Don't Be Cruel - A Guide to Cruelty Free Beauty.

Of COURSE I Know I Suck!

2011-01-30T20:17:00.002-05:00

(*Ducks in case rotten tomatoes are thrown her way*)

I know…I know…I KNOW! I suck! I not only suck as a blogger, but I suck AND blow, which is pretty bad! So how are you all? Did everyone have a good holiday?

So yes, work has been crazy, then there were the holidays, then work got – and continues to be – crazier, and I hope to god I have a new job come springtime. Also, I’ve been staying off the internet at work when it comes to fun stuff, so that by the time I get home, I’m too exhausted to blog. All of which adds up to more excuses that just prove that… I suck!

Anyway, I think rather than me continuing to promise that I’m going to blog more and not doing so, I’m just going to leave it at this – I promise to blog whenever I can find a spare second, which could add up to ginormous chunks of time that I don’t blog. But on the other hand, whenever I do blog, hopefully that will lead to you guys saying, “Hey! She blogged! That means she’s still breathing!” Because me always promising to blog and then not doing it isn’t fair to all of you. And it makes me look like the blogger version of the absentee parent who goes out for a gallon of milk and then never comes back!

Anyway, you didn’t think I’d come back without bearing gifts, did you? Let me show you the latest thing I’m in love with, as I sample around the cosmetics world like a hooker at a convention in Vegas! It’s two skin care products by the wonderful Ole Henriksen (http://www.olehenriksen.com/):

First, I’m totally loving his Skin Insulator with SPF 15.

It’s a moisturizer made for dry and sensitive skin, but this is truly amazing stuff. Why? Because even though it’s made for dry skin, it goes on truly matte, which is a total first! I’m not complaining, mind you, but I’ve never seen that before! I’ve seen a crazy guy take a swing at a police officer ticketing his car, I’ve seen my psycho neighbor next door throw a book at another neighbor who came up to tell her to keep it down, and I’ve seen two pizza delivery guys playing with each other through their pants on the F train out of Queens (What? I live in NY!). But I’ve never seen a dry skin moisturizer that leaves you matte AND actually moisturizes! It’s a miracle. If I’d posted this in December like I should have, it would have been a Christmas miracle, but as we’ve already mentioned above, I suck.

The second thing I love in the Ole Henriksen line is his Ultimate Lift Eye Gel.

Now, again, as with the Skin Insulator, it does what you’d never think it could do. It cools and refreshes, it decreases puffiness, all the fine things that an eye gel should do. But it also moisturizes, which normally you need a separate cream for. This does it all, and it doesn’t gunk up your under-eye concealer! AND, Kate Gosselin apparently swears by it, so, y’know… hop right on out and buy it now! (Okay, that was sarcasm. But she does swear by it in some random issue of People Magazine. But don’t let that put you off – you should still buy it for yourself, even if you don’t have eight kids and television cameras and press agents and resentful professional dance partners keeping you up all night).

Anyhow, both of these little goodies are reasonably priced ($35 for the moisturizer, $38 for the eye gel), and you can get them either online or at any Sephora (oh, and bonus - Ole Henriksen is one of Sephora's all natural and organic lines)!

So that’s about it for this round! I must scoot, not only because it’s late, but because I really have to tinkle! You lovey-doves stay warm, keep moisturized, and remain your fabulous selves that I know you always are!

TONS of love and hugs, and it really is great to be back with all of you again!

Love & kisses,

Lisa and Edison-schmoo head!

The Bliss of a Good Purge!

2010-10-27T21:14:00.002-04:00

ZOMG!! I'm back! I didn't fall off the face of the earth, I didn't get mowed down by the crosstown bus, and I haven't joined the Broadway cast of "Chicago" (although I'd totally rock at ripping tickets in half, you guys!).

"Plus, she can't sing or dance. Did she mention that to you? That she can't sing or dance?"

Damn, I knew he'd sell me out! Anyway, what I did do is pass the paralegal certification course that I was taking (yaay!!!), and I also took the court assistant exam last weekend (which - gonna be honest - not sure that I did so well on that one!), so it's been a really busy past few months.

So once the dust settled around here, I did something that every girl needs to do once in a while. I hauled out my makeup case and did a good healthy purge! Because let's face it - there are some things that seem like a good idea at the the time, and we realize later... ehhh, not so much. Glitter navy blue eye shadow? Mmmmm.... maybe on some girls, but I truly don't know what possessed me! Three different smokey-plum shadows that are different brands, but essentially the same shade? Yeah, two of those chumps have to go. So after some of my more unfortunate impulse purchases went bye-bye, I was pretty pleased with the nice, streamlined collection that I have left over, which is what I'm going to tell you about today! It's not a ton, but I just love blabbing about a few of my favorites!

1. My ever-popular, ever-beloved Bare Escentuals Foundation and Mineral Veil. Can't do without them - they cover everything and help me fake perfect skin.

2. So I have this big ol' honkin' jar of Laura Mercier Mineral Finishing Powder, which is just like BE Mineral Veil, except it comes in this jumbo jar. Seriously - I've had it for about a year, and I'm only halfway through with it. It's ginormous! When it's empty, I could store all my bath towels and bed sheets in there. Danielle and Teresa from "The Real Housewives of NJ" could store both of their enormous egos in there. What I'm saying is IT'S BIG! I may use it all up by the time I retire - but I'm not sure...

3. My Aromaleigh stash! My previous blog before this one was when I told you guys that the wonderful indie company, Aromaleigh Mineral Makeup, was going out of business. My Aromaleigh stash now consists of: two blushes in "Pashmina" (this gorgeous mid-tone pinky mauve), two eye shadows in "Chocolate Heart" (a frosty taupe/cocoa), two eye shadows in "Fiona", a frosted ivory which is my go-to highlighter, and one shadow in "Charcoal" - which is a frosty charcoal, don'tcha know! So those are all keepers.

4. Two of my newest and favorite additions are both from Bobbi Brown - her blush in "Plum", and her lipstick in "Rum Raisin". Both of which, by the way, I can totally sum up with this. No lie, they are so beyond gorgeous, I don't know what else to say!

There's a few more things - mascara, liner, a few other lip colors and glosses - but that's the main BBQ that I get by with!

Of course, that's not to say that a streamlined kit works for everyone. One of the most fun things about makeup is having a sizable stash sometimes! Believe me, there are peeps over at the awesome Makeup Alley.com who post pictures of their makeup collections, and some of the pictures are of several big bins, or entire vanity table drawers, full of cosmetics! It all depends on what works for you, what you use the most of, and whether a little or a lot makes you happy. Enjoy it! Have a ball with it!

I'll try to blog more often, Bootsies! I love you all and missed you terribly! Now that my time has freed up, I'll be able to be around more.

Smooches, kisses, and glam-o-rama!

Lisa & Edison!

A Sad Goodbye to Aromaleigh Cosmetics

2010-07-10T20:16:00.006-04:00

Wow, gang...

That's really all I can say to this sad news...

It seems that as of August 10th, Aromaleigh Cosmetics will be closing up shop for good.

I know from recent posts that Miss K had been very unhappy with some of the treatment her brand had been receiving around the web, some of the really unkind things that had been said about her as businesswoman. All I know is, it was a great brand, she created some truly gorgeous colors, and it will sorely be missed.

I'm surprised, but I'm not surprised, you know? Miss K is a good person, but I know this business had been taking a lot out of her. When she discontinued her lip colors this past year, I quickly bought six tubes of Gala lipstick and hoped for the best. But she'd been fighting to keep her foothold as the mineral makeup market grew more competitive, so whenever something happened that she felt could potentially hurt her business, she'd really take it to heart.

Of course, as Miss K takes her beautiful makeup and rides off into the sunset, she leaves us with one last discount code, ADIEU35, which will give you 35% off of your entire purchase for new orders.

So let's take this moment to wish Miss K and her staff good luck, best wishes, and thanks for helping us all be glamour pusses while it lasted!

Love to all of them, and to all of you,

Lisa and Edison
XO

So shines a good deed in a weary world...

2010-06-24T10:50:00.001-04:00

Hello my sweeties!

How's your ridiculously hot summer going? Here in the Big Apple (or the Baked Apple, har dee har har!), it's only been "summer" for about three days, and we are smack dab in the middle of our first heat wave! Be sure to wear your cruelty free sunblock, like this new brand I just discovered right over at the drugstore, Ocean Potion! Here's their website - http://www.opotion.com/ - and they have all sorts of awesome, inexpensive stuff to protect you from the sun, and best of all, they're non-animal tested! WHOOT!! I've been wearing their Cool Dry Touch SPF 50, and it's great stuff! Unscented, dries quickly, and it's sweat proof. Good good stuff for sure!

Also, don't forget to protect your kisser! Lots of sunblocks are available in lip glosses and lipsticks now, and it will likely say so on the packaging. A great cruelty free lip gloss to try is Laura Geller's Shine and Shield SPF 15. It has a lovely, light milk-chocolate flavor to it, and comes in three gorgeous shades. I have Fresco Gelato and Fresco Berry, and I'm nuts about them. Here's Laura's site so you can check them out for your own bad selves! http://www.laurageller.com/

My main reason for posting today is to show you this article, compliments of a buddy of mine (thanks, Billy!). One of the dogs tortured by the absolutely horrible Michael Vick has found a new home, thanks to our buddies at Best Friends Animal Society http://www.bestfriends.org/. Here's the article, http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/sportatorium/2010/06/one_of_michael_vicks_dogs_find.php, and really gang, I don't know what to say. Mr. Richard Hunter, you and your wife are wonderful, awesome human beings, dude. I hope I can find a way to get this to you so that you know how admired you are by opening your heart and your home to poor little Mel. In my humble opinion? There isn't enough jail time for someone like Michael Vick, but the fact that at least some of those poor dogs are able to be placed is some solace. And huge kudos to Pumpkin too!

Well, gotta make like an egg and scramble! My boss just handed me a project, so I must get moving. Much love and air-conditioning to all you and yours - which reminds me, don't forget to keep your fuzzy four-legged love-bugs cool this season! Never EVER leave them in your car unattended, and try to keep them in the coolest room you can find. Mr. Edison gets a deluxe size bowl of ice cubes before I head out every day, which means he actually looks forward to me leaving for work, ha ha!

Okay, must get going!

Love and bunny snuggles,

Lisa and Edison
XO

A Cruelty-Free Thought For the Day...

2010-06-10T16:05:00.001-04:00

Hello, my sweeties!

Well, I'm a month shy of completing my class, but of course, it's always busiest and craziest right towards the end! As a result, I haven't had a second to spare looking up or trying out new products to tell you about, but I wanted to stick my head in here and send you guys my hugs!

So to that end, today's update is nothing more than a really lovely quote from author Alice Walker ("The Color Purple") about how kindness should apply to all beings, regardless of gender, race, religion - or how many legs they have to scoot their fabulous selves around on!

"The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men." -- Alice Walker

Isn't that beautiful? I never heard that before, but I think it's particularly appropriate for our little blog. It shows that no matter who we are, or how different, we all should love and respect each other.

So till I have some spare time once again, here's a hug, a smooch...

Oooh! And a frappuccino! Yaaay! One of those for everybody!

Aaanyway....M'WAAAH!!!

Bunches o' love, and a little Starbucks,

Lisa and Edison!
XO

If you're thinkin' about stinkin'...

2010-05-17T13:17:00.004-04:00

BAAAYBEES!

How goes it? Good weekend? Everybody get laid? (Hee!)

The warm weather is upon us, ladies, and I'm about to let you in on a horrible secret I've suffered with for years. When I funk up, I STIIIINNKK!! STINK! The ironic thing about it is that I'm totally paranoid about ever smelling bad. I'll sniff myself about a dozen times a day to make sure all the good scents are holding together, and if they're not, I avoid my co-workers like the plague. Without the help of a good strong deodorant, I'm smelling like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on Day 3 out at Woodstock. It's a smell that could best be described as "Hardened Criminal", you know? So I'm big on soaps, perfumes, showers, toothpaste, and our buddy deodorant. It's a must in my world.

And when I tell you I need tough deodorants, I'm not kidding. For as much as I really love the idea of using all-natural or organic deodorants, they just don't work on my funk. If they work for you, go for it! The fewer chemicals on your body, the better. But I need the hard stuff, all those new "clinical strength" deodorants/antiperspirants are made for me!

Before I go any further, I do want to debunk the old myth that antiperspirants and some deodorants cause breast cancer. Let me state firmly for you that there is no link between the two. None. Allow me to linkify you to the article from The American Cancer Society themselves that totally flushes this silly Internet rumor right down the crapper: Antiperspirant Use Does Not Increase Risk Of Breast Cancer. And there you go - can't do much better than The American Cancer Society, now can you? And with that fear put to rest, please, allow me to continue to regale you with how I smell like a farm animal unless I'm using the best deodorant money can buy.

So I'm loving the idea of these clinical strength deodorants/antiperspirants, but the problem is, they all seem to be the animal-tested drugstore brands. What to do?

Here's what to do! Our friends at the lovely and glorious cruelty-free Revlon just happen to be the parent company of Mitchum deodorants! And Mitchum deodorant has many versions of Lady Mitchum, which I love. And now...

See that? See what the label says? CLINICAL STRENGTH Lady Mitchum!! Cruelty-Free and keeps yours truly fresh as a freakin' daisy all day, even in hot weather! It doesn't stain my clothes, it dries right away, it's cheap, it's cruelty-free, and your grateful and stink-free blogger is finally a happy woman!

Much love, and stay dry in this heat!

Lisa and Edison (whos pits don't stink, but his feet smell like Fritos!)

XO

Flying some friendlier skies.

2010-05-09T22:02:00.009-04:00

Hey sweeties!
Though I've been totally busy with my class, I didn't want to neglect this blog, and I didn't want to neglect any of you, because you're awesome! So this week is going to be a "copy and paste" of a post of mine from another board.

My ultimate goal in bringing this blog to you is to hopefully shed some light on great cruelty-free brands of makeup, but other animal-related stuff too, such as CF household products, animal charities and businesses, celebs that devote themselves to animals, etc. So every once in a while, I'll go off the beaten path and not talk about a specific makeup brand, but something in the news that I got a peek at.
Here's a link a friend of mine posted at this other board, and it's truly horrifying:

Delta offers money for lost dog

Just reading this will give you chills for sure. Here's my accompanying post in reaction to my friend posting the link:

It's horrible, absolutely horrible. This is a cautionary tale to anyone deciding to fly with their pet. All major airlines - not just Delta - will treat your lost pet exactly like they will treat a lost suitcase. And unfortunately, that's actual policy - they don't treat it as a lost living being. It's a lost piece of your luggage to them, and nothing more. It's given no more or less importance - you literally fill out a form, and hey, they'll call you if it turns up. Their attitude is: "throw enough money at the flyer, and they can buy a new dog or cat."
The only airline that gives you any peace of mind for flying with your pets is Jet Blue, because they don't cargo animals at all. Each flight has two spots reserved for pets to ride in the cabin with their owners. You book over the phone and double check that a spot on your particular flight is open for your pet. It's $50 (or it was), and your pet flies with YOU. When I very briefly moved to CA for a few months in 2005, I made damn sure that I flew Jet Blue so that Edison would be in the cabin with me. Other airlines will let you bring your pet into the cabin for a fee, but with Jet Blue, it's a little better - since they don't cargo to begin with, there's no fear of any mixup and them possibly forcing you to cargo your pet. Of course, if you have too big of a pet, that leaves you with very little choice.
Poor little Paco - his owners must be heartbroken. Like free plane tickets will ever bring him back.

So it's a very sad tale, but just please, please be careful any time you fly with your pet. Just know that other than Jet Blue (to my knowledge), the airlines aren't going to care if your pet is lost, harmed or killed. A couple of free tickets are supposed to be equivalent to the loss of your fur-baby, and it's not right. Please show this link to anyone you know who is getting ready to travel with their pet, and make sure they do the research for safe ways to travel.

Edison and I are sending Paco all the positive thoughts we can that he's ultimately found safe and reunited with his people.

Much love to him and to all of you,

Lisa and Edison
XO

Product Spotlight: Philosophy

2010-04-19T11:33:00.001-04:00

Hey hey hey! How is everyone today?

Just a heads up - if I sound a little lackluster today, it's because my class is kicking my ass, and I had to leave for work at 6 AM today to get here by 7 AM, so I'm kind of running on one piston. It's definitely got nothing to do with the brand we're going to take a peek at today!

What brand is that? Well, dahlinks, today I'd like to blab at you about some amazing stuff that I'm sure everyone is either using or has heard about - Philosophy! You've either seen their fabulous goodies over at Sephora, on QVC, or at some of their new counters at Macy's. Frankly, they have so much stuff that feels wonderful, smells good, and just plain gives you a boost, that I could blog about them for a year and not cover all their products. So today, our Product Spotlight is going to be about their skincare, which I just switched over to, lock, stock and barrel!

So, I'm 46, you know? I do my best to keep everything glued together and hoisted to the sky, as we all do. But here's the thing - I'm terrified, freaking TERRIFIED, of even the idea of plastic surgery, Botox, all that freaky crap. I won't even consider it - which means I'd better get used to spending all of my disposable income for the best skincare I can afford, amiright?

Last week, I knew I needed a boost of some sort for the ol' faccia (which is Italian for "face" - see that? It's not just ramblings about bunnies and lipstick - you're *learning* something!). So I hopped into Sephora, and headed straight for the Philosophy area. Without giving it too much thought since I know it's a great and reasonably priced brand, I just grabbed this little gem off the shelf:

This is their simply awesome Advanced Makeup Optional Kit for Aging Skin. Their Makeup Optional kits are pretty popular, so when I saw this, I knew I had to try it. It's mini versions of everything you see here - Hope in Jar with SPF 20 moisturizer, When Hope is Not Enough firming serum, Help Me nighttime retinol cream, The Microdelivery Exfoliating facial wash for morning, and Purity Made Simple facial wash for nighttime.

Can I just tell you something amazing with absolutely no exaggeration, swear to god? I've now been using this kit for about a week and a half - and I look like I've had work done. And not in a bad way! My skin is totally smoothed out, the pores are smaller, the flakiness and ruddiness is gone! The tone is brighter, the lines have decreased - you guys, I can't even believe it! Even with other really great brands I've tried, I've never seen results that fast. It's amazing, it honestly and really is!

And you don't have to be all middle-aged and stuff like me - the great thing about Philosophy is that they make a little "try it" kit for all skin types - younger, older, oilier, dryer, normal. There's nothing you won't be able to find that doesn't work for you. And I'll bet you'll see results so fast that you're going to want the big sizes of everything in here, no doubt.

The only thing missing from the kit is an eye cream, and since I needed one anyway, I decided to take the leap and go with Philosophy's anti-aging stuff called Eye Hope (*Rimshot!* Thank you folks, thank you - the people who think up cute names for Philosophy products will be here all week! Don't forget to tip your waitress!) Anyway, this stuff...

... this stuff right here! - is a little pump bottle full of awesomeness. The lines disappear, it's not greasy, your eye makeup goes on smoothly. And best of all, if you use this stuff, no crazed surgeon will have to come near your delicate eyeballs with a knife, laser or needle for years to come (Gaaaah! I just freaked me out!).

So check it out! High tail it over to Sephora or Macy's, or Philosophy's website (www.philosophy.com), or QVC.com, and go get some great, cruelty-free skincare for your ownselves!

Solidarity for the bunnies, as always!

Love and smooches,

Lisa (and the Edison bee-boo head!)

And a Peace Fell Across the Land...

2010-04-02T09:23:00.004-04:00

Happy Easter and Passover, youse guyses! Although technically, there are usually only bunnies for Easter, you know that around here, you're all my bunnies!

Okay, so I'm willing to call a truce. A big, fat, booty-shaking (which would be terrifying if you could see it - WHOOT!) truce with Bare Escentuals.

If you remember my blog from January 15th, I had just found out that our beloved cruelty-free Bare Escentuals had been purchased by Shiseido, a company that still very much tests. This would make BE a non-animal testing subsidiary of a parent company that tests. And again, whether or not you decide to use a CF product from a parent company that tests is totally up to your individual comfort level. For me? Generally, I stay away, because it just bugs me too much.

But you know, I've been a BE whore since 2004, so it's hard to give that up. So in one of my moments of "Grumble... grumble... well, okay, lemme just check..." I did a little more homework. I emailed BE directly and laid it all out for them (oh, dudes, complete with drama! I would have rivaled Halle Berry's Oscar speech in that email!). They assured me that they absolutely will continue to be cruelty-free, not only with their established products, but with any new ones as well. Now as you know, many companies who claim to put a moratorium on animal testing will promise to do so only for their established products, but will continue testing on any new ones they develop. Which, to my way of thinking is still animal testing no matter what they do. So the promise that BE will continue to remain CF even on their new stuff went quite a long way towards restoring my faith in them.

The other thing I noticed is that PETA still has BE listed on their "Does Not Test on Animals" list - and that's always pretty important to me, since they have such a comprehensive guide about this stuff. So all of this is my round about way of saying that I still love me some Bare Escentuals, and that as long as they maintain a completely cruelty free stance, I can live with this!

So it's all good...

...we hugged it out, bitches!

Have a happy holiday, no matter how or what you celebrate, and I'll be back to bother you soon enough! Clearly, I love me some mineral makeup, and I have another very fun brand, Meow Cosmetics, that I'm planning on shining the spotlight on in my next blog or so!

Big ol' rib-crushing hugs!

Lisa and Edison
XO

Product Spotlight: Pacifica Perfumes and Body Products!

2010-03-12T13:14:00.007-05:00

Hey lovelies! How are you?

I know, it's been about a month, but my class is seriously kicking my butt, you guys. I'm glad and grateful to be taking it, and it's endlessly interesting, but it's SO much stuff to remember in a few months while I'm working full time! So, all that goes to say, I wanted to put up a quick post to let you all know that I'm thinking of you, and I'm sorry I've been away.

AND of course, to very quickly tell you about a wonderful organic brand of perfumes, body care, and even candles called Pacifica (http://www.pacificaperfume.com/)! AWESOME STUFF, bunnies, really great stuff!

Started by Brooke Harvey-Taylor and her husband Billy Taylor in 1996, Pacifica offers eco-friendly, CF fragrance in the forms of spray and solid perfume, body butters, and candles! Right now, I'm rocking their Lotus Garden perfume, and I'm in LOVE! And let me tell you, it was hard to decide - the number of beautiful, yummy fragrances they have makes you want to take them all home. Of course, since Brooke's stuff is pretty reasonably priced, you probably could take home a bunch if you wanted to! It's just this fresh, lovely, clean-smelling stuff that makes me really hanker for spring to just get here already! Pacifica is vegan and sulfate-free, contains no mineral oil, parabens, or any of that other scary crap that we're trying to weed out of our lives these days.

So... you wanna get your smell-good on? Head to Sephora or Whole Foods, or just check out their website for other places near you that might carry such awesomeness. But I'm warning you now.... don't blame me if you develop a following! Or a habit, for that matter! (Hee!)

Okay, so I have to make like a tree and leave (I'm here all week! Don't forget to tip your waitress!), so wish me luck on my studies and my finals, please! And after you're done sending some good thoughts in my direction, you can go cash in on your good karma by loading up on some fun Pacifica products!

Many smooches, everyonesies! Hope you're all well!

Love,

Lisa (and Edison, who doesn't help me study, but *does* lay across my textbooks while I'm trying to get some work done!)
XO

Cruelty Free Hair Care!

2010-02-12T10:28:00.021-05:00

Hey honies!

Happy Friday and three-day weekend! And look - I'm going with a new font! Dig me!

I know we've been focusing a lot on CF cosmetics here, but part of being lovely and CF also involves your hair care products! So since we all have different hair types and needs, today's blog is going to be a list of what I find are some of the best CF brands of hair care around.

Now, I will start off by saying that I do The Curly Girl method (http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair), which is a no-shampoo method of taking care of curly hair. Contrary to the sound of it, no, you're not going around with dirty hair - you're still cleaning it, just with different products besides traditional shampoos. There are specially formulated cream-based hair cleansers and sulfate-free, non-foaming cleansers out there that are perfect to keep your curls clean and in shape (traditional shampoos strip the curls and make 'em frizzy!). If you follow the link I posted above, it will explain it all far better than I can! But, keeping with that method, here are few brands to look for for curly hair:
JessiCurl http://jessicurl.com/
DevaCurl http://www.devaconcepts.com/products
Trader Joe's Spa Shampoo Nourish Spa Shampoo and Conditioner. I don't have a link (the Trader Joe's website just focuses on their food), but this stuff is DIRT cheap (somewhere around $2 a bottle!), and from what I hear, really really great! And not just for curlies - all hair types can use this one.

Other fabulous CF Brands from drugstores and salons, for all hair types, not just curlies:
Aveda: http://www.aveda.com/home.tmpl
TIGI: http://www.tigihaircare.com/consumer/en-US/home/default.asp
Yes To Carrots: http://www.yestocarrots.com/
Marc Anthony: http://www.marcanthony.com/
Bumble and Bumble: http://www.bumbleandbumble.com/index.tmpl
Burt's Bees: http://www.burtsbees.com/ - not just at your favorite health food places anymore, this very affordable brand has been busting out on the shelves of every drugstore I go into!

A few fabulous health-store brands too! Also very "on the cheap"!
Aubrey Organics: http://www.aubrey-organics.com/
Desert Essence: http://www.desertessence.com/
Avalon Organics: http://www.avalonorganics.com/
Giovanni: http://www.giovannicosmetics.com/
Nature's Gate: http://www.natures-gate.com/

So those are a few good starts! As always, if you have any questions about 'em, email me! I don't bite.... haaaard! (13 years after "Austin Powers" came out, and that joke is *still* funny!)

I'm off to kick back for my long weekend - after work ends, that is! Have a great one, a safe one, stay warm, and for goodness sake, go wash your hair! (Hee!)

Smooches, pooches!

Love,

Lisa (and as always, Edison!)
XO

Aromaleigh "HOT IN THE CITY" Goes Permanent!

2010-02-03T22:58:00.018-05:00

Hey hey, dollyheads!

Something you should absolutely check out over at Aromaleigh Mineral Cosmetics (which I've blogged about before - you know how great they are!) is that their awesome "Hot In The City" mineral eyeshadow collection, which was originally a limited edition, is being made a permanent member of the Aromaleigh family! WHOOT!! Here are the details from Miss K's blog, and she just has some truly gorgeous stuff in that bunch. All of their stuff is great, but this is a really fun and bright collection!

Wondering what these fantabulous colors look like? Well, heeeeere they are!

It's all gorgeous stuff, and every once in a while, Miss K makes a limited edition set permanent, so this is indeed a happy day!

Gotta get some sleep, or NO amount of pretty eyeshadow is gonna help me, hee hee!

Smooches, pooches!

Lisa (and as always, the debonair Edison)
XO

All Hail Joan Jett!

2010-01-28T13:34:00.016-05:00

Hey booba-doos!

Hope everything's going great, and since tomorrow's Friday, that you're all looking forward to the weekend!

With all the much-deserved anticipation for the new movie "The Runaways", coming out in March, I just recently caught some pictures of Joan Jett out at Sundance, where she's making appearances with Dakota Fanning and Joan's own Mini-Me, Kristen Stewart, the stars of the film (Fanning and Stewart will be playing Cherie Currie and Joan, respectively). Anyway, I saw all these recent pictures of Joan, and holy crap, y'all! She looks amazing! She's 51 yrs. old, and whether or not she's had plastic surgery remains to be seen. But if she did, her surgeon must be a genius, because she's never looked better. This isn't one of the Sundance pictures (because they're all huge, and I don't know how to shrink them!), but here she is from a year or so back.

Amazing, right? And you know, I hate to say this, because it's so sexist and annoying, and when people say it to me, it makes me want to flick them on the nose - but she's so pretty when she smiles! I mean, who knew? I've only ever seen her sneering and scowling since 1982, so I had no idea her face just lights up when she looks happy.

Anyway, out of curiosity about the movie, I was Googling stuff about the Runaways, and it turns out that Joan is a friend of the animals! Yes, the Divine Ms. Jett is a veggie, and is full-on Cruelty Free! Here's the link to a short little interview Peta2 did with her where she talks about being a veggie and living a CF life in general:

http://www.peta2.com/OUTTHERE/o-joanjett.asp

I don't know about you, but frankly, I loved the part where she talks about taking in her four stray and shelter cats, and then having to rescue random lost birds *from* her cats! Hee!

So there you go - one of the legendary bad-asses of the 80s, living a kind and consciously CF life, and looking amazing while doing so! Maybe she hasn't had her face done after all - maybe it's from CF living, or maybe she's just a happy that she kept her cats from being bird killers!

Have a great weekend, luvvies!

Love,

Lisa (and Edison - who sympathizes with Joan's cats...)

Brand Spotlight: Laura Mercier

2010-01-20T12:46:00.006-05:00

Baybeeees!

How are you? Groovy? Cool? Awesome? All of the above? Fabulous! Me too!

So with my complete, total disappointment last Friday over Bare Escentuals allowing themselves to be purchased by the horrid, animal-testing Shiseido, I wrapped up my blog by saying that I'd be heading over to the Estee Lauder counter that evening to find a new CF makeup to call my very own.

Well - no offense to Estee Lauder, because they're CF, they own many CF brands, and they just all-around rock my socks, but I didn't quite get that far. My first and only pit stop wound up being at the Laura Mercier counter (http://www.lauramercier.com/store/home.jsp), and I never got any further! They're a wonderful, sophisticated and classy CF brand, and I wound up picking up a few items that I'm truly just loving. Here's what I brought home with me:

1. I never thought, after six years with Bare Escentuals, that you could turn me back onto liquid foundation. Well, I was wrong! LM's Oil Free Foundation is just magical! It gives this great natural looking finish, but still covers flaws and lasts all day. I could never wear many liquid foundations before, because they just slid off my face by lunchtime. This stuff hangs on, but is still easy to get off at night. The shades are a pretty good match - there's about ten of them, and it was really easy for me to get the perfect shade really fast.
2. Secret Concealer - Only three shades to pick from, but wow! Those three shades still manage to have quite a range. Even the lightest shade, #1, looked really kind of dark in the little pot for "Old Paper Face" me! But it wasn't - once you get it on, it really blends in with your skin tone, and covers everything bad! Bonus - you can use it on your lids as a primer, and it just hangs on to your eyeshadow! You may wonder how much mileage you're going to get out of this little pot, but one thing I found out is that the tiniest, most ridiculously little bit goes the longest way.
3. However, my problem with all concealers, be they cream or mineral, is that once I get them on under my eyes, I need to set them with powder. Setting them with powder, however, makes them crack and crease, and I look even older and more tired. Weeelll, not anymore! LM makes this positively unbelievable stuff called Secret Brightening Powder. OMG, you guys - I have truly found a product I can't do without! You can use it anywhere, I suppose, but where this little gem truly works its mojo is setting your concealer, and leaving it with a satiny, crease-free, won't crack finish. In the six days I've been using this, I've not had to touch up my under-eye concealer at all, and I always need to touch up. And it stays smooth, and unwrinkled! This stuff, with the Secret Concealer, has been amazing!
4. Last but certainly not least, to top off the gorgeousness, is LM's Mineral Finishing Powder. You know I love me some mineral makeup. This stuff is so lovely and translucent and airy! It's really, really fine and sheer, they must just mill it to death to get it that air spun. And you know - minerals! Good for your skin!

The brand's not cheap, but it's not outrageously expensive, either - it's in the ballpark of Estee Lauder, Bobbi Brown, around there, price-wise. But it's WORTH IT! I mean, for example, take the Secret Brightening Powder. At $22 for a little tub, it may seem pricey. But if you're only using the tiniest bit of that on a little brush to set your concealer, that's gonna last you forever. Heeey, you won't have to shell out again for it till you have some serious lines to conceal! Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk! (I keep getting funnier with each blog. This I know.)

This is a wonderful CF brand, and though there's plenty out there to love, you should definitely steer yourselves towards their nearest counter or Sephora!

Much love, buttons!

Lisa
XO

This is a total and complete BUMMER!

2010-01-15T13:25:00.009-05:00

Oh, babyheads - this sucks!

Have you heard the news? It truly blows - apparently our beloved Bare Escentuals has been purchased by one of the worst animal testers in the biz, Shiseido. Here's the whole gloomy story if you want to see for yourself:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100115/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_shiseido_bare_escentuals

So where does this leave one of the best CF brands out there? My guess is that BE will probably go the route that other non-animal tested brands go when they're acquired by a parent company that tests - namely, BE will probably continue to not test, I'm sure, and will probably be listed just like Kiehl's is with L'Oreal; namely, "a cruelty-free subsidiary of a parent company that tests."

What does that mean for you? Well, as I mentioned in my 4/27/09 blog, I think it all depends on your personal comfort level. I'm sure BE isn't going to suddenly start testing on "Les Bunny Rabbits" just because this dipshit of a company bought them out. So no, I'm sure the makeup itself will continue to be CF. But it's a personal comfort level of whether or not you want to give your money to a brand supported by a parent company that tests.

I'm also kind of disappointed in BE CEO Leslie Blodgett - boy, does that lady not seem like a good match for a brand like Shiseido! Maybe it's just me, but if I were in her position, and I had one of the best natural brands that started off right out of the gate as a CF brand, why the hell would I sell myself out to a company who, in this day and age, refuses to give up this barbaric practice? Are the big bucks that important to her? I'm sure the BE brand was doing just fine on it's own. All you had to do was check out the BE sections at any given Sephora - you couldn't get near the testers for all the women crowded around them. Check out any BE show on QVC - the stuff would sell out before you even knew what happened. Independent BE stores are popping up all over the place. Why give in to a cash cow (pun intended) who doesn't give a crap about how many animals they harm?

Okay, sorry, I know I'm getting all ranty. I loved this brand to bits for six years. So as for my own comfort level, I'm not cool with this. I'm heading straight for the Estee Lauder counter after work tonight!

Have a good weekend, sweeties!

Lisa

YES!!! Yes yes yes YES!!!

2010-01-13T15:19:00.008-05:00

Honey bunnies!

Happy 2010, you beauties! How was your holiday? Did Santa bring you lots of CF goodies?

I have the most fantabulous news! News that I, frankly, have been waiting years to hear!

So, you know that one of my arch-enemies, cosmetic brand-wise, was NARS. For years, I'd heard that they tested on animals, they weren't on PETA's "Does Not Test" list, and there was zilch on their website. And yet, secretly... I loved them, but I couldn't use them. It was the love that dare not speak its name, my dirty little secret, and "Dolce Vita" lipgloss was my forbidden love. I could look, but I couldn't touch.

Well, I don't know at what point they got their act together and decided to finally let the public know about their animal testing policy, but I just did another re-check on their website, and found THIS:

"NARS and Animal Testing: NARS Cosmetics does not and never has conducted any animal testing of any kind. Thank you."

Not to be outdone, Edison says:

"Pffft, please. Like she even found this information herself. I'm the one that found it on the internet, not her!"

So that's the awesome scoop for the day! They either were unfairly branded - I forget by who - as animal testers, or something. I mean, it was all over Makeup Alley that they tested, so I dunno what to think, but there's the good news, right from their very own site! WHOOT!

Have a great time dancing through the aisles of Sephora, babies!

Love,

Lisa and Edison

May Your Days Be Furry and Briiight...

2009-12-18T14:43:00.006-05:00

Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and many happy wishes no matter how you choose to celebrate!

Since this 'tis the season, I figured a good inspiration in helping our furry friends would be to provide you with a few links for charitable animal donations. You don't even have to give much - any amount will do - these fuzzy little sweeties need our help, however much you can donate.

Here's an idea I got into about 14 years ago. Back at that time, a month after I moved into my first apartment on my own, I had very little money for actual Christmas presents. So I gathered together info from several animal charities I liked - whether they were local or nationwide - and I did a sponsorship donation for one animal for each member of my family in their name. It cost me, honestly, about $25 a pop to sponsor each animal for a year. And for that year, that person would get a picture of their animal, and a quarterly update about how their furry friend was doing. It's a great way to do something in the spirit of giving, it's great for people who are hard to buy for, and even if you're not as broke as I was back then, it's a great additional gift to give with a regular holiday gift. The donation card with that sweet little furry face looking out at you is great as a stocking stuffer, or to tie to the front of a present instead of a gift tag. It's something that gives, it warms your heart, and really makes you feel like you're making a difference. And the recipient won't have to have it dry cleaned ever!

Here are a couple of links to animal charities I love:

The Animal Legal Defense Fund: http://www.aldf.org/index.php. This is probably one of the most important charities I've come across in the past few years. The charity is exactly what it's name implies - striving to enact laws that make animal cruelty a crime, and harsher penalties for anyone who harms an animal. Their slogan is "Harm an Animal - Go To Jail." Here's a little bit about them from their website: "For more than three decades, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has been fighting to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. Founded in 1979 by attorneys active in shaping the emerging field of animal law, ALDF has blazed the trail for stronger enforcement of anti-cruelty laws and more humane treatment of animals in every corner of American life. Today, ALDF’s groundbreaking efforts to push the U.S. legal system to end the suffering of abused animals are supported by hundreds of dedicated attorneys and more than 100,000 members."

Best Friends Animal Society: http://www.bestfriends.org//. Based in Kanab, Utah, this huge sanctuary takes in any kind of animal who needs help, no matter how big or small. They're probably one of the largest no-kill shelters in the country. Animals with missing limbs, missing ears, blind, sick, or simply unwanted - it doesn't matter. These people have opened their doors to furry, feathery and scaly friends of all sorts. Here's a bit more about them from their website: "Best Friends Animal Society is guided by a simple philosophy: kindness to animals builds a better world for all of us. In the late 1980s, when Best Friends was in its early days, roughly 17 million dogs and cats were being killed in shelters every year. Despite the commitment of shelter workers to the animals in their care, the conventional belief was that little could be done to lower that terrible number. Best Friends' No More Homeless Pets campaign created a new vision: A grassroots effort to place dogs and cats who were considered "unadoptable" into good homes, and to reduce the number of unwanted pets through effective spay and neuter programs. Since then, the number of dogs and cats being destroyed in shelters has fallen to approximately 5 million a year. There has been much progress,but there is still much more to do. The next phase of this work – bringing the number down to essentially zero – will take more work and some bold new initiatives. Shelters are crowded with pit bulls, dogs abandoned after being bought from pet stores, stray cats rounded up on the streets and not looking their very best when they’re brought in, and other pets abandoned or neglected. As the flagship of a grassroots network of people and organizations that care about animals, Best Friends continues to lead the way towards this future. And that's why our purpose remains: A better world through kindness to animals."

Another idea if you like the idea of keeping things local - donate to a local charity in your area. Sure, you can send money, but you can also donate your time, or old blankets, towels and pillows to keep the fuzzykins warm and cozy during the winter months till they find a home. Or if you're able to do it - offer them your home! Not just a "Hey, it's Christmas, let's adopt a pet! Nyuk nyuk nyuk!" But if you're truly in a position, both in your heart and in your home, to expand your family by four more legs, it's a truly wonderful thing to do.

Okay then, my lovelies - this is probably the last chance I'll have to type up some "blog-nog" (DORK!) before Christmas actually rolls around. So you'd better watch out, you'd better not cry, you'd better not pout, I'm telling you why - because that's a BUMMER, dude! Cheer up, it's Christmas!

I'd like to leave you with a few thoughts from what is probably one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time - Scrooged, starring Bill Murray (yes, I'm serious!). During the course of the movie, we see Frank Cross go from a man so cruel that he suggests stapling antlers to a Christmas mouse's little noggin at the beginning (perfect for a CF blog! And don't worry - no Christmas door mice were harmed during the making of this movie), to a man who wouldn't hurt a fly by the end of the film. My favorite part, though, is at the end of the film, when a truly reformed Frank Cross addresses his television audience on the joys of helping your fellow man:

"It's Christmas Eve. It's-it's the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we-we-we smile a little easier, we-w-w-we-we-we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year we are the people that we always hoped we would be."

Even though I love this whole movie, that's the part that gets me. I cry like a baby when he gets to that part about being the kind of people we always hoped we would be. Or as the Ghost of Christmas Past says to him, "Niagara Falls, Frankie Angel." And we can be, you know? Whether you donate your time to a soup kitchen, or give to whatever charity warms your heart, be it animal, human or global, it's all up to us. We're the only ones who can make this planet a truly better place - and not just at Christmas, but all year round!

So to you and yours, have a fabulous, peaceful, healthy, happy holiday! Eat lots of food, stay warm and safe, and spend as much time as you can under the mistletoe with someone you love! Have a happy new year, and remember - I love your asses, you wonderful bunnies, you!

SMOOOOCH!!!

Love,

Lisa (and Edison, the big schmoopy kitten-head!)
XO

It's alive!! IT'S ALLIIIVEE!!!!

2009-12-05T15:14:00.007-05:00

I AM alive! Are you shocked? I'm shocked that I finally got off my duff to post! How have you all been?

Work has been bananas, and I'm not loving it, but I am glad to be gainfully employed, even if it's by a bunch of weirdos! I have some pretty happy news, which is that I've decided to further my education, and this winter I'll be taking a paralegal certification course here in the Big Apple ("up against the wall and spread 'em!" Bwahaah!) to hopefully transition into a career instead of just a job! So that's gonna be a ton of work, and may keep me away from this blog even further. Hopefully not, but I figured I'd better stick my noggin up out of this rabbit hole long enough to wish you all Happy Holidays, and to post some fun stuff I just found!

Did you ever go over to PETA's website and realize that in their "Shop" section, they have super-cute tees and stuff that flaunts your CF-status? Well, they do! G'head, check 'em out - here's the link to their tees and such ! I mean, look - I know, PETA can be a mixed bag. There are a lot of mixed emotions out there about their methods, and at times, I feel the same way. But I still stand behind their message - animal cruelty sucks. And there are a few tees in that link that are a little more low-key in case you don't want to get all "HEY! I'M WEARING A PETA TEE SHIRT!" I figure, with the holidays coming, why not take a look at gifts that deal with something close to your heart?

Since we're getting all smooshy about da little animals, let me post a link to a very cool news story that didn't get the attention it deserved. While I've never been a fan of "Grey's Anatomy", it seems actress Katherine Heigl paid $25,000 to fly 25 little Chihuahuas to a chihuahua rescue in New Hampshire. The poor little lovies had been dumped off at a shelter by people who purchased them as accessories instead of pets (I'm looking at YOU, Paris Hilton!), and then no longer wanted them. Ms. Heigl ponied up her own cash to give them a better life, and soon the little dolls were winging their way to the rescue in NH - where, incidentally, the rescue workers think they all have a fabulous shot at getting adopted. They said that you almost never see Chihuahuas in NH, so they have a pretty good shot at happy homes. Hats off to YOU, Ms. Heigl! Job well done!

Well, I'm off to rinse the color out of my hair (yeah, you're just lucky this isn't a video blog, y'all!), so have a great rest of the weekend, and I'll see you soon!

Kiss kiss kiss!

Lisa

A Word About Mineral Makeup

2009-08-28T09:33:00.003-04:00

Hello, lovelies!

Sorry I've been AWOL, but - you guessed it - the job! Don't worry, once I win the lottery, I'm all yours, 24-7!

So today, we're going to make talk about mineral makeup, and making sure you're absolutely buying a CF brand.

If you're nutso bananas about mineral makeup like I am, you're in good company. I had nothing but blotchy, sensitive, problem skin till I made the mineral switch. Lots of smart ladies have made this change, and their skin has thanked them for it.

The wonderful Bare Escentuals, as we all know, was the first trailblazer into the mineral makeup field, followed closely by such awesome brands as Jane Iredale, Aromaleigh, and Everyday Minerals. In fact, once Bare Escentuals hit it big, many other mineral makeup brands began popping up like daisies, and more importantly, many existing cosmetic brands developed their own mineral makeup to add to their regular liquid foundation line. This is where it gets interesting, and this is the point of my blog today.

Many well-intentioned ladies out there who are buying mineral makeup are assuming - sometimes incorrectly - that if it's mineral makeup, it must be CF, since the first original brands were CF brands. But "Mineral Makeup = CF" is not always the case, so be careful! I've even heard some folks remark, while wandering the aisles of Sephora, "Well, it's mineral makeup, so I know it's not tested on animals." It's an honest enough mistake to make - not only were those first few brands in the mineral makeup field CF brands, many of them were also mostly natural, with very few chemical ingredients to screw up your skin. The brands I mentioned above are all CF mineral makeup brands. But there are some companies that still test on animals who have added mineral makeup to their lines.

We all know how business is - it's a "monkey see, monkey do" world out there. If one brand hits it big with a certain formula of makeup, then many more brands are all too willing to jump on the bandwagon. So what this means for you is that you still need to do your homework, check back here, or email me before you buy! Because, babies, brands who still test, like Cover Girl, Maybelline, and Neutrogena, have all come out with mineral makeup lines, and they're all still tested on animals. Plus, to boot, the brands who still test are adding very few minerals to the actual makeup. So not only do you run the risk of still buying a tested brand, you also run the risk of buying something that has just as many chemicals in it as their other cosmetics. You're all a pretty smart bunch, I can smell it on ya, so don't be fooled!

As always, the good news is that in addition to the CF mineral brands mentioned earlier, lots of the big-wig CF regular brands have a mineral makeup for you as well. Clinique, Estee Lauder, MAC, Revlon - they all jumped on the popularity of mineral makeup, too, so there are plenty of CF brands out there to pick from.

As always, I loves ya! Have a great weekend, and I'll smooch you all to bits very, very soon!

Love,

Lisa

Product Spotlight: California Baby No Fragrance SPF 30+ Sunblock Stick

2009-08-10T14:24:00.014-04:00

Yes, yes, I should have put this in our Spotlight way earlier in the summer, but there's no time like the present to remind you that, even though we're most of the way through summer, you still have to protect your skin.

So there's this great little brand of skin and sun care called California Baby (http://www.californiababy.com/index.html), and it's not only great stuff for your little ones, but it's great stuff for all you big people out there, too! One of the things I've had a really hard time tracking down in the realm of CF products has been suncare. There are a few really good ones out there, but it's been hard finding a full range of sun protection that keeps us safe, yet doesn't harm our animal babies in the process. Look no further than these guys!

But the one I want to really share with all you ladies out there is the No Fragrance SPF 30+ Sunblock Stick! One of the things I hate the most about summer (number one - the humidity, which makes me look like Larry from The Three Stooges) is that before I even get my makeup on, I've sweated right through my sunblock in my hot little apartment. It's a problem, because you need sun protection, but you also need it to stay matte so that you can get your face on to begin with, which is where this little gem comes in. Here's the product description from the California Baby website itself: "Pop this convenient PABA free, non-chemical, fragrance-free sunblock stick into your pocket, purse or diaper bag. The whole family will love this easy-to-use stick that gives those 'hot spots' a boost of extra protection. Our non-chemical sunblock stick employs a highly micronized, non-whitening titanium dioxide that scatters and reflects dangerous UV rays, offering UVA-UVB broad-spectrum protection. Non-staining formula. It glides on smoothly for easy application. May be used in combination with our SPF30+ sunscreen lotions."

Truly, this is a little slice of heaven during these sweltering dog days of summer. And look - it even comes in an easy to carry, cute as all-get-out little package!

Of course it's not as cute as former Brat Packer Andrew McCarthy...

... but then, what is? (Sure that was random. But I figured I'd toss you a little something extra since I haven't blogged in so long!)

At $15 at any health food store, it's more than affordable (Hey! We're back to the sunblock now - you can rent "St. Elmo's Fire" on your own time!), and it got a great big kiss on lips from the American Cancer Society.

So have fun in the sun, stay safe, and I'll send you all a big hug from cyber-space since it's too damn hot to hug you in person.

SMOOOOCH!

Product Spotlight - Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

2009-07-13T21:24:00.016-04:00

Hey there, hi there, ho there!

Today, we're gonna dish about Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/) ! If you're into seriously high quality CF perfume oils with quite a bit of a gothy twist, truly eclectic formulas and scents, and so many blends that it'll make your head spin, than look no further than this funky, indie brand based out of Hollywood, CA.

Their scents run the gamut from sweet and innocent, dark and scary, classic and glamorous. Best of all are what they call "Imp's Ears", commonly known as sample vials, ranging in price from $3.50 for one, or a set of six for $19.95. After you decide what you love - and you will fall in love! - the full sized bottles of the oils are 5 ml size for $15, with some limited editions pricing up a bit more, around $17.50.

Whether you go for the imps or the full sizes, these oils are deep, sensual, and long lasting. There are so many layers to each blend, you can always find a surprise, a scent you hadn't noticed before, from the time you put it on wet, until the dry-down, and throughout your day. It's just like this beautiful, amazing "pop-up" each time you sniff your wrist.

They have a great search engine, so let's say you want something based in a violet scent. Type that into the search, and absolutely anything with a violet note pops up. The folks on the forums are second to none in the thoroughness of their descriptions - so after you find that scent search, the results link you to the forums where dozens of eloquent posters describe that particular oil to you in astonishing detail. It's like having your own personal perfumery, with dozens of choices, right there at your fingertips.

Quite frankly, there's no reason to pay the ridiculous, exorbitant prices that the department stores charge in order to smell gorgeous. Honestly, with as fussy as I am about perfume, the companies who want $75 of my money for something that's not going to last, or that I can't try a tiny vial of for a few days, never fails to chap my butt. There's no reason to not smell fabulous all day long for only a few bucks. So don't miss out on this brand! And especially don't wait and miss out on those limited editions - those are truly the jewels in BPAL's crown! So go get them now, and sniff up a storm, babies!

Love,

Lisa

Cruelty Free iPhone Guide!

2009-06-30T15:44:00.014-04:00

Hey La-la boobalahs! (I'll give a specific shout-out on this blog to anyone who can tell me what that's from!)

I just found, seriously, one of the most fun things I think I've ever seen in the way of iPhone applications!

PETA has joined up with Hot Frog Creative (here's their link - they rock too! http://www.hotfrogcreative.com/) and developed the "Be Nice To Bunnies" ("BNB") iPhone application. It's $1.99 at the iTunes applications store, and the application can be found here: http://iphoneapplicationlist.com/2009/06/29/be-nice-to-bunnies/#more-7240

So let's say you're at a store, and you have no idea if a particular brand is CF or not. Bingo - right there on your phone, you can log onto your BNB app and find out before you buy it. No more trying to figure it out on your own, no more wondering if a well-meaning salesperson gave you the wrong information (or was simply trying to get you to buy). Let your fingers do the walking, and it's all right there in the palm of your hand. You can search by company (want to know if Maybelline tests?) or by product (or do you want to know exactly which toothpaste brands are okay to buy?). The app itself has cool little features like its own little iPhone buttons within the application - even a "Favs" button where you can save your favorite CF products for easy access when you shop.

And a little thing that I love? When you go into the actual application, the header of the main screen above all the search functions is the famous quote from Mahatma Ghandi - "You can judge a nation by how it treats its animals."

If you have an iPhone and love it as much as I do, you should absolutely get this application!

Bunny snuggles for everyone!

Lisa

20% OFF SALE AT AROMALEIGH MINERAL COSMETICS!

2009-06-23T22:44:00.005-04:00

Hello, sweeties! Long time, no see!

Work has been insane, it's been nothing but "drama, drama, drama" for most of June, so I apologize - AGAIN!

But you know what perks me up? A sale! A sale on awesome, CF mineral makeup! I've blogged about this brand before, Aromaleigh, and this week they're having a sale of 20% off! No restrictions, 20% sale off on all items on the Aromaleigh website, but you have to hurry - this excellent offer expires on June 30th at 11:59 PM!

http://aromaleigh.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/hot20-20-off-sale-code-through-630/

You'll kick yourself if you miss out on this sale, so click on that link! Click on it, give yourself a real treat you won't regret, and save a few bucks while you're at it!

Enjoy!

Love,

Lisa

Chemicals in Your Cosmetics!

2009-06-03T10:46:00.012-04:00

Babyheads!

How goes it?

Today, I'm going to go the "Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater" route and not really blog so much as just give you a very eye-opening link. This was sent to me by a good friend of mine (shout-out to Fiona! Thanks, buddy, luv ya!), and it's about the presence of certain toxic chemicals in your every-day cosmetics. Here is the link (through MSN's Green Living section), and you should give this a really good read through, and then go through your beauty stash to see what you need to get the hell off of your body, pronto!

http://green.sympatico.msn.ca/green-living-online-article.aspx?cp-documentid=1058819

One of the things that got me buying mostly organic and all natural cosmetics and products is not just the CF nature of those products, which has been a passion of mine for years. I started thinking - what am I washing down the drain when I wash my hair, my face, my clothes? What chemicals are leeching out into the soil and the water system? Now that greener options are dropping in price as they go more mainstream, it's easier to make a change for the better.

Within the above link, there are more links: one for a book with an eye-opening exposé about cosmetic chemical levels, a link to the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics, which you should absolutely click on and get involved in, and something called the Skin Deep database, which tells you the chemical levels of products you're using with their handy search function. That's gonna open your eyes! Luckily, you can sort by level number, and find safer alternatives.

Well, I've babbled enough today - you have some clicking and reading to do, my lovelies, so get to it! And remember, there's no amount of beauty that's worth the price of your health and well-being. You already are beautiful - just remember to stay that way by taking care of your body and your spirit first!

Much love,

Lisa

Pet Food Recall - NUTRO!

2009-05-29T14:21:00.023-04:00

Hello, lovelies!

In my very first post on this blog, I mentioned that some of the things we'd be talking about in going CF are some non-beauty related issues, because going CF reaches out to so many areas of our lives besides cosmetics. One of those areas is pet care, and I just stumbled across some important news from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about Nutro Pet Food.

Here's the link for you to check out yourself:

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/nutro05_09.html

Here's the upshot - last week on May 21st, Nutro issued a voluntary recall of two of their dry cat foods due to incorrect nutrient levels of zinc and potassium. If you're feeding your kitty-head either one of the recalled formulas (which are NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods) discontinue use, and pay close attention for any funky symptoms, including a loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea. If your cat is sick or pregnant, get that little cutie-booty to the vet right away! You can check the bags for “Best If Used By Dates”, which are between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010.

So take a tip from Edison (the world's cutest baby-moosh!):

"Be careful what you eat! Research shows that incorrect nutrient levels can mess your ass up!"

And that's the story for today! You and your furry friends stay safe, healthy, and have a great weekend!

Lisa

Product Spotlight - Aromaleigh Mineral Makeup

2009-05-22T15:05:00.012-04:00

Happy Friday!

If you've jumped onto the mineral makeup bandwagon with the enthusiasm that I have, you're going to really love today's spotlight product.

There's a little company out of South Carolina called Aromaleigh Cosmetics and Aromatics (http://www.aromaleigh.com/), and they make what is, for my money, the best mineral cosmetics and makeup around.

Now, I'm not going to slag on the biggies like Bare Escentuals. I like BE very much, they're pretty much the mack-daddy of mineral makeup, and far be it for me to bust on any CF product that's good for your skin. I wore BE for five years, but Aromaleigh gives them some serious competition.

I'll start by saying that its only drawback is that you can only order it online. So how do you go about testing it out? Simple - on their website, Aromaleigh gives you options for ordering samples of their foundations, concealers, finishing powders, color-correcting powders, primers, eyecolors, lipcolors, and blushers for a very small price, anywhere from 80 cents to a couple of bucks (give or take, depending on what you want to try) per sample. If that sounds like a lot, keep in mind how much you get in each little sample pack - they'll last you a good long time while you try them out. I'm currently still using a blend of two sample packs of foundation that I ordered a month ago, and I'm not nearly finished with them yet.

And you'll be grateful for those samples, because the selection of shades that Aromaleigh offers will simply boggle your mind! Whatever your skin shade or tone, they have a foundation and a concealer for you. Their eyeshadow colors? You'll go old and gray before you have a chance to try them all. Honestly, I haven't seen huge cosmetic companies in the department stores that have the selection that this little indy brand has.

Their shipping is second to none - it's a one to two day turnaround at most. And how else do they hook you once you receive said package? Simple - they always include three samples in with your order. They pick the colors, usually two eyeshadows and a lipcolor. And will you get hooked on those? I predict you totally will! Their colors are some of the most rich and saturated of any brand I've ever seen. Biggies like MAC and Estee Lauder have got nothing as far as color and depth like Aromaleigh does.

The foundations and concealers are incredibly wearable and natural looking. I don't know how they do it, but their foundations are sheer, but still give you great coverage. Plus, they have two formulas - their Voile foundation for oilier skin, and their Glissade for more sensitive skin types.

Their prices are incredibly reasonable - they're cheaper by a good $10 on foundation than Bare Escentuals, if that gives you any idea, and the prices of many of their products run as low as the drugstore brands do. Plus, with first time buyer coupon codes, the birthday club, and sales on selected products, you can get a lot for very little cash.

In addition to being CF and great for your skin, they also donate a portion of their profits every month to Heifer International (http://www.heifer.org/), a non-profit organization whose goal is ending world hunger and poverty through self-reliance. Quite simply, there's nothing to not love about this company.

So if you're looking for a more wallet-friendly CF brand that gives you zillions of options, plus has a humanitarian side to it as well, I can't recommend Aromaleigh enough!

Have a great and safe holiday weekend!

Lisa

I swear, I haven't disappeared from the face of the earth!

2009-05-21T11:21:00.006-04:00

Hi there, long time no see!

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but this month has been insane at my actual job-job. I promise to be more around more, to be more visible, and to dig for more info. In short, to be a better "blog-friend" (Internet readers - will you accept this rose?). Hey, you know how it goes - start a new blog, put up your first six or so posts like a house on fire, and then have work take over all your blogging time!

One of my plans, now that I've gotten most of my basic info out there to you, is to "spotlight" a lot of the great CF brands I've been indulging in, because there are plenty of them!

For example, I'm currently obsessed, obsessed I tell you, with this awesome online brand of mineral makeup called Aromaleigh, and the more info I can get out there about it, the better. Also Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab for the most incredible perfume oils you'll find. Deva products for hair care, Lush for face care, Desert Essence and Jason Naturals for body care - those are just a few teasers to throw out there to you, and I'll get into detail with those, one yummy brand at a time.

So till tomorrow when I start our first brand spotlight in earnest, stay safe, be good, brush your teeth, and if you were one of the ones who didn't vote for Adam Lambert on Tuesday night during the "American Idol" finale, for shame on you! (Kidding! But I am bummed that the poor guyliner guy didn't win.)

Arrivederci, Roma!

Lisa

Online bargains!

2009-04-29T11:24:00.014-04:00

Hey there!

So I guess I don't need to tell you about shopping online, hmm? Nope, probably not. You all look like a fairly sharp bunch.

However, shopping online for CF products, even with shipping involved, can be so much cheaper than the convenience of walking into a store and buying something off the shelves. If you can do without that instant gratification of taking something home with you that day, you can save a lot of money.

Let's take one of my favorite CF products in the world as an example - Jason Naturals Ester-C Hyper C Serum:

This stuff rocks. In the way of CF products, it's probably one of the ones I can't do without. I've used other Vitamin C serums, and they just don't compare. However, the issue is the price.

Some Vitamin C serums from department store brands can run into $100 or more. So while this bottle of Jason Naturals may seem a bargain for $35 at your local Whole Foods or healthfood store, you can still get it for way less online. I found this little beauty for $21 at Vitacost.com - it's an online drugstore, and you can find a ton of CF brands over there for much much less than you'd get it wherever you are. Unless you stole it - which then you have to figure in bail money for shoplifting charges, which is even more than the original $35 price tag, so you'd still pay more! (I never said I wasn't going to be a little silly from time to time in these blogs, did I? Nope, I made no such guarantee.) So in order to avoid jail time, head over to http://www.vitacost.com/, and see what they have. I got the Jason's Vitamin C serum for $21, and then tossed in some Tom's of Maine (http://www.tomsofmaine.com/) toothpaste and some Desert Essence (http://www.desertessence.com/) deodorant to eat up the shipping cost. Vitacost's shipping is pretty inexpensive anyway (and very fast), but on top of that, the toothpaste and deodorant were each about $1 or so cheaper than you'd find them in the stores, so it's like the shipping was free anyway with everything I saved.

Another brand I love, since I have very curly hair, is a fantastic brand of CF curly hair products called Deva:

They have several lines for various kinds of curls (less curly, more curly, color treated, etc.), but they're not cheap. Or are they? They are if you order them from Cosmetic Magic.com, (http://www.cosmeticmagic.com/)- a fantastic little outfit based in Fort Lee, N.J. Are you ready for how much you can save? I saved $5 per bottle on my order of their DevaCurl products! And not just Deva - they carry plenty of CF hair care brands over there, so I can't sing their praises enough. Plus, if you order over $40, you get free shipping. They also didn't charge tax on my order - I don't know if that was just because they're based out of NJ, or if it's a NJ to NY thing or what, but their prices are so low, it's worth it. How fast do they ship? So incredibly fast, I had barely hit "Send" before my order arrived. I'm surprised "Warp Speed" wasn't one of the shipping choices.

Other great finds can be had at Drugstore.com (http://drugstore.com), but as far as the real bargains go on some great CF brands, Cosmetic Magic and Vitacost are hard to beat.

Have a great day!

Lisa

Let's talk about parent companies

2009-04-27T10:42:00.006-04:00

How the heck are ya? Hope you had a good weekend!

So today, I'd like to blab about parent companies (bigger companies that own smaller companies), and how they relate to going CF. How important are they? To be honest, that all depends on you and how much that does or doesn't bother you. If you've been using a product that for a very long time has been CF, but then that division is purchased by a parent company who tests, what do you do?

In this case, I'd say it all depends on your individual comfort level. For me, it's bothersome. I don't like the notion that the product I'm using, although it may be a CF product, is now receiving it's funding from a parent company who tests. I immediately stopped using Neutrogena when Johnson & Johnson purchased them. I haven't used Kiehl's since they were purchased by L'Oreal - although they claim to remain CF.

I don't want to sit here and get all lecture-y on you. I just want to point out that there are a few brands out there claiming to be CF - and that division may indeed be CF - who are owned by a parent company who tests.

But how is that division going to handle it? If you're Burt's Bees, recently purchased by Clorox, they handled it quite well actually. Burt's Bees sent out a press release to concerned CF consumers stating that they always have been and always will be CF, and that they realize they're now owned by a parent company that engages in testing. However, they stated, they feel that this now gives Burt's Bees a great opportunity to pressure Clorox to ultimately cease their own animal testing. Which really, I thought that was a nice touch. That's a fantastic goal for any CF product purchased by a company that tests - "Okay, they own us, but maybe now we can show them a better way of doing things."

On the "Does Test/Does Not Test" lists, sometimes you'll see a little asterisk next to a company that's on a "Does Not Test" list. Check the little key at the bottom, and you'll likely see that it stands for "A CF line owned by a parent company that tests." That's how you know, and from there, it's up to you on how comfortable or uncomfortable that makes you.

That being said, here are a couple of other no-no's (or exceptions to the rule) that absolutely chap my butt:

1. Cosmetic companies based on fashion lines. Sure, Chanel and Christian Dior's cosmetics aren't tested on animals, but their fashion lines contain fur. And that's not even a separate company, such as my example of L'Oreal and Keihl's. That's the same exact company, just a different product, that's engaging in a cruel and barbaric practice.

2. The same company tossing one CF product at you, but still animal testing on all their others. Clairol does this with Herbal Essence and Natural Instincts. Clorox does this with their Greenworks products. It doesn't matter - they still test all their other products on animals, and tossing the consumer one little product here and there to mollify us is quite frankly insulting. Again, it's different than Clorox purchasing Burt's Bees - BB was already a non-tested, totally separate brand before Clorox came along. Greenworks is a Clorox brand, wholly owned and developed by Clorox - and it's the "developed" part that's the rub. Until companies like Clorox and Clairol (to just use a couple of examples) go CF as a whole, having a couple of their own company-developed CF products out there on the shelves doesn't make the constant testing of all of their other products okay.

Speaking of parent companies, I'd like to leave you with some happy news, so there's this: If you're using any of the following brands - Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Prescriptives, Origins, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, Jane, Aveda or Donna Karan - give yourselves a big round of applause. Anything and everything owned by Estee Lauder falls under the CF umbrella. Estee Lauder was one of the first companies to go CF, and they just keep on buying other companies left and right. More and more mainstream cosmetic companies are CF thanks to the Estee Lauder company.

As I said before, it depends on an individual's comfort level, so I won't say anymore on that. I'll try to update as I find out more companies to use as an example, and again, if you have questions about any specific brands or companies, feel free to email me.

Have a good Monday!

Lisa

Just Because She Works There Doesn't Make Her an Expert!

2009-04-24T12:44:00.009-04:00

Happy Friday!

So I guess about three years ago, I was wandering around Sephora, which is a great resource for CF products, and they're now carrying a good chunk of all natural and organic brands too. For the money, I've actually done better and cheaper at the healthfood stores, but I'm never one to knock a place that has a buttload of CF/all natural/organic products.

Anyhoo. I was checking out some of the pretty stuff over at the Makeup Forever section (do they test, you ask? I have no idea. Three years of banging around the Internet, plus emailing both the company and Sephora, have yielded no answer, nor has their website, nor random Google searches. Till I can find an answer for you - I'd stay away). I asked a nearby sales associate if she knew MUFE's testing policy. She cheerfully burbled at me, "None of the brands carried at Sephora are tested on animals at all!" I said, "Oh yes, some of them are. You're carrying Shiseido, Lancome and NARS*, all three of which still test on animals." Aaaand, her face kinda fell a little, as she not-quite-as-chirpily replied, "Really?" I didn't mean to pee in her pool, honestly. She was really young, really excited, and I remember that feeling. The sheer excitement of that first job when you're 18, the job that doesn't involve making sure the toddler you were watching didn't stick his finger in a light socket while you were wrapping up your algebra homework. I've been there.

But my point is not to knock younger folks, because they're awesome. My point is: never take the word of a store salesperson as gospel if you're not sure to begin with. Odds are, that salesgirl really did think everything there wasn't tested on animals. Plus, since she didn't look a day over 18, you also have to keep in mind that she probably hasn't been alive long enough to remember a time when PETA's "Still Tests" list was longer than their "Does Not Test" list. I'd say 95% of the stuff at Sephora isn't animal tested, so she wasn't too far off the mark. But do your own homework as a back-up, because a well-meaning salesperson could be wrong.

Or they could be lying to get you to buy - I don't think that was the case at Sephora with that particular girl. I do think it was the case at Macy's around 12 years ago, when I wandered up to the Elizabeth Arden counter, knowing full well they still tested. I just wanted to see if they'd be honest with me (which was dumb of me, I know), so I asked the saleswoman. She smiled brightly at me, a little too brightly and replied, "No, we don't test." I thanked her nicely and walked away. There was just a difference, you know? You can tell the difference between a well-meaning but uninformed teenager and a 40 year old woman who already knows the answer you're looking for, why you're asking it, and is going to tell you what you want to hear. I was testing her, she was testing me, so there was no need for me to go online and look it up. I just wanted to see what would happen.

At any rate, the point for today's post is - make sure you're double-checking your facts, and not just going on the word of a sales associate who may have the wrong info.

Have a great weekend!

Lisa

*UPDATE: As of Jan. 13, 2010's blog, NARS has updated their website to state that they do NOT test on animals! Yaaay!

Some basics, and how to do it on the cheap.

2009-04-23T10:58:00.005-04:00

Hello, lovelies!

Today's tidbit of information will be how to go cruelty-free without going broke. I mentioned in yesterday's blog that an unwritten rule-of-thumb is that many cruelty-free brands are found at the department stores, whereas most of the drugstore brands are still tested. But that doesn't mean you have to go to the poorhouse to shop ethically (also, for future reference, let's abbreviate "cruelty-free" to "CF" to save my poor typing fingers).

Before I go into that, here are two great sites to give you tons of CF information - big chunk of who tests, who doesn't. They are:

http://www.caringconsumer.com/index.asp - Caring Consumer, linked through PETA. Yup, I know some anti-testing folks have issues with some of PETA's practices, and I don't blame you. But they've recently cleaned up their lists, updated and expanded on them. As far as information goes, they have a ton of it now.

http://www.leapingbunny.org/ - The Leaping Bunny. Again, lots of great information on who does and who doesn't.

Now, what to actually look for when you hit your local Rite Aid. Here are some inexpensive brands that you can find at any drugstore:

1. Revlon - really, the mac-daddy of all non-animal tested drugstore brands. Great quality, a ton of products, been around forever, and one of the first companies to go CF.
2. Queen Helene - great skincare and haircare. Not only dirt cheap, but all natural, and found at both drugstores and healthfood stores.
3. Almay - Revlon's kid sister (owned by the same company). Hypoallergenic, fragrance-free.
4. Physician's Formula.
5. NYC (New York Color).
6. Wet & Wild - non-animal tested, and about as cheap as you're gonna get.
7. Avon - great, great stuff, and cheap. Worth the wait for having to order it.
8. Bonne Bell.
9. Yes To Carrots.
10. Bath & Body Works.

So that's a fairly basic drugstore Top 10 (or online, as in the case of Avon, or specialty store as in the case of B&BW).

Now, who to stay away from? You may not like this list, because it's going to contain many drugstore staples and favorites, but here we go - the Top 10 Drugstore "baddies":

1. Covergirl - owned by Procter & Gamble, one of the worst and most dishonest companies who still engage in animal testing.
2. L'Oreal - This one is a tough call, because their website keeps changing. On some searches, it says they don't test. Search on a different day, and they don't address the question at all. Other searches on another day say that they're "committed to eliminating animal testing", which means they still test on some products. Do a random Google search, and you might find a link claiming they don't test. But when you click on it, and it will take you to an outdated source on their website, with that same information gone when you click on the main link for an updated version. Here's my rule of thumb - when in doubt, just don't buy it. There are plenty of other brands out there that absolutely don't test and are willing to say so without all the cloak and dagger stuff. Plus, L'Oreal is still on PETA's list, which has been updated.
3. Maybelline - owned by L'Oreal.
4. Coty.
5. Max Factor.
6. Unilever, owners of Dove and Suave. Their website also states that they're "Committed to the elimination of animal testing", but they don't say that they don't. My guess is also that they still test on some of their products, which earns them a big fat NO in my book.
7. Neutrogena - a shame, too, because I believe at one time they were listed as a non-animal testing company, back around 1989 or so. But since then, they've been acquired by Johnson & Johnson, who do test.
8. Olay - owned by Procter & Gamble.
9. Pantene - owned by Procter & Gamble.
10. Secret deodorant - owned by Procter & Gamble.

There is some good news, however. One thing is, as I mentioned, that many companies are getting on board with going CF. PETA's list of companies that still test is pages shorter than it was 10 years ago. There's some out there who are still in the dark ages, but others have really gotten onto the CF bandwagon.

The other good news is healthfood stores. Anytime you're purchasing beauty, hair and body care at a healthfood store or a Whole Foods, you're buying CF products, no argument. Those stores only carry CF brands, which also have the bonus of being either all natural or organic - and many of them fall onto the cheaper side of the fence. Some can be pricier, but most are either comparably priced with drugstore brands or a tiny bit more. They're certainly WAY cheaper than department store brands. Plus, as all natural and organic items go more mainstream, the prices drop. They're being carried in more and more drugstores, and the big stores like Whole Foods are coming down in price in their Whole Body sections, too. The one place to watch your wallet are the little Mom & Pop healthfood stores - many of them still have much higher prices in order to stay afloat in the sea of Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Vitamin Shoppes.

So that's all for today - hope this was informative for you, and see you tomorrow!

Lisa

An interesting rule of thumb I've stumbled across....

2009-04-22T09:37:00.002-04:00

Good morning!

Something I forgot to address yesterday, which I think is pretty important (hence the bolding): this blog is for the purposes of cosmetics, beauty, pet care, and household care only. I won't get into a discussion about animal testing within the medical industry.

It's a very slippery slope. As much as I wish there were more humane alternatives, I do understand why it's still done in some circles. There's no excuse for animal testing in the cosmetics industry anymore - many existing companies have made that clear. But the medical world is a whole different can of worms - one that I have no wish to open, one that I have no expertise in, so I won't pretend that I do. I lost a family member who I love very much to a terrible disease, so yeah, I get it, believe me. Anyway, 'nuff said about that.

I'm new to blogging, so right now I'm obsessed that I can't get the picture at the top of the page centered (that's my mission tonight after I get home from dinner). Once that's straightened out, it'll stop occupying my mind so I can actually get some information out to you. Otherwise, this blog's going to consist of stupid statements like, "A very good brand to try is - does that look straight to you?" "Let's discuss parent companies and the brands they... the font's not bright enough, is it?"

Back on track - I have no real expertise in all of this. As I stated in my greeting yesterday, going cruelty free is simply a passion and a bit of a hobby of mine. So today's blog will consist of a quick and interesting little rule of thumb I've discovered over the years, which is - if you're looking for non-animal tested brands of cosmetics, head to the department stores. What I've discovered is that most department store brands don't animal test, while most drugstore brands do animal test. Now, that's not a hard and fast rule - there are some non-animal tested drugstore brands, for example, Almay, Revlon, Queen Helene, Jane, and Physician's Formula. And there are some department store brands that unfortunately do still test, such as Elizabeth Arden and Lancome. But your odds lean heavily in the direction of this unwritten rule. I'm not sure why - it could have to do with the cost involved, although many of those drugstore brands rake in billions. They can't be that hard up to change their testing methods (*cough cough Procter & Gamble cough cough!*).

The good news is that as people become more educated on this horrible and inhumane practice, more and more companies are changing their testing methods to ones which are more humane.

At some point very soon, I'll type up a list of companies that do and don't test, and of course at any time, you can contact me to ask if there's a company you aren't sure about. I promise to do my very best to find out for you. Also, a friend suggested to me that I should feature a blog on which non-animal tested brands are a little more wallet-friendly. It's great to be humane, but you don't have to go broke to do it. That blog will go up in a couple of days, but in the meantime, the few drugstore brands I mentioned above are great ones to start with.

Have an excellent day!

Lisa

A "Hello!" to start us off!

2009-04-21T12:42:00.001-04:00

Hi there, everyone!

My name is Lisa, and my purpose of this blog is to provide some easy guidance about cruelty-free (and also organic/all natural) products, encompassing beauty, skin & body care, hair care, pet care and household upkeep. This has been both a passion and a sort of hobby of mine since about 1995, and I absolutely love sharing what I know and what I've discovered along the way with as many folks as I can.

It's a big, wide world out there - with a few changes, we can make it kinder and greener!

Smooches, pooches -

Lisa