Bring it on down to Veganville!

Last week, I passed the three-month mark as a dietary vegan. That's one-quarter of a year! No eggs, no dairy, no lard, no hooves, no bones, and, obviously, no meat.

For the most part, it has been easy and extremely beneficial. I have tried to diet before, but you put a bagel, ice cream, a milkshake, a donut, a cupcake in front of me? Suck it, diet. Since going vegan, though, I have avoided all those things. I guess it's more meaningful now. It is not about weight loss or health, it is about my own humanity. And it is working.

The hardest part about a vegan diet? Not being able to eat at the places that everyone else goes to. "No, I'll just sit here while you all eat" or "How about we go here instead?" or "I'm not ready to order, I am checking your ingredients on my phone."

It is all part of a learning curve, though. In these beginning months, there is so much for me to learn. Once I know which restaurants have vegan options, what ingredients to look for, which questions I should ask, it will all come naturally to me and will therefore be a lot easier. I cannot wait to have this shit down!

I am still in the midst of transitioning into a completely vegan lifestyle outside of my diet, though. I feel that I am doing remarkably well so far. I am being practical about it, because that is simply more affordable. I am waiting to use up the products that I have now and looking forward to replacing them with vegan products. Makeup will take the longest because I do not wear much of it on a daily basis. Ah well.

Anyhow, with beauty products, it's important not only to check that they do not contain animal-derived ingredients (hint: lotions and moisturizers contain animal fats and urine), but also to be certain that the manufacturers do not test on animals (horrible!).

Things I have already had to replace:

• Facial wipes: Replaced old Neutrogena wipes with Burt's Bees Facial Towels. They work just as well!
• Nail polish remover: Replaced store brand remover with Mineral Fusion Nail Polish Remover. It's oily, but smells much better and does the job well!
• Shampoo & conditioner: Replaced Herbal Essences with Organix Argan Oil of Morroco shampoo and conditioner. This brand, Organix, makes a large line of products to suit different needs. There are products for dry/damaged hair, products for oily hair, products for flat hair, etc. You have quite a number of options, which I love!
• Hair anti-frizz spray: Replaced John Frieda with Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shimmering Keratin Oil. It keeps the frizz away and makes my hair shiny! I love it.
• Face Powder: Replaced Cover Girl powder with Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Face Powder. Nothing special or different about it in comparison with Cover Girl, but it is vegan and cruelty-free so I dig.

Yes, some of the products are more expensive than their non-vegan counterparts (this is the reason I am not completely diving into a full transition and doing it gradually instead), but I do feel that it is worth it. The products last a while anyway and an extra buck here and there is not going to hurt me as much as non-vegan manufacturers hurt animals. It is simply a matter of perspective.

Probably the easiest part of my transition is fashion. I have never been a big fan of leather (I despise the way it smells!) so I already own a number of vegan shoes, purses, and jackets. I have donated a coat and skirt made with wool and leather belts to an animal rescue (at least the cruel clothes will benefit animals in the end, right? Stickin' it to the man!). No angora, cashmere, fleece, nor feathers for this gal. Fur? Forget it! It is all so disgusting and sad.

Although my clothes are fine and I do not have to make too many changes to my wardrobe, I think my goal in this realm will be to shop only from fashion lines that are entirely vegan. I have already purchased combat boots from Michael Antonio and they are fabulous!

I am happy about finally being fully cruelty-free. I have loved and respected animals since I can remember. You know how much we emphasize that all humans are equal? That is exactly how I feel about animals. A cow, a chicken, a goat, a fox, a mouse, a rat, a pig, a sheep, a fish... All are as special as your dog, your cat, your horse. They are all intelligent. They experience fear and loss. They simply want to live. They deserve so much better than what is handed to them for the comfort, convenience, and egos of human beings.

So love and compassion to you, folks. Let's make this world a better place for all!