Cruelty-free & Natural Beauty Products with a Delicious Scent!

A topic I want to cover today is beauty.  I know I’ve talked about this before but every time I find new vegan and natural products, I feel I must share them with you. Specially since the beauty industry is estimated to have reached $63Billion in revenues last year with most of us contributing to it. It all sounds great but here’s the downfall. Most beauty products do not only test on animals (all animals!) but they are also extremely toxic and can increase our risks of developing cancer cells since there is a direct connection between our skin and our bloodstream. Yes, ladies and gents! This means that whatever you put on your face and skin travels directly through your pores to your bloodstream. If you are using products with chemicals, the odds are those chemicals are floating in your blood right now. Don’t blame yourselves, I didn’t know about this either until I researched it two years ago. The articles I found were beyond disturbing and I decided to immediately make the switch and choose brands that were not only kind to this planet and its earthlings but also kind to my health. And it obviously did not make much sense to be following a plant-based diet but keep using toxic beauty products! 

So, with that being said, here is a brand I have been using for a while now and have become addicted to! From their nail polishes to the dry body oil to the body butter, I use these products on a daily basis. 

Spa Ritual: This brand is meant to nourish your body, soul and mind, guys! The products are formulated with vegan ingredients and selected plant essences that are Certified Organic and Fair Trade. Their nail lacquers and nail care essentials are vegan as well and do not contain DBP, toulene, formaldehyde and formaldehyde resin. None of their products are tested on animals nor do they contain synthetic dyes, parabens or petrochemicals. As if that were not enough, SpaRitual products are also packaged with the planet in mind using soy ink and recycled paper! On every box, you’ll also find the cruelty-free bunny logo proving that SpaRitual cares about our animals and does not test its products on them.

My favorite SpaRitual products so far are:

Nail polishes!!! I carry them in my purse, specially when I go get my nails done at salons that do not carry a vegan or organic line. I am head over heels over these colors: black (Bravery), white (Clearly), and Turquoise (Caring). How about those spiritual and uplifting names?! Another plus! PS: I also like SpaRitual's fast drying nail polish oil. A must!

In case you are wondering about cruelty-free and organic nail salons in Miami, I adore The Palms Hotel’s spa. They carry SpaRitual and Aveda ONLY! You will want to spend the entire day there!

Yuzu Rose Dry Body Oil, Body Scrub and Butter. These are to die for! I’ve been looking for natural, vegan and organic body products that leave my skin soft and moist while also carrying a nice scent for months now and Spa Ritual’s Yuzu Rose combo gives me all that! The oil is made with Green Tea Extract, Vitamin E and Grapefruit Peel Essential Oil. The body butter with Aloe Vera, Yuzu Oil and Shea Butter. The scrub with Yuzu Oil and organic sugar crystals. And don’t even get me started on the aroma of these products, guys! It’s beyond delicious! A sugary lemon scent that lasts for hours! Give these natural beauties a try and let me know your thoughts.

xx

Natural & Organic Beauty Rituals!

You must be wondering what's up with all the fuzz about natural skin care. Every day more consumers are talking about it and more companies are coming up with products to match that demand. Here's the deal and it's very simple. There are 3 main topics you should consider when shopping for beauty products:

1) Health reasons: Everything you put on your skin goes directly into your blood stream. If you use beauty products with chemicals and toxic ingredients, odds are those ingredients will end up in your blood and might cause health issues in the long run. There is nothing healthier and kinder to yourself than natural and ORGANIC (please!) beauty products. 

2) Animal testing: Unfortunately, we live in a world where most beauty and cleaning products are tested on animals before they can hit shops' shelves. As if testing on animals were not horrible enough, the practices companies use take cruelty to a different level and most animals (monkeys, bunnies, dogs, cats, mice...) become blind, sick, incapacitated or even die. Luckily, there are brands that have become the voice for the voiceless and have made it their mission to avoid animal testing. Tip: ALWAYS read labels and look for words like cruelty-free, no animal testing, not tested on animals, Peta certified, vegan. Most of these products also show the pink bunny (represents vegan and cruelty-free product) on their packaging. 

3) Planet as a whole: Natural and organic products are not only kind to your skin and animals but also to the planet as a whole. Most natural and organic beauty products are handmade, fair-trade, sustainable, and eco-friendly and come in recycled packaging. Nonetheless, please, always read labels and perform your research. You will not regret it, guys! In the end, every dollar we spend is our vote on how we want our world to be. Think about it. 

With that being said, here's my beauty ritual from morning till dawn! xx

BEFORE BEDTIME:

-Teeth whitening: take 1/2 TSP of banking soda with 1 TBSP lemon juice. Wash your teeth with the bubbles created by that combination. Repeat every night for 1 week and see the results. 

-Dark under-eye circles: mix 1/2 TSP turmeric powder with 1/2 TSP olive oil. Make a paste and place under your eyes for 10 minutes every night. BE CAREFUL because turmeric stains everything yellow so make sure you don't touch anything while applying the paste. 

-Face Cleaning, Hydrating & Anti-aging: I'm totally obsessed with Baiser Beauty. I've been using their natural and organic face cleansing oil, cucumber spritz and anti-aging serum before bedtime every night. 

MORNINGS:

-Face Hydration: I use Aveda's botanical skincare for my morning rituals. Aveda's mission is beautiful, guys. From not testing on animals, to taking mother earth into consideration, to creating products with only natural ingredients.

-Body Hydration:  Baiser Beauty Body Oil with 35+ SPF is THE product! Natural, organic, cruelty-free and yummy smelling. It will leave your skin soft and moist while protecting it from the sun. 

-Makeup/Blush: Another product of Basier Beauty I adore! Their natural and organic Cream Blush. It's made from beetroot powder... Do I need to say more?  

-Makeup/Bronzer: Who doesn't like a natural suntan? I highly recommend this Bronzer made from Cacao Powder and cinnamon!! 

-Makeup/Mascara: I've tried several natural mascaras but it wasn't until I discovered Tarte's Amazonian Clay Mascara that my lashes began to look beautiful naturally. Tarte does not test on animals and you can find its products at any Sephora store or online. 

-Makeup/Concealer: We've all dealt with dark circles under our eyes, haven't we? Well... Tarte's Concealer has become my soulmate! Creamy, natural, and cruelty-free. 

-Makeup/Lips: Love this brand and product. One of the only natural Lip Balms that leaves my lips smooth and moist without chapping them or becoming addictive. (Please note that this product has beeswax)

The perfect eco-friendly home....

You know how some people dream about the perfect wedding, the dress and the huge cake? Well, there are a few others like me that dream about the perfect eco-friendly home. One with open spaces, huge windows, solar energy panels, water reuse systems, plants and herbs everywhere, and rescued animals running around the house! That's what I envision almost on a daily basis! Honestly! So much, that I've created visualization boards on my phone and now on Pinterest to share those dreams with you and maybe inspire you to start your own eco practices at home. It doesn't have to be anything huge like solar panels (I mean if you can, please do so by all means) but you can start with the daily essentials like the cleaning products you use or planting herbs at home or switching plastic cups and bottles for glass ones. That's a big powerful start already! Everything makes a difference, guys! Give it a try!

Here are a few basic recommendations:

Cleaning products: In case you didn't know, most cleaning products have toxic ingredients (for you, your pets and our planet) and test on animals. A brand that I'm obsessed with is Mrs. Meyers.  These products are natural, do not test on animals and have aromatherapy oils as ingredients. I mean... It does not get better than this! Mrs Meyers' products will have your house smelling like paradise! My favorite scent is "Lavender".

Shower head filter: Whoever came up with this idea is a GENIUS! A shower head filter that illuminates and changes to different colors based on your water use. It turns green while you are using less than 10 liters of water, purple when you go over 10 liters, orange when you hit the 30 liter mark, and RED when you hit or pass the 50 liter mark. This will not only lower your utility bills but it also has a HUGE positive impact on our environment. Water is a FINITE source and each American household uses approximately 100 gallons of water per day at home. That amounts to a total of 355 Billion gallons of water per day (2010 stats). And that is the US ALONE! Add the rest of the world to that.....

Eco-friendly Paper Products: Just like water, same happens with paper use. We use SO MUCH OF IT! From paper towels, to toilette paper, to paper cups and printing paper. It's insane! Here's a great solution for you guys at home. There are many brands, including Walgreens affordable "Ology", that offer recycled paper products. Seventh Generation is another good eco brand. You can find it everywhere! Literally! Whole Foods, Walgreens and online. 

Now, let's get to work! A healthier, cleaner and better world awaits. <3

Vegan Protein & Beauty Essentials

Part of a cruelty-free and plantbased lifestyle is making sure we are getting the right amount of daily protein as well as buying and using products that will not harm our bodies. Something I didn't know until a year ago was that everything we put on our skin goes directly into our bloodstream. Thus, it doesn't matter if we're exercising everyday and eating lots of veggies and fruits if we're still using beauty and health products that have chemicals in them. Rule of thumb: if it's hard to pronounce, don't get it! Natural and organic products are 99% of the time made from fruits, veggies, herbs, grains and natural oils whose names we should be very familiar with since they are part of our diets! :) They key is to ALWAYS READ LABELS and keep an eye out for brands that LOVE to label products as "natural" and "organic" when they only have 1 or 2 natural and organic ingredients mixed with tons of harmful ones. For that reason, I've decided to dedicate this post to talking about two important brands in my vegan-yogi lifestyle: VEGA One Nutritional (Protein) Shakes, and Vitruvi Aromatherapy Oils. 

As a strictly plantbased eater who is always on the run, I have to make sure I feed my body with the right amount of nutrients. Since I also exercise (run and yoga) on a daily basis, research suggests I take 1-1.5g of protein per kg of body weight. VEGA One gives me that and much more! A scoop of it has 20g of kind and vegan protein with approximately 6 servings of greens (it's made from 3 cups of broccoli, kale, spirulina and chlorella), 50% of my daily vitamin and mineral intake (from fruits and veggies), 25% of my daily fiber intake (6g of soluble and insoluble fiber), 1.5g of Omegas (essential fatty acids from flaxseed and hemp (same amount as 2 servings of salmon except no fish got killed here!), antioxidants, 1 billion probiotics (same as 1 cup of yogurt) and no sugar added (only stevia). How about that?! Not to mention that their flavors are incredibly delicious! The ones I use on my morning smoothies are Chocolate or French Vanilla and add on fruits, almond milk, maca and more superfoods which you’ve seen me share on my morning snapchats. Vega One has honestly been a life-saver, guys. Just by adding one shake to my everyday diet gives me the relief and assurance I need of knowing I'm getting at least half of my daily protein intake and almost all (if not all) the nutritional supplements I need. After that, I can enjoy a delicious plantbased lunch and dinner without having to measure my quinoa, kale or spinach intake. You know what I mean! ;) 

Vitruvi Aromatherapy Oils are another product I want to cover today because yoga and natural medicine play a big role in my life. In short, Vitruvi is taking aromatherapy oils to a whole new level. From its products' clean and beautiful design to the natural ingredients they use which are sourced globally but blended by hand in Canada. It uses only high grade essential oils bottled in environmentally friendly packaging. As if that were not enough, Vitruvi is also 100% against animal testing and is dedicated to the preservation of culture and providing healthcare in developing countries. Now, let's talk about the 4 oils I've been using on a daily basis for the past few days. 

-Move: "A refreshing complex of oils blended to promote circulation". It is made from sweet almond oil, apricot oil, castor oil, bergamot, grapefruit, black pepper, peppermint and lime. On the days I'm on a run, I apply it on my wrists and collarbone before leaving the house and take deep breaths in of that refreshing scent. I repeat it as much as needed :) 

-Energize: As the name says it, it's meant to energize your senses with its perfect combination of lemon, pine and Egyptian Geranium. I use it every time I'm lacking energy or feeling a little down. I also use it prior to my yoga practice.

-Focus: For those days I need an extra boost to focus on the task at hand and be productive, I use "Focus". Its wonderful blend of Rosemary, Basil and Lemongrass promotes mental clarity, focus and relieves your mind from any fatigue you might be experiencing.

-Sleep: Last but not least, "Sleep". We all know how important a good rest is, specially for the ones who don't fall asleep easily like me. This oil is meant to slowly but surely act as a sedative by reducing stress and calming the mind. It is made from Chamomile, Lavender and Vetiver. I apply it on my wrists before calling it a night and breathe deeply.

I hope you babes find these products as useful, kind, healthy and beautiful as I do. Happy Hump Day!

xoxo

Help animals. One beauty product at a time.

This weekend I went to visit a 30 acre primate rehab center in Florida that got me inspired to write a blog post about this subject once again. Over the two hours I spent there I couldn't stop myself from laughing and smiling at all the little monkeys jumping around the trees (or on my head and shoulders once they saw I had nuts) FREE. This rehab center has rescued primates from circuses and people who just didn't know how to treat animals with a little humanity. Watching these 150 capuchin monkeys run in freedom made me appreciate even more my decision to go fully vegan and motivated me to write more about animal testing on the blog so I get to open as many eyes as possible. I've talked about this subject many times before but I wouldn't be surprised if it still left some of you in awe. It wasn't until a few years ago that I found out about this and couldn't believe my eyes either. But sadly, we live in a world where humans have gotten used to using and exploiting animals for our their own profit, success or pleasure. Animal testing is one of those horrible practices. Most beauty products test on animals to make sure the ingredients (chemicals, if you ask me!) they are using won't cause any harmful reactions on us, humans. Why do I say chemicals? Well, I'm no doctor or chemist but I've done my extensive research in the past 4 years I've stopped consuming or using products that hurt animals. Something that got to be pretty clear to me was that almost all beauty brands that use 100% natural and organic ingredients have NO NEED to test on animals. Why? Because most of their products are made from fruits, minerals, vegetables, and any oils made from fruits and vegetables. What does this mean? They don't hurt our bodies or add toxins to our system in any way. Therefore, they won't harm us. My point being, ALWAYS (for animals sake and your health) buy vegan and organic products to use on your skin. From make up to body lotions and shampoo. Avoid all ingredients that are hard to pronounce and stick to products that are PURELY made out of things like avocado, or beets, or coconut oil, or aloe vera or sunflower oil, or lavender, etc. 

Secondly, look for the BUNNY in all labels. What does this mean? It means that no monkey, or cat, or dog, or bunny was hurt in the making of that product. Thus, no brain or body was opened and injected with chemicals and no innocent animal was tortured and left to die. Click here to watch a 60 second video summarizing animal testing practices.

That being said, join me in the fight to end animal testing by supporting brands that are vegan and cruelty-free and have the cute little bunny logo on all of their products. Here are a few of my favorite products I just can’t live without. Products every girl should have in their cosmetic bag. It’s time to shop smart, kindly and natural, ladies! Xoxo PS: scroll down for pictures of the primate rehab center I visited this weekend.

For Lips

Tarte’s Amazonian Butter Lipstick- Angelic Nude. It’s infused with precious Amazonian butters that hydrate your lips while also coating them with a coral-nude color. Does not get more natural than this. And it comes in the most adorable eco-friendly packaging. (inside and out!) And what I love the most? The box is labeled with all things green and kind and beautiful! See the pictures.

Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie- Trail Blazer: I used it every day! Just pure nude glitter. It’s naturally derived from Shea, Avocado and Murumuru butters that help hydrate your lips.

For Cheeks

Tarte’s Blissful Cheek Stain.

This is like my prayer answered. Small roll one that you can use on your cheeks and lips to get that natural pink color. Plus…it smells delicious! I take it everywhere with me.

For eyes

Something I can’t live without is a good concealer. Tarte’s Waterproof Amazonian Clay Concealer is my newly found lover. Waterproof, silky, natural, and cruelty-free. It’s not sticky and does not create any line marks (those horrible wrinkle lines, you know). It leaves my eyes looking young, no dark circles, no puffiness.

Mascaras. I have a bipolar relationship with them. The waterproof ones act like plastic on my lashes and it takes me hours to get rid of every drop I put on. The non-waterproof ones… let’s just say I’m an emotional human being who crie during sad movies on dates. Yeap. It happened and I looked like a human-size raccoon! Lesson learned, new mascara, and I chose Josie Maran’s Agan Black Oil Mascara. No parabens, no sulfates. It curls and nourishes my lashes in a delicate way AND it’s cruelty-free! 

Tarte's "Brow Architect". An eyebrow liner, shaper and definer all in one! I’ve always believed in natural and beautifully shaped eyebrows and Tarte’s Brow Architect does the work. Incredibly easy to use and its pencil shape is thin and light enough to take it with you everywhere.

For body

And last but not least, SpaRitual’s Handprint Hand Salve lotion. I don’t know about you babes but it took a very long time for me to find the perfect hand lotion. One that is not greasy and leaves my hands moist for hours. This one was like love at first touch. Organic, vegan and cruelty-free.

Between Love & Reality.

Today’s post is very hard for me to write and even worse to meditate on. I own a dog myself and have loved animals since I was old enough to hold one in my hand. My love and fascination towards animals ranged from having a little white mouse as a pet, to loving frogs and picking up and healing little lizards that had been attacked by cats. It’s in my essence until this day. I normally don’t like to write about things that can turn our days gray but this is something that breaks my heart and I would like to share it with everyone.

If you look at the picture below these words, what do you see? What does it make you feel? Happiness? Love? What about realization? Or compassion? Let’s face it; whenever we see a picture of a dog, we melt. We smile, say “ahhh so cute”, run home to hug our own dogs, or think about getting one (if so, please adopt!). But there’s so much more behind that picture that we don’t take into consideration. Unfortunately, we live in a world where short-term gains come before health, humility and humanity.  Yes, you read right. HUMANITY! To make this a little more realistic (maybe dramatic? People seem to react better to drama than reality), I want you to stop what you are doing right now and follow these instructions. Ladies, take your cosmetic bag out of your purse and read your cosmetics’ labels. Gents, if you are home, run to your bathrooms and look at the products you used this morning. Shampoos, shaving lotions, etc… Now, ladies and gents, besides all the hard-to-pronounce toxic ingredients on the labels, what else do you see? Do you see a pink bunny logo, or words that say “cruelty-free”, “vegan”, or “no animal testing”? If your products show that, you are freakin’ awesome and I love you! Your conscious buying is shaping this world for the better. If your products don’t show that, here’s a reality check. According to research, 60-74% of personal products and 80-95% of household products have been tested on animals. Now, here’s the biggest reality check of all. The word “animals” does not only include rats and mice, but also rabbits, monkeys, birds, DOGS AND CATS. So now that it’s out there, what can we do about it? Nowadays, it’s not enough to love our dogs and cats if every dollar we spend puts the life of other living beings through torture and fear. All animals that go through product testing experiments never get to see the light of day, or step their paws on green grass, or know what a tender genuine touch means. Half of those animals die within 2-3 weeks after being tested on. Sadly, this is the world we live in but the decision to stop it or support it rests on our hands. So please, next time you go shopping read labels carefully and share this knowledge with the ones you love. Compassion should be the only language governing this planet.

With love, Vale.

For info on cruelty-free products, go over my instagram and blog posts. I’ve shared so many already. 

If you would like to read more about animal testing, click here.

Peta.org recently showed the cutest video about beagles being freed from labs and taking their first steps on beautiful green grass. <3 Click here to watch it.