Vegan Beauty Review: Beat the heat with mood lifting misters

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, July 14, 2009

Beat the heat with mood lifting misters

Dropwise Essentials is a San Francisco-based manufacturer of cruelty-free, all-natural aromatherapy body products. They use pure essential oils, organic herbs and hydrosols to make hand-crafted, mood enhancing goodies. I want to focus on their amazing body sprays. I've been going to town with these bad boys - they are fantastic! Whether you're seeking to relax, get energized, get an attitude adjustment or simply feel divine, there's a spray to fit your mood.

Aromatherapy Mist Sprays ($12.50 each): These portable misty sprays are pretty versatile. You can use them as body splashes, facial pick-me-up spritzers or air fresheners and they are light and FAA compliant so you can take them along with you when you travel. I personally like to spray them all over my face in the am and pm. I make a point to deeply breath in the aromatherapy goodness to get my mind in line with the mood I'm trying to set. I tell ya, a lil' misty action on these hot summer nights, while sitting in front of a fan is beyond refreshing. Sometimes I like to chill these babies in the fridge for a little while for that extra boost of coolness.

Aromatherapy scents to choose from:
Divine - perfect for relaxing and pampering, excellent for balancing mature skin (featuring lavender, geranium, ylang ylang and vanilla)
Inspiration - intended to brighten up your mood and spark creativity (featuring sweet orange, tangerine, patchouli, elemi and ginger)... the patchouli is subtle so don't freak out. :)
Refresh (my favorite; I have a soft spot for minty things) - cooling and energizing, perfect for the summertime or whenever you need to recharge your battery (featuring spearmint, peppermint, lime, grapefruit and patchouli... again, subtle)
Revitalize - also cooling, refreshing, stimulating, helps clear the mind (featuring cedarwood, pine, lemon, eucalyptus)
Soothe - calming, for when you want to chill out (featuring lavender, chamomile, geranium and clary sage)
They all smell amazing and feel refreshing!

* Heads up - some of their products i.e. their lotions, creams and balms contain beeswax but their body washes, body oils and aromatic misters are 100 % vegan.
* Sale alert: 30% off all body oils until July 31st.
* Sign up for Dropwise Health & Beauty News E-zine for tips, discounts and special offers.

For more info: Dropwise Essentials

A lil' about me...