Rediscovering a vegan-friendly lifestyle store: Jan de Vries blogger event

Sometimes it seems as if some stores are new to the scene, when in fact they have been around for a long time. My bus route takes me past the big Holland and Barrett store on the East End of Princes Street and I pass by their smaller store on Shandwick Place all the time, but little did I know that Jan de Vries was just around the corner on Queensferry Street.

Introduction to the vegan and cruelty free Deciem: The Abnormal Beauty Company

Before I becoame vegan, I thought buying cruelty free was the way to go. When you’re not sure what to look for, finding skincare, beauty and household products can be a bit of a minefield, but luckily there are plenty of vegans out there who are more than happy to help fellow vegans look for suitable brands. The best way to go about it is to join a local vegan group who will be able to advise you where you can find products that are available in your local area. Sometimes having a friend who has similar interests to you can also give you the same information.

It was a friend of mine who lives in the US that recommended Deciem’s range of products. I was told that the Ordinary range is very affordable and effective, but I imagined it would be a brand based in the US that would cost a fortune in taxes and postage to get to the UK, but luckily it is so accessible you can purchase it from their UK online shop or go in their store in person in Covent Garden or Old Spitalfields Market.

Pulsin’ and Beond! My review of their Veganuary protein and Beond bar box

I don’t usually eat too many protein products even though I should be diligently consuming protein before and after a workout. Since starting BodyCombat almost 5 years ago (see my previous post about it here), I’ve since also been doing BodyPump (here) and BodyBalance as well as kickboxing classes racking it up to 5-hours of classes a week. I had been making up protein shakes using sachets from my Purition vegan trial box (see my review for it here), but I find sometimes it’s a snack right after class that I need to curb those cravings.

When I realised the whey protein shake powder contained milk, I realised I needed to find another alternative which I did in Purition, but what about snack bars? I now couldn’t just stop in the local shops on my way home to snack on a chocolate bar. Luckily during my Veganuary month (see here), one of their proud sponsors Pulsin’ put together an exclusive Veganuary snack box for participants.

Organic and vegan-friendly hair salon: my review of Emma Hall Hair Design

The last time I had my hair cut and coloured was at Ishi Salon (see here) after having grown it out for a couple years before for our wedding that same year. I found out about Ishi after my first Of One Mind event held at their salon (see here) and I loved the fresh style I got when I gave Craig Kane, my stylist, free reign to do what he thought would suit. Since becoming vegan though, there are a lot of things that you realise you would need to take into account: like finding a new hairdresser that uses vegan friendly products.

It was one of those things that never crossed my mind, but when I thought about it, it did make sense. I was using vegan friendly brands for my skin and hair care products, so why wouldn’t I expect the same from my hairdresser services? Luckily, finding local vegan groups help with this dilemma and I quickly made an appointment with Emma Hall Hair Design to get my hair trimmed and re-coloured.

Purition: vegan wholefood protein shake review

Everything we choose to do in life is a choice: the food we put in our bodies, the exercise routine we follow, the path we choose to walk. I’ve realised that choosing a fitness lifestyle also means paying attention to what I’m also putting into it. I made it a New Year’s resolution to eat better and healthier, but the protein shakes I make after each class was not something I had given much thought to.

Discovering green, ethical and cruetly free cleaning: ecoegg Laundry Eggs

The OH and I had watched several videos and read blog posts and articles on the ecoegg Laundry Eggs. I wasn’t sure how to replace common household items with cruelty free alternatives, but when we came across these eggs, we thought they were worth a try. The only thing the OH can’t fathom is how the eggs work and how they stop producing froth with cleaning agents during the rinse cycle. There was only one way for us to find out.

My skincare regime: revealing my love of Lush products

I’ve already shared my organic, cruelty-free haircare regime with you (see here) and cruelty-free products from Body Shop (here) and now I’m pleased to share with you my favourite products for skincare from Lush!

Cruelty free vegan-friendly hair care with A’kin

I made it a New Year’s resolution (here) to make the switch from regular drugstore products to more vegan-friendly and cruelty free brands. I started becoming more aware that a lot of bigger name brands, despite the ban put in place 3 years ago on selling products in the UK if they used animal testing, have still been stocking the shelves at local supermarkets and drugstores with their wares. I’ve been paying more attention to the products I buy and decided to slowly wean myself off of products that are harmful to us and that use animal testing. I pledged to switch to more vegan-friendly and cruelty free brands (see here and here) and I’ve been gradually making that change.

Joining in Earth Hour 2016: the power of individuals to change the world

The world of blogging is becoming a strong industry in spreading the word about products and services to the masses. As a blogger myself, I can fully appreciate companies recognising the influence our words have on our readers and followers. Today, I’d like to spread the word about a campaign I’m personally passionate about and if you aren’t already, think you should know about and get involved with.

Getting pampered at Lush Spa: Beauty School party!

When it was time to plan my pamper day (as I dubbed my hen do) with a few friends, my sister and my mum, I wanted it to be a fun and relaxed day. Apart from a few friends who already knew each other, it was a how do you do kind of day for everyone else. I’d been looking around for places to get our nails done (which we did at The Wax Bar on Rose Street and they did an amazing job) before heading to Mimi’s Bakehouse for afternoon tea. To make sure everyone’s fully relaxed for the next day, I booked Lush Spa on Princes Street for the Beauty School party.