Did you just take a shower with animal fat? Oh I bet you did. Ewwwww!

Part of being a vegan means analyzing the other areas of your life to see if the products you are using (and wearing) are vegan and earth-friendly.

Before I became a vegan, I used to have these little red bumps on the back of my upper arms. No matter what I did, I could not eliminate these bumps.  I made repeated trips to the doctor who prescribed Rx after Rx. Some were topical creams, others were to be used in the shower but none were successful at removing the bumps.

That was then, this is now.

When I became a vegan, I switched to Dr. Bronner bar soap.  (I also switched my laundry detergent which you can read about in this post).  I cannot say for sure how much time passed but at some point I realized the bumps on my arm disappeared.

Yesterday afternoon I met up with two of my fellow vegan co-workers: Greg and Thomas.  Greg is the expert amongst the three of us (and the most accomplished!).  During our conversation, I learned that Greg makes his own vegan soap, which he sells on http://www.Etsy.com  (my favorite site).  He calls it *Man Soap* (adorable!).  I also learned that most soaps, including the one I used to use (Read: Dove) contains Tallow.   So what’s Tallow you ask?  In a word (or two): Animal Fat.

Mmmmmmm.  Not!

I knew most of the commercially sold soaps are not vegan, but I don’t think I ever really thought about what these soaps contained.  Maybe I didn’t want to know.

Animal fat? Gross!

Is time to reevaluate your soap? Um, yah, I think so.

I’m not saying you have to be  vegan to use vegan soap, but we are not Pilgrims and this aint 1620 so why would you bathe with soap made from rendered animal fat?  I mean hell, save yourself a buck or two and use the fat from that last batch of breakfast bacon you cooked.  Imagine smearing that all over your body while you shower?  It’s not the same thing you say? Well what’s so different about it?  The soap you are using contains rendered animal fat and added fragrance. If that doesn’t wig you out, noodle on this: Greg said, (and I’m paraphrasing), “Your skin is the largest organ of the human body. What you put on your body is the equivalent of putting in your mouth.”

If you wouldn’t put rendered animal fat with added fragrance in your mouth, why would you use it on your body?

Do me and my fellow vegans a favor, take a trip on over to http://www.Etsy.com, man up, and buy yourself some Man Soap!

 

P.s.  Sorry about the Oxford Comma Book Peeps!