The Vegan Effect

Did you know that November is Vegan Beauty Month? One question I am asked more and more these days whenever I review a product is whether or not it is Vegan.  I hold my hands up and admit, I am not the first to check whether or not a product is Vegan or even suitable for Vegetarians, I tend to use products because I like the look and sound of them.

With that in mind, I thought today, I would share with you some amazing brands that I am really fond of that are in actual fact Vegan! Aside from Lush which you might be more familiar with there is a whole host of brands who fit into this category, more than I thought. Now you might not have known this, you might know it, you might not even be bothered, but here they are:

EcoTools - Possibly the one brand people will be most aware of for being Vegan but did you know that in addition to their animal-free cosmetics brushes, EcoTools also carries fake eyelashes, bath and spa products, and hair brushes.

B Beauty - Exclusive to Superdrug and a brand which I am a fan of, B is a bargain Vegan beauty brand who proudly display on their website that B. "does not contain any animal derived ingredients or by-products, even beeswax which can often be found in mascara."

Barry M - One of my favourite Highstreet brands have never tested their finished products or ingredients on animals or engaged another company to do so on their behalf. Those products which are Vegan are marked as being so and you can check all the ingredients online too. With a growing nail polish collection and makeup range, it is a highstreet brand that is well worth looking at and available in Superdrug and Boots.

Parissa Warm Wax - A liquid salon quality hair remover. ALL of their products are vegetarian friendly. Parissa Warm Wax and Parissa Organic Wax are completely Vegan.

Skyn Iceland - A brand that I have on my list to try out, do not test their products on animals and are vegan. They are also free of parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, chemical sulfates, and phthaletes.  You can find the whole brand in Marks and Spencers.

Cover FX  - As well as being Vegan and cruelty-free (with the exception of MintTint FX & MintGlaze FX), did you know that the range is created and developed by former chief chemist and MD at MAC cosmetics! What I love is that here are 25 inclusive shades, and the unique formulas provide a precise match, based on your undertone, for skin of all ethnicities for your foundation, pretty impressive!You can find Cover FX in House of Fraser.

Inika - I have featured Inika before (here) and for me it is one of the most popular vegan makeup brands that I have come across and used. Inika has an extensive makeup range which seems to grow by the day and I am especially fond of their Mineral Blusher Puff Pot! You can find the brand collection on LookFantastic and right now there is a deal!

The brand which everyone is cooing over right over - Spectrum! Not only are Spectrum makeup brushes everywhere on my social media timelines, but they're also 100% vegan and are proud to state that not a single unicorn was harmed during the making of their brushes!

Kat Von D - Earlier this year Kat Von D announced her plans to reformulate her entire cosmetics line to ensure every product was vegan. While the process takes a while, she already has a section of her website titled #VeganAlert which is full of products that do not contain any animal products or by-products, and have not been tested on animals. Find the whole collection in Debenhams right now.

Remember as always there are labels and logos which specifiy what is and isn't Vegan and it is always worth looking and checking.

Do you look out for Vegan products when making a purchase? Did you know these featured were Vegan?

*this post contains PR samples/Affiliate links unless indicated otherwise

Top 10 Gifts for Unicorn Lovers

We all have that one friend, maybe you are even that friend, who is a tad obsessed with Unicorns, I mean it is a 'thing' and everywhere you look, there is something 'Unicorn' designed to grab your attention.

Unicorn Lamp from Superdrug - Novelty Unicorn Shaped , Colour changing mood lamp. I saw it at a Press Day and wanted it there and then, for only £5 this is a total bargain to be had. .

Heatable Unicorn from Dunelm - At just £10 how could you not want this. Soft and furry, this pink heatable unicorn is filled with lavender to release a calming scent.

Magical Unicorn Slippers - Styled on Agnes from Despicable Me, these cute and fury Unicorn slippers are every bit funky as they are fun. Priced at £24.95 they are an item not to be missed. 

Unicorn Bath Confetti - ASOS - Well who doesn't want Blueberry scented Unicorn confetti for their bath? Priced under £5 at ASOS, it is a great Secret Santa gift. 

Sequin Unicorn Mom Jeans by Kuccia - From Topshop and priced at £65 - With sequin Unicorn patches, this pair of jeans have been transformed into a must have item! 

'You Are A Goddamn Magical Unicorn' Makeup Bag - From Not on the HighStreet and priced at £17 - This zipper pouch makes an excellent makeup bag, or washbag for weekends away. It's perfect for keeping all your essentials together when travelling, and also makes a unique and interesting clutch bag for nights out! Basically its super useful!

A Pink Unicorn Onesie - Oh yes! Don't pretend you have never wanted a Onesie more than you want this little number! Priced around £14.99 on Amazon, it is an item everyone needs in their lives.

Unicorn Snot £7.50 - Yellow Unicorn Snot Rumour has it that unicorn snot actually turns you into a unicorn. We've not tested it simply because we cannot imagine illustrating with hooves. To turn into a unicorn right here.

Keep Calm and Colour Unicorns book and crayons - If you love colouring in and even if you don't, find some time to rest and relax and spend it colouring in some Unicorns with Pencils from your Unicorn holder. Available from Amazon.

Unicorn Earrings In Sterling Silver £19.95 - This is the perfect gift for anyone that loves quirky and unusual jewellery, or even better; a gift for yourself! Sterling silver earrings suitable for pierced ears. They can be found right here.

I am sure you can find something for that Unicorn obsessed person in your life right here from my gift guide and if you have anything you think I should have added, let me know in the comments!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Win Sephora Beauty Advent Calendar

If you follow me on social media, then you might have noticed that I am currently at EuroDisney but I have had a trip into Paris to see the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triumphe as well. I also happened to stumble into Sephora - oops!

One of the first things I came across was the Sephora Advent Calendar, pictured below, and because it is so hard to get hold of, I decided to do one as a giveaway.   It has 24 Palace doors to open and behind each one is a beauty gift which includes items such as face masks, eye masks, body washes, nail products, lipsticks and eye shadows to name but a few.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning said Calendar is to complete the Rafflecopter widget below. There are some mandatory entires which must be completed or your entry will be null and void and as I will need your address, if you are under 16, please ensure you have parental permission! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise