Saturday, August 9, 2008

Hair, Body, Face, & Mind! PRODUCTS!

I love taking good care of myself, not just in food and exercise, but in products! After Alexis's great idea to post on some vegan bath/beauty goods, I took it upon myself to buy up and try all I could do in a week (and afford) to give you my results. My favorites are based on smell for some, effectiveness of others, final result, and of course budget!

First after trying Whole Foods 365 grapefruit body gel and lotions (the lotion was too thick for my taste) and a variety of Jason products I decided my favorites shower and after shower delights were Kiss My Face anti-stress gel and Avalon Organics Lavender lotion. Both had this calming sense which is great for morning and night time showers, and this delish smell. The lotion was not greasy and went on smoothly. Plus, you can find both of these products at Trader Joe's which saves a few bux. One other product I love for a post-shower is Aveda replenishing moisturizer, which I wouldn't use every day, but great for once in a while.

Trader Joe's wins the shampoo and conditioner test for me by far! Mostly, because of it's affordable, but also leaves my hair really conditioned and smooth. I found Whole Foods Brand was just too drying. Plus this one below smells great! One other fun fact, my brother Mikey is going back to college and is buying products. While shopping and making an effort to have him be more animal friendly without breaking his bank we discovered that uber cheap TRESemme hair products do not test on animals! Yay!

For the face: My favorite face wash is Desert Essence, which I finished yesterday and recycled without snapping a pic, oops. For make-up removal I use natural vitamin E oil. (I tried the Desert Essence make-up face removal pads, and found they were too harsh.) As a replenishing wake-up to my face, I occasionally use Avalon Organics Vitamin C. It's citrus smell and light toner is a wake-up call! I also use and LOVE Nature's Gate exfoliating mask once a week (ran outa that too yesterday :(
Post Shower: I use Tom's unscented deodorant, I have tried Trader Joe's and didn't find it as smooth, and other vegan deodorants I just find too pricey. Also, below, is an aromatherapy cinnamon spray by Aura Cacia, which I found at Cornocopia, a small health food store in Northampton. This light mist is sensual and warming and made with all essentail oils and of course cruelty-free.
For my teeth: I didn't take pics of my brushing utensils but I use a Preserve toothbrush which is made from all recycled plastic and sold at Whole Foods. I normally buy whatever toothpaste and mouthwash is on sale at the health food store because this stuff is expensive. Tom's is usually the least expensive, but I used to be a bigger fan before they sold out to Colgate a few years ago ,a not-so vegan friendly corporation.

NEXT: Luscious Lips. I love Alba Terra Tints because they are smooth, have a hint of color, not shiny and smell good. For chapstick, I use Trader Joe's Lip balm which is made with 50% organic products. 
I love makeup! And although, I do splurge occasionally on expensive pricey vegan make-up (Urban Decay) I have to give the favorite award to NYC. This VERY inexpensive brand is sold at Walgreens, CVS and Target and does not text on animals! Finally, a drug store brand that is cruelty-free. On most days, I use just bronzer and mascara, which both come to the grand total of about $6!
Last, but not least: Overall well being :) For supplements I take on a normal basis, I get Trader Joe's "Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc" combo which my doctor has always recommended because test result show I have no need to take any other vitamins. I also, don't sleep. I just have too much energy, but when I NEED to, I take all natural Melatonin, which is a natural occuring chemical in the brain that helps you sleep. My allegries can get annoying in the summer, I splurged on this homeopathic allergy relief bottle of drops. I can't say if it really works or not, but I also don't take it as regularly as I should, so I didn't want to judge. And finally, Arnica cream is a life-saver!  I rely on it for bruises and such because it relieves pain and reduces the appearence. (After my car accident I used tubes of this stuff!)

Ok, that's it! I hope this has helped give you guys a simple and affordable guide to making a vegan friendly lifestyle a bit more fun. I will always be on the look-out for new products and things and share what I think, enjoy!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Quite a thesis! There's some interesting and valuable research that you've done. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Love how you covered it all...food, face and body. Good info. You always keep your blog quite interesting.

Anonymous said...

Hey! It's my first time stopping by your blog...thanks for the product info! I'm still a relatively recent convert to veganism and am just starting to get into cruelty-free body products, so it was really helpful! Is it okay if I add you to my blogroll? :)

VeganView said...

Yes, of course! I'd be flattered! Keep up the good work, I really enjoy your blog as well! :)