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Kat Von D Project Chimps Everlasting Liquid Lipstick Now Online
Kat Von D Project Chimps Everlasting Liquid Lipstick
Kat Von D created this very special lipstick to benefit a cause that is close to her heart—ending animal testing. With every lipstick sold, 20 percent of the retail price will go directly to Project Chimps, a nonprofit organization that works to stop the use of chimps in biomedical research, and retire them to a life of freedom and sanctuary.
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The Details
Everlasting Liquid Lipstick, $20.00 (Limited Edition)
Featuring collectible packaging and an exclusive shade—called Project Chimps—this must-have lipstick is beautiful inside and out. The warm brick red tone was specially chosen because it’s flattering on all skintones, so everyone can swipe it on to their lips and support the cause.
- Project Chimps Warm brick red
Whoa, what?! I would be SO INTO this — color is right up my alley — if it were supporting animal testing for purely cosmetic purposes. But biomedical research? Seriously? I have a feeling most people will go “sounds great; I totally love animals!” and never think about the repercussions.
Scientists (whose work in many cases saves lives, both human and other primate) have enough of a funding battle without my giving money to opposing them. No, thank you.
Everybody has to make their own call on this, but if you’ve ever taken a medicine, whether over the counter or prescription, chances are you’ve benefited from some form of animal biomedical research. Let’s not be hypocrites, at least.
This was my first thought as well. I am against animal testing of cosmetics, I support no-kill shelters and disgusted by animal abuse. My personal belief is that medical research is vastly different then these.
With every new disease/virus animal studies are first to be done to shed some light and to possibly find a cure or treatment. Even our understanding of the Zika virus is improved via studies done on mice. I am not even mentioning procedures like organ transplants or new surgical techniques. Not all these studies are done with frivolous purposes.
However, there are two possible perspectives when it comes to chimpanzees and medical research specifically. Some argue that chimps are unique animals in the way they are aware of themselves and their surroundings, and develop human-like communication or memory skills. So they should not be treated as other lab animals such as rats or rabbits. Another perspective would be that we do not get to pick and choose and all animals deserve our respect and humane treatment. Then treating a lab rat or a chimpanzee with utmost care is our responsibility regardless of species, so defending the end of chimpanzee studies would mean the end of all animal studies, making us hypocrites.
It is a tricky issue in my opinion so I will not be purchasing this, but I like the lipstick shade 🙂
Might want to do your research before you claim it’s still “ok” or “justified” to test on animals and passing pretty severe judgment on what is really a good cause.
Due to the differences in animal biology from our own there has long been doubts as to the efficacy as using animals as human biological parallels AND technology has thankfully made a lot of this type of research possible without having to torture animals for the sake of human egoism.
Using chimps in this type of testing is out-dated and unnecessary.
I’ll be supporting Kat Von D’s Project Chimps collab for sure.
Here’s a start. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/11/18/nih-ends-the-era-of-us-medical-research-on-chimpanzees/
“NIH started phasing out its funding and use of research chimps before 2013, when it housed nearly 400 in states such as Texas. “Americans have benefited greatly from the chimpanzees’ service to biomedical research,” he said then, “but new scientific methods and technologies have rendered their use in research largely unnecessary.”
I find the “might want to do your research” intro a little condescending and presumptuous. It’s possible to disagree — usually advances are made specifically due to discourse — without making it personal.
I’m not up for a full discussion of the philosophical and scientific merits (nor do I imagine Christine would like to moderate such a discussion on a cosmetics blog), but I have been inside a primate research facility more times than I can count.
At any rate, perhaps the tone of this comment (and the assumption/insinuation that you have done more research or are more well-informed) are a little off the mark.
Dakota, I am not sure whether your comment was a reply to Tessa or to me, but I wanted to clarify regardless.
I was not trying to chimpanzee studies are the one and only way for medical research. I simply tried to argue that the issue was more complicated than it might seem. I understand that mammals or even primates are not direct parallels to humans, however (in my opinion) it is obvious that some biomedical research done using animals can give us clues in the behavior of certain diseases. We share many physiological traits, tissue types or fetal developmental stages with primates. Of course, there can still be a valid argument to that chimps are not suitable for such research for ethical reasons, as I tried to point out in my earlier comment. I am personally unable to reach a conclusion, so I’d rather not support something I am not 100% sure of.
I hope Christine does not mind us discussing this here, I certainly do not want to be inappropriate or spam anyone.
This money is going to support a sanctuary (called Project Chimps) where chimps who are being released from a research center already will live out the remainder of their lives. What’s so tricky about that? I feel as though some of the commenters here haven’t actually read what Project Chimps does, they have just assumed they are an animal rights advocacy group, which I”m sure they do, but first and foremost they are a sanctuary for 250 chimps being released over the next 5 years.
I COMPLETELY AGREE! I have no opinion about Kat Von D as a person but between this hypocritical (everyone has benefited from animal testing in biomedical research), irresponsible endorsement and that other recent drama she stirred up, I’m glad I’ve largely avoided her brand. She just doesn’t seem like the kind of person I want to support by giving her brand my money.
Project Chimps is a sanctuary in Georgia where 250 chimps who are being released from the largest biomedical research center in the country will live out the remainder of their lives. I should also note that this is a decision made by scientists, as the National Science Foundation has decided to no longer fund research using chimpanzees. As a scientist myself I find this to be a highly worthy cause.
What a worthy project this is – I really dislike when primates are used for research. Love the shade of the lipstick too.
Like vegans who don’t wear leather and others who don’t buy cosmetics from companies that test on animals- let’s see if people who buy this lipstick will also stop taking medication from companies that test on animals. I will NOT be supporting this cause no matter how beautiful it is.
You don’t support giving a home to chimps being released from a research center? Project Chimps isn’t an anti-biomedical research, animals rights group. It’s a sanctuary in Georgia where chimps who are being released over the next 5 years will live.
As a scientist I genuinely appreciate the recognition that animal testing is at times necessary in biomedical research. However, the scientific community has recently decided that the use of chimpanzees in particular is unnecessary and federal funding agencies have announced they will no longer fund research using chimpanzees. As such, about 250 chimpanzees currently living at the largest chimpanzee research center in the country will be released to a sanctuary in Georgia known as Project Chimps. By supporting this cause you are not going against scientists or medical research.
Danielle, I completely agree with you that there is no reason not to support a sanctuary for animals already retired from research. However, I would like to point out that Kat von D advertises the cause literally as “ending animal testing”. My issue was the public perception this campaign creates buy lumping all animal research together.
Sorry I keep commenting on this, obviously everyone will make up their own mind on this.
Well that certainly is misleading and I was not aware of that. I am aware of Project Chimps because of my work. Thanks for clarifying where some of the confusion is coming from. I thought people were making incorrect assumptions, but I can see why if KVD is saying such things.