Vegan Beauty Review

Fall in love with a company that promotes love

2008-07-07T22:59:00.000-07:00

Exuberance has luxurious organic skin care products that are inspired by the power, energy and exuberance of women. This company is actively involved with charities that focus on empowering women around the world.
Every product is made with 70-98% organic ingredients and are made with natural plant extracts, bioactive botanicals and essential oils. All of their products are 100% vegan and cruelty free, which I am of course, all about!

Each Exuberance product is beautifully packaged. Like seriously, I want to save the boxes these products come in and maybe use them for scrap booking or arts and crafts. Also, these organic skin care goodies come with love notes. You heard right! Each product carries an open love letter inspired by women in all of their amazing glory. What I like most about Exuberance is their unique approach to paying homage to women everywhere.

A few must haves:

Tangerine & Sugar Maple Balancing Facial Tonic: After cleansing the skin, it's important to tone the skin. Toners are mega important for any beauty regimen. This one is balancing, anti-aging, acne fighting, eliminates dull skin and protects against environmental toxins. This toner smells heavenly and very feminine. I found myself a new favorite toner, people!

Vitamin C Super Rejuvenating Night Cream: Sleepy time is when your body heals itself from daily stress. This potent nighttime cream will help renew and repair tired skin and leave it glowing and refreshed looking. The power of Vitamin C is indisputable. We are talking super antioxidants here! Use this cream for a month and see and feel the difference in your skin. You're going to be hooked!

Peppermint & Marshmallow Cooling Foot Cream: Well, I can't stress how much I'm in love with everything peppermint. I like its tingly and refreshing factor. In fact, I'm guilty of not only using this cream on my feet but all over. For me, it's my fragrance of choice. Mmmm, I smell like a candy cane! It' the perfect remedy for dry feet. This cream is deeply moisturizing and it perfecto after a nice foot soak or foot scrub... or for an all over minty pick-me-up.

For more info: Exuberance

Lily Organics : Dew Fresh Skin Care

2008-06-30T22:22:00.000-07:00

Lily Organics has a complete line of cleansers, moisturizers, creams, mists, exfoliant masks and oils. Everything is handmade fresh every week and is grown ("seed to shelf") on Lily's own certified organic farm. Yay, we love Lily! Her line is cruelty free and has pure botanical essential oils. Lily Organics will help make you look young and beautiful. I've seen pictures of Lily herself and she is walking proof.

Products that I highly recommend:

Balancing Facial Lotion ($5.90 for 1/4 oz, $29.90 for 2 oz): Apply this natural, organic lotion day and night. This lotion balances (hence, it's name), moisturizes and relaxes normal and combination skin. If you are one to skip beauty regimens, remember that moisturizing is the most necessary and basic step for youthful and beautiful skin. This lotion can be used on your hands and body as well. Moisturizing ingredients in this lotion include almond oil, aloe vera gel, tea tree oil, rosehip seed oil, primrose oil, seaweeds, St. John's wart, yarrow, arnica, kelp and pure citrus seed extract.

Organic Moisture Mist ($5. 50 for 1 oz. and $15.90 for 3.4 oz.): Great before or after makeup to help set and add moisture. It's oh so refreshing. I've become a misting addict. I mist throughout the day for a lil' pick-me-up. The temperatures are rising so this baby comes in handy quite often. In fact, I personally keep mine in the fridge so when I get my misting action on, it's uberly chill. Feel free to bite my style. Make it trendy and spread the word. ;)

Lily, the founder of Lily Organics wrote a book entitled Beauty, Health and Happiness. It a wonderful read, especially for those who appreciate organic skin care & remedies as well as nutrition & wellness. The book is a perfect reference when it comes to herbs and essential oils and their benefits, nutrition, beauty secrets and this book has numerous recipes for beauty care products. That's right, you can learn how to make your own amazing beauty products! If you're already a natural, organic gal, such as myself, let this book remind you and excite you about all the reasons you chose to be an earthy and conscious being in the first place.

For more info: Lily Organics

Natual skin and hair care for peeps and pooches

2008-06-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

John Masters Organics sets some pretty strict guidelines for their products. For instance, all ingredients must be organic, cruelty-free, harvested in an environmentally friendly manner (wild crafted), must be as bio-degradable as possible, Fair Trade when possible, all plant oils must be cold pressed (to preserve therapeutic properties)... and the list goes on (check their website for complete guidelines). I also encourage you to read up on Mr. John Masters and his sweet canine companion, Maya, on their site as well. It's quite inspirational.

Must haves:

Citrus and Neroli Detangler ($16): This detangler is great especially if you have dry & crusty hair such as myself from over processing and sun damage. It can be overwhelming dealing with too many tangles, especially on an every day basis. With a lil' Masters' help, your beautious locks will be brushable and easy to style. This detangler also works well as a leave in conditioner. Essential oils of citrus and neroli provide an uplifting aroma. What is neroli oil you ask? Well, I had to google this myself. As an essential oil, it is used in aromatherapy and massage for its soothing effect on the nervous system... it helps relieve tension and anxiety. Sign me up, I'm sold on neroli.

Blood Orange and Vanilla Body Milk ($18.00): This lotion smells a-m-a-z-i-n-g! It has a delicate blend of milk thistle, aloe vera, essential oil of blood orange and vanilla along with safflower oil and sea algae (for moisture). This, to me, is a great summer time lotion because it's extremely light and quick absorbing.

Eucalyptus & Tea Tree Dogpoo ($20.00): Dogs need vegan, organic hair care products, too! Your pooch deserves deluxe dogpoo (and you know it's true!) This particular formula helps ward off fleas and ticks with essential oils of neem, citronella and eucalyptus and it's perfectly pH balanced for your fluffy companion's coat. This wash works up into a nice lather and rinses easily. It's a perfect alternative to conventional formulas made of harmful chemicals that are toxic and unsafe. John Masters Organics works with Animal Haven, a no kill sanctuary in New York. $1 from each sale of this product will be donated to help dogs and cats in need of good homes. Also, John Masters Organics is endorsed by PETA.

For more info: John Masters Organics

Klean Bath and Body is quite the olfactory experience!

2008-06-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for smelly yum-yums whether it's in my mouth or on my skin. I like the idea that if you use beautiful smelling soaps, moisturizers, scrubs, etc., there's no need to even use perfume.

Klean Bath and Body is vegan and cruelty free and their products are simply amazing! They offer body polishes, moisturizers, massage oils, perfumes (and you know how hard it is to find vegan perfumes!), cleansers and other green gifts. All of their products come in a myriad of decadent fragrances so you're going to have a blast picking and choosing which products you want in which scents. I'm just going to list a few of Klean's scents 'cause the list is ginormous: The Devil Made Me Do It (brownie inspired), German Chocolate Cake, Just Peachy, Roasted Nut Orange Peel, Tangy Watermelon, Vanilla-Sandalwood, Bamboo Sugarcane, Blue Hawaii (jasmine and coconut), Ginger Tea, Pink Grapefruit-Vanilla, Pink Martini, Satsuma Glow (guava, orange, lemon, jasmine, neroli, sandalwood and musk)... (check the website for a complete list) :)

My faves:

Body Polish ($11.50): I'm in love Love LOVE with the Devil Made Me Do It Body Polish! It's a fine textured brownie scented sugar scrub that leaves your skin feeling divine! It's a chocoholic's dream. You get to enjoy all of the sinful pleasure with zero guilt and at $11.50 it's a hell of a deal.

Klean Bath Syrup ($11.50): This super thick, mega foaming bath syrup is a must for any bath or shower. Yuzu is the scent I've been currently digging. A little goes a long way so don't get too bubble crazy! You can order different sized syrups (small, medium, large) and you can add a pump as well.

Klean Solid Perfumes ($10.50): Solid perfumes are the perfect lil' size to slip into your purse or in a pocket for a quick smelly pick up. The one currently residing in my hand bag is Creamy Coconut - YUM! These perfumes come in a variety of fragrances and are blended with soy wax and sweet almond oil. These make great additions to any goody/gift bag.

For more info: Klean Bath & Body

Oracle Organics is my latest obsession!

2008-06-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

Oracle Organics is 100% vegan and never tests on animals... I love it when a company takes the guess work out of vegan beauty and comes out and states that - makes life simple!
Oracle Organics products are made in small batches and are handcrafted "with love." They support social and environmental justice by using sustainable ingredients that are 100% natural, of the highest quality and that are ethically produced. They are also a Co-op America approved green business.

A few products I have fallen in love with:

Vanilla Shea Body Butter ($20.50): Holy Mole, this body butter is decadent yumminess for your skin! It smells like rich vanilla icing - so much that I have been attempted on occasion to lick it off my fingers. It's made with pure unrefined organic fair trade shea butter with organic jojoba and sweet almond oils... it's also infused with real, organic vanilla beans - YUM! It's extremely emollient and is the perfect remedy for dry skin. I personally use this stuff day and night for its yummy scent alone. Natural vanilla is heaven and it doesn't get any better than this! Other varieties of body butters include Clarify Body Butter (with citrus extracts), Pure Body Butter (pure and unscented), Renew Body Butter (with soothing lavender) and Strengthen Body Butter (with rosemary and mint extracts).

Bloom Organic Facial Mask ($17): This floral facial mask has pure organic rose petals (an astringent), hibiscus flowers, rosehips (high in antioxidants) and marshmallow root (a soothing emollient) with mild kaolinite clay. Let this amazing organic botanical concoction revive your skin by drawing out all the impurities via Mother Nature's ingredients. You can also try their Mineral Mud Organic Facial Mask (with green tea extract) and their Refine Organic Facial Mask (with white sage and green clay).

Purify Sugar Scrub ($16.00): I have a natural affinity for sugar scrubs. I also have an affinity for all minty things. This particular body scrub is infused with mint and green tea extracts. Love it!!! Shea butter and jojoba oil are also key ingredients which help nourish and moisturize your skin so it feels amazingly soft. The scent of this body polish is awakening and fresh. The Purify Sugar Scrub has become a regular addition to my morning and nighttime baths. Other varieties of the body polishes include Clarity Sugar Scrub (with citrus extracts), Ginger Lime Sugar Scrub (with macadamia nut oil) and Mineral Mud Salt Scrub (with green tea extract).

Oracle Organics also make organic soaps, body washes, massage oils and they sell bath accessories, soap dishes and other great gifts. Oracle Organics has an admirable green philosophy and their products are absolutely fabulous!!!

For more info: Oracle Organics

Jenulence: "If you can't eat it, don't use it on your skin."

2008-06-02T00:03:00.000-07:00

Jenulence has a slection of mineral makeup, skin care and bath & body care products that are all natural and free of toxins. Yippee! Take a peek...

A few beauty products I recommend:

Anti-wrinkle Shea Butter Eye Cream ($32.00): I have been using this under eye cream for the past two weeks and I'm hooked. It contains vitamin C-Ester, vitamin E and DMAE which are all powerhouse ingredients for looking young and vibrant. This eye cream also contains caffeine which helps tighten your skin while natural oils and butter heal and nourish your skin. A little cream goes a long way. I recommend you use this creamy, smooth Fountain-of-Youth-in-a-Jar both morning and night.

Antioxidant Green Tea Foaming Cleanser ($16.00): I pretty much love everything with green tea in it. It's anti-oxidizing powers constantly allure me. This is a gentle cleanser that works for all skin types. Make sure you recycle it's packaging! Not all beauty product containers are recyclable - this one definitely is, so do your part!

Alpha Lipoic Acid Antioxidant Serum ($32.00): Key ingredients in this anti wrinkle potion include organic rosehip seed oil, sea buckthorn seed and berry oils, hydrosoluble alpha lipoic acid and good ol' vitamin E. This serum is great for diminishing fine lines and small scars. Just use a few drops on cleansed skin once or twice a day and let the power of Mother Nature take its course.

For more info: Jenulence

Rae Cosmetics is for girls on the go

2008-05-26T22:31:00.000-07:00

Rae Cosmetics is going to make a lot of chicks who live in hot, humid climates very very happy! Rae is also designed for women who lead active lives and prefer makeup that is functional as well as beauty enhancing.

This no nonsense makeup, which is rich in anti-oxidants, can withstand heat and stress.

A few must haves:

Mineral Powder Compact ($39): These powders are hypoallergenic, fragrance, talc and oil free and have SPF 8 (which should be requirements for all of your foundation and base makeup). These powders are versatile and work well as foundation or finishing powder... and a little bonus - they have a natural sunscreen. They are lightweight and smooth and leave your skin looking even and flawless. You can choose from 8 shades to match your skin tone. Mineral makeup is truly where it's at. It's 2008, Ladies! There is no need to be using goopy foundation filled with chemicals and preservatives. Go natural and have fun!

Climate Control Mineral Tint ($39): This multi mineral tinted anti-oxidant lotion/foundation is also hypoallergenic, fragrance, talc and oil free as well as water resistant. Amen to that! These babies have SPF 20 to combat early signs of aging along with powerful anti-oxidants like ginko biloba, ginseng, vitamins A, C and E. If you're Sporty Spice or just simply a fan of the outdoors, this makeup is definitely for you. And if you live in a hot and humid city like Austin, you can now look beautiful without worrying about your face melting off.

Super Shimmer Dust ($16): This micro crushed golden pigment is perfect for eye lids, cheeks, shoulders, chest or back. It's subtle yet glamorous. I love using this powder underneath my brows for highlighting effects. This will give anyone a youthful and radiant glow. You have to give this golden shimmer a whirl! It works for both daytime and nighttime, whether you want to be flirty and fun or bold and dramatic.

For more info: Rae Cosmetics

Vegan makeup is where it's at!

2008-05-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

Herbs of Grace is dedicated to providing quality skin care products and cosmetics using the finest natural ingredients that are free of chemicals & preservatives and are cruelty-free & vegan! This is a great place to buy mineral foundations, eye shadows, blush, lip balm, bronzers, makeup gift sets, books, brushes and accessories. All of these products are homemade and arrive at your home as fresh as can be.

A few of my faves:

Natural Skin Foundation Powders ($18.50): These all-natural powders come in 6 shades and can be used as concealer, foundation & powder! These powders have sunscreen agents in them as well so no need to apply any additional SPF while you're wearing Herbs of Grace. Also, these powders are light and anti-inflammatory and are great for people with sensitive, damaged or acne prone skin. Herbs of Grace has an amazing Vegan Kabuki Brush ($27.30) that works divinely with these foundation powders. Vegan kabuki brushes are hard to come by so finding this one was a treat!

Natural Color Eye Shadow ($6.75): The Purple Shimmer Collection (Lavender Mist, Huckleberry & Dark Plum) is my favorito! These colors are bold, long-wearing and iridescent. I feel like a purple princess with this trio of purpley power. I use the lavender shade to highlight my lids and the darker shades as crease color and liner. These colors are also fun to mix and match. Herbs of Grace has every color eyeshadow you can imagine from pinks and purples to greens, browns and blues. They are all stunning and fun to experiment with.

Herbs of Grace has a new line of vegan lip balms with a hint of color ($3.95): These natural looking, earth tone shades include Sweet Pea, Chestnut and Berry. You can purchase non tinted lip conditioners ($3.25) as well in Peppermint and Tangerine.

For more info: Herbs of Grace

Kilynn Cosmetics make you go Mmmm...

2008-05-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

Kilynn Cosmetics are vegan, cruelty-free and are made with natural oils, butters, proteins and extracts that leave your skin feeling soft and silky smooth. This unique line features sweet smelling body creams, body washes, mineral makeup and hair products.

A couple of faves:

Kilynn's Champagne Whipped Body Cream ($15): This creamy concoction has an delicate, feminine aroma that lasts long after you apply it to your skin. This whipped body cream is made from avacado, grapeseed butter, wheat protein and banana extract.
Kilynn Whipped Body Cream is available is 3 other yummy scents: Cotton Candy (Ooooooh!) , Passionate Papaya (yum!) and Sweet Honeysuckle.

Lavender & Oatmeal Moisturizing Body Bar ($5.50): This organic soaptastical bar of wonder gently cleanses and moisturizes without drying... and it's uberly floral lavender scent gives you a calming and soothing bath time experience. This bar of soap happens to be a customer favorite and I totally get why. It smells heavenly and my skin is in love with all the soothing benefits that oatmeal has to offer. Kilynn also makes a Tea Tree Moisturizing Facial Soap (which is great for dry, sensitive skin) and an 'I Love Shea' Moisturizing Body Bar. I happen to be a shea lover myself so this bar is aptly named.

For more info: Kilynn Cosmetics

Coola: Solar powered suncare - now that's cool!

2008-05-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

Coola is an organic suncare line that uses only the best organic extracts and ingredients to create quality skin care that is hypoallergenic, PABA free and waterproof.
Beginning in 2009, Coola will be the first and only sun protection line that will be able to say they are a "solar powered sun protection line." The irony... and the awesomeness!
Coola is vegan, against animal testing and uses biodegradable packaging, recycled papers, eco-friendly printing and is made entirely in the USA. Coola also donates a portion of its profits to skin cancer research.

Coola has three types of sunscreen, and I guarantee you are going to want to try them all! On that note, you can order Coola Minis ($1.99) which are perfect for sampling, traveling and sharing with friends!

The goods:
Face 30 SPF in cucumber (my fave!) and unscented ($32)
Total Body 30 SPF in plumeria (another fave!) and unscented ($30)
Sport 45 SPF in mango and unscented ($32)

Coola's line of sun protection feels amazing on the skin, it smells oooh la la good (especially the scented versions) and it's not at all greasy or goopy. It's perfect! In all honesty, Coola is my new sunblock. Love it, love it! Coola will help you age gracefully and divinley while you embrace your environmental consumer responsibilities.

For more info: Coola

Arbonne: conscious beauty made easy

2008-04-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

Arbonne International has a simple motto: pure, safe & beneficial. There are a myriad of reasons to use Arbonne products. They are formulated without dyes or chemical fragrances, they are organic, never tested on animals, certified vegan, hypoallergenic, ph balanced and petroleum free. Arbonne is also formulated in Switzerland and made in the USA.

Arbonne carries products for women, men and babies! They have amazing skin care, anti-aging treatments, makeup, hair care, aromatherapy and products for weight loss and nutrition.

Arbonne also offers the opportunity for people to start their own Arbonne business. You can become a client, consultant "wholesale buyer" or business builder. Why not start making money selling vegan beauty products that you already love?

A few recommendations:

NutriMinC RE9 REality Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 8 ($49.50): This moisturizing formula helps prevent wrinkles and sun damage while drastically improving skin tone. It's important to know that it's recommended that sunscreen be used every day of the year and not just when it's sunshiney outside. UV rays are always present, even when it's cloudy. This sunscreen is perfect for wearing under you makeup.

Intelligence Hand Cream ($14): This thick and rich hand treatment formula is packed with anti-aging ingredients such as liposomes, phospholipids, alpha hydroxy acids, antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. It's prefect for all skin types and is especially a must have year round.

Arbonne also has an Intelligence Herbal Foot Cream ($16) which I believe is just as important to use every day to help keep feet soft and supple. Key ingredients in this herbal blend include alpha hydroxy acids, avocado oil, rice bran oil and menthol. You can also order these babies in a travel size. I love to use this cream right after a nice, relaxing bath. My feet and tosies stay in tip top condition with this herbal concoction.

And now for my favorito...

NutriMinC REnewing Gelee Creme Hydrating Wash ($39): It's an emollient, cream-based, ph balanced gel cleanser that cleans without drying your skin. It's perfect for all skin types and your skin will feel so incredibly clean and soft after using this wash. It's the perfect foundation to having amazing, youhtful looking skin. Use this and the above mentioned sunscreen and you are guaranteed to look like a hot mama for life.

Arbonne is animal friendly and gives you amazing results. I highly recommend you give it a whirl. Jami Lathan, Arbonne Consultant, is one of the most delightful and helpful people in the Arbonne community. She can help you determine what's perfect for your skin, give you recommendations and advice and make your vegan beauty care shopping experience a memorable one.

For more info: Arbonne

Warm Earth Cosmetics: makeup & pottery never looked so good

2008-04-15T22:47:00.000-07:00

Warm Earth Cosmetics is pure and clean and vegan. They never test on animals and they never use animal ingredients. They offer blushes and eyeshadows that are divine, long-wearing and rich in pigments.

One of the coolest aspects of Warm Earth Cosmetics is their unique packaging... little miniature pottery vessels with natural cork closures. Once you use up all of your mineral makeup, the pottery makes a beautiful addition to any room in your house. Their pottery is hand-thrown, hand-glazed, high-fired stoneware and porcelain. Each pottery is one of a kind and beautiful to boot. I love them all!

As far as blushes and eyeshadows go, they pretty much carry every color under the sun. Their blushes ($21) are highly concentrated and will stay put throughout the day. Many of their blushes can double up as bronzers and lighter shades can be used as foundation - these babies are certainly versatile.

Warm Earth Cosmetics has have a variety of eyeshadows ($11)... some are subtle, others are more vibrant and you can mix and match colors to come up with a shade all your own. You can add a drop of water to your eye liner brush and mix with the shadows to line the eyes - very glamorous! Each eyeshadow listed on their website give a nice description of what kind of treat your eyes on in for. I happen to gravitate toward the bold blues and pink shades that have a shimmery sheen to them. I love the sparklies!

For more info: Warm Earth Cosmetics

Urban Apothecary: chic, flirty and fun

2008-04-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

Urban Apothecary is 100% vegan and cruelty free. They have a lot of fun products to choose from which will add a lil' spice to your regular makeup routine.

Here are a few of my faves:

Eye Confetti ($10): Fun eyeshadow just got kicked up a notch. These shadows offer a subtle sheen and lots o' twinkle! 8 fun shades are available to choose from. They are all gorgeous!

Glitterazzi Glitter ($4): Ultra fine glittery eye candy. Sparkle and dazzle in every color of the rainbow - they offer 24 magical shades. Wearing these sparkley babies will definitely get you noticed! My personal favorites are Charm, Hoodoo, Midnight and Hocus Pocus.

Luxe Cream Liner ($20): This creamy liner dries in seconds, is smudge-proof and is uber sexy. It comes in 5 shades: Cloud 9 (fresh snow), Silver Lining (shimmering grey), Midnight Opal (shimmering navy), Onyx (jet black) and Mahogany (dark chocolate).

Mineral Matte Bronzer ($38): Cleavage season is just around the corner. Bronzers are perfect for an allover sun-kissed glow. This all natural bronzer has a gold bronze warmth combined with pink, bronze and fawn shimmer - perfecto! You're gonna be the hottest chica on the block!

For more info: Urban Apothecary

Rosie Jane Cosmetics: Compact, Simple, Natural & Beautiful

2008-04-01T14:31:00.001-07:00

Rosie Jane Cosmetics was developed by famed celebrity makeup artist Rosie Jane Johnson. Her philosophy is a simple "back to basics" approach.

There are four basic cosmetics that are available in this line and they are all simple to use: Cheek Gloss, Eye Defines, Eye Hints and Lip Dew.

Rosie Jane Cosmetics has a strong celebrity following including Cameron Diaz, Eva Longoria, Courtney Cox and Rachel Bilson.

A few Rosie Jane Cosmetics highlights:

Rosie Jane Eye Hints ($20) - tinted eye cream offered in three colors (buttercup Bronze, Rain Lilly and Hint of Lavender). I'm a purple princess so of course I gravitated to the Hint of Purple shade. It's great for combining with other eyeshadows and because it's a cream shadow, it's a perfect base for adding a little glitter on your eyelids.

Rosie Jane Eye Defines ($15) - eyeliners which can be used as both a liner and blendable shadow. It comes in three shades: Fern (deep moss green with shimmer), Beech Tree (brownish bronze with shimmer) and Grapevine (deep purple/black with shimmer). These babies glide on smoothly and are retractable so no need for pencil sharpeners. Yay!

My favorite Rosie Jane Cosmetic is the Lip Dew ($18) - super moisturizing lip gloss that contains shea butter. It comes in 3 colors: Tara Tottergrass (clear, vanilla flavored), Apple Blossom (hot pink, apple flavored) and Elderberry (bronze, berry flavored). These lip glosses smell just like candy.

For more info: Rosie Jane Cosmetics

Strawberry Hedgehog: green and glamorous beauty with homestyle charm

2008-03-24T16:31:00.001-07:00

First of all, how can one not be drawn to a company with such an innocently alluring name. Strawberry Hedgehog is a grassrootsy company with charming and delightful products. Tracy Perkins, the owner of Strawberry Hedgehog makes all of these vegan goodies by herself in her kitchen. (Wow!) I am all about promoting ambitious, successful, vegan (and female) entrapraneurs! She offers natural vegan products such as soaps, scrubs, lotions, body butters and perfumes. These products are simple, pure and essential.

A few of my faves:

Peppermint Shea Butter ($15) I love Love LOVE anything and everything peppermint, so I was sold on this one before even trying it. By far, one of the best shea butters I've ever tried. Whenever I've got this on my arms, I become preoccupied with smelling myself to the point where it's ridiculous.

Tea Tree Rosemary Face Soap ($9) Great for keeping up a clear complexion. It smells wonderful and it lasts a long time so it's a great buy.

Lemon Mint Kiss Lip Balm ($3) Tingley and smooth and feels amazing on my lips. It's kind of addictive (in a nice, delicious way).
I always keep this in my purse so it's nearby when I'm ready to moisturize my sexy lips. I love that all of these products are homemade!

Ginger Spice, Vanilla, and Damask Rose Patchouli Perfume Oil ($15) Pure essential oils blended with only alcohol and that's it. Simple, pure, natural and refreshing. These perfumes are subtle and not overwhelming like most commercial perfumes, thank Godzilla! I especially favor the vanilla perfume oil. It's smells yummy and girly.

The nice thing about Strawberry Hedgehog is that you can custom blend essential oils to create your own wonderful aromatherapy and perfume oil scents. Sounds like fun to me!

For more info: Strawberry Hedgehog

Girls, pucker up that sexy pout with the help of Skin by Monica!

2008-03-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

Skin by Monica, founded by model/actress Monica Olson, is a line of organic beauty products (and products for men and babies, too). I came across a beauty product that particularly had me ranting and raving.

I basically flipped out when I tried this new organic lip plumper from Skin by Monica. I've managed to try out 5 or 6 different vegan/organic lip plumpers in the past few months and I must say that this one by far has been the most impressive in its lip plumpin' abilities.

Skin by Monica's Peppermint Plump for Sexy Lips ($18.95) works almost immediately after putting it on. It's uber tingley and minty and gives your lips plenty of plumptitude and shine.
It's a pretty amazing deal considering most plumpers on the market are $40 and up. Also this 3.5ml tube of gloss is going to last you for quite some time. And hey, it's organic - that's reason enough to give this plumper a whirl.

You can apply the gloss to bare lips or over color for some added shine. This gloss is enriched with grapefruit seed extract (a natural preservative), macadamia nut oil, castor bean oil, menthol and camphor (tingley ingredients).

I happen to be a huge peppermint aficionado, but if minty bliss isn't quite your cup of tea (or tube of gloss), this amazing, fast-acting plumper is also available in raspberry. Yum! You can also buy lip gloss (plump-free) ($12.95) in cherry and strawberry.

Skin by Monica has so many wonderful organic products that I highly recommend you buy their Travel Kit for Women ($34.95) which has a little bit of everything and truly is perfect for when you're on the go. This kit contains Luscious Moisturizing Shampoo, Silk Moisturizing Conditioner, Nude Moisture Rich Body Lotion, Dry Antiperspirant & Deodorant, Perfection-C Vitamin C creme, O2 pH Balancing Spray and Restore MSM Facial Cleanser. This kit also makes a perfect gift.

For more info: Skin by Monica

Estrella gives us even more reasons to smile

2008-03-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

Smiles are contagious. I know I love to smile like it's goin' out of style. We all want healthy, shiny, white teeth but we also all want to have the most amazing smelling breath. I can think of a few loved ones who could care less about their breath (i.e. my three furry feliney children) -- but for most of us, it's very important, especially after eating an extra large basket of garlic bread. Word.

Estrella Natural Toothpaste ($9.99), created by Dr. David Villarreal (who specializes in bio-compatible dentistry), is not only all natural, free of harmful chemicals, harsh abrasives and sodium lauryl sulfate, it tastes frickin' amazing. Their toothpaste is concentrated and lasts a long time and has an earthy assortment of ingredients including aloe vera, green tea, yerba mate, grapefruit seed, licorice root, echinacea, golden seal, witch hazel, bamboo, peppermint, red thyme, cinnamon bark, lavender, neem and vanilla bean. Holy moly guacamole - and you're gonna wanna use this after eating a bowl of garlic-y guac, too!

Estrella also comes in an Oral Tonic Rinse ($19.99). This biodegradable product is alcohol free and contains no artficial, chemicals, flavorings, preservatives or animal ingredients. The Oral Tonic Rinse comes in a 16 oz. bottle and you only need to use half a cap full to swish and rinse with. This bottle will last you for quite some time. It's very concentrated and it's professional strength so you will feel confident when it's smoochie smoochie time with your snicker doodle.

For more info: Estrella

Go on, get your Merry on with the Hemp Masters

2008-03-04T22:08:00.000-08:00

The Merry Hempsters is an awesomely awesome company. They make earthy goodies like lip balms, salves and lotions. All of these environmentally friendly products are made with Cannabis Sativa seed oil a.k.a hemp seed oil. Also, all of their packaging is biodegradable and recycled. Yay, we like that!

A few hempalicious products I recommend:

Hemp Balm ($2.49), which is one of my favorites, comes in many tasty flavors: Mandarin-Orange, Spearmint, Peppermint, Cinnamon, Lemon-Lime and Vanilla.

If you're the worky outy kind or someone who could use a little love regarding your muscles and inflamed joints, The Merry Hempsters offer a Hot Hemp Muscle Rub ($4.69) that oughtta do the trick.

And of course, being the glitter goddess that I am, I must merrily rave about one of my obsessions... glitter lotion. It's not just any glitter lotion, it's Merry Hempsters' Lavender Orange Glitter Lotion ($2.99). Can I get an 'amen'? It's perfect! It's got omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, vitamin E, rosemary extract, yummy smellingses and lots o' GLITTER! You can also buy this glitter lotion unscented... but why?

For more info: The Merry Hempsters

Make your own vegan lip balm at home and express your crafty divaness

2008-02-26T20:53:00.000-08:00

So I wanted to let you all in on a cool, crafty secret. Anyone can make vegan lip balm at home. It's simple, cheap and fun!

Okay, here's what you'll need...

Ingredients:
2 oz. hemp seed oil, avocado oil or almond oil
1 oz. virgin coconut oil
1.2 oz candelilla wax
1/4 tsp. rosemary extract
few drops of vitamin E oil
few drops of an essential oil for that perfect scent (peppermint, orange, lemon, grapefruit, rose, vanilla, etc.)

Melt the candelilla wax in a pan over low heat (but don't let it boil). Once melted add the remaining ingredients except for the essential oil. Heat through and transfer to a heat safe container with a pour spout. Add essential oil and then stir well and pour immediately into lip balm tubes. Top off the lip balm (but not with your hands). Let it cool and enjoy. This recipe makes about 5 ounces of lip balm - enough to share with all of your gal pals.

This recipe can also be found on The Ponte Vedrea Soap Shoppe page.

One more recipe for my vegan lip balm-a-holics:

*Creamy Cocoa Lip Balm*
4 oz. extra virgin olive oil
3 oz. candalilla wax
1/2 vitamin E capsule
1/2 tsp. cocoa

Follow the same directions as mentioned above and ta-da! This is a guarnteed way to ensure your lip balm is vegan, cruelty free and ready to wear! Talk about taking matters into your own hands. ;)

Make Mychelle Yourchelle

2008-02-19T17:49:00.000-08:00

Mychelle beauty products are non-toxic, free of parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, ureas, EDTA, fragrances, particles and artificial colors. If you're like, "What are all of those crazy ingredients?" Just remember if you can't pronounce it, you probably aren't interested in putting that on your face and feeding your skin cells all that nastiness.
Mychelle products are guaranteed to make your skin feel amazing. They offer amazing, cleansers, scrubs, face masks, night creams, moisturizers, toners, serums, sun block, and lip plumping treatment. All of their goods are reasonably priced and have the most ambrosial ingredients... and of course everything smells edible!

They offer products for all skin types and if you want to try a little bit of everything, they have gift boxes and all-in-on packs. For example, if you purchase their All-in-one pack for Normal Skin you get the following goodies: 2.25 oz. Fruit Enzyme Mist, trial sized Fruit Enzyme Cleanser, Pumpkin Renew Cream, Fruit Fiesta Peel, Fruit Enzyme Scrub, Sun Shield SPF 30, The Perfect C Serum, Serious Hyaluronic Serum, mini Fabulous Eye Cream and mini Incredible Pumpkin Peel. All of this for only $17.59.

One of my favorite Mychelle masks is the Blueberry Antioxidant Mask ($19.92). With a power combo of blueberries, D-boldine, green tea, vitamin E, Totarola, grape seed extract and CoQ10, you have the antioxidant power to strengthen and rejuvenate your skin - which will help reduce fine lines and signs of aging.Another mask worth getting excited about is the Incredible Pumpkin Peel ($19.04). This stuff is great for healing acne and helping sun damaged skin. It's concentrated in vitamin A and smells deliciously pumpkiny. You'll feel a slight tingle when using this product, so you'll know it's doing it's job.

Mychelle has a wonderful Fruit Enzyme Scrub ($9.35) which is great to use on all skin types. It's designed to remove dead skin cells while gently massaging your face. It's a nice treat at the end of the day when you're ready to feel fresh and clean. It is recommended to let the scrub sit on your face for a few minutes before washing off to allow your skin to absorb the fruit enzymes.

Mychelle is currently having an "Old Packaging Blowout" sale where everything is 20% off while supplies last.

For more info: Mychelle

Waterlily Beauty Boutique: offering a great variety of organic and natural beauty products

2008-02-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

Waterlily Beauty Boutique is one of those websites you need to bookmark in your internet browser. Their organic and vegan product selection is always expanding with new and exciting beauty products.

Among the many organic brands Waterlily carries is Trillium. They make amazing body oils ($9.71) which are great for massages and after a nice soothing bath, body polish packets ($3.59 each) which smell amazing and make your skin feel silky smooth, and shea butter ($21.59) which is best to rub until smooth before applying to your body. Each one of these products comes in the following formulas: calming lavender and geranium, warming clementine clove & clearing cedar sage.

John Masters Organics, another brand Waterlily Beauty Boutique carries, is wunderbar! My favorite product in this line is the Pomegranate Facial Nourishing Oil ($22.50). This very fancy blend of essential oils is extremely hydrating and is great when added to facial moisturizers or straight up. It's also perfect for facial massages. Pomegranates are high in antioxidants and you can never go wrong with those.

Waterlily Beauty Boutique also carries Weleda (made in Germany). Their products are vegetable based and smell earthy and fresh. Their Citrus Creamy Body Wash ($13.50) smells clean and invigorating and compliments the upcoming spring feeling in the air.
Weleda also makes a Birch Cellulite Oil ($19.80) which helps improve the texture of your skin by smoothing and toning imperfections. Some ingredients in this must have concoction: jojoba oil, birch leaf extract, ruscus aculeatus root, and rosemary leaf extract. It's like bringing Mother Nature right into your bathroom. This oil also smells fresh and earthy and it has become a nightly routine post beddie bath.

Waterlily Beauty Boutique offers complimentary gift warpping and free shipping on orders of $75 or more.

For more info: Waterlily Beauty Boutique

Vegan beauty starts with a beautiful smile

2008-02-05T21:05:00.000-08:00

It's important to avoid conventional toothpastes. Why? Many of them contain fluoride, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, animal derived ingredients and are made by companies that support animal testing. Yuck and boo! Often times, these nasty chemicals and preservatives make their way down to our bellies either residually or by straight up by swallowing them. There are quite a few amazing vegan natural toothpastes that one can buy and I'm going to tell you about 3 of them which I find quite amazing.

Vita-myr: Natural Zinc-plus Herbal Mouthwash and Toothpaste ($6.96). Their natural ingredients include zinc (plaque inhibitor), folic acid (reduces inflammation) , myrrh (resin, antimicrobial astringent), clove oil (anti-bacterial), and grapefruit seed extract (antimicrobial preservative). Also their toothpaste is sodium lauryl sulfate free.
Vita-myr's mouthwash ($7.90) is just as awesome and gargley refreshing. I highly recommend!

For more info: Vita-myr

Kingfisher Natural Toothpaste hails from the U.K. Their toothpastes come in a variety of 5 flavors: fennel, mint, aloe vera/tea tree/fennel (my fave), aloe vera/tea tree/mint, and baking soda mint - all delicious! Most of these are available fluoride free. Cheers to that!
Kingfisher lists every single ingredient, it's purpose and where it's derived from in chart form on each tube of toothpaste. Their toothpastes runs about $5 each.

For more info: Kingfisher Natural Toothpaste

Auromére Herbal Toothpaste ($5.69) is imported from India and has an Ayurvedic formula which contains 24 special herbal extracts including neem and peelu, the "toothbrush trees" and other barks, roots, plants and flowers. Their formula is concentrated so a tube of toothpaste should last three times longer than the average tube. Auromere toothpaste comes in 4 varieties: licorice (my fave), fresh mint, mint-free, and non-foaming Fennel Flavor (sodium lauryl sulfate free). These toothpastes, along with the
Vita-myr and Kingfisher brands are vegan, cruelty-free, fluoride free, gluten free, chemical free, contain no artificial sweeteners or colors and taste amazingly refreshing... something I actually want in my mouth!

For more info: Auromére

Skinvac: chemical free skin care

2008-01-29T13:23:00.000-08:00

Can you imagine washing your face without any soap at all? Well, imagine it, people! Skinvac has a Daily Deep Cleansing Cloth which is soapless (i repeat, soapless) and non drying and can be used on all skin types. You simply add warm water and wipe off facial grime. Simple, simple, love it! Skinvac cloths are vegan, free of chemicals and they are affordable as can be at just $9.75 each. These cleansing bad boys are eco-friendly and may be used up to 200 times. That's cray-cray! *Note, these cloths are perfect for camping trips or any time you're on the go!

Skinvac also has a Pore Gripper Cloth that helps fight acne by gripping whiteheads to unclog pores. I know, it's nasty but someone's gotta talk about it. The reason I know the pore gripper works is because after using it, and then applying some vegan astringent (with lovely witch hazel), my face is on fire! These pore grippin' cloths may be used up to 100 times.

M'kay, Skinvac has all of their bases covered. They also have an Exfoliation Cloth which helps stimulate the production of collagen and elastin to help accelerate fresh skin cell turnover for youthful lookin' skin. Gotta get rid of those nasty ol' dull skin cells! These cloths may also be used up to 100 times.

Skinvac is chemical free, non-comedogenic, vegan, cruelty-free, hypo-allergenic, reusable, pH neutral and affordable. Skinvac also offers free shipping. They are based in the UK so that's a hella deal.

Skinvac's Daily Deep Cleansing Cloth, Pore Gripper and Exfoliation Cloth are each $9.75.

For more info: Skinvac

Dr. Hauschka helps fight world hunger while they give you a holistic makeover

2008-01-22T22:14:00.000-08:00

Dr. Hauschka Skin Care is pretty bad-ass on many levels. Aside from offering holistic skin care and makeup, they are doing their part to help end world hunger by donating a portion of their proceeds (when you buy a Dr. Hauschka trial kit) to Heifer, an international program which is set up to help end world hunger.
*Although I acknowledge Heifer's efforts, I do believe their fundages could feed even more hungry people by educating and teaching the ways of a vegan diet in third world countries. My two cents.

Okay ladies, ready to get excited? Dr. Hauschka has mascara ($23.50) in the most amazing fabu colors (aside from their various shades of black and brown): royal blue, golden green and aubergine (purpley goodness). Not only is their volume mascara cruelty free (amen!) but they are also smudge resistant and contain neem leaf extract which helps strengthen your lashes.

If you're a liquid liner kind of girl like I am, watch out! They have a smooth vegan eye liner ($16.95) which also contains neem and is perfect for those with sensitive skin. It strengthens and conditions and lasts throughout the day. I have a soft spot for this particular product. This vegan eyeliner was one of the first vegan beauty products I had ever tried back in the day ('twas a gift from my sugar booger).

Also, on the makeup side of things, their liquid concealer ($21.95) is the shiznit and contains all-natural mineral ingredients and therapeutic botanicals to sooth redness and irritation.

Dr. Hauschka has a very dope, user friendly website which is easy to navigate. They offer a wide variety of skin care and body care and you can shop by skin concern, season, lifestyle, mood or ingredient. Check for ingredients when reading product descriptions. Some contain honey and beeswax (which I realize some vegans use and some don't). Dr. Hauschka is like fine dining for makeup. It's a lil' on the pricey side but well worth it... so get your boyfriend to surprise you with some holistic goodies for your birthday.

For more info: Dr. Hauschka

LUSH brings us such goodies as the Sex Bomb

2008-01-15T12:07:00.000-08:00

LUSH Handmade Cosmetics is such an amazing company which caters to the girliness in all of us that begs to be ravished by arousal overdose. Every single LUSH product, many of which contain mood enhancing essential oils, is unbelievably yummy-smelling to the point where you either want to eat it or call in sick from work so you can spend the whole day sniffin' your LUSHified skin. Not only are their shampoos, soaps and fizzy bath bombs delectably smelly but they are quite the eye candy. Many of their soaps, bubble bars and bath bombs have glitter, rice rose petals, berries, fruit peels, you name it!

Not only is LUSH lushishly lushful but the company has charitable good will. For instance, they have a "Charity Pot" Hand & Body Cream in which every penny of it's retail price ($19.95) goes to a charitable fund to support the environment, human and animals rights. This cream smells out-of-this world amazing (ylang ylang, tagettes, gardenia) and it's so rich and creamy.

Have to say a few words about my personal fave: the Sex Bomb ($5.85). It's one of their top sellers (shocker... not!) and here's why: the blissful smell of jasmine, clary sage, and ylang ylang... go on and get your sexy on! When the sex bomb dissolves you'll have a bath tub full of rice paper rose petals. Que romantico!

Another bath bomb that will rock your world is their Avobath Bomb ($5.65). That's avo as is avocado. Two wonderful reasons why I love it: it's moisturizing and it smells refreshing... and it's green (for us green goddesses who love our planet).

Other Lush products I recommend:

Big Shampoo ($20.95) - Contains sea salt to counteract the effects of soft water which will lead to volumous, big hair

Veganese Conditioner ($8.45) - Lemon scented, heavy on shine, for all hair types.

Wiccy Magic Muscle Massage Bar ($8.95) - Layered with aduki beans (go on, say out loud), it smells spicy and yum yum and it's a trippy lookin' bar. I just feel cool using one. It has tingly powers and it's awesome.

For more info: LUSH Handmade Cosmetics