Vegan Beauty Review: I'm saying Yes to Carrots, Tomatoes & Cucumbers!

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, February 10, 2009

I'm saying Yes to Carrots, Tomatoes & Cucumbers!

If you weren't big on saying "yes" to veggies as a kid, you can surely try to make up for all of those years by incorporating vitamin-packed fruits and veggies into your skincare regimen. You know when you're feeling sluggish, how a healthy bowl of fruit or salad can give you that boost that your body's been craving? Well, our skin craves all of those nutritious goodies as well. Yes To Carrots is an amazing line of food-based skincare that is vegan, cruelty-free, paraben free, organic, and affordable. That's right, I said affordable. You can find these products at your local drugstore.

*Sunny's picks:

Yes To Carrots - This line is great for people with normal to dry skin. These products are packed with the antioxidant power of beta-carotene.
*Feel the C Pampering Hand and Nail Spa: This is by far, one of the best hand scrubs I have ever tried. It's made with dead sea salt, carrot juice, carrot seed oil, fig, pomegranate, sweet potato, pumpkin juice... hungry yet? This scrub will make your hands feel soooooo incredibly smooth. And if you're like me, you will be obsessively caressing your hands all day long. Follow this up with Yes To Carrots Hand & Elbow Moisturizing Cream and you're golden.

Yes To Carrots has a line of skincare for those with oily to combination skin called Yes To Tomatoes.
*Totally Tranquil Facial Hydrating Lotion: This Facial Lotion makes my face feel fresh and soft. I have the notorious T Zone oil action goin' on so after washing my face, I always make sure my facial moisturizer isn't oily or heavy. When I use this lotion on my face (after washing and toning), my skin feels nourished but not weighed down. This lotion contains 26 Minerals from the Dead Sea, tomatoes, rosemary, red pepper (the last two ingredients are powerful anti-oxidants), and a slew of other yummy ingredients.

Yes To Cucumbers is another line of products by Yes To Carrots. These work best for those with normal to sensitive skin.
*Eye Love Cucumber Soothing Eye Gel: I love this eye gel! Love it!!! There's no more need to slice cucumbers in the name of beauty. Who has time for that anyway? I prefer using this awesome cucumber eye gel which not only contains cucumber but is also made with spirulina (*personal note* I named one of my kitty cats Spirulina), green tea, chamomile, dead sea minerals, spinach, dill, and broccoli. That's a lot of green goodness! I'm a huge fan of food ingredients in my skincare. Nutrition for your skin can only come from the most wholesome gifts from the earth. This eye gel soothes and tightens the delicate skin under your eyes, helps reduce puffiness and dark circles. This gel is incredibly refreshing, light and cool.

All of these lines are available at Walgreens, Target, Safeway, and amazon.com. For a complete list of stores, visit the Yes To Carrots website.

For more info: Yes To Carrots