Feb
11

Alexami Perfect Puff Minerals Blush Review

Alexami Perfect Puff Minerals Blush Review

Blush is one of the few products that is an absolute necessity. No matter how simple or complicated your makeup routine is, odds are that blush is included. It’s one of the few products that can really make a difference in how you look. When I was given a chance to try out Alexami Perfect Puff Minerals Blush, I couldn’t wait! I’ve had some less than stellar experiences with mineral makeup, but had heard great things about this cruelty free and vegan brand.

What It is: “Keep your complexion looking flawless ON THE GO with Alexami Perfect Puff Minerals. Quick and easy to apply, perfect for busy women on the go. Great for travelling with. Brighten your cheeks in mere moments and add a natural-looking glow to your complexion.”

  1. Cruelty Free
  2. Vegan
  3. Paraben Free
  4. Contains pure pigments
  5. Contains no talc, bismuth, oxychloride or mineral oil
  6. Comes in two shades – Candy Pink and Coral Pink

Ingredients: Mica, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides

Alexami Perfect Puff Minerals Blush Review

Pros: Gives a very natural color that you can build on without it being overwhelming.

Cons: Limited color range.

The Verdict: I love this blush! The color I received is Coral Pink, which is a great shade. It goes on smoothly and easily, offers build-able intensity, and wears well through the day. It looks really natural on my skin and also blends well with other makeup. The container is easy and practical to use. With its screw top it’s easy to toss into your cosmetics bag, and the mirror on top makes it easy for on the go applications or touchups. You can read more about Alexami Perfect Puff Minerals Blush on the Cocktail Cosmetics website.

Editor’s Note: The product(s) featured in this post were provided by a representative of the company named in this post for editorial consideration. Please note that all reviews are 100% honest and a product would not receive a favorable review unless it provided favorable results.

Feb
08

DermOrganic Daily Conditioning Shampoo & Daily Moisturizing Conditioner Review

DermOrganic Daily Conditioning Shampoo & Daily Moisturizing Conditioner Review

I’ve been using the DermOrganic hair care line for several weeks now and couldn’t wait to share my thoughts on their products with you guys! This line is completely cruelty free and vegan, but also completely amazing! I wanted to start with the basics first by reviewing the Daily Conditioning Shampoo and Daily Moisturizing Conditioner.

The Daily Conditioning Shampoo is sulfate-free and gentle enough to be used on color treated hair. It’s gentle and perfect for cleansing your hair without drying it out.

What It is: “Daily Conditioning Shampoo is made with facial cleansers derived from lipids and amino acids that moisturize and strengthen salon-treated hair. Gentle on hair, scalp and skin, it creates a rich luxurious lather that makes other sulfate-free shampoos jealous!”

  1. Cruelty Free
  2. Vegan
  3. Sulfate-free
  4. Safe for color treated hair
  5. Made with facial cleansers
  6. Enriched with Omega-6, Panthenol B5, Rice Keratin and Antioxidants.

Ingredients: Aqua/Eau/Water, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Methyl Gluceth-20, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Rice Amino Acids, PCA, Panthenol B5, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Glycereth-2 Cocoate/Benzoic Acid, Parfum/Fragrance

Pros: It’s extremely gentle and left my hair feeling clean but not dry.

Cons: It does little to help add volume to fine hair.

The Verdict: Despite not helping much in the volume department (which is just something I would see as a bonus!), this is a great shampoo. It really does lather unlike so many other sulfate-free shampoos out there. My hair feels clean and healthy after use – not too dry. I have color treated hair and felt like this is the one truly color safe vegan shampoo I have tried. You can read more about the Daily Conditioning Shampoo on the DermOrganic website.

The Daily Moisturizing Conditioner is a very powerful conditioner. A little bit truly does go a long way and provides mega moisture to your strands.

What It is: “DermOrganic Daily Hydrating Conditioner works at the molecular level to neutralize tangled tresses without silicones, propylene glycol or glycerin. Loaded with natural moisture factors, lipids and Panthenol B5 to increase absorption, improve slip, eliminate tangles and prevent flyaways.”

  1. Cruelty Free
  2. Vegan
  3. Sulfate-free
  4. Safe for color treated hair
  5. Eliminates tangles
  6. Prevents flyaways
  7. Controls frizz
  8. Improves slip and brushability
  9. Lightweight and rinses clean
  10. Neutralizes static

Ingredients: Aqua/Eau/Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearalkonium Chloride, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol B5, Rice Amino Acids, Methyl Gluceth-20, Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Organic Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, PCA, Glycereth-2 Cocoate & Benzoic Acid, Parfum/Fragrance

Pros: It’s a very lightweight and moisturizing conditioner.

Cons: None

The Verdict: This is now my new favorite daily conditioner! It does a great job of moisturizing and helping to rid your hair of tangles without weighing hair down. I’ve noticed a fewer flyaways since I started using this product. It also works great as a deep conditioner when left on your hair for 10 minutes. You can read more about the Daily Hydrating Conditioner on the DermOrganic website.

Editor’s Note: The product(s) featured in this post were provided by a representative of the company named in this post for editorial consideration. Please note that all reviews are 100% honest and a product would not receive a favorable review unless it provided favorable results.

Feb
07

EU Confirms Ban on Animal Testing

EU Confirms Ban on Animal Testing

It’s an exciting time for animal lovers out there. The EU has officially confirmed that a ban on animal tested cosmetics and ingredients will soon go into effect!! This ban goes into effect  on March 11, 2013. From that date forward, all cosmetics sold in the EU cannot be tested on animals or contain ingredients that have been tested on animals. This covers both high end and drugtstore cosmetics.

There are many great articles about this issue that you can read online. I suggest reading and learning as much as you can. Each one features different organizations that were involved in this process and it’s truly amazing to see how much hard work and support went into making this ban happen. There are articles from the Huffington Post, E Magazine, PCRM, PR Newswire, NY Daily News, Naoki and many many others.

After 20 years of support from small animal rights organizations, this proposed ban has finally gone into effect. This is a groundbreaking step for anyone involved in the animal rights movement, or simply anyone who doesn’t want to harm animals to have their favorite lipstick. It shows that using your voice really does have results in the end. Hopefully other worldwide markets will soon follow in the steps of the EU and ban animal testing as well.

Jan
27

Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm Review

Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm Review

With all the recent hype about beauty balms, also called BB creams, I was eager to find a vegan option to try. What exactly is a beauty balm? It’s a multi action product that’s fast become an essential in most makeup bags. It’s part moisturizer, part primer, part foundation, part luminizer and often times also part sun screen as well. In other words – one product that really brings it all to the table. When one of my favorite cruelty free brands, Too Faced, came out with a Tinted Beauty Balm that was also vegan I had to give it a try.

What it is: “Our innovative beauty balm offers multiple skincare and makeup benefits in one simple step. Our powerful, multi-mineral complex instantly achieves a healthy glow and improves skin’s overall appearance.”

1. Light-diffusing pigments tint and add radiance (available in 6 shades).
2. Anti-aging, multi-mineral complex primes & prevents damage.
3. Moisturizes with oil-free hydration.
4. Hypo-allergenic and soothing for all skin types.
5. Broad-spectrum, chemical-free SPF 20.

Ingredients:  Titanium Dioxide 5.0%, Zinc Oxide 5.0%, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propylene Glycol, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Zinc Chloride, Lysine, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Phytantriol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Boron Nitride, Glycerin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Palmitic Acid, Dextrin Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Mica, Iron Oxides.

** The stearic acid in this product is not animal derived.

Extras: Too Faced also has an online tutorial showing you the best way to wear this product.

Pros: This Beauty Balm has SPF, offers good coverage, and works well as a primer for other products. It also comes in several shades – Vanilla Glow, Snow Glow, Linen Glow, Creme Glow, and Beach Glow.

Cons: It can be a bit tricky to find the perfect color for your skin. Even though there are 6 shades offered, which is much more than most other brands are offering.

The verdict: While it didn’t replace my everyday moisturizer, it did a great job of adding a little extra moisture to my skin and prepping it for other makeup. The coverage was really great and almost on par with regular foundation. This makes the Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm great to have because it’s literally a one-step product.


Too Faced is one of my favorite brands out there. They are completely cruelty free and they have a lot of vegan options that are hard to find with other brands. Their items are high quality and worth every penny. I have yet to be disappointed by a Too Faced product, and the Tinted Beauty Balm also did not disappoint.

Have you tried this Beauty Balm? What were your thoughts?

Editor’s note: This post contains sponsored content in the form of links to a third-party website.