Cruelty-Free Paint Brushes for Reborning

Sunday, August 23, 2009

I am a strict vegetarian, otherwise known as a vegan. I do not consume animal products of any kind including eggs, fish or dairy. I do my best to use cruelty-free products in my every day life including my reborning activities. As such, I will no longer be using the popular Maxine's Mop paint brushes. It has been brought to my attention that Maxine’s Mop paint brushes use real goat hair and are not considered cruelty-free by the standards of http://www.caringconsumer.com/cosmetics_squirrel.asp. Please click the link for more information but be warned: the information is very detailed, graphic and harsh. Below are suggested cruelty-free alternatives that have been outperforming Maxine's Mops for me. ♥

The cruelty-free E52 Robert Simmons Expression Oval Mop Series paint brushes are a great alternative to Maxine’s Mop paint brushes (which use real animal fur). These brushes use synthetic fibers and perform beautifully for paint mixing and mottling. They can be purchased from http://www.dickblick.com.

I highly recommend the Loew-Cornell Comfort Series. These brushes are made of durable taklon (a synthetic fiber) that is easy to clean and maintain. I purchase these brushes from my local Michael’s store. These blue-handled brushes come in all of the standard sizes and shapes. I love the small filberts, large oval washes, and medium rounds for blending paint in the creases. The spotters work wonderfully for veins. I cannot live without the chisel blenders and tiny angulars for lip and eye detailing.

For fine detailing such as eyebrows and hair, I use the cruelty-free Princeton 3050 Mini Series liner brushes. I use the 20/0 and 30/0 sizes. These brushes use synthetic fibers and can be purchased from http://www.dickblick.com.