SUN Perfume by Lush

This eau de cologne hand-blended with fine essential oils comes in a little 10ml bottle which is perfect for storing in your handbag but at the price of £10 seems a little bit pricey for what it is. Despite the price I was desperate to try out one of their perfumes so I snapped it up. The bigger bottle (which is not really that much bigger) is a whopping £40 and there was no way I could justify spending that amount of money on such a small bottle.

The 10ml bottle is less concentrated than the bigger bottle, therefore you will have to apply more for it to have a greater effect. In theory that does make the bigger bottle better value for money but I still wasn't convinced about the price. I have mixed feeling about this perfume. When I tried it out in the shop I didn't mind the smell but when I started using it at home I took a gradual dislike to it. However after using it for a while it started to grow on me again. It smells exactly like I've just been peeling a strong zesty orange and I think it's the bitter after-smell that I have trouble getting used to.

I would definitely recommend that you try before you buy because each perfume reacts differently to each person. I don't think I will buy this particular perfume again as I prefer sweet, fruity scents and this is far too bitter for my liking. This product is labelled vegan.

Weekly Round-up #1

Welcome to my first weekly round-up post inspired by the lovely Kelly over at 'The Vegan Taff'. This is something that I would like to keep up if possible. After considering the fact that I have got far too much to blog about in individual posts I thought I would put it all together in one big post so you don't miss a thing. It also adds a more personal element to my blog which you don't often get when I'm just posting product reviews. It acts as a type of diary entry and I really like that concept so here I go.

Raw food diet update:
As you may of seen from one of my previous posts 'Making Changes'  I made the decision to try and maintain a half raw food diet by including fruits and vegetables into one of my meals I eat per day. This was easier in theory than it was in practise. I spent at least two hours (or more) preparing the produce to be put into salads to take to work with me for lunch. I got a little bored with chopping, grating and shredding and by the time I had finished I was rather frustrated at the fact that I had just spent all that time in the kitchen when I could have been doing other things.

My time is very valuable to me at the weekends as I work long hours during the week and I'm too tired to do anything of an evening other than watch the odd film or two and chuck something together that is quick and easy for my dinner. Don't get me wrong, I would still like to maintain a healthier diet but I may have to re-asses the way I go about it. However the salads went down a treat and I felt much better for doing it.

Book Purchase:

I bought my first vegan recipe book from Amazon called 'Keep it Vegan' by Aine Carlin and it includes over 100 simple recipes which are ideal for beginners and students and perfect for someone like me who has a short attention span and gets impatient with long-winded recipes.

The book contains an introduction to the author, the health benefits of a vegan diet and a list of store cupboard essentials. It is broken up into 6 chapters, 'Breakfast, Brunch and More,' 'Midday Meals & Simple Suppers,' 'Something Special,' 'Sides and Sauces' and 'Sweet Treats.' I haven't tried out any of the dishes yet but I have been recommended the strawberry vanilla cheesecake and the macaro-no cheese by John Pellegrini (@ei8htyei8ht on twitter).

Holland & Barrett haul:

I originally went in to buy some 'Plamil' egg free mayonnaise as my friend told me that it's the best vegan mayo around, so while I was there I had a nosey in their refrigerator section and gave in to temptation. I hadn't been to Holland and Barrett for a long time so I had forgotten what products they sell. As I am currently trying to replace all my 'Quorn' products with dairy free alternatives I was delighted to have discovered the VBites range so I threw a few things into my basket.

I am excited to try the 'Cheezly,' it looks so much more appealing than the 'Tesco' free-from fake cheese. I also thought I would give 'Free & Easy dairy free cheese flavoured sauce' a try with a pasta dish but I was a little bit disappointed with the bland taste. Stella (@VeganStella on twitter) suggested that next time I should try livening it up a bit with a dollop of English mustard and vegan bouillon powder.

Blog Post fail:

I was all set to write a review of one of 'Treaclemoon's' bath and shower gels, (well I was half way through it) when I realised that they are owned by another company. I noticed on their website they state that they are owned by 'Blue orange Brand Management' which also owns various other brands that aren't cruelty free. I personally try not to buy products from brands that have parent companies that don't have a cruelty free policy.

Even after I had emailed them with concerns over one of their ingredients they proceeded to ensure me that none of their products are tested on animals and do not contain any animal derived ingredients so I was very relieved until I researched their parent company. If you have any views regarding this issue I would love to hear from you. I seem to be constantly fooled by companies that I think are cruelty free but really aren't.

The search for alternative milk continues:

I thought I had found the perfect alternative milk for me in the form of 'Almond Breeze' but @pudding4brains on twitter brought to my attention a very important article written by 'Oh She Glows' about the ingredient Carrageenan in some alternative milk including the one that I use. Now I'm on the look-out for a new brand that both works on cereal and in tea. 

It took me a while to find 'Almond Breeze' after trying out a few different alternatives. I'm not keen on Alpro, plus I don't want to consume too much soya based products as I've heard that they are not good for you. I don't like anything coconut based and the ones that I have already tried are not very nice in tea. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know in the comments.

Hooray for HURRAW

I have noticed that Hurraw lip balm is proving to be very popular lately judging by other beauty/cruelty free blogs, so here I am jumping on the band wagon with my post about these little sticks of amazingness. Hurraw balm contains premium organic, vegan (which means no beeswax) and raw ingredients and come in a luscious array of scents (I was going to say flavours as it's confusing when something smells good enough to eat).

I purchased mine from 'Whole Foods,' Piccadilly, upstairs beside the till which obviously proved to be the best selling point. I have also noticed a few displayed in 'Planet Organic' too but alternatively you can buy them on-line at the official US based website of 'Hurraw' or 'My Pure' if you are looking for a UK retailer.

I have the 'chai spice lip balm' and the 'vanilla bean lip balm.' Both are great products but the chai spice has to be my favourite... I just love the smell. I have to remind myself not to walk around in public with my lips turned up to my nose in the effort to get a whiff of the balm. Not a good look at all.

This balm goes on smoothly and isn't sticky but may have to be reapplied a little more regularly. They should most certainly be on everyone's winter essentials list whether it be for yourself or bought as a stocking filler for a family member, part of a present for a friend or even included in a secret Santa present for a work colleague. Do you think I have given you enough idea's!?!

The balm comes in an oval shaped stick which apparently is less likely to work it's way out of your back jeans pocket but I'll be keeping mine in my coat pocket or handbag. The stick also displays the leaping bunny logo which indicates that the product is cruelty free. more information can be found about the packaging and ingredients HERE.

What ones do you have? I'm interested to know what the night treatment balm is like if anyone has tried it.

The Vegan Kind Beauty Box

I had already subscribed to 'The Vegan Kind' before I met them at 'Vegfest' last month so I already knew what they were all about. For those of you who don't know, I shall explain. 'The Vegan Kind' send out monthly vegan lifestyle boxes for a fee of £10 plus postage and packaging. The box usually contains about six food items and one non food item, all Vegan and cruelty free. You shall hear more about the monthly subscription boxes after I have received my next box but this time I want to let you know about their beauty box which is updated every three months and costs £15 plus postage and packaging. I picked mine up for the reduced price of £13 at 'Vegfest'. Now I'm probably a little late with this one but it gives you an idea of the sort of items you can find.

So in this box I received six cruelty free beauty products and a description of each one. The first product I tried almost instantly on opening my box has to be my favourite out of all the items and that is the 'White Rabbit Lime and Coconut Cleansing Water' (RRP £4). This is very gentle on the skin but does it's job well. The lime essential oil contained within it has antiseptic, antibacterial, astringent and toning properties. It has a subtle citrucy smell which I like because it's not too over-powering when I apply it to my face. This now has pride of place in the bathroom cabinet with all my other favourite products.

My second favourite item in the box would have to be 'Simply Soaps Orange Cocoa Bath Melt' (RRP £4.50). It's made from raw cocoa butter and pure plant essential oils which soften the skin. I can't pinpoint any one particular scent with this but you can definitely detect the citrucy notes. I was hoping that it would smell a little stronger once in the bath but that didn't put me off. I love bath products that contain cocoa butter so I couldn't wait to give this a try. I placed it in the bath and swished it around until it had fully dissolved. I climbed in and out of the bath with care as the bath melt had made it extremely slippery but it left me feeling moisturised and very relaxed.

The 'Furless 'must have' Pro Stippling Brush (RRP £8.50) is suitable for applying liquids, mousses, creams, primers and powders. I stupidly haven't used it yet as it feels so soft and I don't want to ruin it. I know, I know... what's the point in having it if I don't use it! I will, in time but for now I just like looking at it in my make-up bag. 'Furless' are an Australian company that sell an array of different high quality synthetic make-up brushes, cruelty free make-up and nail polish. I looked up their WEBSITE and was very impressed.

Now I don't normally use eyeliner pencils, I prefer liquid eyeliner for ease of application but I was pleasantly surprised with 'Inika Black Caviar Eyeliner' (RRP £13.50) as I didn't have to press as hard as I normally have to with a regular eyeliner pencil. I don't know if anyone else has this problem, maybe I'm just extra sensitive or weird. I think I will actually give this a go on occasions so this product gets to stay in my make-up bag... lucky thing!

Last but not least I received not one but two fabulous 'Beautiful Movements Cosmetics Beauty Eyeshadow' 1g sample (RRP £3.50 each) which are apparently available nationwide at 'Holland and Barret.' These mineral eyeshadows are free from parabens, synthetic dyes and fragrances, fillers, bismuth, oxychloride, nano particles and animal products. The shades I received were 'Platinum Tiara' and 'Dusty Road' (so a gold and silver) ideal colours for the autumn and winter months, 'Dusty Road' particularly so at Christmas. I tried out both and really liked them but 'Dusty Road' was definitely my favourite out of the two because it seemed to stay on for longer and was more vibrant. Although I hadn't applied any primer beforehand which I will next time.

So for a £13 box that's usually £15 I didn't do too badly with all the products totalling to £37.50... a real bargain if you ask me even if you purchase the box at full price. They may have introduced the next box by now with new products so please don't purchase it expecting to get these items but I'm sure the next one will be just as good.

October Lush Haul

I get excited every time I plan a trip to my local Lush store. I like Lush because it's a whole different shopping experience. More often than not I get chatting to the very helpful and friendly sales assistants. There's one rule I have when shopping in Lush and that is never dismiss their help as you may just discover your new favourite product through watching one of their demonstrations.

I hadn't planned to venture out at all this weekend but once I had heard that the release of their Christmas range (the fact that it's still October is irrelevant) had hit the shelves I didn't exactly have to drag myself out to go and explore their products. I was due a re-stock anyway.

'Snow Fairy' was the first item to find it's way into my basket. I have never tried this shower gel before but after hearing rave reviews and having to wait an entire year to get my hands on this special edition product I wasn't going to hang around this time. This stuff literally flies off the shelves and I had noticed that there weren't many left but I should imagine, being the most popular Christmas product in the shop they must stock up quite often but I wasn't taking any chances. 

'Snow Fairy' has a sweet bubblegum type smell and has a slight shimmer to it. I bought the medium sized bottle at £7.50 as the larger bottle is a little pricey and I had planned to buy several items, so I refrained myself from getting it. However I did decide to get the 'Magic Wand' bubble bar to go with it which is priced at £5.25 and smells like 'Snow Fairy.' You may think that it's a bit expensive but apparently you can use it multiple times making it better value for money. Just hold it under a running tap for a couple of minutes and you have bubbles.

Hot Toddy was next on my list. I'm a big fan of anything with Cinnamon in it so I knew I would love this. It smells like Christmas in a bottle and I can imagine using this in a nice hot bath on a cold Christmas eve. I didn't want to go too mad so I bought a small bottle priced at £3.95 but I have a feeling I might be returning to buy some more. This product also contains glitter to add that extra Christmas sparkle.

'So White' was the third and final shower gel on my list. This seems to have a more subtle smell compared to the others, more of a pure, fresh scent and I could definitely pick up a slight hint of apples. Having picked this up, I thought I should at least try the 'So White' bath bomb to go with it which has a stronger scent. This is a bigger sized bath bomb priced at £3.50.

Steering away from the Christmas range now, I thought I would purchase some regular products. The block at the front of my photo is the 'Buffy' body butter, I've used this before and love it. It's a body scrub that moisturises when you rub it all over the body. Another great way to get moisturised while still in the bath or shower. This is more suitably used in the evening just before you get into your jim-jams as it leaves a slight greasy film on your body.

'Sakura' (the more colourful bath bomb in the photo) is new to me so I look forward to trying it out. This is a large citricy bath bomb with mimosa and Jasmine (inspired by Japanese cherry blossom) priced at £3.35. Lastly I bought 'Butter Bear' priced at £1.95 which was recommended to me by Lush Customer Care via twitter and smells exactly like the 'Butter Ball' that I love so much but comes in the shape of a cute bear.

This little lot should keep me going for a good while.

Barry M Haul

Now I'm not usually one to write about make-up and beauty products, I leave that to people who know what they are talking about but I thought I would give it a go no matter how bad it turns out. I don't tend to wear make-up that often, mostly at the weekends if I'm going out. Normally work require us to keep make-up to a minimum so I don't bother at all, especially when I have a lot of early starts to contend with. Over the past few months I have been trying to replace all the make-up I have with cruelty free brands. I thought I was doing well until I did a bit of research.

I began buying products from 'The Body Shop' but realised that they were owned by L'oreal who continue to profit from animal testing outside Europe. So when I have used these products up I shall be on the hunt for some new ones. One main company that I am aware of that is both cruelty free and affordable is Barry-M so I went into 'Boots' to buy some of their products.

I came away with their Ivory 1 Flawless Matte Finish oil free foundation, Smokin Hot Shadow and Blush Palette, Lip Gloss and two lip-sticks including the Genie which I'm really intrigued by.

So first up is 'Absolute Burgundy' in the stain paint range . I was worried that this would be a bit dark for me, I used to wear this kind of colour years ago and I had stopped wearing lip-stick for a long time but I thought I would give it a go again and I liked the result. It's a great colour for the autumn months and will look fabulous on nights out (not that I get many of those). Apologies for the extremely dodgy photo's you are about to endure.

Genie is a clever little invention and I have to admit I bought it purely because of it's magical qualities. The lip stick appears green but when you use it on your lips, it leaves them pink.

I really like the shimmery dark smoky colours in the 'Smokin Hot Palette', I used my own brush for application but I found that a lot of excess dust fell under my eyes. Unfortunately I couldn't get a good photo of my eyes once I had finished. The palette has a mirror on the inside and the flap stays shut using a magnet

The foundation was a little disappointing. The consistency isn't thick enough to cover blemishes or freckles but it's ideal if you want a subtle, more natural look. You can feel the moisturising qualities so it's reassuring to know it's not going to dry your skin out too much. It works well with powder but it's just not compatible with my complexion.

I haven't worn lip gloss for a long time either so I thought I would treat myself, I went for a nice neutral colour for everyday use (well not everyday as I won't be wearing it at work). All in all, I'm pleased with my purchases but I will continue my hunt for the perfect foundation.

Review: Space Girl and Butterball LUSH Bath Bombs

If you like a lot of fizz in your bath bombs, this one is for you.The air filled with the smell of parma violets as the water turned a purpley/pinky colour. There's always something whimsical about taking a bath in coloured bath water (or is that just me being weird?).

This is a non greasy bath bomb so it didn't leave an unwanted tide mark in the bath. It left a very subtle fragrance on my skin, so subtle that only people with an acute sense of smell may notice it. I can't say it had any moisturising properties though which is one of the main qualities I love in a bath bomb. If you want a bath bomb that leaves the skin moisturised Butterball is ideal for this.

This is one of my favourite LUSH products. I often forget to moisturise after a bath and this bath bomb does it all for you in the bath. This is brilliant if you are strapped for time. Tiny pearls of cocoa butter are released into the water and cling to the skin. The only down side is that it also clings to the bath. Whenever I buy a new LUSH haul, this is the product I pick up every time.

Both bath bombs are Vegan.
Space Girl £2.35
Butterball £2.50

Review: Dragons Egg LUSH Bathbomb

LUSH is one of my favourite shops for bath products. They are against animal cruelty in a big way and always actively participate in various animal rights campaigns. The majority of their products are Vegan but the ones that aren't are most certainly Vegetarian Society approved. You can pick up one of their guide books in-store to find out more about each product if you are unsure. They normally display a Vegan or Vegetarian logo at the end of each product description which may also be the case in-store with their signs.

'Dragons egg' was described to me as "a party in a bath" by one of LUSH's extremely helpful sales assistants. Unfortunately, when using it in my bath the other day I was left a little disappointed. I suppose I was expecting something dramatic to happen but as soon as I had dropped it into my bath all it did was froth. It frothed until I got bored watching it so I therefore gave it a helping hand by swishing it around the water. The first layer uncovered a couple of confetti pieces but livened up a little when it hit the second layer releasing some popping candy.

Once I finally got into the bath, I waded through the white and orange froth covering the surface to reveal the golden glittery water underneath (probably the only thing that impressed me about this bath bomb). There was a subtle citricy sherbet smell but it was nothing to go crazy over and I can't say it did a great deal for my skin (well not that I noticed anyway). when the water had drained from the bath there was a noticeable tide mark of glitter covering it but a quick scrub is all that was needed.


All in all I thought that 'Dragons egg' dubbed the 'multilayered spectacle' may have been a little over-rated. I didn't hate it but it wasn't amazing. By all means, try it for yourself and let me know what you think about it. 'Dragons egg' is a Vegan product priced £3.25 in LUSH stores.

An Introduction

Being vegetarian for about 6 years now, I'm always on the lookout for veggie lifestyle tips and information but I noticed many of the blogs I read are US based and as much as I like reading them I find that they are not very useful. So I have created this blog to help others in the same situation who would like to find good cruelty free products and vegetarian/vegan friendly restaurants and to connect with people with similar ethical views.

I decided to become vegetarian during a 2 year Animal Management course. It opened my eyes to a lot of things but I have never forced my opinions onto others. Within the last year or two I have become increasingly aware of the many companies that still test on animals so I began the transition to replace the items I use with cruelty-free certified products. I still have a little way to go before replacing every single one but I'm on the right track and I'm proud to make the change.

At the moment I'm finding it difficult obtaining quality make-up products that are not tested on animals, don't cost the earth and easy to find in UK stores, so I welcome any suggestions. Please subscribe/follow if you want to read reviews and join in with any veggie lifestyle chit-chat. Grab a cuppa and enjoy.