30 Million Americans Allergic to Animal Hair

The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology estimates that 10% of the population may be allergic to animals. That means that over 30 million people in the US alone have the potential for allergic reactions to animals and animal products, such as conventional cosmetic brushes.

Although experts do not completely agree on a single cause of the majority of allergic reactions to animals, most believe the key culprits are proteins naturally present in the skin, dander and saliva of animals. Their hairs act as carriers for these proteins, helping spread them to the environment and humans.

Dermatologists often see skin reactions that are related to the use of standard makeup brushes made with animal hair. These can aggravate the skin of those individuals who are sensitive to animal proteins.

There are treatments available for pet owners that may help control the spread of the proteins temporarily, as well as medications such as allergy shots. These treatments may temporarily cause allergic reactions to subside, but most experts agree that rather than trying to control the chemicals and proteins present in animal hair, many should consider using cosmetic brushes free of animal hair and any animal substances or by-products.

Revolutionary NuFibre™ Replaces Premium Animal Hair

Synthetic brush fibres have been around for decades [nylon, rayon, spandex, etc.], but they did not mimic the feel or performance of real animal hairs. Recently, a revolutionary way of manufacturing a synthetic monofilament called NuFibre™ was discovered.

NuFibre™ performs beautifully in cosmetic brushes while actually mimicking premium animal hair. Each fibre has microscopic patterns on the shaft to lift and efficiently deliver product while tapering to a soft tip like a virgin biological hair. They hold their shape longer than natural fibres while effectively resisting water, oils, and other contaminants such as microbial growth and UV damage. In terms of performance, NuFibre™ offers superior delivery of powder, liquid and emollient products while feeling soft and luxurious to the skin. In fact, most people prefer the feel of NuFibre™ brushes to animal hair in blind tests.

Additionally, most people don’t realize that the makeup brush they’re using everyday could be contributing to an allergic reaction. Approximately 30 million Americans are allergic to animal hairs, and dermatologists often see skin reactions that are related to the use of makeup brushes. All ABT brushes rely on modern, high-performance materials while remaining 100% animal-free.

Evolution of The Artist Brush

Archeologists have unearthed remains of artist materials such as powdered pigments and grinding stones and containers from many sites across the globe. Some of the tools and materials have been dated to 10,000 BC. And many scientists confidently state that such art tools and materials were used to produce cave paintings and carvings that date back hundreds of thousands of years. The earliest artist brushes were most likely sticks that were chewed on one end to break up the cellulose fibres of the stick and made a rudimentary brush tip, which could be used to apply wet rock dust or animal blood or fat.

Later, man kept the stick portion of the brush but added a wad of animal fur to the tip and secured it with animal sinew or woven fibre. This “improved” the artist brush because the animal hairs offered better control of the application of the pigments. And that basic artist brush design has remained virtually the same for thousands of years. The only changes were to add a metal ferrule to help hold the animal hairs on the end of the wood handle, and improved glues to hold the hairs in a bundle shape.

So, why has the artist brush not evolved over centuries, and why haven’t we noticed?