March Vegan Cuts Beauty Box Unboxing and Sephora Haul

It's that time again!  I received my March VeganCuts Beauty box and thought I'd do another unboxing for you (along with some Sephora goodies I recently picked up)!

Check out the video below!

Watch it on YouTube HERE!

PRODUCTS MENTIONED…

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara… https://www.toofaced.com/p/mascaras/better-than-sex-mascara/

Too Faced Primed & Powerless Pressed Powder… https://www.toofaced.com/p/face-powders/primed-poreless-pressed-powder/

Cover FX Blotting Powder… http://www.coverfx.com/blotting-powder.html

Too Faced Love Flush Blush in Your Love Is King (not all shades are vegan)… https://www.toofaced.com/p/blushes/love-flush-long-lasting-blush/your-love-is-king/

Kat Von D Lock It Foundation... http://www.katvondbeauty.com/complexion/foundation/lock-it-foundation/1398791.html

Cover FX BB Gel… http://www.coverfx.com/bb-gel.html

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation… https://www.toofaced.com/p/foundations/born-this-way-foundation/ivory-fair-with-neutral-to-golden-undertones/

Kat Von D Lock It Foundation… http://www.katvondbeauty.com/complexion/foundation/lock-it-foundation/20005.html?dwvar_20005_color=2068#start=2

Kat Von D Lock It Concealer… http://www.katvondbeauty.com/complexion/concealer/lock-it-concealer/20007.html

OCC Concealer… http://occmakeup.com/collections/skin/products/occ-skin-conceal

Studded Kiss Lipstick in Lolita… http://www.katvondbeauty.com/lip/lipstick/studded-kiss-lipstick/40003.html?dwvar_40003_color=4040#start=2

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Mad Max Brown… http://www.katvondbeauty.com/eye/eyeliner/tattoo-liner/10016.html?dwvar_10016_color=1025#start=1

Elf Mad for Matte Palette… http://www.elfcosmetics.com/p/mad-for-matte-eyeshadow-palette

Vegan Cuts Beauty Box… http://caurl.co/r/kr2rv/g2r8

EarthLab Cosmetics Mineral Pencil… http://www.earthlab.ca/products/natural_eye_lip_liners.html

Shea Radiance Black Soap Body Cleanser… http://www.shearadiance.com/black-soap-antioxidant-body-wash-classic/

DermOrganic 8-Way Thermal Spray… http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod12871039

Pacifica Tunisian Jasmine Lime Perfume… http://www.pacificabeauty.com/perfume/you/spray-perfume/tunisian-jasmine-lime-spray-perfume?id=562

October Fields Chamomile and Clover Tea-lite Candle… http://www.octoberfields.com/store/soy-candles-wax-melts/container-candles/soy-tealight-candles-vegan-made-maine-usa/

Everclen Eye Cream… http://www.everclen.com/eye-cream-for-sensitive-skin/

LINKS TO THINGS I TALKED ABOUT...

The Realities of Animal Testing… http://plantbasedbride.com/blog/lets-help-canada-becrueltyfree

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara Review… http://plantbasedbride.com/blog/review-too-faced-better-than-sex-mascara

List of Vegan Products from Too Faced… https://www.toofaced.com/faq/

Elf Mad for Matte Palette Review… http://plantbasedbride.com/blog/elf-mad-for-matte-review

February Vegan Cuts Unboxing + Giveaway [CLOSED]… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJpPu89TT64

Vegan Cuts Beauty Box… http://caurl.co/r/kr2rv/g2r8

Vegan Cuts Snack Box… http://caurl.co/r/kr2rv/gd1g

Vegan Cuts Marketplace… http://caurl.co/r/kr2rv/g6lg

Plant Based Bride… http://plantbasedbride.com/blog/

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Thank you for watching my video!  

Why don't you take a look at my new Patreon account and consider supporting me?  

And don't forget to leave any and all requests below for future videos! 

Until next time,

Linked Up!

SeaWorld Takes A Step... But Is It Enough?

I was elated to hear the recent news that SeaWorld has agreed to end their orca breeding program effective immediately.  This decision has come far too late but gives me hope that the tides are changing for the animals who share our planet.

However, I can't help but wonder, is this decision enough to make a real difference to the whale populations already living in these parks?

I'm not so sure.

SeaWorld's Breeding Program

Artificial insemination of orcas began in the year 2000, touted as a means of diversifying the gene pool.  However, it shortly became clear that the motives rested more on potential profit from baby whales than on conservation efforts.

There were many issues with the breeding program at SeaWorld, not the least being inbreeding (such as between mother and son) which would never happen in the wild.  They also routinely removed the calves from their mothers after at most a couple of years.  In the wild a mother and child would remain together for the entirety of their lives.

Another problem with the program?  Female orcas were impregnated much younger than their wild counterparts.  While the average age of first pregnancy in the wild is 14.9 years, time after time captive whales were giving birth as young as 8 years old.  This may or may not be a factor in the numerous miscarriages and still births recorded in captivity.

There has been additional criticism over the fact that SeaWorld has repetitively bred aggressive animals, including Tilikum - the whale featured in Blackfish who has been the cause of three human deaths - resulting in 21 calves.

Conservation

SeaWorld has stated repeatedly over the years that keeping orcas in captivity is a conservation effort - maintaining population numbers and caring for orcas who are unable to survive in the wild.

However, there are several issues with this claim:

1. Orcas are not an endangered species according to the WWF;
2. Breeding and capturing orcas only to keep them in captivity for the entirety of their lives may artificially raise population numbers but does nothing to maintain a thriving population of orcas in the wild (where they belong);
3. Attempts to release orcas kept in captivity for extended periods often fail, as their captive environment doesn't allow the development of natural behaviours and instincts needed for survival in the wild;
4. Studies conducted on captive whales cannot be extrapolated to wild whales due to the many differences they exhibit compared to their counterparts living in their natural environment and family groups;
5. Captive orcas do not live as long as orcas in the wild.  Granny, a 103 year old orca, lives in the pacific ocean with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in a pod.  The oldest orca in captivity is Corky, a 51 year old female captured in 1969 along with 5 other whales, who are now all dead, and held at SeaWorld San Diego.

It has become increasingly clear that the benefits of maintaining captive orca populations are far more financial than conservational.

Treatment of Orcas in Captivity

In this fascinating essay written by John Hargrove, a former trainer at SeaWorld, he expresses his horror at what was done to these incredible creatures for over a decade: 

'I saw and did things that haunt me to this day. I realized that we were exploiting these whales for enormous profit and disguising it as education and conservation.'  

What was Hargrove referring to?

• Physical and emotional symptoms of stress and boredom due to captivity including:
  • Biting steel gates, causing their teeth to fracture and break off, and the corners of their concrete tanks, wearing their teeth down to the point of requiring holes to be drilled into them for irrigation by metal catheter;
  • Extended periods of listless floating leading to complete dorsal fin collapse in some females and in 100% of males, something that occurs in less than 1% of adult males in the wild, due to unnatural amounts of time spent at the surface;
  • Amplified aggression against other whales and humans, rarely if ever seen in the wild, and;
  • Obsessive and repetitive behaviours such as circling a pool for hours on end.
• The distribution of huge amounts of drugs such as:
  • Antibiotics to combat frequent infection;
  • Drugs to treat fungal infections and ulcers;
  • Medication for epilepsy, and;
  • Valium for invasive procedures, moving whales from park to park, and removing calves from their mother.
• The removal of whales from their families, even those born in captivity;
• The unnatural habitat made up of small concrete pools devoid of the sounds, smells, and experiences enjoyed in the wild, and;
• The deaths of many orcas far before their time:
  • Many stillborn babies, and;
  • Numerous deaths of whales in their teens or younger due to infections and other health problems.

Blackfish Brings Controversy

Blackfish, an American documentary released in 2013, centres around Tilikum, an orca captured off the coast of Iceland in 1983 and involved in the deaths of three people: a part-time trainer named Keltie Byrne in 1991, a trespasser names Daniel Dukes in 1999, and an experienced trainer named Dawn Brancheau in 2010.

The film brought attention to the many attacks over the years by captive whales, a conservative estimate sitting at 35 attacks resulting in 4 fatalities since the 1960s.  Orcas attacking humans is not common behaviour in the wild, where only 6 threats and attacks have been recorded since the 1910s, resulting in zero deaths.

John Hargrove said in response to the 2010 attack on Dawn Brancheau:

'We will never know why Tilikum made the decision to grab Dawn, pull her in, and dismember her, but what we do know is that it was an aggressive attack. These are wild apex predators.'

The film brought about major public outrage over the treatment and conditions of captive orcas.  SeaWorld claimed they had no knowledge of the dangers associated with close contact with orcas, which has been disputed by trainers within the organization.  Judge Ken Welsch stated:

'No reasonable person... would conclude that SeaWorld was unaware that working in close contact with killer whales during performances creates a hazard for its trainers.'

There has been increasing pressure from animals rights groups and the public since the film's release for improvement in the living conditions for whales in captivity, the dismantling of SeaWorld's breeding program, the end of theatrical shows involving orcas, and the release of captive animals to the wild.

The Future of Orcas in Captivity

On March 17th, 2016 and in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), SeaWorld acquiesced to the numerous pleas to end their orca breeding program for good.

This means the current population of captive whales held by SeaWorld, 29 orcas in total, will be the last generation of orcas in captivity, with one small caveat.  One of the female orcas housed at SeaWorld named Takara is currently pregnant, meaning at least one more whale will be born in captivity.

It was also announced that SeaWorld intends to phase out their theatrical orca shows in favour of more 'natural' displays for visitors beginning as early as 2017.  In the Humane Society's press release, Wayne Pacelle, the president and CEO of HSUS, said:

'These two organizations have been long-time adversaries, but we're excited now to see the company transforming its operations for the better on animal welfare.  Today's announcement signals that the era of captive display of orcas will end and that SeaWord will redouble its work around rescue and rehabilitation of marine mammals in crisis and parter with us to tackle global threats to marine creatures.'

While this announcement will not cause immediate change in the parks, it is most definitely a move in the right direction for our planet's orcas.

The park released a statement saying:

'Society is changing and we’re changing with it. SeaWorld is finding new ways to continue to deliver on our purpose to inspire all our guest to take action to protect wild animals and wild places.'

So What's Next? 

SeaWorld has announced that they do not plan to release their (soon to be) 30 orcas into the wild, stating that they would not be able to survive in their natural habitat after years (or entire lifetimes) in captivity.

This is troubling, as these 30 whales will live as many as 50 or 60 years without ever feeling the sun on their backs as they swim through the waves, hunting for prey, traveling hundreds of miles each and everyday, and creating lifelong family bonds in a pod.

Further, how will SeaWorld prevent accidental pregnancy in their whales, or will they leave it to chance?

Will they continue to improve the living conditions of these whales?

I don't wish to diminish the incredible step that SeaWorld is taking, and agree with both Dr. Naomi Rose, a marine mammal scientist with the Animal Welfare Institute, who said:

'This is a first, massive step forward toward a more humane future for SeaWorld.  I welcome these commitments from Joel Manby.  He has given SeaWorld a new lease on life.'

And Gabriela Cowperthwaite, director of Blackfish, who stated:

'This is a defining moment.  The fact that SeaWorld is doing away with orca breeding marks truly meaningful change.'

But I can't help but wonder, is it enough?

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I want to hear your thoughts, so please comment below or reach out to me on my facebook or twitter!

Until next time,

Linked Up.

Sources & Further Reading

http://www.vox.com/2016/3/22/11275970/seaworld-orca-killer-whale

https://www.thedodo.com/5-reasons-why-seaworlds-orca-b-531056663.html

http://www.vox.com/latest-news/2016/3/17/11256958/seaworld-killer-whales

http://www.bornfreeusa.org/facts.php?p=2688&more=1

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory?direction=desc&page=2&sort=extinction_status

https://www.thedodo.com/recently-spotted-103-year-old--547381307.html

http://uk.whales.org/wdc-in-action/corkys-story

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_whale_attacks_on_humans

https://www.thedodo.com/seaworld-stop-breeding-orcas-1667873084.html

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/03/17/470720804/seaworld-agrees-to-end-captive-breeding-of-killer-whales

http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2016/03/orca-release.html?credit=tw_post031716?

Is Veganism Less Popular Among Men? My First Q&A!

I answer this question and more in my first ever Q&A video on my YouTube channel!  Go watch it on YouTube or right here on my blog after the jump...

Without further ado, the Q&A!

QUESTIONS...
ONE Are you considering trying the uniform clothes like un-fancy has been doing? 1:01
TWO What does your current bullet journal look like?  6:25
THREE Which do you prefer… BBG or Way of Gray?  9:41
FOUR Why do you think veganism is not more popular among men?  11:21
FIVE How can I get vitamin D on a vegan diet?  12:30
SIX How long have you been vegetable inclined and what changes have you seen in this time?  13:40
SEVEN How do I deal with/reduce gas and bloating after going vegan?  15:43
EIGHT Every time someone goes vegan does it actually save animals’ lives or are animals still slaughtered at the same rate?  17:30

LINKS TO THINGS I TALKED ABOUT...
Fall Capsule Wardrobe
Winter Capsule Wardrobe
How To Build a Capsule Wardrobe
Un-Fancy
Article mentioned @ 4 minutes
Vegan Dr Martens
How To Use A Bullet Journal To Stay Organized
May Designs
The Ultimate Wedding Planning Timeline
Kayla Itsines (BBG)
Sophie Gray (Way of Gray)
Food Combining Rules
A Vegan’s Biggest Regret

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Have a question you want answered in my next Q&A?  Leave it in the comments below!

Also, thank you so much to everyone who entered my Vegan Cuts Beauty Box contest!  The box has been sent to the very happy winner :)

Until next time,

The Vegan Food Pyramid

What do vegans actually eat?  That's a question I hear more often than you'd think.  And the answer is very simple.

Vegans eat plants!

Now obviously there are lots of ways to achieve that.  High or low carb, raw or cooked, whole foods or junk foods, vegans eat it all.

Me?  I like to eat a whole foods high carb nutrient dense plant based diet.  Bit of a mouthful, right?  (Pun intended.)

So what does that actually look like?

Let me show you!

To make it super clear for you, I made this handy-dandy graphic to show you exactly what I mean!  

My diet is based off of YEARS of research into nutrition, and is a culmination of all of the most compelling evidence I have seen.  I've written quite a few posts here on my blog on the topic of nutrition exploring protein, iron, calcium, and more (see every post I've written on nutrition here) and have also listed many of my favourite books and other resources here!

Let me break it down for you.  

My focus is on whole foods, as I believe the less processed a food the healthier it is for our bodies.  Food science has come a long way in a short period of time, and I guarantee our bodies have not evolved at the same pace.  Our cells don't recognize processed foods and therefore can not utilize and expel them in an efficient manner.  If you want your digestion to be a well-oiled machine (and top-notch health) whole foods are the way to go!

I eat high carb because carbohydrates are the fuel our bodies need!  We run on carbs.  Carbs are not the enemy!  They give us energy and make us feel good.  Ever wonder why you love sweet things and crave sugar?  Because sugar is our fuel, just like gasoline in a car!  You wouldn't try to run a car on sugar water any more that you'd try to live off of gasoline.  Why force your body to do extra work to get the energy it sorely needs to keep your vital functions going?  Especially when carbs taste oh so good!

I aim to eat lots of foods that have a high nutrient to calorie ratio, because the more nutrients I can get the better!  Which foods pack the biggest nutrient punch?  Vegetables and fruit.  I encourage anyone trying to improve their health to start with increasing their consumption of vegetables of all types (including starches), fruit, and especially leafy greens (the most nutrient dense of them all!)

Lastly, I eat plant based because I truly believe that animal products are deleterious to our health.  Plant foods provide everything we need without the negative health effects that come with the consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy.  I also eat this way because it aligns with my ethical beliefs.  I have written loads of posts both subjects, which you can find in my blog post archive!

Now, I'm human (just like you, I presume!) and I don't always eat a perfect diet.  That's why I included the 'other' category.  This is for those times when you just REALLY want a vegan brownie chock-full of oil and sugar.  And you should have it!  We only live once and treats should definitely have a place in our lives.  The biggest thing to remember is that a treat doesn't happen every day!

I also want to remind you to DRINK ENOUGH WATER!  Yes, I am yelling.  It is so important.  Don't complain.  Just do it.  Your body will  thank you a thousand times over.  And then you'll thank me!

Oh, and don't forget to stay on top of your B12 and vitamin D intake.  If you don't know why B12 is important, read my post on the subject here.  And vitamin D is a problem we are all facing as a species, now that the majority of us spend our lives indoors or slathered in sunscreen.  Get out in the sun every single day or be sure to take a (vegan!) D3 supplement!

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What kind of vegan diet do you eat?  I would love to hear about it in the comments!  Also, let me know if you would be interested in a 'what I eat in a day' video on my YouTube channel!

Until next time,