johnson & Johnson — 2 companies that own a lot of companies that test on animals — and I get razor burn. However, it’s a lot quicker, less trouble, and less painful than waxing. Waxing, on the other hand, I also dislike because it’s time-consuming and messy to heat up wax, and wax spills are awful to remove — and then waxing itself is painful. But I have to admit waxing works — no razor burn, no stubble, and I don’t have leg hair for a month! Also, if I rip off the wax really quickly, it’s only painful for half a second, which isn’t too bad.

So I finally broke down and bought some cold wax strips, which I’ve heard don’t work very well but I could not resist because of their promised lack of trouble — no heating! no messy wax spills everywhere! Luckily, I found a cruelty-free company that makes all kinds of waxing products — it’s Parissa. All Parissa formulas are gentle, natural, and available at many natural stores.

So I ordered a box of Parissa Quick and Easy Wax Strips and tried them out. They are amazingly convenient — no heating, just pull apart, press on, rip off. They create no wax spills, and they come with a bottle of oil which really removes any stray wax residue very well — I’d never thought of using oil to remove wax, it makes so much sense! Also, I really like the ingredients — there are no petroleum products — the wax strips appear to be made from pine resin, canola oil, and beeswax.

Unfortunately, the Quick and Easy Wax Strips did not remove much of my hair, which is why I’m giving them 1/5 stars. I think the main problem with the weird sticky consistency (probably from the pine resin?) of the cold wax– if they just made microwaveable normal strips of canola oil and beeswax, those would probably work a lot better, and still be a lot more convenient than microwaving a little bottle of wax. (A lot of people seem to actually like these strips however — check out the product reviews at Parissa.com.)

Parissa Quick and Easy Wax Strips are available from drugstore.com and many natural stores for $10.99 (for 16 strips).

Ingredients:
Wax: Pine Resin, Canola Oil, Beeswax, Azulene Oil: IPM, Vitamin E, Azulene (chamomile extract), Menthol

I’ve occasionally become annoyed that there are only three high-end cruelty-free companies: L’Occitane, Juice Beauty, and Osea. It’s just so few to choose from! I’ve tried a lot of L’Occitane products — they had a great sale about a year and a half ago, everything was marked off at least 30% — but I haven’t really gotten around to trying the other two, mostly because I still have L’Occitane stuff to get through (so far almost all of those have been great). I haven’t tried any Osea products — they are really expensive — but I have tried one Juice Beauty product — the Green Apple Peel.

I love the Juice Beauty philosophy — Juice Beauty only makes cruelty-free organic juice-based facial products that are paraben-, fragrance-, and petroleum-free. I don’t think I’ve ever found a company that combined all of those at once, and I do intend to try more Juice Beauty products in the future. Though unfortunately, most Juice Beauty products are fairly expensive, and they’re mostly skin treatment products, and I don’t usually buy that many peels or microfoliant sorts of things.

I decided to try the green apple peel, because I’ve read many rave reviews about it and it comes in this great sample size at my local natural drugstore (there’s a whole Juice Beauty display!) in a pretty little glass jar. I really like being able to buy .25oz for $8.00 before committing myself to buy the 2 oz container for $39.00 to see if it works for me or not.

The Green Apple Facial Peel is supposed to “dissolve and free dull, lifeless skin for visibly improved skin and texture” through the use of a “hydroxy-acid complex of organic apple, lemon, grape juices, raw cane sugar and white willow bark.” I put some on, and it did go on really smoothly, and exfoliated a little. But it had a really pungent fragrance — different from most peels I’ve tried, I think that must be the juice-basedness? — and it didn’t exfoliate a lot. For such an expensive peel I was expecting some serious exfoliation. This might be better for people who have very sensitive skin, or who like to use peels very frequently. I’m just way too impatient to put on a peel for 15 minutes every morning — I tend to buy exfoliating lotions instead just because they take less time — I just slap them on and go. Though, come to think of it, this might actually be a good product for people with really oily skin who don’t ever use oil-based moisturizers on their faces — no oil! So, I’m giving it a few stars because of the slight exfoliation, the organicness and the lack of parabens, but I’m taking stars off because of the expense, and the not-enough-exfoliation.

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel is available in a sample size — $8.00 for .25oz — and a full size — $39.00 for 2.0oz — at the Juice Beauty Online store. It’s also available at Sephora and many natural drugstores and grocery stores.

Ingredients:
Organic Hydroxy Acid Juice Solution of Pyrus Malus Juice (apple, malic), Citrus Medica Limonum Juice & Vitis Vinifera Juice (lemon, citric, white grape, tartaric), Organic Raw cane sugar (glycolic), Salix Alba Extract (willow bark, salicylic), Organic Milk Peptides (lactic), Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Organic Algae Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate & Tocopherol (vitamin E), Ascorbyl Palmitate (vitamin C), Retinyl Palmitate (vitamin A), Phospholipids, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Azulene, Citrus Reticulata (mandarin), Litsea Cubeb & Cinnamum Camphora Pure Essential Oils (may chang, ho wood)

Mostly I feed my dog kidney failure prevention diet, but sometimes I run out, so I supplement with “senior” dog food. As far as I can tell, the difference between a “senior” diet and an “adult dog” diet is that most senior diets are slightly lower in protein, calories, and sodium, though sometimes they have glucosamine added as well (which may be good for older dogs’ joints).

Usually I buy Newman’s Own Organics senior diet, but apparently it uses Menu Foods to can its canned goods, so I’ve started looking out for another brand. I haven’t bought one yet, but I’ve compiled a list to choose from. Basically I went through PETA’s list of cruelty-free pet food companies and looked to see if they listed a senior diet on their website. If they did, I’ve listed them below.

I found a total of five cruelty-free senior diets — two of which (Newman’s Own and Wysong) use Menu Foods (though not the recalled plant — a different Menu Foods plant) to can their canned foods. It’s kind of strange that there are so few cruelty-free senior diets available — most dogs spend a few years on senior diets, so you’d think more cruelty-free pet food companies would offer them. Unfortunately none of the cruelty free senior diets I’ve found so far use cage-free animal ingredients, and only two use organic ingredients (and those are the ones that use Menu Foods). It’s very frustrating — I went to all thirty-nine of the cruelty free pet food companies’ webpages, and a bunch of them use organic ingredients and/or cage-free animal ingredients, but not any of the five listed below.

The Five Cruelty-Free Senior Diet Dog Food Producing Companies are:

Kumpi: Kumpi makes Kumpi Senior Dog Food (no senior cat food available), which apparently has five meat meal sources, living viable microorganisms, kelp, amino acid chelated minerals, digestive enzymes, yucca shidegera, and chicken fat, and does not contain any by-products, wheat or grain. However, Kumpi Senior Dog Food does not appear to be made from organic ingredients, nor does it use cage-free animal ingredients. It is available from Kumpi Dog Food — $18 for a 4lb bag, $34 for a 20lb bag, and $50 for a 35lb bag — the costs include the product, shipping, and handling.

Ingredients: Non-genetically modified Corn Meal, Chicken Meal, Meat & Bone Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols [a source of Vitamin E] and Citric Acid), Rice, Chicken Liver Meal, Lamb Meal, Fish Meal, Egg Product, Dried Cheese, Dried Kelp Meal, Flax Seed Meal, Cod Liver Oil, Yeast Culture, Linoleic Acid, Lecithin, Salt, Monocalcium Phosphate, Potassium Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Magnesium Amino Acid Chelate, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Chloride, Manganese Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Carbonate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Rosemary Extract, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Ascorbic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of Vitamin B-6), Folic Acid, Biotin, Inositol, Calcium Iodate, Yucca Schidigera Extract. Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein not less than 20.0%, Crude Fat not less than 8.0%, Crude Fiber not more than 5.0%, Moisture not more than 10.0%

Natural Life: Natural Life makes Natural Life Senior Formula for dogs (no senior cat food available) — Natural Life claims that Natural Life Senior Formula is easier on older dogs’ digestive systems, has high quality protein to ensure nutrition without undue strain on the kidneys, has no added salt to guard against unnecessary water retention, is low in fat, glucosamine fortified, ester-c fortified, and naturally preserved. It appears to use no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. However, it does not appear to be organic or use cage-free meats.

Ingredients: Ground Yellow Corn, Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Ground Whole Wheat, Natural Flavors, Dried Eggs, Fish Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Ground Flax Seeds, Brewer’s Dried Yeast, Poultry Fat (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols, citric acid, rosemary extract and ascorbyl palmitate - a Vitamin C ester), Dicalcium Phosphate, Dried Whey, Potassium Chloride, Dried Kelp, Choline Chloride,Yucca Schidigera Extract, Glucosamine, Natural Antioxidants, Vitamin Supplements (E,A,B2,B12,D3), Niacin, Calcium Ascorbate, Calcium Pantothenate,Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Inositol, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of vitamin K activity), Folic Acid, Biotin, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Cobalt Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite.

Newman’s Own Organics makes Newman’s Own Organics Senior Diet Chicken and Rice Dog Food (a senior cat food is also available), which has has Oregon-Tilth-certified-organic grains and meats, but does not use cage-free meats. I’ve written up a complete review here. Newman’s Own Organics Senior Diet Chicken and Rice is available — $11.99 for a 5 lb bag — at petfooddirect.com.

Ingredients: Organic Barley, Organic Rice, Organic Milo, Organic Oats, Chicken, Organic Ground Flax Seed, Chicken Meal, Organic Brown Rice, Chicken Fat (Naturally Stabilized with Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid, and Rosemary), Organic Carrots, Organic Potatoes, Calcium Phosphate, Sea Salt, Potassium Chloride, Kelp, Parsley, Dehydrated Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Bifidobacterium Thermophilum Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Zinc Amino Acid Complex (source of chelated zinc), choline chloride, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Ascorbate, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine, Hydrochloride, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Cobalt Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite.

Veterinary Nutritional Formula: Veterinary Nutritional Formula makes Silver Maintenance Dog Food, which claims to use 100% human grade ingredients, be meat based, have no by-products, beef, wheat, corn, soya, or artificial preservatives. However, it does not appear to be organic or use cage-free meats. It’s available at the Veterinary Nutritional Formula website — 18lbs for $29.99 — and has free shipping to zip codes under 80000.

Ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice, lamb meal, whole oats, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and rosemary extract), flaxseed meal, flaxseed meal, potassium chloride, choline chloride, calcium carbonate, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, vitamin E supplement, iron sulfate, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, vitamin B-12 supplement, cobalt proteinate, niacin, vitamin A supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, copper sulfate, vitamin D-3 supplement (D-activated animal sterol), cobalt carbonate, copper proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, ethylene diamine dihydriodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, biotin, folic acid, menadine dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite (a source of vitamin K activity), sodium selenate. DAILY FEEDING GUIDE: 10 lbs-2/3 cups, 20 lbs-1 1/4 cups, 40 lbs-2 cups, 60 lbs-2 3/4 cups, 80 lbs-3 cups, 100 lbs- 4 cups. GUARANTEED ANALYSIS: Protein 24% Min - Fat 10% Min - Fiber 7% Max - Moisture 10% Max.

Wysong: Wysong makes Wysong Senior Diet Dog Food (they also make a senior cat food — Geriatrx), which Wysong claims is a natural, premium, organic pet food that is an excellent well-rounded starting point for older dogs that should be rotated with other Wysong Diets and fresh foods as described in the Wysong Optimal Health Program. Their website states that they use organic ingredients. However, they do not appear to use cage-free meats. Wysong Senior Diet Dog Food is available at the Wysong website online store — an 8 lb bag is $12.99.

Ingredients: Turkey, Potato, Ground Brown Rice, Ground Oat Groats, Ground Corn, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols as a source of vitamin E), Eggs, Whey, Dried Yogurt, Lecithin, Citric Acid, Sage Extract, Rosemary Extract, Dried Kelp, Fish Oil, Garlic, Black Pepper, Artichoke, L-Carnitine, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus lactis Fermentation Product, Dried Yeast Culture, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Product, Ascorbic Acid, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement. Analysis: Protein 18%, Fat 10%, Fiber 5%, Moisture 12%

I really like Alba Botanica Facial Sunscreen — first of all, it’s cruelty free like all Alba Botanica products. It also has avobenzone in it so it protects against skin-cancer-causing UVA rays, unlike most sunscreens (I’ve written up some information here on on why UVA blocking sunscreens are important and why most sunscreens, even those with high SPFs, don’t contain UVA-blocking ingredients, and why they are therefore worse than going out with no sunscreen whatsoever). I’ve used it for about a month now, and not only is it streak-free (yay!), but it also has a thick consistency, so it doesn’t tend to spray everywhere when I open the bottle, which I also really like. It’s also lightly moisturizing, it sinks in fairly quickly, and it’s fairly inexpensive for a facial sunscreen — $7.95 for 4 oz. It is not waterproof — but since every waterproof sunscreen I’ve ever tried has been disgustingly gooey, I do not mind. I tend to put on waterproof sunscreen only when I’m about to dive into a body of water. I’ll probably pick up a bottle of Alba Botanica waterproof sunscreen next time I’m on my way to a pool.

My only minor problem with Alba Botanica facial sunscreen so far is that it’s a little too oily for my face for daily usage (I have an oily T-zone) — if I plan to be out in the sun all day I will slather it on my face every two hours, and it does give me a slight oily sheen on my nose and forehead (but nothing like any other sunscreen I’ve tried — those make me look like an oil slick). However, on a day to day basis I don’t use it — I use Alba Botanica Sea Moss Moisturizer with Avobenzone instead, because it’s less oily. But the facial sunscreen has a great consistency for my arms and legs — it’s nicely moisturizing — I put some on every day.

Alba Botanica Facial Sunscreen is available for $7.95 (actually it’s on sale right now for $6.95) at White Rabbit Beauty.

Active Ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5%, Octyl Salicylate 4%, Benzophenone-3 4.0%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.0%

Inactive Ingredients: Certified Organic Infusion of Green Tea, Chamomile and Gingko Biloba, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/CapricTriglyceride, Octylpalmitate, Certified Organic Calendula and Lavendar, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Allantoin, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Calcium Ascorbate, Methyl/Propylparaben, Phenoxyethanol