Kazam - straight from Mother Nature

Kazam Natural Body Care is a family based business that manufactures natural, organic, handmade health and beauty products like lotions, soaps, natural perfumes, shampoos, conditioners, as well as products for men and babies.
Marjorie Moutari, the founder and CEO of Kazam Natural Body Care not only has a knack for making amazing beauty products but she also has a giving nature and a kind heart. She has conducted workshops and seminars to train African women to make their own beauty products which enable them to gain independence and generate income for their families. Moutari is a also a supporter of the American Cancer Society.

Products I highly recommend:

Beautiful Hair Conditioner ($14): This conditioner couldn't be more perfect for my hair type. My hair is over-processed, dry and frizzy which calls for intense conditioning. This conditioner is not only vegan and mineral oil and petroleum free, but it smells aromatherapeutically beautiful! It's packed with plant oils and extracts which moisturize and nourish the hair and scalp. I've been using this conditioner every day for a week and I've fallen in love with how manageable and smooth my hair is when I use it.

Ingredients: Water, aloe, sopropyl palmitate, cocoa and shea butters, Vitamin E, fennel, sage, yarrow, jojoba, bergamot, geranium, rosewood, ylang ylang and rich moisturizing oils.

I love essential oil perfumes - they don't contain any synthetics, petrochemicals, parabens, alcohols or chemicals.
Kazam has quite an array of essential oil perfumes to choose from: Aphrodisiac, Angelic Presence, Sweet Dreams, Prosperity, Exotic Pleasure, Sweet Romance and Lavender.

Prosperity Essential Oil Perfume ($18): As much as I wanted to try the Sweet Romance perfume, I figured I could use a lil' help in the prosperity department (seeing I'm all set with the romance *wink*). When I got this perfume in the mail, it came in a super duper cute ruffley, green organza baggie. The specific essential oils for this perfume were not listed on the bottle or on their website and I made a conscious decision not to inquire about the ingredients because a) it's probably a secret "prosperity" formula and I know that if I had come up with it, I wouldn't want to share that info and b) I wanted it to simply be a prosperity perfume for prosperity's sake. I didn't want to dissect the formula and spoil the magic. In these rough economic times I'm sure we're all seeking a little extra prosperity. I've been wearing this perfume for about a week and I love it! It smells exactly like my Tinkerbell Perfume from when I was a little girl (how did they do that?) . You know how powerful sense memory can be... It makes me feel young when I'm wearing it and it has a feminine, girlie smell to it. To top everything off, how cool is it to tell my peeps that I'm rcokin' Prosperity Perfume? It's cool. :) As far as beckoning prosperity with my perfumey potion, I believe a week is too soon to tell, so I'll have to keep you all posted.

For more info: Kazam Body Care

Kazam Natural Body Care Boutique
239 Broadway (between 9th and 10th Streets)
Bayonne, NJ 07002

Your luscious locks can help save the rainforest!

Did you know that saving the rainforest can be as easy as washing your hair? Save Your World is a vegan skin & hair care company that is partnered up with Conservation International and the Government of Guyana Forestry Commission, so for every product you purchase, you help save 1 acre of rainforest for a year. Save Your World offers a variety of body care and hair care products to choose from that are handcrafted, fair trade, vegan, organic, paraben-free and packaged in recyclable containers.

Ever since back in the day, when I read in a beauty magazine that it's always good to keep switching up your hair care products (because your shampoo and conditioner can become less effective once your hair gets too used to them), that's what I've done. If you color your hair as often as I do, then you'll want to check these out:

Color-Safe Rainforest Shampoo ($12.98): This shampoo is not only safe on colored hair but it's also cruelty-free and doesn't contain parabens or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - just organic ingredients like yerba mate (which contains over 24 vitamins and minerals and 15 amino acids). This shampoo is packed with UV protection and has an earthy scent of rainforest and wood-berry. It's a light formula that won't weigh down your hair which is especially great for peeps like me with fine hair.

Color-Safe Rainforest Conditioner ($14.98): This conditioner perfectly complements the shampoo. It's super light and it helps prevent tangles. So, it's a win-win. You help save the rainforest and in exchange you have these fabulous shampoos and conditioners that are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that smell wonderful. By the way, these hair care products are also available in Oasis Fruit scent, Regal Blossom and Pure Mist. By purchasing the shampoo and conditioner together, you'll be saving 2 acres of rainforest!

FYI, Save Your World is having a huge sale on shampoos and conditioners (excluding the color safe line) starting from $3.49-6.99 (from their original prices). That's an awesome deal!

For more info: Save Your World

This post is for the ladies...

I know I often write about what goes on our bodies but it's just as (if not more) important to be just as picky about what goes inside of our bodies -- and I'm not just referring to organic, whole foods and nutrition.
All of you healthy ladies who care about your bodies, listen up!
Did you know that conventionally grown cotton is not only bleached with chlorine but it is also full of pesticides? When possible, you should only buy organic cotton clothes and undergarments - and I'm sure this isn't the first time you're hearing this. Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to assume we're all on the same page when I say I don't want pesticides and bleach in my sacred region.

Natracare is a brand of feminine hygiene products that you need to check out. They manufacture organic cotton tampons, wipes, pads, liners, incontinence pads (sexy, no?), maternity products, toiletries and baby wipes.

Go to your local health food market and pick up some of these:

Natracare Organic All Cotton Tampons (~$4): These are very similar to o.b. tampons sans the chemicals and pesticides. Natracare tampons are 100% certified organic cotton, non-chlorine bleached, rayon-free, perfume-free, plastic-free and biodegradable. They come in regular, super and super plus absorbency (no surprise). They are awesome!

For more info: Natracare

On a related note, I wanted to promote Vulva Love Lovely. You can find her on etsy. She has a variety of products (including jewelry, plushies and vegan skin care) that truly celebrate everything female.

On my wish list:
"My Uterus is a Super Hero" plush ($20) - it's made of soft flannel and animal friendly fiberfill. This plush is truly unique and in my humble opinion, genius. Check out the cape!

Tampon Pouch ($16.99) - It's pink and purple and absolutely fabulous (not to mention functional). Again, all materials used for this pouch are 100% vegan (as stated on her etsy page). I would love to sport this baby as a purse. It's 8 1/2"x 7" so you can use it to carry lots of things. But hey, having extra tampons in a cute pouch is pretty perfect.

Homage to my affinity of mintity

Cactus & Ivy makes natural spa and body products (i.e. lotions, body scrubs, body washes, lip balms, soaps), all created by hand, and they're all 100% cruelty-free and vegan. I love it when companies like Cactus & Ivy rock the leaping bunny logo. It instantly makes me a fan.
I'm sure you all know by now that I'm smitten with all things minty -- I love the smell and tingly sensation. Cactus & Ivy has got the minty thing down.

My minty picks:

Spearcalyptus Body Soap ($5): It's like spearmint and eucalyptus made sweet love and had a baby. This hearty bar of soap will definitely help you wake up in the mornings if you need that lil' extra boost. The spearmint and eucalyptus leaves not only provide a minty, refreshing, energizing aroma, but they also exfoliate while you scrub-a-dub-dub. I love to exfoliate while I'm de-griming. It gives my skin cells a chance to regenerate and leaves my skin feeling super duper soft.

Ingredients: Saponified olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, jojoba seed oil, kukio seed oil, kaolin, spearmint leaf, eucalyptus leaf, spearmint leaf oil and eucalyptus leaf oil.

Peppermint Tree Food Balm ($12): This is Cactus & Ivy's signature balm and it's no surprise why. This balm is the epitome of mintiness. So basically, you apply this balm liberally to your feet at bedtime and then cover your feet with socks. This helps moisturize your feet while you sleep and I'm assuming it might help with foot odor as well. My research didn't entail any sniff tests in that regard. I will admit, and maybe we can keep this between you and me, that I tried using this as a deodorant under my armpits and I thoroughly enjoyed the tingly, cooling sensation. In fact, I loved it! It's a foot balm though, so don't be silly like me and please use it as it's intended. :)

Ingredients: Sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, Vitamin E, peppermint oil, tea tree oil and menthol.

...gotta love all of Cactus & Ivy's natural ingredients.

For more info: Cactus & Ivy

Adorn yourself with roses and cupcakes!

I've been making jewelry since I was a wee lass and I figured I might as well blog about my crafty goodies from time to time and spread the word. My jewelry is vegan and handcrafted (with 110% love - and then some). Also, a portion of the proceeds from my jewelry goes toward a variety of local, LA-based animal rescues.
For those of you who don't already know, cupcakes are my favorite fruit. I'm beyond obsessed with anything cupcake, but most particularly the edible kind. Seeing my baking skills are sub par, I've decided to bake cupcakes in a completely different way. I bake inedible polymer clay cupcakes. They sure are pretty to look at (if I don't say so myself). I also make rose jewelry and beaded, faery-inspired pieces as well. In fact, the name of my jewelry line is Faery Inspired Jewelry.

...but today I want to focus on my cupcakes and roses.

I make tasty-looking cupcake earrings and necklaces ($15 each plus s&h), and I can make any flavor your heart desires. Red velvet? Vanilla with chocolate chips? Strawberry with sprinkles? You got it!
These inedible cupcakes make great gifts and when you wear them, you're bound to get lots of comments. :) All of my jewelry is packaged in girly, organza gift baggies, so they are ready to be gifted at any time (even if you're gifting them to yourself).

Everyone knows accessories make an outfit. And flaunting vegan, handmade accessories is gonna make you a cutie pie with mad style. If you're a girly girl like myself, then you're gonna love my rose collection. My feminine, hand crafted roses have been delicately made, petal by petal. You can order any color rose you'd like. I make rose earrings ($15), necklaces ($20), rings ($15), magnets and broaches ($15 each). If you order a rose pendant, it will come with a velvet cord necklace (or you can just order the pendent by itself).

Cupcake earrings giveaway!!!
All you have to do is leave a comment on my jewelry website (myspace) to be entered. I will use random.org to pick a winner. The earrings to be given away will be picked by me. I guarantee they will be cute as hell. :) Contest ends May 31st. Good luck!

For more info: Faery Inspired Jewelry
If you'd like to purchase some jewelry, please send me an e-mail. :)

I heart EO (sounds like a good band name)

It never ceases to amaze me how many organic, natural, eco-friendly beauty products are on the market. Vegan bath and body lines are ubiquitous! EO is amongst the many amazing brands that fit the bill. EO is a small, family owned and operated business located in Marin County, CA. They are cruelty-free, paraben and synthetic free, and they are all about using sustainable, organic ingredients and recycled packaging. EO takes pride in using herbs, essential oils and organic natural ingredients in their goodies. They have a complete line of affordable bath & body products including soaps, lotions, perfumes, shaving creams and hand sanitizers.

My favorite EO products:

Time Out Coconut and Vanilla Bubble Bath ($10.79): There's nothing more relaxing than a hot bath full of bubbles. This deliciously fragrant bubble bath has EO's special Coconut Oil Cleansing Complex which one of the gentlest, richly foaming formulas sans the nasty sodium lauryl sulfates, which are found in most conventional bubble baths. Time Out's key ingredients are vanilla extract, tangerine and coconut extract - a spectacular combo, effective for brightening your mood and relieving stress. Never underestimate the power of aromatherapy and essential oils. They can turn a poopy day into a magical one.
EO has a special promotion this month: 15% off bubble baths. Go to town and try all of their scents: Hinoki & Ginger, Rose & Chamomile, Rose Geranium & Citrus, French Lavender, Juniper & Lemon, Ylang Ylang & Cedarwood, Nighty Nite and Be Well.

Nighty Nite Bath Salts ($3.99): Having trouble sleeping? Nighty Nite bath salts will help you drift off into slumberland with ease. This all-natural bath salt medley contains Himalayan pink salt (formed over 250 million years ago, packed with 84 rich elements and minerals), California sun dried sea salt (rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium), pure organic blue chamomile and lavender, both of which soothe your body and calm your mind. These bath salts have amazing detoxification properties and they help stimulate circulation as well. All of this for $4 - I'll take it!


Chocolate & Mint Body Lotion ($8.99): I saved the best for last! This lotion smells like a frickin' cookie. In fact, if you're on a diet, you might want to go with the French Lavender or Jasmine scent. I personally like smelling like dessert as often as I can. This quick absorbing, yummy smelling lotion contains: Cocoa Absolute, which is loaded with antioxidants and flavonoids that restore and renew skin, peppermint essential oil which revitalizes and supports health, oat betaglucan which moisturizes and soothes irritated skin, rice proteins which help fight wrinkles, Vitamins E & A which improve skin's elasticity with potent antioxidants, mango seed butter and organic jojoba oil that help moisturize and protect the skin and organic calendula, chamomile and white tea which tie everything together with extra nourishment.

For more info: EO

Does non-toxic sunscreen really exist?

The temperature is rising... it's getting muy caliente and with global warming taking it's course, it's vital that we protect ourselves with sunscreen. Most sunscreens are chemical based and are extremely toxic. It's not only important to find a non-toxic sunscreen formula but it's important to also find one that is vegan and completely natural. Finding sunscreens that fit this criteria is almost impossible. Well, luckily I found one and it is nothing short of amazing. Caribbean Solutions has a full line of cruelty-free skin care that is free of harmful chemicals (such as parabens, synthetics, petroleum derivatives, artificial fragrances, etc.) and is 100% natural. They only use recyclable materials for packaging and their ingredients are mineral based. And even though protecting your skin is priceless, Caribbean Solutions is totally affordable.
Caribbean Solutions makes sunscreens, tanning oils, moisturizers, bath & spa products and natural dog shampoos.

My top notch recommendations:

Sol Kid Kare Biodegradable Sunscreen ($14.99):, Available in SPF 4, 8, 15 and 25. Natural SPF 25, which obviously provides the most sun protection, is the one I nabbed. These sunscreens are eco-safe/reef-friendly, have UVB/UNA protection, are paraben-free, contain botanical/mineral blends, are water resistant, light, have a smooth texture, and they don't feel greasy. They have a very pleasant, kid-friendly smell and they are perfect for those with sensitive skin.
Conventional sunscreens typically contain ingredients like Oxybenzone, Homesalate, Benzophenone 3, Octyl Salicylate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, ManthylAnthranilate, Octyl Manthozycinnamate, and Ocytl Dimethyl Paba. If you look up any of these ingredients online, you'll find they are extremely toxic and carcinogenic. Now why would anyone want to put these chemicals on themselves and on their children? (especially in the name of preventing skin cancer) It's totally ironic. Now check out Caribbean Solution's Sunscreen ingredients. They are entirely natural and organic.

Caribbean Solutions' Ingredients: Aloe Vera Leaf, Natural Titanium Dioxide, Natural Zinc Oxide, Wild Pansy Extract, Green Coffee Bean Extract, Hibiscus, Cucumber Extract, Melon Extracts, Organic Sunflower Oil, Vitamin E from corn, Organic Jojoba Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter and Cetyl Alcohol

Natural Kukui Body Silk Moisturizer ($14.99): This Caribbean line of skincare wouldn't be complete without some Kukui action. Kukui oil based products are great for alleviating skin conditions such as dry skin, eczema and psoriasis. This moisturizer contains organic aloe vera, kukui pod oil, rosehip oil, shea butter, jojoba oil and other tropical ingredients with potent moisturizing properties. I love this lotion's beautiful, long-lasting floral scent. It also has a nice consistency - not too thick and not at all watery. I use this lotion all over my body and my face and it really seems to do the trick.

Whole Foods now carries Caribbean Solutions and you can also order these products directly from the company's website.

I'm channeling Oprah for my Earthworks post

To all my beloved VBR readers, I've decided to go Oprah on you all. You know how she always graces the cover of her own magazine every month? Well, I've decided to get more interactive with my blog. If I'm reviewing a hot new pair of eco-friendly bamboo shorts, it's gonna be my booty in the shot. I want to steer clear of using 100% stock images so enjoy! If you would like to guest review a vegan/organic product on my site, I encourage you to do so and submit a cute photo of yourself a well.

Okie doke folks, I found some deluxe bars of soap by Earthworks that smell out-of-this-world divine. Earthworks is paraben-free, against animal testing and is all about recyclable packaging. I want to give you a heads up that not all of their products are vegan but their soaps definitely are.

My recommendations:

African Jasmine Soap and Limone Soap (both $11 each): These made-in-England soaps are triple milled with moisturizing shea butter, jojoba, coconut oils and calendula. Not only do they smell exquisite, the are beautifully packaged with eco-friendly wrappers made from the pulp of bamboo shoots and mulberry trees. I would buy a bar of soap for the wrapping alone. It's very artsy and has an indie wallpaper vibe. This photo doesn't do it justice. The floral decorations are actually 3-D and fuzzy. So, I recommend you try the Limone soap which is floral and citrusy and the African Jasmine which is highly fragrant, feminine and sophisticated. Other scents available are: Sweet Lime, Mandarine, Grapefruit, Pistachio, Almond, Rose, Japanese Flower, Frangipani, Hazelnut and Seringa Blossom.
These are definitely some high-end fancy soaps. They'd make great gifts.

For more info: Earthworks Soaps

VBR takes it to the kitchen

This past weekend I had an amazing cooking lesson with my vegan gal pal and fellow blogger, Vegyogini, who happens to be a wizard in the kitchen. We picked a couple recipes from Vegan Planet, which by the way is a must-have cookbook. It's "The ultimate guide to meat-free, dairy-free and egg-free cooking that everyone will enjoy." It's a gigantor book and it's packed with all kinds of invaluable vegan tidbits, info on nutrition and scrumptious recipes. With chapters like "New World Pizza," "Dessert Heaven" and "Love at First Bite," you know you're in for an awesome meal.
I had been wanting to make Mexican food since forever so pursuing an enchilada recipe was a no-brainer. As far as dessert goes, I had a a whole bag of fresh organic limes in my fridge so I thought a key lime cheesecake was in order.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Aside from the 30 minutes it took to chop and cook the sweet potatoes, this was a relatively quick recipe to whip up. We also modified the the recipe ever so slightly. We used corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas and we used store-bought enchilada sauce from Trader Joe's instead of salsa. I'm in love with TJ's enchilada sauce. It's finger lickin' good!
The photo above does a good job of displaying the sauciness of this dish as well as showcasing our awesome tortilla rolling abilities. It was messy but it was a lot of fun. Also, it really helped having two people in the kitchen for this particular recipe. For instance, Vegyogini would heat up the tortillas in a frying pan and then I would get them covered with sauce and put filling (sweet potatoes, black beans, diced tomatoes, garlic, pepper) in them. We were rockin' a mini assembly line and I can't really imagine it any other way.
So, after that first photo was taken, we basically used the leftover filling to cover the enchiladas, we piled on more enchiladas sauce and then we put Tofutti mozzarella cheese slices all over the top. The recipe didn't call for vegan cheese so I guess you can say we modified the recipe one more time. :) I personally can't imagine enchiladas without some amount of cheese action. I also think you can kick these enchiladas up a notch with some freshly made guacamole and vegan sour cream. Even with all the modifications, these enchiladas are so healthy and fresh tasting. This recipe was enough to make 12 enchiladas, the perfect amount for 3 people (me, Vegyogini and my husband) with a decent amount of leftovers. Yay for leftovers!!!

Key Lime "Cheesecake"
I love this recipe because it doesn't call for too many ingredients. It's basically tofu, vegan cream cheese and lime juice. We had to modify this recipe as well because I mistakingly bought the wrong style of tofu. Instead of using firm Silken tofu (as the recipe called for), we used soft Silken tofu, which not only turned out to be amazing (with a little bit of starch) but I've decided I will always use soft tofu when making this in the future because it was so smooth and creamy. It was the perfect consistency in my opinion. This recipe called for ginger snap crumbs for the crust which I thought was pure genius. I know they are out there but I have yet to find vegan graham crackers, so using ginger snaps made a lot of sense to me.
Cheesecake takes a bit of time to cook and set but boy is it worth the wait! The three of us ate all but one slice (there was a total of 8 slices). Next time I make this cheesecake I'd like to add a fruit topping or glaze or maybe some ginger snap crumbs on top... not because it needs it - just for decoration.

After this cooking session, I realized that I had a lot of fun in the kitchen and I can't wait to try out new recipes.

Warming Clay Mask: The detox that rocks!

I wrote a review about Be Fine Food Skin Care a little while back and because they have such an extensive line of organic, cruelty-free, vegan skin care, it was impossible to feature every product I became smitten with all in one post. Well, this time around, I've decided to focus on my favorite Be Fine Food Skin Care product which might quite possibly be one of my favorite vegan beauty products of all time.

Organic peeps, I proudly present...

Be Fine's Warming Clay Mask with Cardamom, Arnica & Pomegranate ($15.99): This is one of the most awesome products I have ever tried! I have tried a gazillion clay masks but this was my first time trying a "warming" clay mask, and it it was a trippy dippy albeit natural experience. I didn't think it would actually get warm as I applied it but it surprisingly did! It kind of felt like a science experiment where chemical reactions were happening on my face. The warming effect didn't last very long but it was quite nice and it gave me the impression that the mask was actually doing something productive versus just sitting there drying and waiting to be rinsed.
Why this mask works:
1) The kaolin clay draws out toxins and absorbs oil.
2) The arnica soothes, heals and has anti-inflammatory properties.
3) The pomegranate extract is packed with powerful antioxidants which help stabilizes free radicals.
This clay mask has a delicate, subtle, soothing, sniff-worthy smell.
Use this mask twice a week and you will begin to notice softer skin with fewer imperfections. Using clay masks in general is such a simple, relaxing treat - I encourage you all to pamper yourselves and enjoy your beautiful skin.

"Where can I get this wonderful clay mask that smells and feels amazing" you ask? Dude, one of the best things about Be Fine Food Skin Care is that their products are extremely accessible and affordable! You can find Be Fine at CVS Pharmacy, Rite Aid, Wegmans, and Kroger, just to name a few places.

For more info on this warming clay mask... click here.

Soy candles are the eco way to go

I was introduced to this week's VBR feature via Twitter (gotta love Twitter, folks!). So Lorain and I were following each other on Twitter and then one day she sent me a message telling me she made soy candles. I love, Love, LOVE soy candles. I have a mini collection of scented soy candles that I whip out for special occasions. Lorain's Touch, which is based out of Huntington Beach CA, makes environmentally friendly, 100% soy wax candles that are made with essential oils. Lorain of Lorain's Touch is a spiritual woman who likes to infuse her candles with positive energy. How does she do this? All of her candles are made during the full moon and are made with specific, positive intentions... definitely not your avergae soy candle.

In case you were wondering what all the hoopla surrounding soy candles is about, it's important to note that soy candles are eco-friendly and better for the air. You should really try to avoid paraffin candles - paraffin is a petroleum product. When you light a paraffin candle, black soot is let off during the burning process which is carcinogenic. Soy candles are clean burning candles. Soy candles also burn longer so you get more for your money. We like that!

Lorain's vegan scented candles and their intentions
(available in 2oz - $3.25, 4oz - $7.75 and 8oz - $15.75 tins):

Happy - Vermont Maple Sugar
Cheerful - Bergamont & Coriander
Creativity - Blackberry Sage
Harmony - Green Tea
Compassion - Gardenia Blossoms
Strength - Lemongrass
Enlightenment - Water Blossom & Ivy
Abundance - Amber

You can e-mail Lorain via her website for a complete list of scented soy candles.

I recently used a Berry scented Lorain's Touch candle in my house and it smelled soooooooo good. It smelled like candy! It was burning for an hour and my candle still looks full. This candle seemed to scent up the room more effectively than traditional candles. I loved it! I can't wait to try her other scents out!

These candles make great gifts! Mother's Day is just around the corner. :)

For more info: Lorains's Touch

Strawberry Hedgehog continues to blow me away

Tracy Perkins of Strawberry Hedgehog is one of the most creative people I know. She's like an organic magician when it comes to her earthy potions and concoctions. Her soaps, body butters, lip balms and basically everything else she creates are true masterpieces of geniosity. Can you tell I'm a fan? Not only are her products vegan, but she's vegan as well and you can read all about her vegan recipes and crafts on her blog.

Strawberry Hedgehog Products I dig:

Pure Lemon Whipped Body Créme ($12): The is a perfect springtime scent. It smells wonderfully fresh and kind of desserty. It's decadently creamy and feels amazing on the skin after a nice bath. It's scent is uplifting, refreshing and energizing. It comes in a cute 6oz. jar (you can order it in a 17oz jar as well) which Tracy encourages everyone to reuse or recycle.

Fair Trade Organic Unrefined Grapefruit Ylang-Ylang Shea Butter ($12): First off, I would like to say this is one hell of a deal. This product is thick and I can tell it is going to last me a very long time. A little bit goes a long way. Now let's talk about this ridiculously yummy scent! It's a mix of foody and moody. The grapefruit aspect makes you want to eat it up. It's scent is energizing and fresh. The Ylang-Ylang gives this body butter a sensual, romantic flair. I think this particular shea butter might make for a great massage for that special someone. Shea butter does wonders for the skin. It's packed with Vitamins A&E and has amazing healing properties so use it frequently.

For all you dudes out there, here's a manly scented soap, Smudge ($8): This soap combines cedar and white sage with undertones of of lapsang souchong tea, ginger and pepper. It's also a two toned gray bar of soap, so it's dudely in every way possible. It has a very sexy scent to it. I'm going to insist my husband start bathing with this a.s.a.p.
Tracy of Strawberry Hedgehog does a wonderful job of incorporating aromatherapy into all of her products and she labels them accordingly on their packaging. That way, if you're shopping for someone who's stuck in the doldrums, you can pick a cheery product that will put a smile on his/her face.
I also got a chance to try two of Tracy's Charity Soaps: Fresh Lemon-Rosemary (for St. Baldrick's Childhood Cancer) and Pink Grapefruit-Peppermint (Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer) - they are not only super pretty to look and inspire a cheerful mood, they help support amazing cancer research foundations (50% of all charity soap purchases go toward these organizations).

Lip Balms (Lemon-Mint Kiss, Lavender-Tangerine, Grapefruit-Rosemary) ($3): These are some of the best lip balms I have ever tried. They are sleek and creamy, smooth and nourishing, perfectly moisturizing and smell heavenly to boot. I love the slender tubes they come in. They fit perfectly in my purse or in my pocket. It's kind of hard to find amazing vegan lip balm. It's actually hard to fiind vegan lip balm, period. You will be so stoked when you give these a try. They are only $3 each so try them all!

For more info: Strawberry Hedgehog
Previous reviews on Vegan Beauty Review

Help save animals while making your lips kissable!

My Lip Stuff has a gazillion fun flavors of lip balms (i.e. Dingleberry, Cilantro, Jalapeno, etc.). While their vegan flavors are a wee bit limited, all of the Charitabalms are 100% vegan and $1.50 from each $3 balm goes toward a fabulous animal-loving charity. It's a win-win, folks. I've tried many of My Lip Stuff's vegan balms are they are uber glossy, tasty (sweetened with Stevia) and they are packed with loads of moisture and shine.

Charitabalms to choose from:

Born Free USA
-Fur Free Peach
-Banana Kisses

PETA
-Naturally Vegan Lip Balm (unflavored)

Leaping Bunny
-Vegan Carrot Cake

Rabbit Rescue CA
-Cottontail Candy
-Honey Bunny
-CinnaBunny

Animal Acres
-Snickerdoodle
-LeMOOmade
-Baa Baa Blackberry
-Peppermint Piggies

For more info: My Lip Stuff Charitabalms

Link to My Lip Stuff review

Science + Nature = MD Skincare

MD Skincare, formulated by Dr. Dennis Gross, has a line of skincare that is not necessarily marketed as being vegan but it totally is. Many of these products have been featured in magazines like O, Harper's Bazaar, Elle and a slew of other magazines, so I thought I'd give them a whirl. I liked everything I tried but these were my favorites:

4-In-1 Facial Treatment Normal/Oily ($35 for a box of 30 applications): This is a quick fix to freshen the face and absolutely no water is needed. These pocket sized packets cleanse, balance, treat and moisturize skin in one simple step. If you ever need to cleanse your face on the go, this product is ideal. Keep some of these packets in your purse or in your car. They are great for sleepovers, camping trips, road trips, you get the picture. Where else are you going to find a cleanser, toner, wrinkle fighter and moisturizer all one little towelette?

Correct & Perfect Spot Treatment ($28): Whether you have oily, blemish-prone skin or you occasionally get pimples from time to time, you're gonna love this stuff. Unlike conventional, chemical-laden spot treatments, this one won't over-dry your skin but it will make those nasty blemishes go bye-bye. This formula is enriched with botanicals to help to sooth your skin while it's healing. For me personally, this beats using straight up tea tree oil or which hazel, which only sometimes works.


Hydra-Pure Vitamin C Serum ($95): I know this is dorky of me to say but but Vitamin C is my favorite vitamin. I use it in some shape or form on my skin daily. It's super duper packed with antioxidants and it works wonders as far as anti-aging goes. This serum contains three forms of Vitamin C to provide maximum potency. I recommend you use this serum on your face after washing and toning before bedtime. It's important to use products like this to repair damage from aging, sun, stress and poor diet. By the way, following a vegan diet will inevitably help you have radiant, glowing, healthy, beautiful skin. :)

MD Skincare's products are awesome, effective and vegan. My only wish is that they'd rock the leaping bunny logo and flaunt the fact that they are animal free.

For more info: MD Skincare

I invite you to open Nature's Gate and indulge!

Walk into any health food store and you're bound to find Nature's Gate beckoning you. They have a line of beauty care products that are all organic, natural, pH-balanced, packed with botanical remedies and are all environmentally friendly and cruelty-free. They combine natural floral and herbal extracts in all of their hair, body, sun, skin and oral care. Their products are very popular in the vegan community so I wanted to share them with you. Also, on a charitable note, Nature's Gate likes to give back by giving the gift of water. They partnered with WaterAid America to support the use of rainwater to help families and children in Asia and Africa have long term access to safe, clean water. Nature's Gate is awesome!

My picks:

Cherry Gel Natural toothpaste with Fluoride ($5.29): This yummy toothpaste takes me back to my days as a kiddo. This toothpaste is great for kids and/or those who want to steer clear of minty oral care. This toothpaste has Golden Seal, which contributes soothing benefits and Silica, which provides mild abrasive action for a clean, fresh feeling. I have developed a unique routine where I brush with this cherry gel in the mornings and Nature's Gate Creme de Mint Natural Toothpaste (which is fluoride-free and has calcium) at night. Why is that you ask? The cherry toothpaste allows me to enjoy breakfast without having any minty clash factor. Drinking orange juice in the morning after brushing my teeth has never been better. And minty fresh breath is always nice right before bed, especially for that good-night kiss. :)

Tea Tree & Blue Cypress Shampoo & Conditioner ($7.99 each): Let me start with the shampoo. It's dry skin season and your scalp is no exception. This shampoo is refreshing and soothing at the same time. Tea Tree Oil and Nettle Extract help comfort itchy, dry scalp while providing healing and anti-inflammatory benefits. The Peppermint Extract has a cooling, tingly effect that feels so good. I love peppermint everything! The conditioner is lightweight and perfectly complements the shampoo. My hair honestly feels well taken care of when I use this combo. They are ultra nourishing and make my scalp happy! These products are both paraben & sodium lauryl sulfate-free.

Lavender & Aloe Creamy Shave Gel ($6.99): First off, this shaving gel smells amazing. I'm a huge lavender fan! For those of you that are into aromatherapy, the smell of lavender can help you relax after a stressful day, help ease headaches and inflammation. This shave gel is enriched with organic lavender and marshmallow, aloe vera, witch hazel and Vitamins A, D & E.
I use this stuff to shave my legs in the shower and my legs always come out feeling so soft and smooth. I'm sure my hubby is going to fall in love with this stuff too (as long as I don't hog it all to myself).

For more info: Nature's Gate