Who is paying the price, us or the birds? Bird feathers and feather extensions have been all the rage in hair fashion for the past couple of seasons. You can get the cute feathers put into your hair in an array of colors and styles which last up to 3 months. If you are one who has tried the current trend or is interested in getting them put in, here are some little-known facts about the popular trend and the animals they are sourcing them from: • Roosters or birds are raised until about 4 years old or sometimes younger until their feathers reach maturity. Often, the birds are then gassed with carbon dioxide and put down an assembly line where their feathers are plucked out. The average lifespan for a rooster is typically 8-12 years. • Birds are being specifically bred, sometimes genetically altered to produce long luxurious feathers, then slaughtered or sometimes plucked which is extremely painful to the animal. • There are synthetic feathers out there, but be aware. Many of the fake looking feathers are in fact real. Sometimes packaging states the feather are “natural” or “real”, not always. • When researching, we found many websites had information about how the feathers were sourced. Some even had pictures and videos from the farms they were sourced from claiming to be “cruelty-free” but, because of the popularity of the trend how can we be sure? Weekly, thousands of birds are being killed or harmed for a fleeting fashion trend. As a lifestyle salon, we are taking a stance not to provide this service to our guests. Animal cruelty is something we feel very strongly against and is one of our founding principals. Because of our beliefs, we do not use animals for our product testing; instead, rely on humans and extensive lab testing for our product lines. Make the choice to stand with us and choose an alternative to feathers: colorful or funky colored hair extensions, hair tinsel, Swarovski Crystal hair extensions or cute flowers or barrettes for your hair make a fashionable statement, not a cruel one. Thank you for the support and standing up for the helpless animals.