Vegan Beauty Review» cruelty free sunscreen

Cruelty-Free Summer Skincare

Sunny — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:28:09 +0000

The following is a guest post by Christy Hall. She’s not only vegan, compassionate and stylish, but she knows a thing or two about cruelty-free skincare! Feel free to add her on Facebook!

Although the summer is winding down, the sun is still out in full force. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been a busy little beaver doing outreach, petitioning at Warped, and walking around the (surprisingly) hot streets of DC in a frantic state trying to figure out where the hell I am! :O

I know this next statement may be hard to believe, but you best believe it; this girl HATES the sun. Ok ok, I know we need the sun for photosynthesis, vitamin D, and all that mess, but does it really have to be so damn hot and do horrible things to my fragile fair skin?! >:(

I like to keep my skin fair and my tattoos vibrant. This is impossible with overexposure to the sun.

So here’s what I do:

I lather up with sunscreen any chance I get. When I’m in the sun for a long amount of time I will apply sunscreen like every 15-20 minutes. No shit. Here is one of my fave cruelty-free sunscreens that is easily accessible.

I like this one from Alba Botanica because it claims to be “sport” sunscreen. When I’m out walking around struttin’ my stuff I tend to get a little sweaty. So I don’t want to sweat my sunscreen off as soon as I apply it. I feel like that defeats the purpose. This stuff stays on through the blood, sweat, and tears, of a new DC resident running around like a… you know. ;D

Trader Joe’s also carries an amazing sunscreen with an SPF of 50. It comes in a very convenient spray bottle and it is very affordable. However, I will admit it smells a little weird. >:/

When I come home from being out in the sun all day I like to apply some sort of Aloe Vera gel and Vitamin E oil. Again, I am all about the Trader Joe’s brands. They are affordable and they work really well!

Aloe Vera works to calm the overexposed skin and relieve any burning that may have happened.

Vitamin E oil has been proven to reverse the affects and damage caused by sun exposure and can even prevent and diminish the appearance of wrinkles. Gotta start on some early wrinkle prevention folks if we wanna stay young and hot fah ev-ah!

Also wear big cruelty-free sunglasses and hats any chance you get and don’t stay in the sun longer than you have to.

So go ahead and get up off your tush and do some activism, go for a run, or hell at least walk your ass to the vegan bakery instead of driving! :3 Just remember sunscreen and Vitamin E oil and you should be good to go!

Stay sexy, bitches!

Vegan Sunscreen for the Whole Fam Damily

Sunny — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 23:25:49 +0000

I know this isn’t news, but most conventional sunscreens do more harm than good. Sun protection is great and all—but only if you’re not piling toxic, carcinogenic chemicals on your skin in the process. I’ve been fortunate to get my hands on some some pretty amazing vegan sunscreens over the years, and I’ve recently discovererd one of my new faves. It’s from the sustainable, organic, non-toxic skin care company, Marie Veronique Organics. The deets…

Kid Safe Screen SPF 25 ($19): I LOVE that it comes in a pump container (♪ p-pump it real good ♪). I’m not the biggest fan of using sunscreen from squeeze-tubes (too messy and arduous), so right off the bat I knew I was gonna be a fan of this stuff. I do want to note that it’s not a spray. I originally thought I was going to be able to spritz this on my face. My bad. It’s all gravy, though, because it goes on smoothly, it has a delicate scent, and it doesn’t leave any white residue. Best part: there are no harmful chemicals, nanoparticles, parabens, petroleum products, fillers, waxes or fragrances and it’s completely vegan!

Ingredients: Camellia sinensis (green and white tea), non-nano zinc oxide, capric/capryllic triglycerides (fractionated coconut oil), Helianthus annuus (sunflower oil), Persea americana (avocado oil), MVO butter, vegetable glycerin, potassium sorbate, xantham gum, allantoin, Polyaminopropyl biguanide (Cosmocil CQ), glycine soja lecithin, rosemary oleoresin, Cananga odorata (ylang ylang) essential oil, iron oxides

Btw, if you’re like, “But it’s almost fall, it’s getting cool, so I don’t need any sun protection this time of year.” Hate to break it to ya, but unless you aspire to look granny-ish well before your granny years, you’re gonna wanna slather some non-toxic SPF every chance you get. Keep in mind, the sun comes out every sing day (whether you see it or not). Sunscreen is one of the best ways to fight wrinkles—I can’t think of anyone who’s not down with that!

I’m always on the lookout for new vegan sunscreens. If you have any tips, please pass them along! Thank you y muchos gracias.

Does non-toxic sunscreen really exist?

Sunny — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:50:00 +0000

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.