Completely eliminating animal testing in cosmetics...

Okay little guy, hold still. This might hurt a little. It might also kill you. 

So, yeah, humans still test cosmetics on animals.  I don't like it, nobody really likes it, but aside from heaps of people complaining about it and even boycotting most products, there isn't much anyone can do about it simply because of how often it's "necessary".  The biggest thing animals are tested for in the cosmetic industry is skin allergies, because we don't want to use products that could harm our skin.  (Let me take this time to add that in most parts of the world, even in our own country, cosmetic products are sold that contain possibly harmful ingredients that are simply there because the required testing was not done, or was done and overlooked.  I don't approve 100% of the efforts the FDA puts forth in determining which cosmetic products are safe for use, but if you're interested in what sorts of things they look for, check out this page.)

Since January of this year, great breakthroughs have made it possible to now administer the skin allergy tests and other similar tests to a chip that can simulate the necessary conditions needed for proper results.  

"The chip is intended to replace a local lymph node assay, that is often done on new chemicals used in cosmetics. Today, the tests are generally performed on female mice. (Though some labs use an older method involving guinea pigs..."

(From Technology Review)

 Skin allergy tests in most animals are done by detecting allergic responses by stimulating T cells, all of which is done within the lymph nodes and lymphatic fluids.  This means this tiny chip that could possibly be not only easier, but far cheaper than animal testing, may soon be able to replace tests on many, or ALL animals in the cosmetic industry.  This is just the sort of breakthrough that the Humane Society has been just dying for, because it can, and hopefully will, save thousands of animal lives every year.

A good read into the GEARI website (Group for the Education of Animal-Related Issues) will make it clear that there are many alternative ways many companies can do their testing without harming animals or even using them in any way.  Check it out!  ♥

Sweet spuds for your skin! ♥

Solanum Tuberosum, the noble and helpful potato...it's been used for centuries to help get rid of skin problems like blotches, scarring, and any other discoloration.  It's also very useful for lightening your skin tone in certain areas, making it ideal for getting rid of those pesky under-eye circles. Another awesome thing these cool tubers can do is soak up any excess oil from your face.  They can even help soothe your skin after a difficult sunburn too!

 

There are lots of products you can buy at the store or online that contain taters, like many different varieties of wrinkle creams, skin tone lightening (or bleaching) products, acne products, and many clarifying and firming face washes and masks.  Neutrogena's Oil Free Cream Face Wash is my favorite product using solanum tuberosum because it pairs with salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxy acid that's used to help clean and revive your skin.  I also LOVE Fil-Lup Potato Essence Mask.  There's another great product using solanum tuberosum, LUSH cosmetic's Volcano Foot Mask, which makes your tootsies feel like you spent a long day at the spa.  Awesome.

Looking for more information on spuds and how they help your skin?  Try this article, and you can also check out this article for useful tips on using potatoes and other natural stuff in your kitchen to get rid of dark spots and blemishes.

 

Salicylic acid: What does it do for your skin?

If you check the ingredients list on many of your favorite and most effective acne treatments and face washes, you'll find an ingredient that tops almost every list.  Salicylic acid, a weaker beta-hydroxy acid, is fantastic for getting rid of many troubling skin conditions because of it's natural ability to hasten and replenish the desquamation process. This process is the natural way in which your skin cells are "sloughed away and replaced." (Need more information about what desquamation is and how it works? Read here and here.)

When your skin has a lot of trouble healing and / or recovering from bad bouts of acne, you probably have a problem with your skin's desquamation process.  This means that the rate at which your skin should be replenishing itself is either too slow, or could possibly not even be happening if you keep piling on products like heavy or thick cosmetics.

Salicylic acid, a lovely extract from willow bark and other completely natural and green sources, is not only the way we get rid of acne, oily skin, and blotch problems.  Salicylic acid is also how we create something great for our bodies AND skin -- aspirin!  (Remember aspirin face masks?  Bring them back, cause they work!  Try this video from Michelle Phan, and this article from yours truly. ♥ )

"Products that use salicylic acid normally boast the ability to help cure (or completely cure) cases of mild acne, dandruff, and psoriasis, among others. Since it is extracted from willow bark, salicylic acid is considered an organic ingredient in many aspects and is a key ingredient in many natural skincare products, as well as shampoos, conditioners, and acne-friendly moisturizing products as well. When this ingredient was extracted at first, it was used to help ease pain of injury and illness, giving us what aspirin is today. Aspirin is made by utilizing a reaction that occurs within salicylic acid, so using aspirin based recipes for your skin can also greatly improve an existing condition like acne..."

 (Read more of this article on salicylic acid and your desquamation process here.)


Looking for some products that contain salicylic acid?  Here are a few you may already be familiar with:

Neutrogena Acne Rapid Clear Daily Treatment Pads
Olay 7 in 1 Anti-Aging Salicylic Acid Acne Cleanser
St Ives Swiss Formula Medicated Apricot Scrub
Psoriasil Body Wash from Tao of Herbs


As always, there are people that have sensitivities and reactions to certain beta-hydroxy acids.  Make sure you check with your dermatologist if you have any serious skin conditions before you start a skincare regimen using products heavy in salicylic acid.

I hope this helped out! ♥ webcake xoxo

Fruit & Your Face ♥

The best thing for your skin, especially the skin on your face, is something 100% natural.  You need something gentle and effective, something that won't irritate your skin, and something that can help prevent skin issues in the future.  You also need something full of vitamins, minerals, and natural moisturizing properties.

It's really (really!) hard to find products that are completely natural, with nothing man-made in them at all.  But there's one thing you can always count on to help revive that natural beauty inside of you -- fruit!

There are plenty of ways to use fresh fruit to get great skin right at home, and you don't need anything else other than what's probably already sitting in your cupboards and fridge.  Here I'll make a quick and simple list of fruits and which skin types & conditions they are best used for:

Acne

Lemons

Apples

Strawberries

Grapefruit

Kiwi

Dry Skin

Bananas

Guava

Olives

Melons

Discoloration / Dark Circles

Tomatoes

Grapes

Orange

Tangerine

Wrinkles / Sagging

Any Citrus fruit

Papayas

Blueberries

Pineapples

These fruits all contain antioxidant properties, and also can help naturally cleanse and refresh your skin.  Another reason these fruits are great for your skin's health is because they contain alpha-hydroxy acids.  Find out why AHA's are good for your skin here.  For more information on how these fruits and others are helpful for your skin, check out this article from DivaVillage.

For some awesome home-made facial recipes using all natural ingredients like fresh fruit, check out these articles:

Exfoliating Grapefruit Facewash
Refreshing Banana & Orange Face Mask
Cucumber & Melon Face Mask
Deep Cleansing Lemon Face Scrub

Have fun and stay cute ♥ xoxo

Using hemp & hemp seed oil to vastly improve your skin's health!

No, I am not exaggerating when I say you can "vastly" improve your skin's health using hemp products and extracts!  There are many products made using hemp oils and hemp seed oils that are used for severely dry skin, as well as skin conditions like eczema, excessive acne problems, and problems with blotchy skin.

There have been testimonials of people for years and years (since it became legal to grow the crop again in Canada in 1998, anyway.)  of people that have had fantastic results with hemp seed oil and hemp oil.

The craziest part about it though, is that when you search the internet far and wide, you can only find very minimal negative reviews of hemp seed oil products, and it's almost ALWAYS by someone who's a puff-chested anti-drug that can't muster the brain cells to tell the difference between hemp and cannabis.

I won't go into all the hemp plant's many other uses that could not only enrich our lives, but stimulate a dying economy, so instead I'll just focus on it's great uses in the beauty world.  I wrote a helpful article on using hemp oil &  hemp seed oil at home yourself to greatly improve the health of your hair and skin.  You can read it here.  If you're interested in what popular high-rated products use hemp seed oil and/or hemp oil as a main ingredient, here are a few:

Body lotion and bath products from Yaoh! Organic Products
Hempz Haircare Products (AMAZING products.)
Good ol' Burts Bees hemp Res-Q lip balm
GiGi Hemp Skincare Products  (Ultra-moisturizing wax & lotions)

There's plenty of simple ways to use the extracts and oils of the hemp plant right in your own home to get great results.  If you've got a skin, hair, or other condition and it's possible to cure it with hemp oils and extracts, shouldn't you give it a try?

Yes, that is a hemp wiimote. Stay cute, smart, & green! ♥ xoxo

Bee & Flower Rose Soap & some new pretty things ♥

Hello again! The other day, I made a small purchase that I'm absolutely loving. I was at the natural foods store and found some Bee & Flower soap, one was sandalwood and the other was rose. I'm obsessed with anything rose, and it was only 99 cents, so I got it. It's a vegetable soap and uses no animal related products, and it's super easy on your skin. Not only that, but it smells SOOOOooo good. It actually leaves a light scent on your skin too, without a nasty film or anything gross like that.




Another perk is it's beautiful packaging! It's very neatly wrapped in an ornate little pocket type thingy with pretty flowers and Chinese writing all over it. You can smell it right through the package. I have no idea where this soap is normally found, but if you find it, BUY IT!

As for the pretty things I made:





Those round pretty green orbs are Green Aventurine, and sporadically dispersed amongst them are sets of three sea glass chips. I looooove this, I wore it yesterday.




This one is basically on the same idea, but with only sets of 1, 2, 3, and 4 grade B Lapis Lazuli chips. It's also a little longer, and I made earrings for it too. I only have one shirt that matches, but I love it anyway. Both of them are on basic silver plated double link chain and have silver plated barrel clasps.

Well that's my piece for the day. I'm about to play some CoDmw2 until my eyes bleed. ♥ xoxo