It's important for animal lovers to realize that unless a makeup brush is specifically labeled as synthetic, Taklon, or nylon, it's going to contain animal hair. And this animal hair is usually obtained from foreign distributors who kill the animals (often squirrels, ponies, rabbits, sable) in inhumane ways. I've researched this, and unfortunately, it's true.

We must also realize that well-meaning manufacturers will claim that their animal-hair brushes are cruelty-free, or that the animal the fur came from was not harmed. I want to believe that, too, but again, it's simply not true. The only way we can be sure of purchasing and using brushes that haven't been the result of an animal's suffering, is to use 100% synthetic brushes. (Some manufacturers combine animal hair with synthetic, and then may say their brushes are synthetic. Make sure they're completely synthetic.)

Where to Find Vegan Makeup Brushes

• Illamasqua brushes (www.illamasqua.com)
• EcoTools Bamboo Brushes (www.walgreens.com, www.ParisPresents.com)
• Afterglow Cosmetics (www.AfterglowCosmetics.com)
• Makeup-Junky.com
• Color Brushes (www.colorbrushes.com)
• Branded J Collections (www.brandedjcollections.com)
• Valana Minerals vegan makeup brushes (www.valanaminerals.com)
• Alima Pure Cosmetics (www.alimapure.com)
• the Premium Line of brushes from Adorned With Grace Minerals (www.adornedwithgrace.ecrater.com)

• Denise Chaplin NYC (www.denisechaplinnyc.com)
• Jane Iredale has some vegan brushes and some animal hair brushes (www.janeiredale.com)
• Sevi Cosmetics (www.sevicosmetics.com)
• Priia Cosmetics (www.priia.com)
• Garden Botanika (www.gardenbotanika.com/)
• the PETA Mall (www.petamall.com)
• Inika Mineral Cosmetics (www.inika.com.au/)
• Jennifer Campain (www.jennifercampain.com)
• Aveda (www.Aveda.com)
• Origins Natural Resources (www.Origins.com)
• Stargazer (stargazer-products)
• Vegan Vibrance Makeup Brushes from the Vegan Store (www.veganstore.com/)
• MAC has a number of vegan brushes. You have to seek them out, though, brush by brush, on their site to see what each brush is made of. Vegans will want a brush described as having "synthetic fibers."
• Urban Decay Good Karma brushes are available at Sephora or their online store
• brushes that come with Fyrinnae Cosmetics are made of Taklon (www.fyrinnae.com)

You can also go to the hobby shop and look for artists' brushes. Many are made of Taklon, which is a type of nylon. Hobby shop brushes are also less expensive, but they don't often carry fluffy blush brushes.

Synthetic makeup brushes can be just as soft and kind to the skin as animal hair - softer, in fact, in my experience. Plus they're easier to clean and quicker to dry, and they don't "shed" like animal hair brushes do.