The Best Vegan Make Up Brands in Canada

We know they don't eat meat, they don't eat eggs and they don't eat dairy... but does veganism go further? Does it extend even to... make up?!

For most the answer is should be yes. There certainly are vegans out there who limit only the classic animal-sourced foods and tend to be more lenient with things like gelatin and honey, but for the most part vegans try their best to avoid animal products in every facet of life. Which is challenging, clothing and footwear being one of the worst.

But if you're ready to commit to buying and using vegan make up, then there's a guide for you!

Meet Perrie.

Perrie is a life-long vegetarian, 12-year vegan. Raised by vegan parents on a large farm-property amid gardens and animals galore, you can probably conjure up images of a dreadlocked hippie at this point. But Perrie's just the opposite. A total beauty with eyelashes to the moon, Perrie is an authority on all things beauty without even trying. She knows the ins and outs of what brands combine veganism with professional results. And she's willing to share!


Animal-derived ingredients can be hiding anywhere. Just take this example: Korres is a very all-natural, planet-friendly cosmetics and skin care line that you can buy in Sephora. One question to their Customer Service department about whether their products are vegan came back with this list of animal-derived ingredients that they use: honey, milk, yogurt, royal jelly, silk, bee wax, chitosan, and keratin. Any of them can be hiding in your products so it's worth checking each one.

Shadows are very often tested on animals because the producers check if the colouring is just right. Because of this you want to look for a "cruelty-free" label on the product. If they are made in China you can almost guarantee that they are animal tested.

One of the nicest looking lines out there is NARS, and it can be pretty vegan friendly if you are careful for carmine which is used for pigment. It is made of dead insects (ew) and gives a deep red colour.

Urban Decay is one amazing company for vegans. While their products are known to be some of the best in the industry, they have been cruelty-free since they began producing make up and have a 100% vegan line which is marked by the Marley paw on the package.

MAC Cosmetics is easily one of the biggest names out there are have this to say about whether they are vegan: "Very few animal derived raw materials are found in M.A.C. products.  Animal ingredients are used only when their efficacy cannot be duplicated by any other source of ingredients.  When an ingredient can be obtained from either animals or plants, we use the plant derived material."


Many lip products contain beeswax. EOS, a great lip balm out there, contains it also, but has zero other animal-derived ingredients. The official stance of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is that products from bees, including honey, is unethical. Of course, you can make your own choice.

Smashbox has an interesting take on vegan. They claim if you go by the definition that insects aren't animals then they are vegan. They use no mammal-derived products. But if throw carmine and beeswax into the loop, then no, they aren't. They list these products as mammal- and insect- free: Body Lights Glowing Lotion, Anti Shine (light and neutral), Backdrop Cooling Tint (all shades), Conversion Cream to Powder Foundation (all shades), Hi Definition Healthy FX Foundation (all shades), Photo Matte Powder, Wet/Dry Foundation (all shades except caramel), Function Self-Adjusting Powder Foundation (all shades), Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primers (Balance, adjust & blend), Summer 2007 Lip Gloss in a Pot (heat and sexy).

Tarte Cosmetics (An Amy favourite!) has a section in their online store for vegan products.

ELF Cosmetics hasn't made its way to Canada yet, but is available in Target stores throughout the States at a MAJOR bargain. Many products are only $1. They do not test on animals or use any non-vegan ingredients. JACK POT. They also support PETA. One thing to keep in mind - many of their brushes are made with horse hair. There are many opinions on whether using animal hair is okay in make up brushes (more on this later) because some companies don't take it but rather brush it up from the floor when it falls out naturally. NYX, in Target (including Canada) also has many vegan products at a slightly higher price than ELF.

The Body Shop is known for being animal friendly. While they do use things like silk and beeswax, they can confirm that all practices to obtain these ingredients are 100% humane. The details can be found here.

Most of Too Faced products are vegan and they've even been converting some old ones to be vegan recently. They also make vegan brushes.

A good portion of the items listed so far are available in Sephora stores across Canada, but a good choice if you find yourself vegan make up shopping in a Shoppers Drug Mart is Physicians Formula. Here is a non-complete list of their vegan products: Brow Definer Automatic Brown Pencil (all shades), Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio (all shades) ,Eye Definer Automatic Eye Pencil (all shades) Mineral Wear Talc-Free Liquid Foundation (all shades), Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Pressed Face Powder (all shades), Concealer Twins 2-in-1 Correct and Cover Cream Concealer, Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Pebbles, Mineral Wear 100% Face Brightener (all shades), Healthy Wear Bronzer (all shades), Bamboo Wear Bamboo Silk Bronzer Refill (all shades), Bronze Booster Glow-Boosting Pressed Bronzer (all shades), Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Makeup Remover Towelettes, Oil-Free Eye M/U Remover Pads for Normal to Oily Skin. They do use goat hair in their brushes.

LUSH makes some awesome bath products along with cosmetics and even deoderant. They are strictly against animal-testing and refuse to work with suppliers who do not adhere to this policy. Most of their products are vegan except for a few with honey and lanolin, and I believe a conditioner that contains yogurt. 

Just a word on make up brushes, there are basically two types. Synthetics are of course made from other materials. They are vegan, but because they don't hold moisture, they are best for wet applications like putting on foundation and concealer. Natural animal fibre brushes do absorb moisture so they're great for powders like eye shadow, but you'll want to look into the company's policies. Apparently Smashbox is PETA-approved because they obtain their hair from brushing squirrels who live happy lives.

Choosing to be a vegan, in every facet of your life including make up, is a great choice for you and the animals!

Natural BB Cream/ CC Cream Update

About a year ago I posted about BB Cream, which was then a growing trend and not much was known about a "natural" variety.

Not long after that I discovered Boscia's BB Cream through a make up artist friend (Britt Havens) who works at Sephora. A co-worker of hers gave me a killer sample, and well, I fell in love. The smooth, light texture and the creaseless results are to die for. To have skin perfecting coverage, with moisturizing benefits, plus SPF sun protection, with no harsh chemicals - yes please!

And I was sure I had written an update post to let you readers know the gem I'd found. But a quick blog search tells me I didn't. Oops!

Wait! Update! I DID. Here, I slipped in a quick word about discovering Boscia.

In my original post I explained the benefits of BB cream - acne treatment, foundation, moisturizer, toner, powder, sunscreen... And apparently, the next new trend is going to be "CC Creams". They apparently retain all of the original benefits of BB creams, but with added qualities like increased coverage.

But what I also talked about there was Tarte Cosmetic's Smooth Operator. It's not really a BB cream but before knowing about Boscia's, it was all we had in our little bubble of natural/nontoxic cosmetics. Smooth Operator is nice, but, now Tarte has a real BB cream!

I'm a Tarte-a-holic. From the first time I tried their smooth blush stick in a super apricot-y colour. Hooked. So I'm happy this might be an option for me in the future.

Until then - keep natural my friends!

Beauty and the Beast: Dangers in Your Beauty and Baby Products *GUEST POST*

Hi there! My name is Katie, I’m a good ol’ Canadian woman living in Australia. I’m a proud momma of a 17 month old girl, and I’ve got another little bub on the way! Amy has been lovely enough to let me write about a passionate topic of mine – chemicals in our beauty products and the consequences of slathering them on our delicate, gorgeous bodies.

In my teenage years I had the unfortunate experience of suffering allergy attacks- on my face. It was terrible. My eyelids had swollen up, I had a red rash all over my face. I could not go in public. It was uncomfortable and embarrassing, but most of all, it was perplexing. What the heck was causing this? How do I get rid of it? I’ll never be 100% sure what caused it, but I did manage to learn a lot in the process. When my face finally did calm down, I was so scared to cause another reaction and I became obsessively careful about what was going on my skin. Almost every product from moisturizer to mascara was making me have a reaction. I was terrified of irritating my skin and causing another red-rash nightmare. I remember putting foundation on my face (you know that expensive stuff starting with M ending in C) for the first time in a while and having it actually BURN while applying it- I know, CRAZY right? Becoming fed up with my all-of-the-sudden extremely sensitive skin, I became voracious for information on the most sensitive products out there. Here’s a few things I learned:

• “sensitive”, “gentle”, “organic” labelling DOES NOT automatically mean it’s safe, and it does not mean “free-of-nasty-chemicals-that-are-unnecessary-and-cause-harm”.
• skin absorbs more than 70% of what you put on it. When you think of it that way, you might not want synthetic chemicals and preservatives entering your body, or your precious baby’s.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, however if you see these chemicals listed in a product, it’s best to put it down. There are safe alternatives!

Parabens- Chemical preservatives used in most drugstore and even high end beauty products. They can irritate the skin, and have been linked to hormone disruption. Parabens can mimic estrogen, causing all sorts of problems and has been linked to breast cancer.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate/Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: These similar chemicals are used in many products, giving that foamy effect- hand soap, shampoo, face wash, tooth paste, cosmetics, etc. Sodium Laureth Sulfate can be often contaminated with ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen. Both chemicals are irritating to the eyes and the respiratory tract. It also doesn’t degrade easily in the environment and it doesn’t metabolize into our liver, leaving a longer-lasting effect on our body.

Perfume/Parfum/Fragrance: Sounds harmless, however fragrance in beauty products, or just perfume alone. Can irritate the skin, especially in babies. Known to aggravate allergies and asthma. Watch out for “unscented” or “fragrance free “as these products often contain a masking agent so that you cannot actually smell the fragrance that is indeed present.

Dyes: Spot them as “CI” and usually followed by a 5 digit number. These are known endocrine/hormone disrupters and can be contaminated by heavy chemicals that are toxic to the brain.

Worst Offenders in Baby Products:

• Johnson & Johnson products – familiar name, and long list of chemical concoctions. No way I’m putting that on my baby.
• Aveeno - contains a ton of dyes, parabens, alcohol, fragrance, etc.

Better:

- Aleva Naturals: wipes, shampoo, wash and lotions (found in most drugstores and supermarkets)

- Gaia: wipes, shampoo, wash and lotions (found in most drugstores and supermarkets)

The Best:

- homemade wipes, or reusable cloth wipes. (Amy has a recipe for wipes)

- NatraCare wipes are my favourite (Loblaws, Superstore, online)

- Earth Mama Angel Baby: bath and body products are amazing! (Chapters Indigo, online, some organic grocers) www.earthmamaangelbaby.com

Worst Offenders in Cosmetics:

Almost everything at the drugstore (I know, it’s sad) and at Sephora (disappointing!) is on the naughty list. However, you can find a less offensive product in both (Burt’s Bee’s from the drugstore) and Jurlique (Sephora) is a great brand. Superstore and Loblaws actually carry a few good brands in their Healthy/Organic section like Green Beaver and Weleda.

Ok, so what can we use that is safe? There are hundreds of great organic, chemical-free, baby-safe products out there, you just have to be picky about what you buy and know where to go. If you are lucky to live by a Whole Foods, or even by an organic grocer, chances are you’ll run into a few of these good brands. You can even learn to make your own cosmetics and baby products (Amy has tons of ideas!) Check out these companies below, they have super strict criteria in order for a product to be sold. They have a wealth of information and a great selection of all sorts of beauty products, baby stuff, and even man products.

• Rocky Mountain Soap Co - amazing products. Canadian made. I love their soaps and facial cleansing oil. www.rockymountainsoap.com
• Green Beaver - Canadian made. Great sunscreen, safe body products. www.greenbeaver.ca
• Dr. Hauschka - cosmetics, skin care, body care, hair care (available at Saffron Rouge) www.saffronrouge.ca
• Pangaea Organics - skin care, body care (Saffron Rouge)
• Suki - cosmetics, skin care, body care (Saffron Rouge)
• Badger – sunscreen and skin balms (Saffron Rouge)

For more info:

http://www.saffronrouge.com/about

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/dirty-dozen-cosmetic-chemicals/

http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/mama-resources/reading-room/earth-mama-angel-baby-announces-skin-deep-rating

Thanks for reading! Hope I helped a little! Xx Katie

What would you like to hear about next?

I am totally, and regretfully, aware of what a bummer my post-infrequency has been lately.

Florida Sunscreen PROBLEMS

I don't think my life has been too busy (well, I am moving tomorrow) or that I've exhausted the list of topics I can write on (although I have almost 250 posts currently).

Maybe I'm just waiting to have the perfect idea for a blog post... Wanna help?

I'll start you off with a list of ideas. If you like one, comment below or email me. Or, feel free to suggest an idea of your own.

As for a quick update on my life, before the list to follow: we are in fact moving homes. From a 3+1 to a 3+1, detached to detached, small-ish backyard but really nice kitchen to medium-ish backyard with pretty nice kitchen. Not an up, not a down, just something new. It's the nomad in us - always moving. I was also major - like zombie - sick for a few days. Working around children has made my illness days per year rate fly through the roof - not pretty. Unsweetened applesauce kept me going. Oh yeah - and that's going to affect my Rockin' Wellness Challenge because I had to pause it for like 4 days. Have I even written about our Florida trip? Wow, blog shame. Well, we went and it was wonderful. Oliver turned 18 months and our marriage turned 3! Okay, on to the list!

So, do you like these ideas?

• The best natural makeup brands that you can find in a drugstore or Sephora
  
• Exactly how to make and store homemade baby food
  
• How to pack toddler lunches/snacks
  
• Menu planning for a family
  
• Why some people give up toilet paper (and how gross is that)
  
• How to get internet, phone & tv on the cheap! -- This probably only applies to Canada
  
• Amy's Insanely Awesome Egg & Cheese Popover Recipe
  
• Amy's Cuckoo Delicious Lemon Poppyseed Loaf with Ginger Glaze
  
• Amy's Blow Your Socks Off Tasterific Tuna Cakes, as stolen from Sprout Right
  
• Amy's attempt at "The Life Changing Loaf" by My New Roots
  
• My Garden 2013
  
• How to grow from seed, step by step
  
• What vegetables/herbs should I grow
  
• Daycare vs Stay at Home Mom
  
• Best Restaurants in London
  
• Best Restaurants in London if You Eat Gluten-Free
  
• Why I love the Fire Roasted Coffee Company (finally)

Okay, I spent a good 90 seconds on that list. Enjoy and give me your comments. And now I will go... you guessed it, put more things in boxes. Ack, pray for good weather in the morning.

Homemade Brow Gel

The secret to a nice eyebrow is undoubtedly the use of brow gel. It sets the shape and keeps everything neat.

But, it often contains weirdo ingredients that are definitely not of natural origin. Just read this list of ingredients from a popular brow gel:

WATER/EAU/AQUA, VP/VA COPOLYMER, ALCOHOL DENAT., PROPYLENE GLYCOL, TRIETHANOLAMINE, CARBOMER, GLYCERIN, HYDROLYZED GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) EXTRACT, SODIUM HYALURONATE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, PHENOXYETHANOL, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, ETHYLPARABEN, BUTYLPARABEN, ISOBUTYLPARABEN, MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR: TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), MICA, IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), CARMINE (CI 75470), BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE (CI 77163), ULTRAMARINES (CI 77007)

There are 8 ingredients that it "may contain"? No thanks.

After scouring the internet for a homemade brow gel recipe ("DIY brow gel" just tells you to use clear mascara... same problem) I finally have a solution.

Ready?




Plain aloe vera.

I refilled an old E.L.F. brow gel container which is double-sided and only cost me $1. I'll admit I used, and liked, the product. But if you want to be really strict with how natural your cosmetics are, and need a case for your aloe vera, you could just buy this and empty it out. That would be cheaper than buying an empty container. A mascara tube would work too.

So I filled the empty container, carefully, with aloe vera gel on both sides. Then I simply apply it to clean brows by combing through. I apply brow pencil after the gel (as per a suggestion by my should-be-a-supermodel friend, Jac) and I love the result.

Aloe vera as brow gel stays all day, does a great job, and ultimately leaves your face is better shape than it was before! What an awesome solution! At about $6-8 for a huge jar, it's a steal.

Try my idea today!

MAKEUP CHALLENGE VIDEO (All Natural)

Enjoy!

Make Up's Dirty Secret

You may have heard of conventional produce's dirty dozen (the 12 fruits and veggies you really should buy organic) but you probably haven't heard of the cosmetic dirty dozen.

With books like There's Lead in Your Lipstick becoming best sellers people are more aware of what's in the products that they smear on their faces daily. Here are some of the worst additives in make up today, according to the David Suzuki Foundation:

- BHA, BHT
- Coal tar dyes
- DEA
- Dibutyl phthalate
- Formaldehyde-releasing chemicals
- Parabens
- Parfum (fragrance)
- PEG compounds
- Petrolatum
- Siloxanes
- SLS
- Tricolsan

If any of your cosmetics contain these ingredients it's time to hit the natural foods store & pick up a better brand. Or - an even greater solution is to make your own. (Wow, who thought I'd say that?)

Email or comment me your favourite face, body & hair products and I'll see what nifty homemade recipes I can scrounge up.

For more posts on cosmetics click here.

My Natural Bathroom!

"There's Lead in Your Lipstick" is a new book hitting top sellers lists quickly and leaving me on a library hold list for longer than I'm used to waiting. It's a great book, and the thing I'm most excited for is the resulting awareness of the public in regards to the chemical toxicity of mainstream make up and hygiene products. I haven't read the whole thing yet, and I don't agree with everything she writes, but it prompted me to write you a list of things I use every morning. Make that, every morning that I actually will myself to get in the shower.

Yes to Cucumbers shampoo and Yes to Carrots conditioner:
I'm a strong believer that your hair is healthier if you don't wash it every day or even every two days, so I get by using shampoo probably once a week and just rinsing with water in between. When I do think my roots need a scrub, and it'll take more than baking soda solution or soap bar, I reach for these products because they are a mix good of decent ingredients and excellent result. Some natural shampoos and conditioners I've used are garbage and I don't think it's worth the effort if they don't have any effect. You can find them in any Shoppers Drug Mart.

Soap Works simple bar soap:
I switch between varieties - I like them all. Right now I'm using their pine tar and I have a bar of chamomile in the shower too. They made good honest soaps, cold-pressed method I believe and they're cheap as heck. You can buy them at Quarter Master or the Bulk Barn.

Homemade tinted moisturizer:
For this concoction I simply saved an old pot from a night cream and filled it with a brew of: face cream, sunscreen and a few pumps of foundation. It doesn't give me a lot of coverage but I don't really need it. I'm particularly prone to sun burning right now (if it weren't snowing) because I'm pregnant, so even though I love my vitamin D, I put a little SPF on the face for good measure.

Lavera Intense Volume mascara:
It was a miracle to find a 100% chemical-free mascara that actually works. It is organic, vegan & cruelty free with no parabens, petrochemicals or toxic chemicals.

JASON Sea Fresh toothpaste:
I'm addicted to this product, I'll never switch to anything else (OK fine, I sometimes use Weleda Calendula toothpaste and Hakeem's herbal). It tastes so good, cleans so well and has great ingredients.

Lastly,

Green Beaver Wild Yam deodorant:
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Green Beaver is the best company on the planet. Honestly, they're from Ontario, they made amazing things that work and use all natural ingredients. This deodorant is my recommendation for anyone who wants to get away from cancer-causing ingredients living under their arms. Buy one today!

Go Ahead Honey: A Face Mask Recipe by My Sister

Photo "by": Sarah Goertz

Sweet, delicious honey and seductive, ever-tempting coffee team up in my sister's latest homemade creation: honey-coffeebean face mask.

Honey keeps your skin hydrated by retaining moisture and preventing drying. It is an antioxidant and an antimicrobial agent, and can absorb toxins which may be just what you need in the case of a blemish. Honey can be used in sunscreens, baby care products and lotions, but if you don't know the way to mix it up properly you might not want to use honey in something that you won't be washing off. That's why this mask works.


Coffee is, of course, a great source of caffeine. This is nice when my friends want to start watching a movie at midnight, and it's also nice if you want to constrict blood vessels directly under the skin. This does a few things. In the case of your under eye area it can reduce puffiness and discolouration that make you appear tired (oh, let's be honest, that make me appear tired). When applied to chubby or pudgy skin it can smooth it even as far as reducing the look of cellulite. Coffee, like honey, is an antioxidant, but unlike honey it is rough in texture so it can act as an exfolliant, helping to remove dead skin cells and rejuvenating the look of skin. Coffee goes well with honey, even outside of the mug, because unfortunately coffee dehydrates cells so it needs the honey to bring moisture back. Remember, however much I endorse coffee, any overindulgence that damages your liver makes your skin looks worse and this includes heavy coffee drinking.

The instructions:

Mix together a heaping spoonful of fine ground coffee. Decaf will not do the trick. Using a liquid honey drizzled slowly into the mix, make a paste about the consistency of cake icing. Smear this mask concoction all over your face, avoiding the eyes. Leave on for ten minutes and rinse off, wiping with a soft cloth.

Remember, take care of your coffee and your coffee will take care of you. Crap, did I already use that one?

Why I Wash my Everything with Soap

Guest Blogger: Alexis Chadwick

I have been neglecting a visit to the dentist, mostly because last time I was there the dental hygienist scoffed at my career choice (after telling her I was satisfied with my humble position) and recommended I go back to school so I could make more money, like her. I guess she couldn’t tell that I’m a bit of a granola and would rather spend the day rolling in a field of flowers than rolling in money. I was both offended and annoyed and, being the brash decision maker that I am, decided to boycott not only my dentist, but the entire dental industry. In my search for alternative tooth-care, which included a consultation with a retired dentist who spoke out against the use of fluoride on teeth, I came to the conclusion that bar soap is not just for hands, but is good for washing out mouths, too.

I have two favourite parts of brushing my teeth with bar soap:
1. The “just-from-the-dentist-chair” clean feeling I have as I run my tongue over my teeth and,
2. The funny faces I make in the mirror because soap tastes less than fantastic

The kick in the teeth about toothpaste, for me, was learning that glycerin, contained in most toothpastes (including fluoride free ones that you can find in health stores, etc), stays on the teeth after rinsing. Once teeth are coated with glycerin, they cannot re-enamelize. Teeth naturally like to do so when they are clean and bar soap effectively cleans the teeth so they can. Soap washes off the surface by rinsing and once this happens the enamel, over time, can become thick, which makes teeth less sensitive to hot and cold.

So, then I was talking to a hair-dresser friend who was saying that hair is made up of the same scientific sounding something as fingernails and teeth, and that what you can use on your hands you should be able to use on your hair, (chemical-free, let that be the default perspective). Naturally, I took the bar to my hair. I can only speak from my own experience, but I now wash my hair less often as it does not become as oily as quickly, and soap provides me with a fantastic lather that I love. I appreciate knowing what goes into my soap, whereas shampoos are often a mysterious myriad of unpronounceable words. Making my own soap is my next endeavour.

I feel that knowledge has been taken away from us, that the recipes of old, the wise sayings, and the warnings have been packed up and lost in the move from generation to generation. I want that autonomy back. I want to know that I don’t have to rely on corporations to deliver my foods and fancies… that I can do it myself. There’s a freedom that comes with that ancient education that I dream of reclaiming. Soaps with scents and herbs, for disinfecting, cleaning, and healing are a small way for me to start unlearning my corporate reliance.

Alexis Chadwick is a wordsmith, an indie music lover and the most proficient woman in old-world skills that you will have the pleasure of meeting this century. Her vintage clothes make thousands of people jealous daily and if you ask her, she will share with you. Ten times out of ten.