Vegan Beauty Review: Sunny raves about another scrub-a-dub-dub

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 4, 2009

Sunny raves about another scrub-a-dub-dub

Portland, Oregon is on my list of places to visit a.s.a.p. Why? 'Cause those Portlanders (Portlandinos? Portlandians?) sure know a lot about veganism... vegan food, vegan treats, vegan beauty products, etc. Alexandra Avery Body Botanicals (Portland-based) is just another reason why Portalnd is so awesome. Alexandra Avery Body Botanicals are all cruelty-free and are made with 100% natural ingredients. Ms. Avery herself uses herbal extracts, nut and veggie oils, antioxidant vitamins and essential oils to create fabulous skin care products to help detox and rejuvinate the skin.

A few of my faves:

Enzyme Exfoliating Mask ($14): Fruit enzymes are a great alternative to Alpha Hydroxy acids. They help get rid of your dead skin cells to help make way for a healthy, smooth complexion. This oat-rich mask did make it seem like I was spreading oatmeal all over my face, which I didn't mind, but it was a little tricky to wash off once it dried. I recommend using a washcloth and circular motions to rinse off the mask. I will say that afterward, my face felt revived, refreshed and super clean.

Ingredients: Papaya and pineapple enzymes, organic oats, essential oils of ylang ylang and orange... simple, love it!

Jungle Blossoms Body Oil ($7 for 4oz): This body oil smells beautiful. The orange essential oil is most prominent in this blend, which I love. I'm not too big on body oils but this one is quite lovely. This oil works perfectly during and after bath time and it makes for a great massage. I personally like to dab a little oil on my legs after bathing. It works better than lotion most of the time and a little goes a long way.

Ingredients: Seseme oil, safflower oil, sweet almond oil, wheat germ oil, avocado oil, Vitamin E, essential oils of orange, rose, geranium, neroli and ylang ylang

Hibiscus Salt Scrub ($10): This scrub is my favorite Alexandra Avery product. It's a mix of sea salt, Vitamin C, hibiscus flowers and essential oils of orange, geranium and ylang ylang. I used it as a hand scrub and it was a divine experience. Scrubs are one of my favorite beauty products ever. To me, hand scrubs are like little massage wonders. In less than a minute, your hands get maassaged, exfoliated and delicately scented. Follw this up with your favorite lotion and I guarantee you'll be quasi obsessed with your soft hands for quite some time. This scrub is part of Alexandra Avery's Spa Bar. Other products in the spa bar include cleansers, creams, masks and other wonderful smelling scrubs.

*Note: Not all products in the Alexandra Avery line are vegan; some contain beeswax, so just be sure to read all the ingredients before ordering from the website.

For more info: Alexandra Avery

A lil' about me...