Vegan makeup on a budget

November 6, 2013 by Jean of all Trades

I like playing with makeup and changing my look. In the past, I’ve written about vegan makeup, but I happened to list brands that are pricy. For most of my life (and still today), I’ve been more of a bargain hunter. That’s why I’m happy to share with you some inexpensive brands that don’t test on animals!

Eyes, Lips, Face, or e.l.f, is a brand of cosmetics with a great price point. They sell loads of fun makeup and synthetic brushes too! Last holiday season, I treated myself to a 100-color eyeshadow palette. It’s a lot of fun. The pigment isn’t super intense so even the bold colors are wearable.

I found it at a drug store for $10, which is well worth it for some makeup fun. The e.l.f. website specifically states, “We do NOT test on animals or endorse such practices. Our products do not contain animal derived ingredients.”

Jordana makes my favorite eyeliner in any price range. There’s a range of colors (the dark brown is my go-to, but I’ll branch out with brights sometimes). Their liners are self sharpening too, so you’ll always have a nice tip (without slivers–ouch!). I think these are less than $5 each. They sell lip liners too, as well as nail polish and other cosmetics, such as shadows. They’re made in the USA and available at your local drug store. Jordana’s website states that they do not test on animals or buy ingredients that were tested on animals. Some of their products contain animal ingredients, so read the labels!

Wet n Wild is another drug store brand that doesn’t test on animals. Thanks to Luminous Vegans for that tip! Wet n Wild sells formaldehyde-free nail polish, which is great news for a lot of us! The Wet n Wild website states, “As a Peta-certified, cruelty-free brand, we’re proud to say we have never and will never test on animals. We also make it a point to work with cruelty-free, third-party vendors. Wet n Wild loves our furry, scaly, and feathery friends!” Some of their makeup does contain carmine (a dye derived from insects). You can see which items are vegan and which aren’t on their FAQ.

It’s true that these aren’t vegan-owned companies, but for those of us on a budget, or who want to try out a makeup trend without spending a fortune, we have options. You can see PETA’s complete list for the latest info.

Do you know of other cruelty-free makeup for people on a budget?

Vegans wear makeup too

August 5, 2013 by Jean of all Trades

I’m getting ready for a trip and, as a light packer, I’m already planning what to bring. I only use products that are vegan and haven’t been tested on animals. Here’s a look at what’s coming with me.

My Arbonne day cream isn’t makeup per se, but it’s got SPF 20 and is an important way to start my make-up routine. I’m also bringing a tinted moisturizer with SPF. This Josie Maran is a great substitute for foundation and has SPF 30. It’s a great no makeup look. I find it really natural-looking and they have shades for almost anyone.

I’ll definitely need a concealer and this little tube (lower right) by Too Faced is perfect for under my eyes or to cover a blemish.

I light dusting of powder foundation is optional, but I like to be prepared. The Bare Minerals foundation also has SPF and is a nice way to mattify is sunscreen gets me shiny.

~~This Stila kit has five shadows that I can mix and match for day or night and a convertible lip and cheek cream. It includes a mirror and folds flat.~~ Update: Stila is not longer a cruelty-free company.

I’m packing a dark brown eye liner by Jordana (proving you don’t have to buy from higher-end brands to get a good product). I buy Jordana because it’s inexpensive, goes on smoothly and gently, and is available in a myriad of colors. Plus, just about any drug store carries it.

~~I can’t live without my Stila liquid brow liner~~. Since Stila stopped being cruelty-free, I’ve discovered Milani. Not all of their products are vegan, but their site has an entire vegan section. I love Milani’s mechanical brow pencil. The secret to a natural look is the right shade. I use taupe, and I make tiny brush strokes in the direction of my brows. It’s great to fill in and define. Well-defined brows really frame the face and are youthful looking.

My BWC (Beauty Without Cruelty) mascara is also a must. If I had to narrow down my routine to three products it would be brows, lashes and lips.

I packed a bright red lip stain from Stila because it’s an easy way to go from day to night and the cheek cream in the kit is pretty neutral.

Finally, Booda Butter keeps my lips moisturized day and night. I have one in my purse at all times.

As for my other skin and body care, here’s what I’m taking.

If I were going to a hotel, I’d skip the shampoo and body wash, but I’ll need my own so I’m packing a solid shampoo from Lush (just lather like soap and apply to wet hair like you would a liquid shampoo). It’ll be nice to pack a solid because I won’t have to worry about it in my carry-on (or at security checks).

I’m taking 3 ounces or less of hand sanitizer, body wash, a small tube of sunscreen (when I went to Hawaii I packed four little tubes instead of one big one–to make my bag carry-on approved), night cream, a bit of hairspray in a carry-on spritzer, hand sanitizer and a face cloth. My Norwex face cloth removes makeup better than a makeup remover so it’s one less liquid I have to pack.

So there you have it. What are your travel makeup essentials? Are you a light packer like I am or to you prefer to be prepared?

Arbonne vegan skin care

July 2, 2013 by Jean of all Trades

Have you heard of Arbonne? It’s a line of Swiss-developed skin care, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements. They’ve been in the US since 1980 and they’ve been green before green was popular. All products are 100% plant-based (vegan certified) and never tested on animals.

I was contacted recently by an Arbonne rep and I jumped on the chance to try the products in the RE9 Advanced line, specifically formulated for anti-aging. I got to sample the cleanser, toner, serum, eye cream, night cream, and two types of day creams. I love them! They smell wonderfully citrus-y and are so gentle on my skin.

I know it sounds weird, but in just a couple of days I swear my skin looked firmer. It didn’t feel tight though, which can be a problem with some skin firming products. The moisturizers gave me a nice glow and provide SPF 20–perfect for daily protection.

I also tried some samples of the Arbonne cosmetics and I really liked them. The tinted moisturizer had just enough coverage to not look makeup-y, and the translucent powder was really silky.

Needless to say, I placed an order. I want to keep using these products and reap the full benefits. I ordered a couple of masks, and a Vitamin D+B12 spray that tastes like candy! That’s going to be a great thing to use in the gray Pacific Northwest.

Arbonne has other lines too. The FC5 and Calm lines are great for sensitive skin and for those with rosacea. I gave some samples of their baby care line to a friend of mine with an infant. They carry a men’s line too, as well as body- and hair care.

Sapha, my Arbonne consultant, helped set me up as a preferred client so I can get 20% off my purchases, points toward future orders, freebies, and other goodies. She can help you too if you’re interested in trying Arbonne. She can ship all over the US, Canada, and other places and she’s more than willing to help you find out what your skin needs. You can reach her at (281)748-7943 or saphaariasyoga@yahoo.com or you can log onto Arbonne and sign up with the code 13728752.

One more thing I liked but haven’t tried is their line of makeup brushes. As a vegan, it’s hard to find high-quality synthetic brushes. Arbonne has them!

If you use Arbonne, I’d be interested in hearing what products you’ve tried.

Josie Maran argan oil and moisturizer

March 20, 2013 by Jean of all Trades

A few weeks ago, while poking around the shelves at Sephora, I discovered Josie Maran Argan Oil. I’ve been on a quest to find vegan beauty products. I thought I was shopping cruelty-free but I was horrified to discover a few items in my stash are by companies that still test on animals. Shameful!

Hundreds of thousands of animals are poisoned, blinded and killed every year for cruel and unnecessary tests. It’s not required by law and there are better alternatives. Check for the cruelty-free bunny logo, a vegan logo, or look at PETA’s database to make sure the companies you support don’t make animals suffer in the name of beauty.

The woman at Sephora (edit: was wrong when she) explained that the entire Josie Maran line is ~~vegan~~ and cruelty-free, meaning no animal ingredients and no animal testing. (Update 4/7/15: I found out from a reader that the line isn’t all-vegan. When I checked on the JM site–which I should always do instead of trusting sales people–I found out that not all of the products are vegan. They use beeswax, lanolin, and carmine in some of their products. Check the label for the V to be sure).

argan oil

Josie Maran sources argan oil from co-ops that help women in rural Morocco earn a decent living in good labor conditions, while working toward improved literacy. I love that and I’m willing to pay more for a product with those values.

Besides, the oil is great! It’s not greasy and it absorbs quickly. I use it on my face, the dry ends of my hair, my cuticles, and my elbows. I told my friend Karthik about it and she said she uses Josie Maran products too–specifically their tinted moisturizer. So we planned to stop by Sephora and see if I could get some too.

I was surprised to see that there are only five shades. I chose crème. Karthik wears desert. To find a product that we can both wear–with our different skin types and colors–was pretty impressive (Karthik was born in India and has wonderful, warm brown skin. My light skin is a reflection of my German and Scottish roots). We both love that it’s got SPF 30. No more greasy sunscreen on our faces! (And yes, skin cancer and wrinkles affect all skin types, so slather up!)

Karthik’s issue with sunscreens is that most leave a whitish residue on her face. The Josie Maran moisturizer doesn’t. My issue is that even the lightest tinted moisturizer looks orange on my skin and you can see where the product stops and my natural color begins.

This moisturizer is tinted just right. It blends in, it’s lightweight, and left us glowing, not greasy. I’ve even stopped wearing pressed powder. I really only ever used it to hide the shine of sunscreen. I can’t wait to try their cosmetics too. Argan oil mascara? Sign me up!

We also tried products by other cruelty-free companies (Tarte and Stila) and popped into Lush, so come on back for more of our reviews!

Note: This isn’t a sponsored post. I wasn’t compensated to review these products. I just really like them. Also, the content of this post was originally published on my other blog, Jean of all Trades.