Life is so much more enjoyable with a few indulgences every once in a while, and what a better way to indulge than to to enjoy a luxe (vegan) skin care treatment? You don’t need a lot of money nor do you need to spend an entire day at a spa. Just purchase a few of your favorite vegan spa products and use them at least once a week(preferably on a weekend evening when you have time). Here are a few must-have vegan spa products to get you started!

1- Fake a good night’s sleep with Pack Your Bags-They’re Leaving Instant Gratification Eye Gels.  A winner of last year’s Beauty With A Conscience Natural Solutions Award, these eye gels contain ingredients like cucumber, seaweed, essential oils, lemongrass, and vitamin E.

2- This Organic Cold-Pressed Coconut Butter is a real treat! This nourishing body butter gently cleanses and exfoliates, reduces inflammation, and restores your skin back to health. As a bonus, this organic skin care product doubles as a conditioning cream rinse!

3- Another organic treat: the Yum Skincare Red Earth Mineral Masque. Clear up acne and renew your skin with this detoxifying and exfoliating product which was formulated with pineapple and papaya. This product also combats against other blemishes such as blackheads and whiteheads.

4- A do-it-yourself manicure needs the right products like Critical Cuticle Treatment, a nourishing oil that adds strength to your nails and cuticles. Complete your manicure with vegan based nail lacquers from SpaRitual

5- Go au natural with the right makeup remover. Try Herbal Makeup Remover, which is a creamy and luxe alternative to most makeup removers. You’ll love how this gentle cleanser contains good-for-you ingredients like organic almond oil, chamomile extract, organic sunflower oil, organic evening primrose oil, and much more.  Its the perfect way to end your day of luxury with vegan skin care!

Technorati Tags: Natural Skin Care, vegan, vegan ingredients, vegan skin care

It’s been said that healthy people are sexier.  Considering how healthy, slim, and attractive many vegans and vegetarians are, this might just be true. But, it’s not enough to just go vegan in order to be healthy, fit, and slim.  You can’t just eat a bunch of carrots and apples and sit on the couch and expect to feel good, look good, and be healthy.  It takes effort, consistency, and willpower to be healthy and well. To get on the journey to vibrant good health and an improved attractive appearance, there are a few simple things you will need to do.  One of the most important is to study and learn about healthy vegan eating. Sometimes we have to relearn or adjust how we cook and select new nutritious foods. There are many helpful and great websites, books, magazines and youtube videos that will help us and provide us with support and resources.

“Back To Eden Cookbook” is one of the best books I’ve ever read and it helped me tremendously when I was first learning how to cook delicious healthy vegan meals.  It also helped me understand the food I was eating and improved my relationship with it.  The author, Jethro Kloss, was a health inventor and pioneer in the same era as Dr. Harvey Kellogg and helped many people discover healthier ways of eating and living.  Vegweb.com, http://www.vegweb.com is a wonderful online community that has many resources for helping the newbie vegetarian and vegan on the journey to health, wellness, and higher awareness.  You’ll find many wonderful recipes, great new like-minded friends, and healthy supportive recommendations.

The Internet is an invaluable tool for learning how to be a healthy, happy, aware vegan.  Just type words like “vegetarian website” or “vegan resources website” into google or yahoo and do a little research when you have time.

Technorati Tags: healthy vegan, healthy vegetarian, vegan nutrition

Soapwort is generally considered an alternative to commercial soaps and cleansers. Soapwort is a herb that is often used like soaps, however it is actually gentler on sensitive skin types and does not dry out skin like some soaps do.  Soapwort is also all natural. It features no harsh chemicals, additives, or preservatives, therefore it’s safer. Soapwort contains a natural ingredient called saponins which is what gives soapwort the sudsy cleansing action.

The easy way to turn soapwort into usable soap is to boil the leaves and stalks in water, and then strain them. Ingredients include about a cup of fresh soapwort leaves (or one half cup of dried) to about a pint of water. The wonderful liquid that is left is great for expensive fabrics or those that require a gentle wash.   You will find this simple herbal soap alternative invaluable if you need to clean delicate older fabrics too.

Soapwort is a good herb to use to make soap or cleansing agents simply because it is less harsh than a lot of soap agents. You’ll discover that soapwort lathers well.

Besides using soapwort as a laundry soap, you can use soapwort for a natural body cleanser or shampoo. If you bathe your rashes or acne with it you will discover the skin soothing properties it offers for skin conditions and sensitive skin.  skin conditions like rashes or sensitive skin. Have fun trying out soapwort for yourself.

Technorati Tags: commercial soaps, skin soothing

Shopping for vegan skincare and beauty products just got easier, particularly for those with an iPhone or iPod Touch. A quick search on iTunes will yield dozens of vegan friendly applications (or “apps”) that make your vegan lifestyle that much easier. From consolidated shopping lists to recipe apps to green lifestyle guides, you’ll find it all.  And the best part here is that many of these apps are acutally free! Lets take a better look at some of the vegan apps you need now.

Cruelty-Free App for iPhone/iPod Touch.

You finally found the perfect moisturizer, but you want to know if it was tested on animals. Now you can carry the entire list of cruelty-free products and vegan cosmetics right in the palm of your hand. It’s the same list you’ll find on their website, only in the form of a smaller application to fit your iPhone.  With this app, you’ll never have to question products when shopping because this time saving list names all the cruelty-free companies and products. Just search alphabetically by brand or product to find what you’re looking for. This app is free.

Animal-Free App for iPhone/iPod Touch

With so many foods, cosmetics,  and skincare products  that contain various animal derived ingredients, its overwhelming to even the most experienced eco-conscience consumer. The Animal-Free App makes this easier as it lists all ingredients that you should avoid at all costs. Like the Cruelty-Free App, this application was designed as a reference guide for vegetarian and vegan shoppers. This app is also free of charge.

Organic Spa Magazine Skincare Guide for iPhone/iPod Touch

This amazing app is loaded with valuable information including health, beauty, travel, skin care, and more. Based on the Organic Spa Magazine website, this is like a smaller version that was made exclusively for your phone. This is another free app.

Technorati Tags: cruelty-free produ, skin care products, vegan beauty, vegan cosmetics, vegan friendly, vegan lifestyle, vegan skin care

Technorati Tags: skincare, vegan, vegan beauty, vegan skin, vegan skin care

Garlic is one of Mother Nature’s most powerful healing herbs.  It is a very wise idea to have a bounty of garlic on hand for any given situation– any illness or health challenge.  Many health experts agree that garlic is multi-purpose and provides many  healing medicinal benefits, a  great plant-based vegan skin choice. Fresh raw garlic is a natural antibiotic and anti-microbial.  Eaten and juiced raw, it’s powerful benefits are boundless.

Garlic’s natural essential oils can keep unpleasant bugs away and will ward off terrible parasites.  It is best to peel away the garlic skin and rinse thoroughly so that the garlic is fresh and clean.  You can then either press the garlic firmly to benefit from the potent natural oils or you can lightly warm the garlic in a small pot with cooking oil to treat ear infections (http://www.ehow.com/how_2181310_warm-garlic-oil-ear-infections.html). Some people chew garlic as it is, raw, or swallow it like a capsule. I’m not quite that brave (ha ha).

Please use caution if applying garlic to your skin, as it may cause uncomfortable sensitivities, such as stinging or burning.  As a precaution, do a skin test, by placing a drop of garlic juice or oil with juice in the crook of your arm.  Fold your arm up towards your shoulder and hold it there for a minute or so.  Examine to see if you have any burning, redness or itching.  If so, you have a sensitivity (mild or strong) then you must decides if you should proceed with its use.

Garlic is also very potent for healing teeth and mouth infections.   Plus,  Garlic can add a wonderful aromatic and flavorful natural seasoning to any delicious healthy meal.  My husband and I keep plenty of garlic on hand for its many uses.  We are completely holistic and herbal and we use zero big pharma meds.  Garlic, the wonderful magical healing herb, has helped us through many health crises and emergencies and has literally saved our lives over and over!  I highly recommend it to anyone who trusts Mother Nature and believes in  natural healing.

Technorati Tags: vegan skin, vegan skin care

Technorati Tags: vegan beauty, vegan cosmetic, vegan skin