Vegan Beauty Review: Yoga time!

A lil' about me...

My name is Sunny Subramanian and I've been vegan since 2000. I owe it all to my furry felines at home: Towane, Spirulina, Kaduki and Conan. The reason I'm vegan is because I love animals and would never want to contribute to the pain and suffering of any living being. I'm a member of the LA based animal rights group The Vegan Vixens.
I'm trying to help break the stereotype that all vegans are stinky, hairy earth babies. I want the world to know that you can be vegan and still be uber girlie and relish new and exciting beauty products that are vegan, cruelty-free and free of nasty chemicals and preservatives.
If you would like to have your vegan product reviewed on www.veganbeautyreview.com, please e-mail me at sunbundelicious@yahoo.com

A few good reasons to go vegan:

• You'll save lives
• You'll live a lot longer
• You'll have more energy
• You'll reduce your risk of cancer
• You'll reduce your risk of heart disease
• You'll have lower blood pressure and cholesterol
• You'll get better nutrition
• You'll lower your chances of getting food poisoning
• You won't be ingesting growth hormones and antibiotics
• You'll get sick less often
• You'll fit into your old jeans
• You'll give your body a spring cleaning
• You'll have healthier skin
• You'll make a strong political statement
• You'll reduce waste and air pollution
• You'll earn good karma points
• You'll save money
• You'll help save the planet

Famous Animal Friendly Quotes

"Animals are my friends... and I don't eat my friends."

~George Bernard Shaw

"You put a baby in a crib with an apple and a rabbit. If it eats the rabbit and plays with the apple, I'll buy you a new car."

~Harvey Diamond

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."

~Immanuel Kant

"I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being."

~Abraham Lincoln

"To become vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to nirvana."

~Buddha

"To consider yourself an environmentalist and still eat meat is like saying you're a philanthropist who doesn't give to charity"

~Howard Lyman

Recipe for Vegan Lip Balm

Lip balm is surprisingly easy to make using the easiest/quickest/laziest way possible that involves all common household tools.

What you'll need:

-lip balm base or waxes+oils+extras

-essential or flavor oil(s)

-pipettes (one for each flavor)

-microwave or double-boiler

-glass measuring cup with pouring spout

-spoons or spatulas

-lip balm tube holder

-lip balm tubes, jars, pots, lids, bottle caps, etc.---any container that you would like to use for your lip balm

-shrink bands for sealing containers

-newspaper or craft paper to cover your counters

-towels for cleaning up

The Fastest Way

Step 1: Preparation

(a) Buy your supplies.

(b) Set up all the supplies you'll need on a counter top covered in newsprint or craft paper. You'll be glad you did this because lip balm can be hard to clean up if you make a mess. It's recommended to work in the kitchen as close to the microwave as possible, since you'll be using it a lot, if you're following this method. Be sure you have all your supplies ready, including the containers you'll be pouring into. Once the mixture is melted, you'll need to work quickly, but steadily, so the mixture doesn't harden before it has been poured.

(c) Put on your favorite apron/lab coat, if you feel so inclined.

Step 2: Scooping

Scoop out your base into a glass measuring cup that has a spout.

Step 3: Melting

Melt the base in the microwave. Take out every 30-45 seconds and stir, so that the base is heated evenly.

Step 4: Flavoring

After the base has melted completely and has cooled very slightly, use a pipette to drop in the appropriate amount of flavor or essential oils. Use a different pipette for each flavor/scent that you use, so as not to cross-contaminate. 2-4% is a good rule-of-thumb for flavor. Essential oils need less, about 0.3-1.5%. The oils you choose may recommend different proportions, so check before you get started. Stir just until mixed.

It is important that you add your flavor/essential oil after you melt the base. If you add the flavor before you melt the base, it will lose its potentcy in the heating process.

Step 5: Pouring

Using the very same measuring cup that you melted the base in, pour your mixed and melted concoction into your tubes or jars or what have you. That's why the spout is so handy. If you're using tubes, fill only to the top of the inside screw. Once the mixture has cooled, finish filling the tube. Pour almost all the way to the top, for that professional and rounded look. This process avoids the risk of cracking that can occur when filling the tube in one go. If you're using jars or lids, just pour all the way to the top in one pour.

Don't be discouraged if you make a mess when you first start pouring. After a few tries, you'll be a pro. It's all in the wrist.

Step 6: Labeling

Make some sweet labels.

Below are some examples of recycled containers for lip balm.

Step 7: Sell your lovely lip balm or give it to all your friends!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Yoga time!

I've made it a mission to get super duper toned and bikini ready this summer and I've been doing yoga and pilates to help me get in shape. Yoga helps increase your flexibility, it helps keep your joints, ligaments and tendons in great shape, it massages all the organs in your body, helps you detox, it tones, burns calories and brings about awareness. So let's get started... First thing's first, you're going to need an amazing and comfortable pair of yoga pants.

Shirts of Bamboo is a clothing company that has bamboo apparel for men, women and babies. They also carry great accessories like robes, towels, socks and headbands. For those of you who have never experienced the wonders of bamboo, let me just say that bamboo is the softest, most natural, breathable, light and most renewable, sustainable fabric on the planet. Bamboo's silky softness and environmental benefits are enough to get any "green"y excited!

Accent Stitch Bamboo Yoga Pants ($48): These yoga pants have an elastic waist and a drawstring and are extremely comfortable and flattering for any shape and size. My tushy looks mega yummy when I'm sportin' these bamboo threads. These pants are available in chocolate brown (my fave) and black. They are made of 70% bamboo, 20% cotton and 10% lycra. I wear these pants religiously when I go to the gym and they are quick to absorb sweat and feel so light that it really makes working out a more enjoyable experience. These super cozy pants also double as sleepy time pants for night-night. These coupled with a bamboo tank top and forget about it. You'll be in comfort heaven.

For more info: Shirts of Bamboo

Now that you're rockin' your bamboo yoga fancy pants, you're also going to want to get yourself an ecologically sound, slip resistant, cushiony yoga mat.

Jade Harmony Yoga Mat ($40-80): This environmentally friendly yoga mat is made with open cell, natural rubber (a renewable resource tapped from rubber trees). That means there and no PVC or ozone depleting substances. Jade Harmony Mats are pretty slip resistant even they get wet with perspiration and they also provide the perfect amount of cushioning. These mats are available in the most beautiful colors, too! Colors to choose from include: Purple, Black, Sedona Red, Tibetan Orange, Slate Blue, Midnight Blue and Olive Green. These mats also come in three different thickness: 1/8" Harmony Travel (lighter, for those who would like closer contact with the ground), 3/16" Harmony Professional (most popular, perfect balance of traction and cushion) and 5/16" Harmony Fusion (extra thick for more cushion). I personally, am trying to make every aspect of my life as green as possible and I honestly feel better about myself and the planet when I use my environmtally freindly yoga mat. Now if I could just manage to find a "green" gym to go to.

For more info: Jade Yoga

Okie dokie, we're set with the goods, now let's get our yoga on!

I've been hooked on Real Bodyworks Yoga dvds. They have three levels to choose from. I am a big fan of all three.

Gentle Practice ($19.95): This one is taught by Zyrka Landwijt. This dvd has 6 gentle routines, 3 1/2 hours of practice and 23 pose lessons. If you've never done yoga before, this dvd is a great way to familiarize yourself with the basics. It's so important to do the poses correctly, so this dvd gives detailed instructions for each pose, including positioning, common mistakes, pose benefits and contraindictations.

Gentle Vinyasa Flow ($19.95): Vinyasa yoga is my fave! It's so flowy and continuous and you will definitely find yourself breakin' a little sweat. This dvd is also taught by Landwijt and is a perfect follow up to Gentle Practice. It's level of difficulty is beginner to intermediate.

Spirit of Vinyasa Flow ($19.95): This dvd is taught by Deb Dobbin and features one 39 minute sequence and two 70 minute sequences. The level of difficulty on this one is intermediate to advanced. What I love most about all 3 of these dvds is that you can choose your level of difficulty and length of each lesson, which could possible vary day to day depending on your mood and flexibility. Zyrka and Deb are amazing instructors and the soundtracks to these dvds are very relaxing and spot on. The Pose Guide is included in all 3 dvds so take advantage of doing each pose correctly to get the full benefits for your body.

For More info: Real Bodywork