Wanna enjoy chocolate-y bliss without the calories and saturated fat? (Duh!) Look no further than this easy-peasy, lipsmackingly delish DIY chocolate lip gloss recipe!

Chocolate Lip Gloss

I wanted to share this delectable pumpkin body treat with you guys—not only because it’s seasonal and YUMZ, but it works wonders for dry skin. As soon as temps begin to drop, I usually develop gnarly scales and become a dry, crusty ogre. True story. ←Guess I won’t need to buy a Halloween costume this [...]]]> Happy (almost) Halloween!

I wanted to share this delectable pumpkin body treat with you guys—not only because it’s seasonal and YUMZ, but it works wonders for dry skin. As soon as temps begin to drop, I usually develop gnarly scales and become a dry, crusty ogre. True story. ←Guess I won’t need to buy a Halloween costume this year.

DIY Pumpkin Body Moisturizer

What you’ll need (for anti-ogreness):

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (naturally loaded with exfoliating enzymes and vitamin A)
1/2 cup coconut oil (moisture-rich with lots of essential fatty acids)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (anti-microbial and delicious-smelling!)

1. Mix all the ingredients together until you have a super smooth consistency.
2. Apply the mixture as you would lotion.
3. Leave on for about 10-15 minutes
4. Rinse and dry.

Keep any leftover moisturizer in your fridge—it should keep for a couple of weeks.

Looking for a few more DIY pumpkin beauty recipes? Look no further!

Natural clay cat litter is made of the same ingredients as special clays found in lots of fancy schmancy, expensive spa facials. Enjoy this cheap, quirky, DIY face [...]]]> I know this might sound cray-cray, but kitty litter is the key ingredient to one of the best face masks you will ever try! No joke.

Natural clay cat litter is made of the same ingredients as special clays found in lots of fancy schmancy, expensive spa facials. Enjoy this cheap, quirky, DIY face mask recipe, and lemme know what you think!

What you’ll need:

• Some fresh (from-the-bag) kitty litter (the 100% “natural” kind with sodium betonite clay)
• Filtered water
• A few drops of your fave essential oils (I personally ♥ peppermint)

Mix a couple tablespoons of kitty litter with water (enough to make it mask-y) and essential oil, and apply the mask to your face. Leave it on your face for about 10-15 minutes before rinsing off. You will love the way your skin feels afterwards!

*NOTE* I do not use clay litter for my cats, just for my face. Learn more about why clay litter is not recommended for cats here. If you’re looking for an amazing non-clay, clumping kitty litter that kicks some serious ass, I highly recommend World’s Best Cat Litter (appropriately named). It’s long-lasting, dust-free, biodegradable (made from corn), and seriously odor-absorbing (like fo’ realz—I’m talking 4-cat stank patrol).

I make many a product over at StrawberryHedgehog.com. From organic oils soaps to whipped body creme, I have my hands full with my current product [...]]]> The following guest post is by Tracy Perkins of StrawberryHedgehog.com. She makes specialty handmade vegan bath & body products, and she has a special vegan lip balm recipe to share with you all!

I make many a product over at StrawberryHedgehog.com. From organic oils soaps to whipped body creme, I have my hands full with my current product line. Over the years I’ve had to streamline and eliminate some products so I can handle things best and give 110% to what I am doing. On that list of products once loved and eventually nixed was my fabulous vegan lip balm. I tend to use my unrefined shea butter now, or straight mango butter, but a good tube of lip balm can’t be beat, especially if it is tinted!

In comes my buddy, Mary, vegan mineral makeup extraordinaire and fellow crafty-guru behind GothCupcake.Etsy.com! She mixed up a couple of beautiful lip-safe mineral pigment blends, I had all the goods for the balms and we made a fun filled night of it!

Ratio: (given so you can play with the recipe and make smaller batches – try tbsp instead of cups for a smaller qty)

• 3 parts butters
• 2 parts wax
• 4 parts oil

Tinted Vegan Lip Balm
makes 2 1/4 cups, i.e 18oz, i.e. lots of lip balm!

• 1/4 cup unrefined shea butter
• 1/2 cup fair trade cocoa butter
• 1/4 cup candelilla wax
• 1/4 cup carnuba wax
• 1 cup jojoba oil
• 1/2 tsp vitamin e oil (soy)
• * 90-180 drops essential oil or organic flavor oil
• * 3/4 tsp mineral pigment

Your measurements should be of the melted material so use a heat resistant measuring cup to measure and heat. Many recipes call for a double boiler but because I like to use the same container for heating and measuring I use the microwave in 30 second bursts and remove when there are no solid pieces remaining. I like to melt my waxes first, then my butters and then add my oil. When you add your oil it may cause it to solidify a bit so just pop it back in the micro for a few more rounds of 30 seconds. Test the consistency on your hand (this is crazy hot! Don’t burn yourself, I stir with a chopstick then let it cool a bit on the end and put a dab on the back of my hand to see if the consistency is what I am going for).

If it is too thick/waxy, add more oil, too thin, add more butter. Play around with the oils and butters you use – cocoa is harder than shea, jojoba is a liquid wax so provides a more shelf-stable product and is great for your lips. Castor oil would have a wonderful consistency that might lead to longer wear while apricot kernel or sweet almond would be light and readily absorbed. Once you have the consistency you like start adding your organic flavor oils and essential oils.

We split our batch into two at this point so we could have two colors/flavors. Be sure you are using high quality oils! Never ever ever use a “essence” “perfume” “fragrance” or anything of the like. Organic extracts are great for scents that can’t be obtained as essential oils. If you are using extracts be sure they are in an oil base rather than alcohol as alcohol will not mix with your lip balm, it will just bead up and be yucky. Be careful with citrus, mints, anise, cinnamon, and clove as these are wonderful but powerful oils. Test as you go to see if it is too warming or cooling and play around. Also, if you wouldn’t eat it from your garden or spice cabinet do not use the essential oil in something that goes on your lips – i.e. no mugwort lip balm!

Our oil combos:
Tropical Bliss:

• 90 tangerine essential oil
• 30 coconut organic extract

Peppermint Kiss:

• 60 peppermint essential oil
• 60 spearmint essential oil
• 60 vanilla organic extract

You can add in some mineral pigment as long as you know it is safe for lips. Just because it is a mineral doesn’t mean you can use it without caution. Lead is a mineral, my dearies, you don’t want that on your lips! :c) Micas and iron oxides are your best bet. Mary mixed up two beautiful mica blends for our use!  A coppery, sun-kissed blend and a shimmery wine tint, both beautiful. Just stir them in gently until the color is distributed throughout. If things start to solidify put them back in the micro for 30 seconds but use a lid once the essential oils are in to avoid them volatilizing too much.

Now you can pour! Tubes and a little pouring tray can be found online and are very helpful to do many at once but you can just as easily use empty candy tins, small jars, etc. For the trays and tubes just pop them in securely and begin pouring. Don’t worry about getting it on the tray or even spilling over (as long as you are working on a very clean surface, of course!) as you can just scrape off the cooled excess, remelt, and pour again. Once cooled thoroughly scrape off the top, wiggle and twist to get the lip balm out (I find this is easier in the thin tubes), wipe off or scrape off the top for an even and clean surface and put on the lid! You’ve just made magical home made vegan lip balm. :c)  Any excess can be poured into a Tupperware and kept for your next batch.

Jojoba oil is the answer to all of your beauty prayers—trust me! It’s cheap, it’s easy to use, it readily available (I like to buy mine at Trader Joe’s), and it will transform your skin, hair and [...]]]> Jo Jo Jo! It’s time to talk about one of my favorite versatile beauty oils of all time—jojoba oil!

Jojoba oil is the answer to all of your beauty prayers—trust me! It’s cheap, it’s easy to use, it readily available (I like to buy mine at Trader Joe’s), and it will transform your skin, hair and nails for the better! Check out all of these fab ways to use it!

• Body Oil: You can use it as a massage oil (I like to add a few drops of lavender) or as all-over your body moisturizer after a nice, relaxing bath or shower. It absorbs quickly and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth.
• Facial Moisturizer: Jojoba oil helps to balance skin’s sebum, so it moisturizes dry skins and chills out the oil production in oily skin—so you can rest-assured using this on your face will not cause zits! Apply a few drops of jojoba oil directly to your face or mix it in with your favorite moisturizer for some extra hydrating umph.
• Makeup Remover: Soak a cotton ball and gently rub it over your face to remove all of your makeup… best makeup remover ever (leaves your skin all conditioned n’ shiat, too!)
• Lip Conditioner: I like adding a dab of jojoba oil to my lips after a much needed sugary lip scrub treatment… makes my smackers extra smoochable!
• Nail Conditioner: Rubbing jojoba oil on your nails and cuticles on a semi-regular basis will help make your cracked, ridgedy nails look their bestest.
• Leave-In Hair Treatment:. If you have dry or damaged hair (like I do), rub a few drops of jojoba in the palm of your hands and work it through your hair (especially hit up the extra dry, frizzy, straw-y bits)… your hair will ♥ you (and vice versa).
• Key Ingredient for the Perfect Body Scrub: Seriously. Mix granulated sugar with jojoba oil and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil(s), mix, and enjoy! You’re welcome!

Do you love jojoba as much as I do? Holla at your girl in the comments! xx

In an effort to not OD on eating holiday deliciousness (is that even possible?), I’ve decided to enjoy pumpkin pie in a whole new way—on my skin. Say what? Yup, I’m talkin’ [...]]]> I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been going off on pumpkin pie and soy nog like there’s no tomorrow (I lovethis time of year  )!

In an effort to not OD on eating holiday deliciousness (is that even possible?), I’ve decided to enjoy pumpkin pie in a whole new way—on my skin. Say what? Yup, I’m talkin’ about a wonderful, yummy-smelling, exfoliating, pumpkin pielicious, easy-to-make body scrub (which happens to make a great holiday gift, too).

Pumpkin Pie Scrub

• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin (pureed)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine ingredients in a plastic bowl and mix together. Apply to body and scrub gently using circular motions. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. Feel free to eat the leftovers. 

You can also put this pumpkin pie scrub in a reusable jar, decorate it all Christmas-style, and then gift it!

I want to show you how to make a super duper easy, vegan (and cruelty-free) facial toner using ingredients that you have in your kitchen. It’s great for acne-prone skin, and it’s [...]]]> All right you beautiful, compassionate DIYers! Skin toner is an essential beauty product… it helps degunk your skin, remove makeup, and shrink your pores.

I want to show you how to make a super duper easy, vegan (and cruelty-free) facial toner using ingredients that you have in your kitchen. It’s great for acne-prone skin, and it’s packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and alpha hydroxy acids (all awesome for fighting wrinkles). Enjoy!

Do you have any vegan beauty recipes? If so, please share!

What you’ll need:

Mix [...]]]> Tired of searching for pure, chemical-free deodorant that doesn’t cost a fortune? Yeah, me too! Here’s a mega simple DIY deodorant recipe calling for ingredients that you probably already have at home!

What you’ll need:

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 5 tablespoons of coconut oil
• A few drops of essential oil (I recommend lavender)
• An empty deodorant container

Mix your dry ingredients together. Then add in the coconut oil and essential oil. Mix everything until it becomes a nice pasty paste. Scoop it up into your empty deodorant container, and badda bing, badda boom! Vegan, cruelty-free and aluminum-free deodorant! Yahooooooo! Enjoy!

You can buy body scrubs at some stores for $20-30 a jar, or you can make your own vegan, cruelty-free body scrub for a fraction of the cost, using ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Enjoy!