Livin’ Veg

Vegan Gifts - Blog 2 December 8, 2009

Here is part two of my vegan shopping suggestions. They are awesome for anyone, not just vegans. But vegans and greenies will love you extra for thinking extra hard about their ethics while shopping. Seriously. Last year I got a Matt and Nat clutch and nearly fell down because I was so excited.

This little clutch is hand crocheted with 200 recycled aluminum pop-tops. It’s just big enough to keep your keys, some lipstick and a cell phone. Perfect for a night on the town in a beautiful black dress with this shiny little beauty as your accent. Plus, the price is so right at only $39. This gets points for being vegan, eco and friendly to people. They are made in Brazil by a women’s coop. Score!

Gourmet Body Treats leaves me hungry and wanting to be pampered every time I leave their site. It’s always these beautiful chocolate bath truffles that tempt me the most. But you may want to look over the site to see many of the items you’ll love. Including cranberry pomegranate scrub and other hard to resist items. Great in a basket or as stocking stuffers. Honestly, these are perfect for any occasion. And even more perfect for Valentines day. So keep these in your mind since Feb is not too far down the road.

It’s not the holidays without undies. We all need them. We all love them. And now Hanky Panky has organic thongs. They come in regular, low rise and the regular non thong variety. Perfect for the gal in your life.

Ask any gal you know about this brand. They are flattering, comfortable and now that they are made from organic cotton, they can also boast their eco friendliness.

Leave A Comment And Win Shikai Products! October 19, 2009

Not too long ago I wrote about Shikai shampoo and conditioner. The good people over at Shikai sent me, upon request, a great variety of products to contest off. There will be another contest in two weeks, so if you don’t win this time, don’t fret.

Here is how it goes: Leave a comment on this post and you’ll automatically be entered to win some awesome products. Shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and lotion. All vegan. All fab. Contest ends tomorrow at 5pm. The winner will be picked from a hat at random.

Make sure the email you provide is valid. Once I contact the winner, I’ll need to hear back from them within 24 hours otherwise I move on to the next person. Contest limited to the continental USA.

Good luck!

Shikai Products Are Totally Vegan September 23, 2009

For a while now I’ve been using Shikai shampoo and conditioner. It’s one of those products that you’ve seen all around but you might never have realized that they are vegan. No animal ingredients. No animal testing. Score!

This is one of those brands that I love because they are available at major stores. And non veggies don’t even know it’s vegan. They do so well because they have a great product. I bet the majority of users have no idea about the animal factor. Obviously awareness is good. But I’m always excited when a veg brand makes it in the non veg world on merit alone.

So if you’re looking for a new shampoo, check your local store and try Shikai products. They smell good and leave hair soft. I should know. I’ve been using their shampoo and conditioner for months. And no, Shikai did not contact me or give me free products to write this review…although if they are reading, I wouldn’t say no:)

Don’t Get Burned - Vegan and Eco Sunscreen June 5, 2009

Yesterday I came across this great article on sunscreens. The article takes seven different sunscreen, rates them on their eco and animal friendliness.

Most of them aren’t vegan - only two contain no animal products. But more than two refrain from testing on animals. For my dollars and skin, the Desert Essence Organics Age Reversal Mineral Sunscreen looked like the best choice. Here is what they had to say:

Desert Essence Organics Age Reversal Mineral Sunscreen
SPF 30
Price: $15.99/3 oz.
Eco-claims: 100 percent vegan, free of parabens, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, phthalates, and artificial fragrances, not tested on animals
Active ingredients: Zinc oxide, titanium oxide
EWG score: N/A

Meet the potion that covered the other half of the tummy pictured above. Subsequent tests of the brand yielded the same sunburn-free results. But this effectiveness comes with a few drawbacks: “The goo is extremely thick, it’s hard to spread, and it turns you ghostly white unless you spend a lot of time rubbing it in … It’s also greasy and the smell is sort of medicinal.” Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, you’ll love your sunscreen.

I’m going to give it a try and see. The only downside is what it says above - that it smells sort of medicinal. So I’ll just have to look amazing in my bathing suit so no one notices that I smell like a hospital. And to look my best, I’m cutting out all sweets. Want to join me?:)

For more on vegan/eco sunscreens check out this awesome post from the Vegan Snorkeler.

Vegan Cosmetics as Gifts December 1, 2008

If you’re anything like pretty much all vegans I know, you don’t have a great variety of makeup. So what’s better than getting some pampering makeup as a gift for the holidays? You can mix and match, put together a cute little basket, or use them as stocking stuffers. Perfect and versatile for your vegan pals.

Alternative Outfitters has a good selection, but many other stores have them too. So shop around if you’d like.

Featured in the photos are cute chapsticks and eye shadows.

Ingredients for the chapstick sounds fabulous: Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, Candelilla Wax, Soy Wax, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Vitamin E, Carnauba Wax, Mica, Natural Flavors and Stevia

Happy Shopping.