Vegan Beauty Review: Top 10 Fabulous Finds of 2008

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!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Top 10 Fabulous Finds of 2008

It's that time of year to look back on all the amazing vegan beauty products I've discovered in 2008 and pick out a few of my favorites. It was really hard because I'm a fan of almost everything. (drum roll, booty shake, shazaaaam!) These products are listed in no particular order:

A L ittle S&M Lip Balm by My Lip Stuff ($3): The S stands for sorbet and the M for mandarin orange. (I know what your naughty mind was thinking!) Simply put it smells like cake. A sorbet-y mandarine orangey cake. It's divine and it's cheap. It smells scrumptious and it truly is my favorite lip balm to date. It's not sticky, goopy, too dry or obnoxious smelling or tasting. It's perfect. When my lips are craving moisture, I won't settle for anything else. I'll literally tear up the house looking for this particular lip balm.

Ultimate Perfection Evening Primrose Eye Beauty Cream by Exuberance ($60): I've gone through more eye creams this year than I can count. Eye creams are probably my favorite beauty product ever! I'm just as paranoid about getting wrinkles and age lines as the next gal so I worship this product. Exuberance's eye cream is thick and that's what this beauty diva likes. Sure, it's a lil' pricey but I guarantee it is worth every penny. I don't want to sound like a hokey infomercial but you can feel this cream work it's magic.

Pumpkin Spice Polish by Lamas Beauty ($24): It's a truly delectable experience. I rock this face scrub at least once a week and every time I do, I obsessively sniff this yummy concoction for a good 5-10 mins. before getting down to business. It smells like gingerbread cookies and pumpkin pie! I also like that it's a creamier scrub and less on the abrasive side. I can't imaging anyone not falling in love with this yummy scrub. Love it!

Fresh Mint Toothpaste by Auromere ($5.69): This is a delightfully pleasant tasting toothpaste sans the nasty ingredients conventional toothpastes have like fluoride, artificial sweeteners, dyes, preservatives, etc. It's Ayurvedic formula contains neem, 22 other barks and roots, plants and flowers that have cleansing and refreshing properties. I only use natural toothpastes, and this one has always been my favorite.

Geranium Lime Pit Putty by Bubble & Bee Organic Bath and Body ($8.95): This unusually malleable deodorant is made by a quirky, cute vegan company who sought to make a vegan anti-stank stick that actually works. It's made of organic arrowroot powder, organic coconut oil, organic lime essential oil, organic geranium oil and that's it! It smells awesome and again, it works, People! I'm a girly girl but I get stinky fast (when I'm workin' out, cleaning the house, etc.) so having awesome vegan deodorant in my life is definitely a priority of mine.

Candy Wrapper Purses by Save the World Designs (~$50): I love candy and I love purses so a merging of the two is pure genius! It's also the green thing to do. These candy wrapper purses are definitely conversation starters. They are trendy, cute & colorful. There's no way you can walk down the street without someone asking you about your fantastic bag. It's a great and simple way to spread the word about being environmentally conscious.

Handmade Soaps by Strawberry Hedgehog ($8): I'm a fan of Tracy Perkins and her crafty skills. She not only make soaps, but she makes beautiful jewelry and is a culinary goddess. I want to stress that her soaps are totally fabu! They are gorgeous to look at and make beautiful gifts. They come in every auromatherapeutic scent imaginable and they work wonders for the skin!

Vegan Kabuki Brush with Bag by Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics ($35): This baby lives in my purse and gets used on a daily basis. It's super duper soft and works perfectly with mineral foundation for flawless application... and it has a bag to boot! I can't tell you how happy I am to have this vegan kabuki brush. It's hard to find vegan application brushes and even harder to find really good ones so enjoy it and spread the word.

Incredible Pumpkin Peel by MyChelle ($26.69): Incredible is an understatement. It tingles so you know it's working. That tingle is induced by all the organic, antioxidant goodness found in pumpkin fruit, wine & enzymes, pineapple, ginger root, sweet orange oil and vanilla. This formula looks and smells like pumpkin puree which I love. It's Mother Nature's healing hand. Who knew such an amazing beauty secret laid within a gord.

Sex Bomb by LUSH Handmade Cosmetics ($5.95): As if the name wasn't enticing enough... It looks like a sexy ball of wonder, too! Next time you're planning a romantic night with your honey (er, agave), boyfriend, husband, boy toy, love slave, etc., make sure to throw one of these in the mix. It'll turn your bath water pink and fill it with rice paper rose petals and arouse your senses with the intoxicating scent of jasmine. Que romantico!

Here's to a beautiful (and vegan) 2009! Much love and lots of hugs! xo