September Favorite: Cedar wood insoles from Zederna

photo: vegan sandy

Hello my Lovelies :)

Couple of months ago I have been contacted by lovely Sarah from Zederna who asked me to try the 100% natural & vegan cedar wood shoe insoles (how crazy is that!)

They have been kind enough to give me my size as well as my partners size too ♥

I don't know about you but I am definitely one of those people who get super excited about trying out new and quite uncommon products that are cruelty free and vegan :) 

After watching the video and reading about the health benefits of the Zederna cedar wood insoles 

I decided to give it a go!

CLAIMS: 

"Our hand-crafted cedar wood shoe insoles are made from 100% natural materials. 

These materials ––a cedar wood-cotton mix –– offer a simple, elegant

and effective solution for keeping your feet

and shoes dry, fresh and healthy.

When you step into a pair of Cedar Soles, the cedar wood cotton mix efficiently absorbs and contains any excess moisture, leaving your feet, socks and shoes dry and comfortable. 

When you take your shoes off, the cedar wood naturally releases this moisture into the air. 

Meanwhile, natural chemicals in cedar wood keep bacteria from forming. 

As a result, your feet and shoes stay fresh and fragrant."

INGREDIENTS: 

"ZEDERNA Cedar Wood Insoles are 100% natural made from a very thin layer of cedar wood on top of a stabilising cotton layer. This unique design makes these shoe insoles very flexible, comfortable, and prevents them from splintering."

https://zederna.com/product/cedar-soles-original/

HEALTH BENEFITS:

"Cedar Wood Shoe Insoles absorb sweat and foot moisture keeping your in-shoe environment comfortable, dry, and healthy. Cedar wood’s natural anti-bacterial properties help to prevent and cure foot and shoe odor as well as common foot woes such as athlete’s foot and fungal infections of the nails and toes. In addition, cedar wood essential oils effuse a pleasant scent and have a shoe deodorizing effect."

https://zederna.com/product/cedar-soles-original/

PROS:

I don't want to be gross here but I do have a very mild form of warts on my feet.

 As you all probably know, the weather in Ireland is not the best (and driest!) so my feet spend most of their time in synthetic, vegan, closed shoes which is a perfect moist, dark and humid place for fungus to develop. 

Since using Zederna cedar wood insoles the condition of my feet has greatly improved 

and most of the warts are gone :D

My feet are less smelly and even the shoes itself have a very pleasant cedar wood scent to them.

They can be worn up to 3 months before they start loosing their health properties which I think is long enough period to help treating any fungus or Athlete's Foot.

They are made to size so there is no need for cutting and making a mess of the whole thing 

(we all cut the wrong line once or twice!)

You can swap them from shoe to shoe without any hassle but you can also use a double sided tape 

to make sure it does not move when running, exercising etc.

The are very flexible, water thin, pleasant to wear even without socks 

and make shoes look classy and elegant!

photo: vegan sandy

CONS:

The price might be a little pricey for some as they are starting at 15.00 Euros for a pair +shipping cost but I think a good pair of vegan shoes is an investment and we want to maintain them as best as possible and that means the inside environment of your shoes is better to be kept dry & fungus free :)

...and of course who doesn't want to have healthy and gorgeous looking feet?!

Zederna insoles are currently an offer when you buy 3 you will get 15% off and when you buy 5 you will get 25% off the order. 

YOU CAN BUY THEM HERE:

UK Website

Amazon

MY VERDICT:

The Zederna Cedar Wood Insoles are a great invention, designed to keep your feet healthy 

and odor free. The insoles not only help your feet but also keep your shoes fresh and dry!

I have been using the insoles in my ballerinas, flats, hills and working shoes and they always performed as expected which is fabulous to see and feel :)

I will be definitely repurchasing!!!

My partner only started using them recently so I can't give you his opinion yet but I will definitely share it as soon he makes his mind up about them ;)

https://zederna.com/product/cedar-soles-original/

There is so many amazing vegan companies out there that are not discovered yet and I think 

it is very important to share your views and reviews with the vegan community to spread the message and encourage other to bring their vegan ideas to life! 

Have you ever tried Zederna Cedar wood insoles or any other wood insoles?

What do you think of them?

Love,

Sandy 

xxxx

Note: The product featured in this post was provided by the Representative of the Zederna company.

Please note that my review is 100% genuine and a product would not receive a positive review if it didn't meet my expectations.

Vegan ♥ Spring Coats/Jackets ♥

Hi My Lovelies...

Spring is coming and I've decided to look for few vegan friendly light coats or jackets that will keep you warm but also look good and most importantly have no animal parts blended in them.

Don't you just hate when you see a a lovely piece of clothing that makes you eyes sparkle and in addition doesn't cost a fortune? Well the disappointment usually comes next when we look at the label that states that it contains 5% / 10% of WOOL, SILK, MOHAIR or any other type of animal hair/skin and it makes us cringe ;/

It seriously makes me MAD... and I mean MAD cos the look, feel or quality of the clothing doesn't change and it looks as synthetic as the one that is made out off 100% acrylic or polyester fabrics!!! So why? Well apparently some people think is more "luxurious" to have the cruelty on their backs :( Nasty...

Anyways... there is many high street shops that have great pieces of clothing widely available in every town and city but also many have great choices online. They differ in shapes and styles so I think everyone will be able to find something for themselves :)

RIVER ISLAND

1. Light pink smart zip-up mac coat - €114.00

Available in light pink and black

Fabric - 96% Cotton, 4% Elastane

2. Grey herringbone long blazer - €100.00

Fabrick - 77% Cotton, 23% Polyester

3. Beige Belted Cape - €73.00

Fabric - 8% Elastane, 78% Polyester, 14% Viscose

H & M

1. Bike Jacket - €49.99

Fabric - 95% polyester, 5% elastane

2. Coat with puff sleeves - €49.99

Available in light pink & black

Fabric - 63% polyester, 32% viscose, 5% elastane

3. Cargo Jacket -  €49.99

Fabric - 100% cotton

BERSHKA

1. Denim duster coat -  €22.99 €

Fabric - 100% cotton

2. BSK basic fine padding round neck jacket - €17.99

Fabric - Exterior 100% polyester

Lining 100% polyester

Interior 100% polyester

3. Imitation leather jacket with fringing - €45.99

  Fabric - Exterior 50% polyurethane, 50% polyester

Lining 100% polyester

F&F CLOTHING (TESCO)

1. Formal Collarless Coat - €45.00

Fabric - 67% Polyester, 29% Viscose, 4% Elastane, Lining: 100% Polyester

2. Fringed Faux Suede Jacket - €41.00

91% Polyester, 9% Elastane

3. Dare2b Evident Waterproof Jacket -  €45.00

Fabric - 100% Polyester

VERO MODA

1. REGULAR FIT PARKA COAT - €49.95

Fabric - Shell: 100% Polyester, Lining: 100% Polyester

2. BOMBER BLAZER - €39.95

Shell: 100% Polyester, Lining: 100% Polyester

3. FRINGED PONCHO - €47.95

Fabric - 100% acrylic 

All above coats and jackets will keep you stylish and warm... but make sure to always check the labels before purchasing anything as some products may have some sneaky animal parts in them.

Oh... and by the way, don't forget to check your local charity shops as they usually have great 

second hand clothes as well :)

Wear your own skin and be proud!!!

Love,

Sandy

CATRICE COSMETICS ♥ Vegan List ♥

My Catrice cosmetics vegan list is based on the ingredients that I have found on Catrice Cosmetics website.

It did take me couple of days to go tru every product and every color to make sure the research is done thoroughly.

You can also find the original email from 21/12/2015 that was send to me by a Cosnova team (owners of Catrice and Essence cosmetics) about their Cruelty Free stance.

Ingredients in Catrice cosmetics that are animal derived:
CARMINE - crushed red bettles, used in makeup and food as coloring
BEESWAX - made by bees, see here
LANOLIN - oil extracted from wool, see here
KERATIN - protein derived from hair (including wool), horns, nails, claws and hooves of animals
SQUALENE - plant derived

LIMITED EDITIONS

♣ IT PIECES
Highlighting Eyeshadow - except 020 Rosefeller Center contains carmine
Eye'Matic Eyepower Pen - all carmine
Glam & Doll False Lashes Mascara black
High Glow Mineral Highlighting Powder
Blush Artist Shading Palette - carmine 
Ultimate Nail Lacquer - all ok

♣ ROUGH LUXURY
Soft Baked Eye Shadow - both ok
Luminous Lip Colour - both ok
Lip Oil 
Gradation Blush
Nail Lacquer - all ok
Frosted Matt Top Coat

FACE

♣ FOUNDATION

12h Matt Mousse Makeup 

All Matt Plus - Shine Control Makeup

Even Skin Tone Beautifying Foundation - beeswax 

Nude Illusion Makeup

Velvet Finish Foundation with Hyaluron

♣ POWDER FOUNDATIONS
All Matt Plus - Shine Control Makeup
Colour Correcting Mattifying Powder - beeswax
Nude Illusion Loose Powder
Velvet Finish Powder with Hyaluron
Multi Color Compact Powder - beeswax

♣ BLUSH
Defining Blush - all colors
Illuminating Blush - carmine 
Multi Matt Blush

♣ CONCEALER & COVERSTICKS
Allround Coverstick
Camouflage Cream - beeswax
Liquid Camouflage High Coverage Concealer - beeswax
Photo Finish Concealer
Re-Touch Light Reflecting Concealer - beeswax
Velvet Finish Concealer with Hyaluron
Allround Concealer

♣ BRONZER & COUNTOURING
Bronzing Highlighter Pen
Prime and Fine Professional
Sun Glow Mineral Bronzing Powder
Sun Glow Shimmering Bronzing Powder
Sun Glow Matt Bronzing Powder

♣ HIGHLIGHTER

Highlighting Powder - 020 Champagne Campaign (carmine)

Illuminating Highlighting Pen

BASE & PRIMERS

Instant Eye Brightener - carmine
Prime And Fine Anti-Red Base
Prime And Fine Anti-Red Coverstick
Prime And Fine Dark Circle Eraser - beeswax
Prime And Fine Eyeshadow Base
Prime And Fine Healthy Look Primer
Prime And Fine Mattifying Powder Waterproof
Prime And Fine Pore Refining And Anti-Shine Base
Prime and Fine Smoothing Refiner - lanolin & carmine

EYES

♣ EYESHADOW

Absolute Matt Eyeshadow Palette

Absolute Nude Eyeshadow Palette

Absolute Rose Eyeshadow Palette - carmine

Chocolate Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

Deluxe Trio Eyeshadows - all ok

Eye'Matic Eyepower Pen - all carmine

Liquid Metal Eyeshadow - all ok

Satin Stay Cream to Powder Eyeshadow & Liner - except 030 Welcome To St. Rosez, contains carmine

Velvet Matt Eyeshadow - all ok

Absolute Eye Colour Mono - except 350 Starlight Expresso/ 540 Rose Marie´s Baby/ 790 I Wear My Plum Glasses At Night/ 880 On The Cover Of PastELLE/ 890 Here Comes The Bright!/ 900 Li-La Bamba (contain carmine)

Smokey eyes Set - both contain beeswax

♣ EYELINER & EYE PENCIL

Cake Eyeliner Wet & Dry

Calligraph - Ultra Slim Eyeliner Pen

Calligraph Ultra Slim Eyeliner Pen Waterproof

Eyeliner Pen Waterproof

Eye‘Matic Dip Liner Waterproof

Gel Eyeliner Waterproof

Lash Boost Lash Growth Eyeliner Pen

Liquid Metal Gel Eye Pencil - except 060 Lilac Is Back In Nearly Black (contains carmine)

Longlasting Eye Pencil Waterproof - all ok

Made To Stay Highlighter Pen - both contain carmine & beeswax

Made To Stay Inside Eye Highlighter Pen

Made To Stay Inside Eye Khôl Kajal

Multi Style Matt Eyeliner

Velvet Matt Smokey Eyes Pencil - except 010 Please, Mauve Black! contains carmine

Eye Liner Pen

Kohl Kajal - except 200 You're My Rosen One! contains carmine

Liquid Liner

Liquid Liner Waterproof

♣ MASCARAS

Allround Mascara Ultra Black

Better than False Lashes Mascara Black

Better than False Lashes Mascara Ultra Black

Better than False Lashes Mascara Waterproof - beeswax

Better Than Waterproof Wash Off Water resistant Volume Mascara

Eyeconic Eye Opening Mascara - beeswax

Eyeconic Eye Opening Mascara Waterproof - beeswax

Glam & Doll Curl & Volume Mascara

Glam & Doll Volume Mascara - beeswax

Glam & Doll Volume Mascara Waterproof- beeswax

Jet Lash Speed Volume Mascara Ultra Black

Jet Lash Speed Volume Mascara Volume & Curl

Jet Lash Speed Volume Mascara Waterproof - beeswax

Lash & Brow Designer - Shaping and Conditioning Gel

Lash Boost Lash Extension Fibres

Lash Boost Lash Growth Overnight Serum

Lash Boost Volumizing & Lengthening Lash Base

Lashes To Kill Ultra Curl & Volume Mascara

Lashes To Kill Waterproof Volume Mascara - beeswax

Luxury Lashes Volume Mascara Dramatic Volume - beeswax

Luxury Lashes Volume Mascara Ultra Black

Luxury Lashes Volume Mascara Waterproof - beeswax

Ultimate Lash Multimizer Volume Mascara Black

Ultimate Lash Multimizer Volume Mascara Ultra Black

Ultimate Lash Multimizer Volume Mascara Waterproof - beeswax

Lashes to Kill Ultrablack Mascara

Allround Mascara

Allround Mascara Waterproof - beeswax

♣ EYEBROWS & LASHES

Eye Brow Stylist - lanolin in all

Eyebrow Filler - Perfecting & Shaping Gel

Fixing Brow Wax - all ok

Longlasting Brow Definer - all ok

Eye Brow Set

False Lashes - all ok

Lash Glue 

LIPS

♣ LIPSTICK

Luminous Lips Lipstick - all ok

Pure Brilliants Colour Lip Balm - all ok

Pure Shine Colour Lip Balm - except 050 Cherry-ty contains carmine

Tinted Lip Glow Balm

Ultimate Lip Glow – Lip Colour Intensifier

Ultimate Stay Lipstick - all ok

Ultimate Colour - all ok

♣ LIPGLOSS

Beautifying Lip Smoother - all ok

Glossy Lip Glow

Infinite Shine Lip Gloss - all ok

Shine Appeal Fluid Lipstick - except 090 Metal N' Roses & 120 Nude-Tritious contain carmine

Vitamin Lip Treatment

Volumizing Lip Booster

♣ LIPLINER
Longlasting Lip Pencil - except 070 I Got You Babe!/ 150 Vintage Rose, contains carmine
Ultimate Stay Lip Liner - all ok

NAILS

♣ NAIL VARNISH
Luxury Lacquers Liquid Metal - all ok
Luxury Nudes - all ok
Luxury Vintage - all ok
Ultimate Nail Lacquer - all ok

♣ TOP COATS
Gel Like Top Coat
Million Styles Effect Top Coat - all ok
Ombre Top Coat
Silk Matt Top Coat
Quick Dry & High Shine Top Coat

♣ BASE COAT
Colour Brightening Base Coat - keratin
Effect Boosting Base Coat - keratin

♣ NAIL CARE
CC Care & Conceal - all contain keratin
Express Caring Pen
Express Correcting Pen
Express Cuticle Remover
Luminous Nails 5in1 Care Polish - all ok
Power Nail Hardener
Pro Care Nail Oil
Pro White Effect
Speed Dry Drops
Ultra Protect Base Coat

♣ NAIL SYSTEM
Ultra Stay & Gel Shine Base Coat - shellac
Ultra Stay & Gel Shine Top Coat - shellac

BEATY TOOLS

♣ ALL SUITABLE FOR VEGANS

Email from Cosnova:

"We can assure you that Cosnova is strictly against testing on animals. Our company neither conducts tests on animals, nor commissions it to any third parties and never will. Our suppliers are also selected based on this criterion and we make sure that they never test their products on animals.

In accordance with the new EU Cosmetics Directive, it is generally forbidden to test cosmetics products on animals in Europe. Testing the ingredients for cosmetics on animals is also forbidden in the EU (since 2009).

All cosmetics ingredients are subject to this European legislation and are continuously assessed by independent, scientific advisory boards to ensure the highest level of health protection for the consumer.

 Alternatives to animal testing are constantly increasing around the world. For example, tests can be conducted on artificial tissue, skin models or the cultivation of cells in petri dishes.

As you have already mentioned, the sale of – or as it is defined legally – “the marketing of“ cosmetics products of which the ingredients or the finished product have been the subject of animal testing is strictly prohibited in the European Union. This applies to existing and newly developed cosmetics products and ingredients manufactured within the EU as well as outside the EU. 95 % of the products by our brands are manufactured in Europe. Asian products therefore only represent a very small part of our range.

When it comes to our products manufactured in Asia, we have an eye on the issue of Chinese legislation regarding the topic of animal testing. Of course, the fact that cosnova is strictly opposed to testing on animals and never tests its products on animals applies here, too.

It is correct that testing on animals for the sale of cosmetics in China is still part of the Chinese legislation to a certain extent. However, since July 2014, animal testing has also been deemed unnecessary for most of the products manufactured in China for the domestic market (this was also reported in relevant forums here in Germany). Animal tests certainly do not have to be conducted for products that are not marketed in China. This also applies to the products by our brands: as essence and CATRICE products are not sold in China, these products are not subject to animal testing in accordance with Chinese legislation. 

Our individual suppliers in China must also comply with our extremely strict criteria and are subject to detailed inspection before they are allowed to manufacture products for our brands. The aspect “free of animal testing” is a key pre-requisite for any form of collaboration.

Of course, this does not only apply to our Chinese suppliers. Within the context of our continuous quality controls, we carry out intensive quality inspections and analyses on all our suppliers around the world.

Once again, we would like to stress that our cosmetics products are never tested on animals and that we have always been strictly opposed to animal testing. We hope that we were able to answer your question.

Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us again."

I am happy to say that Catrice & Essence Cosmetics are Cruelty Free :)

I hope this post was even a little bit helpful for all those who like their makeup but not always have time to go trough the ingredient list every time they want to buy their product.

Let me know what is your favorite cruelty free and vegan brand and I will try my best to make a vegan list for you :)

Love,

Sandy