Review of Lush Nuts and L'Ecuyer's Dill Dip Mix

I just ate my 0.8 oz sample of Lush Dark Cocoa Chili Nuts (from December's Conscious Box.) Whoa! They were spicy but addictive. My husband had to bring me water but despite my burning mouth the little bag was empty in minutes. If you like the mix of chocolate and killer spice you might really like these. They are very high quality. The only ingredients are peanuts, sugar, dark cocoa, chili, and sea salt. I was intrigued enough to check out the Lush Gourmet Foods website. They are based out of Kalamazoo, Michigan so the product is made in America. Yay! They have several other intriguing roasted peanut flavors including Hot Curry, Cinnamon Spice, and Coffee. I also saw you could order gift boxes that contain little sample packs of each flavor which would make a nice gift. As far as I can tell they are only available online.

http://www.lushgourmetfoods.com/Products.html

I also got to try out my Dill Dip Mix at Christmas as planned. You mix a 1 cup of vegan sour cream with a 1 cup of vegan mayonnaise to the spices. It was fantastic! I don't know that I would purchase this mix again but I am definitely inspired to find myself a recipe so I can add my own spices and remake this soon! Not knocking the product at all here, in a pinch it's nice to have the spices all ready and mixed for you.

Last 2012 Favorites Entry!

I'd like to wind down my 2012 favorites with the product I loved in 2011 and continued to love in 2012 and the brand I was most excited to try in 2012.

In 2011 I discovered Hurraw! lip balm when it was recommended on Alicia Silverstone's blog. I have ordered some on-line and purchased some through Me & E (local shop in Greensboro) several times since then. I just love their lip balm! Before Hurraw! I was using Bonne Bell lip balm and maybe some non-cruelty free brands like Chapstick. Hurraw! seriously surpasses every lip balm I have ever tried. My lips used to be chapped all the time and since using their products continuously for the last year or so, I no longer have any issues. They have tons of great flavors. I have not found one I didn't like. The texture is very smooth and not sticky and doesn't have that chemically aftertaste. The ingredients are natural, organic, vegan, and it's made in America. The price is affordable (about $4 each with a three tube minimum online.) It feels so great to use a product that I love everything about and can actually finish!! I can't tell you how many lip balms before this hit the trash can because I got tired of them. I have tried the following flavors and would highly recommend all of them:

Vanilla Bean - contains real vanilla beans!
Coffee Bean - I used it in the morning and this is the first lip balm I ever got to the bottom of! Yay!
Moon Balm - have already repurchased, I use this one at night because it contains chamomile
Coconut - got this one in my Conscious Box and I love it! Totally assumed coconut would be boring but it's not!
Root Beer - ordered this on a whim with my last order and it's just as yummy as I'd hoped!

This year as I began to delve into the world of cruelty free beauty products, I heard a lot about the company 100% Pure. They do not use "synthetic chemicals, chemical preservatives, artificial fragrances, artificial colors, harsh detergents or any other unhealthy toxins." A lot of their scents are fruit based. After drooling over their out of my price range products for months, they had a really great sale during Cyber Monday. I took the opportunity to try a few of their products. The product I had heard praised the most was their Organic Coffee Bean Eye Cream. This one wasn't too pricey. I bought .5 ounces for $10 (got a deal with free shipping!) Oh My God!!! The smell of this stuff is incredible. I will seriously buy this again just for the smell! I look forward to it every morning and it just puts a smile on my face. When I'm facing a Monday that smile can make all the difference. I thankfully don't have any crow's feet to speak of yet but I do get dark circles under my eyes and thought it might help with that. Honestly I can't say I've seen much difference since using it, but I still love it and think the small tube will last a long while. I also tried the Vanilla Bean Hand Buttercream and Strawberry Body Cream. I get really dry hands in the winter and if I don't moisturize they can get really bad. I find if I use both of these products they do a pretty good job of keeping my hands from cracking. The scent of these two isn't as amazing as the eye cream but they do have a rich, luxurious feel. I was able to try a sample of the Cabernet Grape scented body cream in a prior Conscious Box and think I might purchase that scent when I order again. I didn't mind the grape smell because it was so rich and juicy!

The ingredient list on these products are just fun to read. For example here's the ingredients for the Strawberry Body Cream:  Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Juice)1, Organic Rosa Centifolia Flower Water (Rose Hydrosol)2, Theobroma Cacao Seed (Cocoa) Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado Butter), Vitis Vinifera (Grapeseed) Seed Oil, Organic Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Seed Oil3, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Ribes Nigrum (Blackcurrant) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Extracts of Fruticosus Vesca Fruit (Strawberry), Organic Coffee Kona (Green Coffee)5, Organic Prunus Serotina (Wild Cherry) Fruit4, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate), Organic Rubus Idaeus Fruit (Raspberry)5, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit (Blackberry) and Organic Camelia Sincnsis Leaf(White Tea)3, Citric Adid, Hamamelis Virginiana Water (Witch Hazel), Extract of Lonicera Caprifolium (Japanese Honeysuckle), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf, Origanum Vulgare (Oregano) Leaf , ThymusVulgaris Flower/Leaf (Thyme), Hydrastis Canadersis (Goldenseal), Ethyl Alcohol (Grain Alcohol), Extracts of Euterpe Oleracea (Acai Berry) Fruit , Resveratrol, Organic Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea)Leaf 3, Garcinia Mangosteen (Mangosteen) Peel, Lycium Barbarum (Goji Berry) Fruit, Aristotelia Chilensis (Maqui Berry), Sambucus Canadensis (Elderberry) and Vitis Vinifera (Muscadine Grape) Skin

It's just so great to know what's in your products and feel good about them! I'll need to wait for another free shipping deal or a good sale before reordering but think I will definitely be back for more!

Physician's Formula Sale thru 12/24

If you use Physician's Formula be sure to check out CVS today or tomorrow. With your Extra card you can save $5 on every Physician's Formula product (and that's instantly not in extra bucks!) They also have a lot of makeup on clearance for 50-75% off. I saw several products in Physician's Formula and Wet 'N Wild that were 50% off (can't be combined with PF $5 deal) and several in Milani that were 75% off.

With that in mind let me tell you about the best drugstore products I've used this year. I tried a lot of Physician's Formula face products when looking for a new foundation. Their products did not work that well for my skin type but everybody's different so I'm not telling you to stay away, just can't really recommend anything. I do really like their eye products. I have the Shimmer Strips smoky collection and have used most of the colors in the palette. The color payoff is fair. I really like their Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Jumbo Lash Mascara. It comes in a shiny green leafy package and works really well. I've always used Wet 'N Wild here and there but never knew until this year that they were cruelty free. They are just about the cheapest drug store product you can find and my opinion has always been that the quality is cheap as well. I'm beginning to learn that's not always the case. I have tried a couple eyeshadow quads that turned out to be better than more expensive competitors. They also have really good basic pencil lip liners and eye liners. I have only used one Milani product so far based on encouraging reviews I had read. I purchased the Eye Tech Extreme liquid liner and so far it is my favorite liquid liner because of the control you get with it. It also doesn't smudge as much as some others I've tried. It's really encouraging to know that CVS has three brands that are cruelty free and frequently on sale. I'm eager to check out other local stores such as Walgreens or Kmart to see if I can find other brands I keep hearing about like Jordana.

Foooooood Post!

Let's take a break from beauty products and I'll tell you about the best foods/restaurants I've tried this year. As far as restaurants go, I've done a bit of travelling this year and discovered several really great restaurants. One restaurant that isn't new to 2012 for me, but I always enjoy, is Remedy Diner in Raleigh, NC. I had the famous Tempeh Tantrum earlier this year and, man, did it blow me away! Really, really good vegan food (not all of it is vegan, but there are lots of options and everything is well labeled.) This year my husband and I got to visit Charlotte and discovered The Common Market. I had an excellent breakfast tofu wrap (sort of a faux scrambled egg thing.) It was sooo good. The restaurant is inside a small grocery store that also serves coffee. I think the specials change each day but they usually have at least one vegan option. Here in the Triad we have a restaurant called Sticks and Stones. I went twice in 2012 and can't wait to go again. They specialize in gourmet pizzas made with local ingredients. When we went last, the specialty pizza was vegan (a sweet potato and garlic concoction) and was outstanding. They are vegan friendly and have a full bar with several beers on tap. I took a trip to Seattle this year and discovered two excellent restaurants in the Queen Anne area. Plum Bistro actually has several locations and recently acquired a food truck. We went there twice it was so good. Really fresh and filling ingredients (all vegan!) Two best things I had were a roasted potato salad and mac 'n cheese. Oh yeah, and the vegan doughnut!!! Chocolate with frosting and sprinkles. Can I just say I have not had a doughnut in 10 years!?!? It seriously made my day. The other great restaurant was called McMenamins which also has several locations. Not as many vegan options but I had the hemp burger ( I know how much more hippie and weird can you get? ) but it was really delicious. Also had a really good locally distilled liquor called Herbal No. 7. I highly recommend all of these restaurants if you are ever in the area.

I don't have quite as many amazing store bought foods to tell you about. I guess there just haven't been a lot of new products that are widely available. Our local Harris Teeter has increased it's Gardein section and they now carry Chipotle Lime Crispy Fingers. It's basically a faux chicken finger that has a little kick to it. This company does a great job with faux meat products in my opinion. Definitely recommend giving their products a shot. This Christmas I discovered that Oreo cookies (your basic Oreo and some of the ones with colored frosting) are vegan. Whoa, what??? Pretty excited about this one. Newman O's are really good too but a little pricey and harder to get a hold of. Last but not least I want to tell you about my favorite food discovery of the year. While in Seattle I stopped at a local chocolate shop and decided to try out something new. I bought a bar of Chuao dark chocolate nut nirvana. Wow. Was I even really eating chocolate before this? Really, really good. It's got an assortment of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios) in 60% dark chocolate. In fact it was so good when I went back to the store to buy one for my mom, they were sold out. I think the company is working to get their product in more stores nationwide. I heard that they were available at EarthFare but by the time I got there, they were once again sold out! So if you happen to see this brand while you're out, I recommend grabbing one. They are not all vegan so if you are, you'll need to check the ingredient list before you buy. I may break down soon and try and get ahold of more online.

Coming soon - reviews of my favorite cruelty free drug store products and the brand I was most excited about this year!

Opinion Outpost

If you like to do surveys to earn extra money, now is a great time to join Opinion Outpost. Through the end of December they have a wheel you can spin once per day to get free points. In the five days I've played I've managed to make $6 without even taking a single survey! I'm not sure if I just got lucky or if they are just handing out points to pull in more people to take surveys. I'm a big fan of Opinion Outpost anyway because they offer a good variety of surveys and most make it worth your time. I rarely ever take surveys unless I feel I'm making at least $6/hour (that equates to $1 compensation for a 10 minute survey). This may not seem like much but Mike and I have a very tight budget for personal items and every little extra bit helps. Opinion Outpost has a fair payout system as well. Once you reach the point equivalent of $5.00 you can cash in for, among other things, Amazon gift cards and PayPal cash deposits (if you have a verified PayPal account.)

www.opinionoutpost.com

December Conscious Box

Got my December Conscious Box a few days ago. Conscious Box is a subscription sample service where you get a small eco-friendly box full of goodies each month. It costs $20 and you can select a box that is vegan only or will have mixed products. Currently they are offering a free box with a three month subscription so check them out if you are interested: http://www.consciousbox.com/xmas . Make sure to choose vegan if you want the vegan one.

Hard to see in the picture but the box was really pretty this month. Purple tissue paper and a snowflake postcard on the box. And it was curated by www.TheVeganZombie.com

This month I got the following items:

BONUS: Just Pure Foods Sour Cream & Onion Zucchini Chips - Yes!! This was definitely a bonus. Really excited about this one. Whenever Mike and I buy chips he picks Sour Cream and Onion for himself since it's a favorite and I'm always "well it used to be my favorite too" :( But now I get to partake in the sour cream and onion too!!!

Achiva Chia Seed & Dehydrated Coconut Water Drink Mix Chai Tea - Hmm not sure about this one. It's a powder you mix with water. It's got caffeine and supposed to give you energy before exercising. Might save it for when I get back to doing Wii Zumba or take one morning in place of my Diet Coke.
 

Vapour Organic Beauty  Mesmerize Eyeliner with Blending Tool - Yay for makeup! I have not heard of this brand before so look forward to trying it. I actually have quite a bit of eyeliner right now from Physician's Formula, e.l.f. and Milani but most of those are liquid eyeliner. This will be good for when I want to use pencil. Maybe good for lining the waterline? I'm sticking it in the fridge now so I can sharpen it.
 

Earth Friendly Products Baby Ecos Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent - Yay! I have gotten a different laundry detergent in every conscious box since I've subscribed. I will never need to buy detergent at this rate!

Earth Friendly Products Baby Ecos Stain & Odor Remover - It says you can use this on anything so I wonder if I can spot clean our carpet stains with this? Definitely like that it is hypoallergenic and non-toxic.

 Eyewalker Elements Sacred Loom Perfume - Yeah, not sure about this one either. The packaging talks about mantras and crystals and energy. It's an interesting scent if a little strong. The scent has clary sage, bergamot, grapefruit, and frankincense. Crystal essences of tiger's eye and goldstone?? I can definitely pick up on the grapefruit when I smell it.

L'Ecuyer's Gourmet Dill Dip Mix - Yum, I rolled my eyes when I first saw this (we got some sort of spice rub last month), but now I realize it's actually a dip mix. I can mix it with Vegenaise and, voila, chip dip! Have not had chip dip in more years than I can count. Think I'll save this for a special holiday meal.
 

Lush Gourmet Foods Dark Cocoa Chili Peanuts - This sounds interesting. It's a really small sample but it looks good. Definitely will eat it.
 

Parma! Vegan Parmesan in Chipotle Cayenne - This is another exciting one for me. I've had vegan parmesan before but this one looks really yummy. Not sure about the cayenne part. The package says "try me on popcorn". That's a great idea! Just wish the sample was a little bigger.

Shaman Shack Herbs 3 Immortals Reishi, Shilajit and Ormus - These are Taoist Tonic Herbs. I don't know a lot about this. Found this link on their site that describes it: http://www.shop.shamanshackherbs.com/Three-Immortals-1111116.htm Not really sure how I will be eating this. It recommends to mix in a smoothie or hot drink. Don't know if I really want to do that...

Simply Hemp Milk - This seems to be dehydrated hemp milk. You add water and blend and get hemp milk. I'll try it. The ingredients are hemp seeds, hemp fines, coconut crystals, Himalayan sea salt, coconut water powder, vanilla, cinnamon, stevia. Sounds like it could be pretty yummy.

The Orange Owl Cinnamon & Cardamom Lip Balm - I think I'm more excited about the concept of this than the actual item. Owls and holiday scent so what's not to love? I put it on as soon as I opened the package. The texture's really nice. It's very slippery and smooth. Doesn't leave your lips feeling waxy. However, I found the spice to be strong and not too appealing to smell for hours. Personally I'm a huge Hurrah lip balm fan so no big loss.
I'm thinking I might try out the Eco Emi subscription box too if I can ever get an order in before they sell out! I heard there was a waiting list but don't see mention of it on the Eco Emi site. I'll let you know if any of the above products are worth purchasing!

Cosmo VoxBox 2012

Taking a break from my best of 2012 to talk about the Cosmo VoxBox I just got in the mail. It's from Influenster and all the samples were free only requiring my honest opinion! I forgot to take pictures before I opened everything but I will describe for you and provide links.

The box included:

1 FriXion by Pilot Pen

1 mini bottle of Forever Red Eau de Perfume from Bathy & Body Works

1 Ghiradelli Gourmet Milk Sea Salt Escape (clearly not vegan, let my sister and her boyfriend try this one out)

1 Venus & Olay Razor (not cruelty free unfortunately)

My absolute favorite item is the pen. I use pens all the time and never seem to have white out handy. Instead of crossing it out, I can erase mistakes with this pen! I know what you're thinking. Those pens never work very well. This is different. There is no "eraser". Instead it uses a special kind of ink and a rubber tip that erases as good as a pencil eraser just using the friction (hence the name.) The ink looks like regular ink too. I wasn't as crazy about the pen's design (kind of a tattoo look) but think I'd be happy with a pretty color like purple (they sent me black.) Definitely going to repurchase or at least put on my Christmas list. I love getting pretty office supplies at Christmas!

The perfume was also a hit with me. Forever Red (makes me think of Taylor Swift) has a fruity and slightly flowery smell. It's feminine but not overpoweringly so. I'm really sensitive to some smells and this didn't bother me too much. It lasted all day which was nice. I could see repurchasing this at some point as my signature "girly" scent. I normally go more for vanillas and amber/sandalwood scents rather than flowery ones. The bottle is cute as well.

The Ghiradelli chocolate as stated above is not vegan, but I let my sister and her boyfriend give it a shot. She didn't think it was that salty, but thought it tasted good (just not the flavor she was expecting.) To my knowledge Ghiradelli does not make any vegan chocolate bars but they do make some awesome semi-sweet chocolate chips that are vegan. I use them in every recipe requiring chocolate! I grab a bag every time they are on sale. I'll admit sometimes I just eat them straight out of the bag too!!

I tried out the Venus razor last night. As stated above this is very not cruelty free. It is difficult to find cruelty free disposable razors but Venus is Proctor and Gamble and I am not a fan of their practices. I promised I'd give my honest opinion. Even though I would never repurchase this due to the company, I do like the concept of reusable razors with interchangeable disposable blades. It has a cute and comfortable handle (no more so than the competition) and did a fairly decent job (no nicks.) Did not try the Olay blades yet. Again I would not purchase due to their cruelty status. Just being honest.

All in all this was a good sampler box. Very excited about the FriXion pen and Forever Red perfume!

Natural Deodorant That Works!!!

Crystal Essence Roll-On Deodorant is one of my favorite finds of this year. Up until this point I'd only tried a couple of natural deodorants but they left me with a definite negative outlook on the subject. After hearing really positive reviews of Crystal Essence I decided to give it a shot and was really surprised. This stuff works better, yes, better than the big names you see at the drug store. So far I've tested it through stressful days at work and parties and it's never failed. Summer will be the ultimate test but it really wouldn't surprise if it continued to outshine the competition. I purchased mine in Lavender and White Tea and the scent is not overpowering at all. When I think of some of the strong chemically scents other brands sell, this is another big plus.

Seriously guys, this is such a win-win which is why I am so excited! First off it's the perfect balance I'm looking for: cruelty-free, chemical free, and actually really affordable. I purchased mine on Amazon for $4.69 (including shipping) which is fairly comparable to other regularly priced products. Vitacost.com currently has it for $3.89 but I've seen it on their site cheaper when it's on sale. I believe you can also get it at Whole Foods or Earth Fare but I have not priced it yet. I think the chemical free part is the best part. I don't know that it's been proven that mainstream deodorants can cause cancer, but it sure doesn't hurt to use something that doesn't have any risk. It's a nice perk!

Another good product I'd like to mention is Shikai shower gel. One of my favorite scents is sandalwood and these days it's really hard to find anything in this scent. I happened across Shikai sandalwood shower gel at Whole Foods and was really pleased with their product. It's a little on the pricey side but no worse than shower gel at Bath & Body Works. The scent is really subtle which is nice. It contains oatmeal and aloe vera and is very moisturizing. I've actually already repurchased this item. I do need to warn that I did not find the lotion in sandalwood to be as subtle. It's really strong in comparison and not something I would recommend for those who are sensitive to heavy smells. You can also purchase Shikai at Vitacost.com.

If you're interested in making a purchase on Vitacost, you can use my referral link below to save $10 on your first order of $30 or more.

https://www.vitacostrewards.com/VbK1GTE

If you're planning on purchasing the deodorant at a brick and mortar store, check out their website for a $1.00 off coupon: http://www.thecrystal.com/essence/

Review of e.l.f. Products

 

This will cover a lot but I'd like to share my favorite e.l.f. products that I've used in 2012. e.l.f. is a great company that sells cruelty free make-up for wicked cheap (we're talking $1-$6.) All of their products are available online at www.eyeslipsface.com and you can a find a limited selection at your local Target store (possibly Wal-Mart and K-Mart as well.) They are not natural or chemical free but they are a good bang for your buck and nice if you just want to try something out. If you want to place an order on-line they usually have a deal with a coupon code going on and if it's not something you want, you can hold out until they have a deal that you like. Usually if you're patient you can score free shipping with a $25 purchase. I've used a lot of e.l.f. products this year, but I'll narrow this entry down to my top favorites.

Studio Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow - Really nice gel eye shadow that has a bit of sparkle to it. I purchased this in Soiree and Festivity for $3 each. They apply really nicely and have good color payoff. These eye shadows are great for a weekend night out or a party.

Studio High Definition Powder - This is a little pricier at $6 but it will last you a while. It's a good setting powder (I purchased translucent.)

Studio Flawless Finish Foundation - Again this is a little pricier at $6 but compared to Revlon prices it's a steal! I purchase porcelain which is still a tad dark on me but honestly it's the best foundation I've found so far. And really for the price you can't beat it! It's a pump in a glass bottle so getting every last drop of product is tricky. I remember Shark Tank featured a spatula thing that could be used to prevent wasted product. Any other suggestions?

Studio Makeup Mist & Set - This is $3 for a small bottle (which will last a while.) You have to hold this bottle back an arm's length from your face before you mist, but it does work really well. The mist is refreshing and I think it does help makeup last longer.

Brushes! - e.l.f. has fantastic makeup brushes for every need and they are all really soft and of course, cruelty free. They wash well (e.l.f. sells a brush shampoo that works really well too) without losing too many bristles or softness. I'd recommend the studio brushes over the essential brushes. They are $2 more but the quality is better. My favorites are the complexion brush, stipple brush and eyeshadow "c" brush, but they are all great.

Essential Blush with Brush - I have purchased this blush in glow several times. I kind of have mixed reviews because the packaging changed and the second time I ordered this the color did not seem the same. However, the third time was just as I remembered it and I really like the color and how it applies. Your mileage may vary on this one. I don't use the brush that comes with it. I use the e.l.f. powder or complexion brush instead.

Again, these are just my favorites. e.l.f. makes a lot of great products that I use (eye liner, lip liner, highlighters, eye shadows, etc.) The ones above are the products I find to be exceptional and highly recommend.

Best of 2012

It's that time of year again. Time to share the best products I've come across in 2012! I'm really excited about sharing my favorites this year. Due to the cruelty-free shake up with China, I've made an effort to learn more about cruelty-free products that are out there. In the process I've learned about the ingredients that are in a lot of beauty products. I'm now not only excited to explore cruelty-free items that are out there but also natural products that do not contain potentially dangerous chemicals, such as parabens. Through this whole process I am also trying to balance my need for good products and my need to stay on budget. It's a challenge but one I really look forward to. One of the best ways I have achieved this balance so far is by watching/reading beauty blogs and others' reviews on these products. I think you're a lot more likely to like/use a product if you can feel confident it is worth the cost. I've also recently subscribed to conscious box which has enabled me to try out new products.

Be on the lookout in 2013 for a new blog to replace spaghettiandsalad. I realize it is a resolution few keep, but I'm going to try and be more active in blogging/reviews next year. Now that I feel I have something to share that I'm excited about, I think it will come easier to me. Until then, please enjoy my reviews for 2012 and feel free to share your own thoughts/questions!

Cruelty Free Makeup

So I've been learning a lot this week about cruelty free cosmetics. I learned last week that Revlon is no longer considered to be cruelty free because they will be selling their products in China. They are joined by many other formerly cruelty free companies such as Clinique, Mary Kay, and Avon who have chosen to sell products in China. China requires all cosmetics to undergo animal testing. Therefore if a company sells to China, the product must be tested using animals and they would no longer be considered cruelty free. Urban Decay made a huge splash when they made a similar move, but then changed their mind when the negative feedback hit.

In my search to switch to a truly cruelty free product, I found myself scouring the local Whole Foods, Ulta, and CVS. I was particularly looking for a foundation to replace my Revlon products. First off Whole Foods is not ideal for cosmetics, especially foundation. They carry ZuZu Luxe which is cruelty free but also very expensive. They did have testers which was great and I quickly realized that they did not carry my shade. Ulta was a bit better and I ended up buying Studio Gear based on the reps word that it was cruelty free (Ulta also carries Tarte products which are, again, more expensive.) I was skeptical because I did not see any indication on the packaging that there was no animal testing. After I got home I could not find them on PETA's list or Leaping Bunny's site. The company website did not mention anything about the company's stance. However, reading around I was able to glean that it is commonly considered to be cruelty free. Guess they made a statement at some point??

In an effort to find something better I went to CVS to check out Physician's Formula. They had a good selection but I could only find the bunny on the organic line of products and it was not listed on my Leaping Bunny list. I looked around some more and found Salma Hayek's Nuance line. It specifically said "no animal testing" on all her products and had a cute little bunny. I took a chance and bought it. When I got home neither product was on PETA's site or the Leaping Bunny site. What is going on? Why do so many companies claim to be cruelty free but don't get certified? What I've learned is that a picture of a bunny is the universal sign for cruelty free, but unless the bunny is leaping it is not Leaping Bunny certified. Kind of makes sense when you think about it. I'm going to keep digging into this and let you know what I find out.

I'm starting to think this may all be a good thing. The moves have caused quite a lot of attention and outrage which brings the topic to the forefront of discussion. More people talking about animal testing will help get the word out. Public outcry against it will remind companies it is something we care about. I've also read an article that a grant from PETA enabled a few scientists to show China some commonly used non-animal tests for toxicity. It sounds like China does want to adopt cruelty free methods. They just need to be convinced they work. So it's possible that coupled with the negative attention they are getting and the pressure from companies, China will adopt a cruelty free option for testing potentially making some of these companies cruelty free again.

BzzAgent Bic Soleil Savvy Campaign

I'm participating in the latest BzzAgent campaign for Bic Soleil Savvy razors. This means I get to try the product for free and share my opinion and sometimes freebies with friends. Here's my honest review: First off it's very cute. Big wide pink handle with sparkles. Because of the handle it's easy to hold which is helpful to keep you clear of cuts. I use Bic Soleil razors a lot. You can get them pretty cheap on sale with coupon during Harris Teeter triples or doubles if you wait for the right time. They are not the best razors I've ever used, the Bic Soleil Savvy included, however, they are perfectly sufficient as a basic razor. I like that the Savvy is more eco-friendly. The handle will last three times longer than a normal disposable razor. The handle is reusable and comes with four razor cartridges. Personally I'd like to see the cartridges packaged separately so you could use the handle longer. As is you have to buy a new package with new handle once the cartridges are all used. Still better than using a completely disposable razor.

Figuring out how to load the cartridge on the razor handle took me a few tries so I had to be a little patient at first. Once I figured it out, everything worked fine. No nicks at all. I think these razors could be really affordable when purchased on sale with a coupon. Speaking of which...I have several $3.00 coupons good for purchase of any Bic Soleil Savvy Razor. They are good until the end of year so plenty of time to wait for a good deal to come along. Right now CVS has them for $6.79 and you can get $2.00 extra bucks. With the $3.00 coupon that's like paying $1.79. Not a bad deal for four razors. Check your local paper too as there may be a $3.00 coupon in the circulars. Please send me a message if you are interested in a coupon. I will be happy to send you one (and some for interested friends and family as well.)