Vegan Beauty Review: Smooth, sexy toesie wosies? Um, yes please! *Giveaway*

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, August 11, 2009

Smooth, sexy toesie wosies? Um, yes please! Giveaway

It's flip flop season – are your toesies beggin' for a makeover? Even if you aren't a flip flop aficionado, I'm sure you spend long hours on your feet and your footsies are in need of some TLC too!
Now I need to preface my post with admission to my love affair with all things minty. I'm beyond addicted to the tingly factor and I've yet to find a single minty product I haven't become enamored with. And as we all know, pedicure products almost always contain mintiness, so you can expect me to be excited... which I am!
Blooming Lotus has a line of Papaya Gingermint Pedicure products that I'm smitten with. Seriously, I gave myself a Blooming Lotus pedicure over an hour ago and my feet are still tingly fresh (not to mention divinely smooth and minty smelling).

The terrific trio of pedi must-haves:

Effervescent Pedicure Pods ($26 for 5): Bubbles! These fizzy pods are fun. I felt like a cat watching a birdie in the window. I watched the fizzy action diligently until the full pod dissolved. I let my feet soak in this pod-enhanced foot bath for a good ten minutes before moving onto the foot scrub. This was extremely relaxing. Seriously, I felt like I could do this every day for eternity.

Ingredients: Epsom salt, baking soda, citric acid, organic shea butter, papaya enzymes, essential oils and love

Bamboo Pedicure Buff ($22): This exfoliating scrub contains organic cane sugar, tumeric, papaya enzymes, bamboo, brown rice powder and gingermint essential oils. This scrub feels so relaxing and does an amazing job at getting rid of all the rough spots. I really went to town and gave myself a deluxe foot massage using this scrub and I felt like I was getting a professional pedicure. I did such an amazing job I considered giving myself a tip. ;) I couldn't help but think what a treat this would be for a loved one. You can't go wrong with the gift of pampering.

Shea Butter Pedicure Créme ($24): This quickly absorbing formula contains shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, papaya oil and gingermintiness. Just use a little bit of creme and massage into your feet and voila, you're finito. You'll be enjoying the smoothness for quite some time. This creme smells like mint candy. I want to eat it!
My feet feel really special. If they could talk, I know they'd be thanking me. I just need to paint my toenails and then I'll be a rockstar.

The Pedi to Go Kit which has travel sized versions of all three of these fabulous products is $26 and comes in a cutesy take out box. These kits make awesome gifts. Ahem, and I'm giving one away!

Attention, VBR peeps: I will be giving a Pedi to Go Kit to one of my lucky readers! All you have to do is e-mail me three reasons why you are in need of a pedicure (i.e. I work long hours on my feet, I'm an athlete, I'm a busy mom, I wear heels too often, etc.)
I will announce the winner on August 26th! Send submissions to sunbundelicious@yahoo.com. Good luck!

Some other great offers you might be interested in:
Blooming Lotus is offering a free Pedi to Go Kit to the first 50 online orders of over $75.
Also, Vegan Beauty Review readers get a 20% discount at checkout when using the code: VeganBeauty

*There are a few Blooming Lotus Products that contain honey or beeswax so check the ingredients on their website before ordering. Their Papaya Gingermint Pedicure products are completely vegan.

For more info: Blooming Lotus