Life is so much more enjoyable with a few indulgences every once in a while, and what a better way to indulge than to to enjoy a luxe (vegan) skin care treatment? You don’t need a lot of money nor do you need to spend an entire day at a spa. Just purchase a few of your favorite vegan spa products and use them at least once a week(preferably on a weekend evening when you have time). Here are a few must-have vegan spa products to get you started!
08.27.2010
08.20.2010
Soapwort is generally considered an alternative to commercial soaps and cleansers. Soapwort is a herb that is often used like soaps, however it is actually gentler on sensitive skin types and does not dry out skin like some soaps do. Soapwort is also all natural. It features no harsh chemicals, additives, or preservatives, therefore it’s safer. Soapwort contains a natural ingredient called saponins which is what gives soapwort the sudsy cleansing action.
08.19.2010
Shopping for vegan skincare and beauty products just got easier, particularly for those with an iPhone or iPod Touch. A quick search on iTunes will yield dozens of vegan friendly applications (or “apps”) that make your vegan lifestyle that much easier. From consolidated shopping lists to recipe apps to green lifestyle guides, you’ll find it all. And the best part here is that many of these apps are acutally free! Lets take a better look at some of the vegan apps you need now.
Cruelty-Free App for iPhone/iPod Touch.
08.17.2010
One hard thing about being vegan is not being able to use certain types of material or cloth. This includes makeup brushes, which is something you can argue as one the most important parts of vegan beauty or eco-friendly products for skin care. You may feel limited and to be honest, it can be tough finding soft man-made brushes that can stand up to traditional brushes, but it can be done. So what vegan products are out there, in the market, to pamper vegan skin that can stand up to regular makeup brushes.
Taklon is an animal-friendly kind of brush to use. Not only are they soft, but they also blend very well. The material is 100% man made fiber, yet maintains softness. It is very good choice for those who prefer soft brushes and are willing to pay a little more money for a quality.
Nylon is another option, and while they are not as soft as Taklon they still do the job well and usually can be purchased for a cheaper price.
These two are the most common types of vegan beauty makeup brushes, but you may also find a few rarer types as well.
Never trust a company that does not state what the bristles are made of. Even if the company says their brushes are synthetic, the keywords are “100% synthetic” and “not tested on animals”. This is important. So always double check labels for more info or do your research online.
08.13.2010
Garlic is one of Mother Nature’s most powerful healing herbs. It is a very wise idea to have a bounty of garlic on hand for any given situation– any illness or health challenge. Many health experts agree that garlic is multi-purpose and provides many healing medicinal benefits, a great plant-based vegan skin choice. Fresh raw garlic is a natural antibiotic and anti-microbial. Eaten and juiced raw, it’s powerful benefits are boundless.
08.12.2010
Vegan beauty doesn’t just stop with skincare, it also starts with a whole lifestyle. It includes natural and organic based cosmetics, hair care, and personal products. Embracing this way of life proves beneficial in many ways, that is why it is so important to incorporate such practices into your daily life. Luckily for us, modern advances in vegan science offer us smart alternatives to the products we use everyday. Here are a few alternatives you might be interested in.
1- Natural Toothpaste
A quality non-toxic toothpaste is hard to find but there are a few notable brands that really work. Try Toms of Maine Toothpastes which comes in a large variety of flavors and formulas like Whole Care Fluoride Toothpaste and Fluoride Free Sensitive Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth. Best of all, these products are easily available in most drugstores and on the web!
2- Natural Deodorants
Try Terra Naturals All Natural Deodorants. These all natural vegan deodorants contain no GMO, no petroleum, and no aluminum. They come in various formulas for women, men, and teens. You can purchase these natural deodorants and other products directly from TerraNaturals.com.
3- Hand Soap
Hand soaps are the best way to stay germ free, but you still want something that is completely natural and safe. The All-Natural Liquid Satin Soaps from Jason Naturals are a smart solution. These fragrant natural hand soaps also come in sixteen fluid ounce bottles which is like 6 bars of soap in on bottle! Purchase these products at Amazon.com.
4- Mouthwash
Unfortunately there are not a lot of options here, however you can find natural mouthwash products from Toms of Maine and Jason Naturals. Try Jason Sea Fresh Mouthwash which contains no alcohol . Instead it contains refreshing ingredients like sea salt and ionic minerals to keep your smile healthy.
08.09.2010
This may sound just like what your mom would to say, but scratching, constant touching or playing with your face is a no-no. Try to pay attention to just how often you touch your face during the day (with dirty hands). Watch for acne or other skin problems in areas that you touch often. Watch your behavior, then if necessary, change your habits and check out the results. This may seem painfully obvious, but this one BIG tip may make a lot of difference in your future.
08.06.2010
Categories:
Natural Skin Care |
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My husband and I met in college. What I first noticed about him wasn’t the glasses, the athletic body or the moped he drove around campus. It was his tired skin.
With 22 academic units that quarter, holding a job and volunteering, he was stretched, to say the least. The dark circles under the eyes, the dull, dry skin were all tell-tale signs that he needed some help. I offered to be a study buddy and co-volunteer. We became friends. Then on day, out of the blue, I gave him a bottle of face lotion as a gift. Needless to say, he looked at me puzzled. I asked him to put some on after he showered: just a few drops, concentrating on areas around the eyes, cheeks and jaw line. He tried it. He really liked it!
08.05.2010
Even though we’ve still got quite a few months before we start our holiday shopping, its never too early to start thinking about gift ideas. As a matter of fact, many of us buy a few gifts from time to time at least several times a year. Birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Graduation are usually the occasions in which we give and receive gifts. Of course this may create a slight problem for those of us who are searching for that vegan friendly gift but it also gives us the opportunity to be a little creative. So here are some smart tips and ideas!
Vegan Beauty Products: Your friends will thank you when you send them luxurious bath sets, skincare regimen kits, and scentsational fragrances. As a bonus, wrap up your gifts in pretty recycled wrapping paper.
Make Your Own Soaps: If you’ve got serious soap making skills then why not make your own soaps and give them as gifts? As for the rest of us, there are online stores where you can buy products you can trust. Lush is a beauty retailer that specializes in handmade vegan soaps. Lush also sells a wide variety of vegan skin care products, fragrances, and cosmetics. Foreue is a natural and vegan skin care retailer that specializes in handmade vegan soaps and many other products that clean, hydrate and relieve skin problems well.
Vegan Gifts For The Home: Who wouldn’t love a vegan candle? These make great small gifts for anyone you want to express your appreciation to! You’ll find a wide range of vegan candles on Etsy.
Other Gift Ideas: If none of the above ideas sound appealing enough, you might look at other options like a gift certificate to a spa that specializes in vegan skincare or holistic methods of beauty and relaxation. You can find a list of these spas at the Green Earth Travel website. For other smart vegan gift ideas, think recycled stationary, bamboo sheets, or canvas tote bags. There are lots of great options, so check these out and keep on looking for more.
07.30.2010
In addition to normal personal hygiene, taking a cool or warm shower is a wonderful way to cool down on an uncomfortable hot day and soothe and relax tired stressed nerves. When you stand under the shower spout and feel all that healing cleansing water soothing your skin and washing away all your woes, it’s just thrilling. Water cleansing your face and skin is a magical feeling that will help you feel alive, renewed, and young. The key is to use water that is not hot, not drying, but is working therapeutically for you.
07.28.2010
Vitamins and minerals are a crucial component when it comes to good health both inside and out. They help aid the process of healthy skin cell turnover and renewal, build strong bones, and promote good vision. Vitamins and minerals also offer many aesthetic benefits like treating common skin problems such as acne and aging. Moreover, some vitamins also fight free radicals, which are known for disrupting the balance of good health.
Read your labels carefully to ensure that the SOURCE OF YOUR VITAMINS is from whole FOOD or is plant based. Synthetic vitamins are vitamins indeed, but the body can use very very little of their contents. Check your products online or on the label and put them back on the shelf if they do not offer optimum support for your health.
Next, ask these questions about your vitamins:
Are they whole food based?
Is it vegetarian? (vegan is even better for health)?
Are they all natural?
Are they additive free?
Do they contain binders?
Are they allergen free? (No soy, wheat, dairy)
Now, find out which vitamins are the most important in vegan skin care and why you should take them.
Vitamin A is commonly found in a lot of vegan skin care products, and for good reason! This vitamin contains retinol , a compound that is used to treat severe acne disorders. Retinol is used as a remedy for psoriasis.
Vitamin C is good for fighting the effects of aging and long term sun exposure(both of which often go hand in hand).
Vitamin B is an important vitamin when it comes to alleviating severely dried skin and a lack of this vitamin can cause hair loss.
Zinc is a good mineral that helps slow down your skin’s natural oil production which in thus halts moderate to severe acne problems.
Copper has a more complex purpose as it develops and strengthens your skin’s natural elasticity.
The five vitamins and minerals listed above are important when it comes to a healthy vegan skin care routine. Some will be found in your vegan skin care products and some won’t. To cover all bases, you can take a daily supplement vitamin to complete your adequate nutrition needs. Or you can avoid fast food, prepared foods, processed foods and substitute whole foods, lots of green leafy veggies, plant-based protein, fruits nuts and seeds to get your nutrition from food itself. You may have to change some old habits and relearn how to cook given a new ingredients list but, you can do it. The food is both nutritious and delicious.
If in doubt, check with your doctor or nutritionalist.
07.23.2010
Categories:
Aromatherapy Herbs & Essential Oils, Natural Handmade Soap, Natural Skin Care, Vegan Skin |
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The words luxury and vegan are not contradicting terms. Although it can be somewhat of a hard search, you will find out that vegan luxury soaps and skin care products do exist. You don’t have to buy silky smooth body creams and lotions that are loaded with parabens to achieve beautiful skin, nor do you have to limit yourself to cleansing bars that contain some interesting natural ingredients but are also laced with the traditional chemicals and preservatives. By the way, it is important to realize that when very good soap is handmade, attention is placed on making smaller quantities at a time, with more attention on quality. I will show you where to search for the best of vegan luxury soaps, so read further.
