Sun! Where are you ?

The sun is capricious these days in Montreal.

But never mind, we must still protect ourselves from its rays.
We should use a sunscreen shine or rain, summer or winter.


Here are my sunscreen suggestions :

 

 



From left to right :

 

Alba botanica

12.99$ for 113g

vegan

 

Aubrey Organics

23$ pour 118 ml

 

Kiss My Face

13.99$ for 88 ml

vegan

 

Badger Balm

21.99$ for 87 ml

From left to right :

 

Coola

36$ for 90 ml

vegan

 

Suntegrity

45$ for 50 ml

 

John Masters Organics

32$ for 2 oz

 

 

Let's not forget our lips :

 

 

 

From left to right :

 

Kiss my Face

Balms at 3.49$

 

Alba Botanica

Balms at 3.99$ & 2.75$


 

Finally, some advices !

 

 

To make sure we are well protected, we must choose a minimum SPF of 15.

We should apply the sunscreen at least 30 minutes before exposing ourselves.

Don't forget to put some sunscreen on your ears !

The moments the rays are the most dangerous ? from 10 am to 4 pm.

With that, wear sunglasses that protect you from UVA & UVB and wear a hat.

I'm preparing 2 other posts about sun products :
after sun & sunless tanner :-)

Don't forget to come back !

 

Kiss My Face

I bought a Kiss My Face product at Loblaws few days ago.

I must say that initially I was not sure whether it was a makeup remover or facial cleanser.

On the packaging, it says ''facewash''.
But it is translated to French as ''démaquillant'' which means ''makeup remover''.

Since it is an American brand, I decided to rely on the description in English.


As a cleaner, it's okay.

It smells good, foams well and cleans.
In addition it is vegan and not tested on animals.

One thing however:
It's indicated (in both languages) that it's exfoliating.

But I must object!

No exfoliating beads or pellets at all!
I have not felt  my skin exfoliated at all.  :-(

It disappoints me greatly.
I'm used to be satisfied by Kiss My Face.

But hey, it happens to the best ...

Have you already tried this cleanser / makeup remover / exfoliator ?


I am curious to know what you think about it.
















        

Tested on me!

Since it is not possible to verify ourselves if a cosmetic brand does animal testing or not, we have no other choice than trust its word.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to know if a brand is being honest and this leaves a possibility that we buy animal tested products even if we don't want to.


That's why I'm suggesting this homemade scrub today.


Since you are the one making it with simple ingredients, you are sure it is cruelty free.

I have modified the classical honey-brown sugar since I wanted a vegan scrub.
For those of you who'd like to know why, you may click here.

I used agave syrup which is more liquid than honey.

As for the quantities, we go as we do it.
We mix the 2 ingredients until it has the aspect we're looking for.

Then, you just have to use!


The sugar exfoliates well and agave syrup binds it all.
Obviously, it's a little sticky but not too much.

The exfoliating effect is as good as the one you would get with the store-bought product and much more economical.



Let me know how you like it!

100% Pure - Part 2

As promised, here is 100% Pure part 2.
If you missed the first part, you may read it here.

Today, we're looking at a hand cream and 3 eye shadows.

Vanilla Bean Hand Buttercream 

A hand butter cream! mmmm...

Scent of vanilla bean.

It is a thick texture.
Great for Canadian winters!

What to say about the scent ?

Well, that's the best vanilla scent I ever was allowed to smell in a cosmetic!!

Forget about The Body Shop products.
This one smells way better!
(and doesn't belong to L'Oréal!!)

I almost want to order a full box !!
Seriously, I adore this cream.

I terribly long to buy again from 100% Pure and try their body lotion.
And why not, maybe a giveaway for you soon ? to follow...

Oh yeah, I really want you to know: I LOVE THAT CREAM!!

Ok, I stop  :- P

Fruit Pigmented Satin Eye Shadows

This, I got as a gift for ordering.
Each time you order, 100% Pure gives you a little something.

What made me happy, besides receiving 3 eyeshadows instead of only one, it is not samples! Full size only.

These eyeshadows are colored with fruits (and vegetables).
I prefer that kind of coloring as opposed to crushed bugs... (For  those who didn't know, sorry to tell you, but it's better that you know)

So here are the colors, from top to bottom :

Tahiti
Bora Bora
Barbados

Dream destinations!

3 colors that fit well together.

As you can see, the colors are sparkling.
It is pretty silky when applied.

Despite my best efforts, the photo is not doing justice to the colors.
They are just exquisite.

I will not hesitate to order 100% Pure eye shadows in the future.

My conclusion

100% Pure has conquered my heart!
The products are natural & vegan (except for certified cruelty free honey in some products)
It is excellent quality.

Is there anything else to say ? If this brand would open a store in Quebec, I'd go bankrupt!!


*if you are against animal testing and like this blog, don't hesitate to join by subscribing at the top of the page, on the right side + liking the facebook page! :-)

100% Pure - Part 1

I've been thinking about 100% Pure for a while.
For us, in Quebec, it is only available on line. That's why I did not try it sooner.

If I knew what I know now, I would never have waited so long before ordering it.

What's interesting about the brand, is there is no perfumes, no chemicals, no artificial colors or any other unhealthy toxins.
You understand where the name comes from now ?

Also, this line of skin care & body care + cosmetics is practically vegan.
The only non vegan ingredient you may find is cruelty free honey.

My order

Mint White Tea Tonic

Vanilla Bean Buttercream for hands

Eucalyptus Seafoam facial cleanser

Pineapple Enzyme Peel Off Mask

I also got 3 eye shadows as a gift for ordering. (Full size!!)


Since I have a lot to say, I decided to split this in 2 posts.

If I don't, you'll stop reading before the end!

Part 1 - Cleanser, Tonic and Mask

The cleanser I chose is meant for oily skins.

I want you to know I really like it.

Eucalyptus Seafoam

I found it to be a bit liquid, but it makes a lot of foam quickly.

Once out of the shower, my skin is clear and well cleansed.

It is $25 for 100 ml.
It is a bit expensive if you compare to drugstore brands, but when you have a mixed or oily skin, you look for THE product, and I believe this one is a really good option for me.

I know I will empty the bottle and reorder.

And not to forget! There's drawings of seahorses and sea stars on the package!
(I know, don't tell me! loll)

The tonic is nice, I like it.

Mint white tea

I think it is as good as the Alba one.
(That's a compliment!)

But it is a bit more expensive. We are talking of $24 for a 177 ml bottle.

It is a glass bottle, which I like a lot.

It's meant for normal to oily skins.

We feel it working on the skin.
It stings a little. (a good sting!)

The scent is pretty nice.
I'm satisfied.






The Mask is a brightening one. I can tell you it works.

It comes as a powder mix, in a glass pot. It's charming.

Pineapple enzyme

We have to prepare it ourselves.

100% Pure suggests to use water, tea or even yogurt.

I used water since the product is vegan and I wanted to keep it that way.

Once dry, it's a peel off.
And it peels! Really!
My skin was a bit sensitive for the rest of the evening.

There was no redness but I knew I used the mask for a while!

If you prefer a ready to use mask, 100% Pure does offer some.

It's $22 for 57 gr.

My Verdict

I adore it, as simply as that. I do not regret buying it.
I'm already preparing part 2 : hand cream + eye shadows.

You'll get the post within next week. I promise!

I'm curious to know if you already tried 100% Pure ?
Tell me what you think.

St-Ives, ain't no Saint!

Here's an alternative

If there is a popular product in drugstores, it is St-Ives's facial scrub. 
Not surprising if you think about it. It is good & affordable!

But one day, the brand disappeared from PETA's good list.
And we know it doesn't happen for no reason.

Since I refuse to buy a product without knowing for sure that it's cruelty free, I went on a mission!

I've been looking for a while for something in the same prices.
I've found lots of products, really interesting ones, but nothing as cheap.

Then I found this! from the Feeling Beautiful line made by Freeman

It costs $3.99 for 150 ml.
(same size & price than St-Ives)

I found this at Loblaws, but you may also get it at Walmart and drugstores.

Since my first experiment with a Freeman product was satisfying, I did not hesitate.

What I think about it

What a great smell !
It is a pink grapefruit scent.

It is a thick gel but we feel the grains exfoliate the skin.
There's nothing worse for me than a scrub that doesn't seem to do the job!

A small amount is enough.

 

 

 

Scrub your face, not a rabbit!

Freeman products are on PETA's good list and is also vegan according to that same list.

2 for 1!

No animal testing, and no animals suffering in a factory.



What about you? Do you like that scrub ? Will you try it ?

Avocado & Oatmeal - Freeman Beauty Mask

I do not know if you know Freeman , but if this is not the case, you miss something good.

Though we can not see the logo on the packaging, these products are approved by PETA .

I have tried the clay mask, avocado and oatmeal from their Beautiful Feeling range.This product promises to absorb excess sebum and dirt in addition to cleanse clogged pores. All for a whopping 3.77$ at WalMart !

It is a tube of 150 ml and it is good for 24 months after its opening.

My first thought when I used the product is that the smell is very very good.

Then the mask dries fairly quickly compared to other brands.

Finally, the most important, the result:

I felt really good after using this mask. I felt that my skin was softer.

I will definitely try other products of Freeman. It became one of my favorites products instantly!

little flat, the list of ingredients. Though the key ingredients are to kaolin clay, oatmeal, avocado and vitamin E, there is also fragrance and other ingredients less attractive. You can see the list here .

Benefits

Clay (kaolin) : removes toxins and remineralizing

Avocado : regenerating, repairing, excellent for dry skin

Oatmeal : soothing

Vitamin E : antioxidant, helps protect against the sun

Brand

This American brand is vegan! It produces skin care, body care and hair care.

Do you know Zorah ?

Do you know this brand?

A reader on my facebook page told me about Zorah , a Quebec brand I did not know about.

Thanks Julie-Christine!

This brand shows on its website the logo of German Union for the Protection of Animals .

It is mainly used on the other side of the Atlantic. I guess Zorah intends to conquer the European market soon.

The brand is already sold in Turkey. This would explain the choice of logo (certification).

Since you have to be certified to show such a logo on your brand, you can usually trust the companies using it.

Used without getting the certification is illegal.

Zorah offers several products.

Moisturizers, masks, balms, cleansers, exfoliants, if you want a little luxury, you have a good range of treatments.

The company sells their products in Quebec , Ontario and Turkey. Their products may be found in drugstores.

They have a calendar of events, it is worth taking a look.

I intend to participate in one of them in Montreal and then give you my opinion on the quality of products.

The prices of their products range from $ 12 for a lip balm to $ 74 for a Bioserum.

Have you tried their products? If so, tell me what you think, I'm curious!

Lotus Aroma and their policy regarding animal testing

 

I have never been answered so quickly by a company.
Within 15 minutes, I was set! What  a customer service Lotus Aroma !
Wish all companies could do the same!
 

I leave you a screenshot of the emails exchanged between Lotus Aroma and me. I've put my email first, followed by their answer.
 

Since it was in french, I'll put the translation after the pics.

Hello,

I understood from your packages that you don't do animal testing.

I was wondering if this applys only on finished products ? Or if it also applys to the ingredients as well as the formulations ?

Do you make sure that your ingredients providers don't test their products on animals ?

Do you sell your products in countries that make animal testing mandatory ?

Thank you, and have a nice day!

Hello,

Thank you for your email to which is important to us.

Our products, formulations and ingredients are not animal tested. We do require the same from our providers.
Lotus Aroma products are only sold in Canada.

In the name of Lotus Aroma, we thank you for your trust that gives us the inspiration to always aim excellence and always be better. You permit us to live our passion.

Have a good day

My comments

This is not only a quick response, but a precise one.
Unlike the answer I got from Lise Watier , the questions are answered.
I don't feel they're avoiding the questions.

Verdict

I'm adding Lotus Aroma to my Cruelty Free list! No animal testing!

Information about Lotus Aroma

This company was founded in Quebec in 1991.
It has been acquired by Dermolab Pharma , a pharmaceutical company in Montreal.
They do produce medicine (eg, syrup for colds)

For drugs, the law requires animal testing.

This is the same principle as for other companies that have a mother-company which does not have the same policy'' without animal testing.''
(Ex: The BodyShop belongs to L'Oréal)

It is up to you to see if you still want to buy Lotus Aroma. products.
I saw Lotus Aroma at Jean Coutu and Uniprix