These are some of my current vegan faves:

Stepping Stone ($3.95) This pumice and sea salt based foot scrub [...]]]> I have a lush amount of appreciation for all things LUSH. When I’m in the mood to treat myself to to a relaxing, fizztastical, bubbly bath or an intoxicatingly sweet skin care routine, I get my LUSH fix.

These are some of my current vegan faves:

Stepping Stone ($3.95) This pumice and sea salt based foot scrub is the just the thing your tosie wosies have been begging for. It’s packed full of moisturizing cocoa butter, jojoba oil and lemongrass oils and has an awakening, citrusy lemon-lime scent that’s sure to leave your feet smelling fresh and pamperable (now all you need to do is get your sugar booger to give you a nice foot massage).

Glorious Mud ($5.95): Get down and dirty with a mission to deep cleanse your skin! This fizzy block, of what looks like beachy sand or gritty cocoa powder ), is actually an amazing body mask made of Rhassoul clay from the Atlas Mountains. Once it gets wet and fizzy, it becomes perfectly easy to apply all over your body. This power packed mud cube (which grips the gunk from your pores and leaves your skin soft) smells exotic, sort of like licorice, spices and pretty flowers – it’s uniquely beautiful!

Grass Shower Gel ($29.95 for 16.9 fl. oz.): I can’t imaging a more pleasing, welcome-to-a-new-day shower scent. I don’t know how the scentual wizards at LUSH managed to squeeze in springtime and sunshiney goodness into a bottle, but they did it.  This shower gel smells  like freshly cut grass with soft citrusy undertones. LOVE it!

What are you favorite vegan LUSH goodies?

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!

I recently tried LUSH’s Mint Julips [...]]]> Even though I’m a lip balm fiend and have my smackers lubed up 24-7, I go through periods of having dry, crusty lips (sexy, no?). Usually during these times, I just pile on the lip balm and layer it on thick, but I’ve discovered a much better solution: Lip scrubs.

I recently tried LUSH’s Mint Julips Lip Scrub ($8.95) and I am such a fan, you have no idea! First of all, the peppermint and vanilla oils (2 of my all time favorite scents) make this scrub smell like Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies. It’s a sugar scrub, too, so that temptation to just eat the content of the lil’ jar is definitely present.  This scrub is so easy to use! You just rub a small amount on your lips and rinse it off. Your lips will feel so incredibly smooth, fresh and tingly after scrubbin’ away all those dead skin cells and dry, scraggly bits. I like to finish it off with some tasty-smelling, vegan lip balm (like Crazy Rumors or Hurraw). LUSH has vegan lip balms, too, but I haven’t gotten around to trying them yet (on my to do list).

Mint Julips Lip Scrub, $8.95

Ingredients: Castor sugar, organic jojoba oil, vanilla extract, tagetes oil, peppermint oil, limonene, flavor.

When I first made the switch to vegan cosmetics, mascara was my biggest challenge.  Even the “natural” products seemed to all contain beeswax, at the very least.  After a little research, and some good ol’ trial and error, I found three mascaras I felt good about.  Since [...]]]> Special guest post by Keri of I Eat Trees

When I first made the switch to vegan cosmetics, mascara was my biggest challenge.  Even the “natural” products seemed to all contain beeswax, at the very least.  After a little research, and some good ol’ trial and error, I found three mascaras I felt good about.  Since vegan cosmetic brands can be a bit more difficult to find, having a few products in my repertoire lets me be more open to availability and saves me the panic when my favorite beauty stop is out of my usual.  No, mascara probably isn’t vital to my survival, but what can I say?  It makes me happy and it’s right up there with pants as far as things I’d prefer not to leave the house without.  And we all know the search for the perfect mascara doesn’t end when you go vegan.

The first vegan mascara I purchased was Zuzu Luxe The Mascara, which had the aforementioned issue of being dried out and old.  It took me receiving another tube as a gift to appreciate the product.  Zuzu Luxe’s mascara is a thicker formulation than most I have tried, but goes on evenly creating natural looking matte black lashes.  The product doesn’t have a strong scent, but smells clean and slightly herbal.  The brush is stiff and dense with uniform length bristles for smooth application that dries quickly.  This mascara is a good go-to for those who want a more natural and less dramatic lash.  The product doesn’t build to dramatic so well, and can flake if too much is applied.  I found Zuzu Luxe The Mascara for $18 at Whole Foods, but have also seen it available many places online.

Zuzu Luxe Mascara, $18

Next, I came across Lavera Volume Mascara at Target.  I was excited to find such a widely available retailer to have a vegan beauty brand and grabbed up the mascara in black.  This product contains organic jojoba and rose and the formula is very smooth to the point of seeming “soft”.  Lavera’s Volume Mascara creates long glossy lashes that to the touch, almost feel naked.  The brush is small and plush, making it easy to get into corners and completely coat the lash.  This mascara is great for anyone who wants natural beauty with a little extra length.  Despite the name, the smoothness makes the product a little difficult to build, therefore creating a more subtle drama.  This mascara might not be for you if you have oily lids or are on your way to the gym because it tends to smear if provoked.  I picked up Lavera Volume Mascara at Target for $16 and I’ve seen it on sale quite often.

Lavera Volume Mascara, $16

My most recent favorite has to be Beauty Without Cruelty Full Volume in black.  This mascara actually provides on the volume and hasn’t flaked or smeared on me yet.  It is very buildable and works well with layering over or under another product for a big night out.  The finish isn’t as glossy as Lavera or as matte as Zuzu Luxe, but somewhere happily in between.  While the scent of this one is slightly more synthetic, it’s not at all noticeable unless you make a habit of sniffing your mascara for reviews, as I do.  BWC’s Full Volume has a big, plush applicator brush to thicken, lengthen, and coat evenly.  The larger brush can be more difficult to get each little lash in the corners, but if you’re having an especially important lash day, going in with a smaller tool is always an option.  I purchased Beauty Without Cruelty Full Volume Mascara at a local natural market for $13, but this is another one fairly easy to find online.

Beauty Without Cruelty Full Volume, $13

One tip with vegan mascaras, at least in my largely nonvegan community, check dates and if need be, ask questions.  It isn’t worth wasting $15-$20 on a product that has been sitting on the shelf for nearly a year getting dried out and stinky!  I haven’t had a clumping problem with any of my favorites, and since I currently have a tube of all three, switch between them depending on my mood.  If for some strange reason I was forced to pick only one, I would hold on to my Beauty Without Cruelty Full Volume for it’s length, volume, and buildability.  I’m grateful to have come across a few great vegan cosmetics because after all, there’s nothing beautiful about cruelty.

What are some of your favorite vegan mascaras?

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It’s [...]]]> LUSH is having a lovely contest honoring mothers for Mother’s Day (which is right around the corner), and I wanted to share all the details with you all. They are offering one lucky customer at each LUSH shop a chance to have a letter to their mother displayed as their window art for Mother’s Day.

It’s simple to enter. From now until March 25^th, visit any local LUSH shop to pick up the entry form, write all the reasons why you appreciate your mother in the allotted space and include contact information so they can reach you if you win. Each store will choose the most heartfelt letter to go into the window and the writer of each winning letter will also receive the LUSH “Mum” hatbox gift ($59.95) to give to their awesome momma.

A lil’ hint – the peeps at LUSH love to be dazzled, so use any artistic materials you want to make the letters colorful and unique! The winners will be announced by April 23^rd, right in time for their lovely Mother’s Day products to be released in stores.

For more info: LUSH