So... recently I found fewBellaPierre (click) makeup products in Tkmaxx and since I knew they are a cruelty free brand (listed on Logical Harmony) all I needed was a vegan list.
I searched far and wide, asked on many vegan Facebook pages and nothing :/
It makes it so much easier when you have a list at hand while shopping instead of going through the ingredients, especially when you are not sure what kind of animal derived ingredients the company is using...
I decided to write an email to BellaPierre and to my surprise I have received a full vegan list just couple of days later!!! How amazing is that?!
They also said that the only animal ingredients used in their products are beeswax and carmine.
Today I am going to tell you a little bit about the lovely Petit Vour (click for all the details) vegan beauty box I received at the beginning of this month. I'm definitely super excited about the whole subscription thing and a little box of goodies send to my doorstep every month :)
I got inspired by fabulous Rhian from Wife Life YouTube channel and decided to give it a go since it looks sooo luxurious and fun of course!
All the cosmetics in the box are cruelty free, non toxic and vegan which makes it very easy to enjoy every bit of it and you don't have to spend hours researching, just to be sure if it is what it's suppose to be (we were all there!)
Long story short... I've paid 25 Euro with delivery to Ireland which I think is very affordable for 4 vegan products (worth between 45$ to 60$) that you can try out, enjoy and who knows? You might even find your Holy Grail !
It all comes in a cute, pink box with a card that gives you all the most important information about the products.
First product that I picked was the full size Organic Juice BeautyGreen Apple Age Defy Hand Cream, which made me laugh a little when I read it, as Hands would be the last wrinkled part of my body I would be concerned about :D
I was really surprised mind, as it actually made my hands look way more smoother and wrinkle free than I expected.
The formula is not too thick but it leaves my hands nicely moisturised and there is none of that nasty, greasy residue left on my hands !!!
I also love the scent - it smells very citrusy and fresh <3
Second product is the travel size Kaia Naturalsthe takesumi detox in juicy bamboo...
and you know what?... I actually had high hopes for this deodorant and got a bit disappointed...
I will tell you why... it's they consistency really I have a problem with.
For some reason it feels very very soft and every time I try to use it, it falls apart (it's barely sticking out of the package!) It might be just my one that is faulty but I did get pretty upset over that (yeah I know girl.. it's not the end of the world but still )
As for the rest, it's all good.
The smell is very fresh and energizing, no aluminium, no baking soda and it does pretty good job with the sweating bit too :)
Next was the full size NOTO BotanicsMulti-Benne Tint for Lips, Cheeks and Eyes.
The ingredients are very nice & natural, the colour is very vibrant and rich, the scent is peppermint (fresh and cooling), but the main thing is that it leaves lips moisturised and sexy looking.
It will give you that tingling/cooling sensation for the first few seconds after application and the stick size is very practical unlike the pot I think (I hate sticking my fingers into products especially when I'm out and about)
I haven't tried it on my cheeks or eyes! yet but I will let you know on my Instagram account for sure :)
(P.s maybe not the eyes tho)
Lastly we have the sample size of Soap WallaThe Repair Balm
At first I didn't think anything of this product and I've put it aside... then I've read the attached leaflet and instantly had to try it out!!
I've put it on my face only couple of times so cannot say too much about it but it felt really moisturizing and it has even out my skin tone which was quite surprising.
What I really want to test it on is the small Varicose Vein I have on my upper leg, the one that annoys me a little bit :/
The Balm has a pleasant smell, oily consistency and it absorbs quickly.
I am hoping it will work wonders and if not ... well I will still try to find a good use for this product :D
So that's it from the August vegan beauty box.
I hope you enjoyed my little post and if you used any of the above products please let me know in the comments below how did they work for you.
If there is anything else that you could recommend from the Petit Vour website let me know I will definitely check it out <3
Have an amazing day,
Vegan Sandy <3
P.s This is not a sponsored post just so you know.
I really enjoyed the box experience and decided to share it with you, that's all :)
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.
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.
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
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
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
♣ BRONZER & COUNTOURING
Bronzing Highlighter Pen
Prime and Fine Professional
Sun Glow Mineral Bronzing Powder
Sun Glow Shimmering Bronzing Powder
Sun Glow Matt Bronzing Powder
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
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 thatCosnovais 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 :)
It's definitely not easy to find a vegan mascara that will tick all the boxes and believe you me I have tried many of them as my eyelashes are very thin, short and pale which makes my eyes look like they are pretty naked!!!
Yes... I'm one of those very unfortunate girls and nothing can be done to be honest.
I have tried the alternatives before, like henna but the results where very poor so then I tried the lash extensions (be careful if you want to have it done as there is many salons out there that use mink lashes!) the process was very unpleasant in my case and they only lasted for about 3 weeks (they also fall out and it looks silly when there is a gap between them). The false eyelashes are way to much hassle to put on on the daily basis so all my options have finished at that.
As you can see below I have a small selection of mascaras starting from a very cheap ones from Essence and ending on a quite expensive one from Too Faced.
photo by Sandra Bossowska
Let's start from the cheapest ones shall we?
photo by Sandra Bossowska
Fift Place: Essence, Multi Action Mascara is definitely one of the worst out of them all as it does nothing to my eyelashes... and I mean NOTHING. I can barely see it even when I apply couple of layer so it was definitely a waste of money (I think it was discontinued... well I won't cry :)
photo by Sandra Bossowska
Fourth Place: Essence, Get Big Lashes Mascara is not that bad actually. It does give my lashes length, thickness and it is honestly very black but... the fiber brush is so big that NOT once I have managed to put the mascara on and not get it on my eyelids...grrrr...every time! It also clumps my eyelashes after second layer and I have to use my eyelash comb that I got from Inglot very long time ago (it always gives me the creeps cos I imagine the spiky needles going tru my eyeballs:O )
photo by Inglot
Third Place: Pacifica, AQUARIAN GAZE WATER-RESISTANT LONG LASH MINERAL MASCARA in Deep blue that I got for €12.95 on iHerb.com. I haven't use it yet but I want to start going to the swimming pool from January (a small new year's resolution) and I will definitely let you know if I had a positive experience or not.
You can get Pacifica makeup and beauty products from iHerb.com
photo by Sandra Bossowska
Second Place: Lily Lolo, Natural Mascara in Black is definitely my favorite daily use mascara as it lengthens my lashes, doesn't clump, defines, gives volume and it creates an effect of naturally beautiful lashes. It dries quickly, is suitable for sensitive eyes, free from fragrances, silicons & alcohol, removes extremely easily but stay on all day without any hiccups!
I personally love this mascara and would recommend it to anyone who prefers natural makeup products that are great quality,affordable and makes us look good and effortless :)
The Winner: Too Faced, Better Than Sex Mascara which is definitely THE best mascara I have ever used and to be honest I only use it on special occasions as it does give my eyes that WOW factor but it is quite expensive so I'm trying to be very efficient with it :D
Why is it so fabulous?...well the description says it all:
"Perfect brush silhouette that separates, coats and curls each lash to voluptuous perfection. One coat of the carbon black, collagen-fueled mascara formula and lashes are full, defined and stretched to unbelievable lengths. Two coats and lashes are even more luscious, curled and dramatic. Three coats and achieve the most intense black, oversized, multidimensional lashes possible!"
by Debenhams
I got it from Debenhams for €28.00 ( €23.00 + €5.00 for the delivery).
photo by Sandra Bossowska
I hope this post was at least a little bit helpful to those girls who are still looking for the perfect Holy Grail Mascara and please let me know if there is a Cruelty free and Vegan mascara out there that you could recommend to me and other girls :)
P.s. I haven't tried all the vegan mascaras out on the market but I'm pretty sure that
Better Than Sex Mascara is in the top 5 (if there is such a list)
Warning!!!! If you'r craving for chocolate ... RUN and don't read any further!!!
On the serious note these two that I'm about to introduce you to are the top class chocolate bars I have tried so far :D
Magic Mayan is Irish owned company from Co. Clare that makes luxury Handmade Raw Chocolate bars that are made out of Cacao (not cocoa which is very much processed) and are dairy, gluten and soya free. You can find them all over the country in health stores and as far as I am aware only one of their bars in not Vegan because it contains Bee Pollen but don't worry cos you still have 13 more to choose from!!!
I have picked up my Raspberry Randezvous at the First Vegan Festival in Dublin that was on the 1st of November and I have to tell you it was like a slice of heaven... no seriously, the combination of dark sweet chocolate with slightly sour raspberry layer is one of the best combinations ever!
The price €3.50 might be a little bit steep but for the quality and deliciousness I am willing to splurge a little from time to time... just because I'm worth it ;)
You can visit their websitehttp://www.magicmayan.com/to look for the stockists near you or you can purchase online.
photo by Sandra Bossowska
The second Chocolate Bar that stole my heart (and stomach) is without the doubt the VEGO Whole Hazelnut Chocolate Bar. It's organic, fair trade and gluten free creamy hazelnut chocolate made in Germany that brings back a lot of childhood memories and tastes :) I don't want to say it but look at the size of it!!! It's soooo creamy that it melts in your mouth and the whole hazelnuts are crunchy and full of flavour.
For this bar you also pay around €3.50 and you can easy share with your friends as it is almost impossible to eat the whole thing at once!
I know it is available in many places across Ireland so off you go and when you find it just let me know so I can share it with others :)
photo by Sandra Bossowska
* I would like to thank very much Frontier Foods for sending me this delicious chocolate bar. I can assure you it was tested on human who takes chocolate very seriously :)
