Halloween 2018 at Lush

Halloween has returned to Lush with lots of fearsome, fizzy, and frothy bath bombs, shower gels, soaps, and more to keep your suds spooky this Halloween season! There are a few old favorites that have returned, along with some eerily exciting new products, including a neon-green ectoplasm shower gel, glow-in-the-dark ghost soap, Lord of Misrule bath bomb, pumpkin bubble bar, and more! Lush's products are always cruelty-free, and I'm happy to say their entire Halloween collection is vegan!

The Enchantment Box - Hocus Pocus Edition

The Hocus Pocus edition of The Enchantment Box

The Enchantment Box is a new monthly subscription service that sends you a magical themed box full of goodies like cruelty-free makeup, vegan snacks, delightful decor, gorgeous jewelry, fun paper crafts, beautiful bath and beauty products, and other charming treats! Plus, all boxes are completely cruelty-free and vegan, yay! They contacted me recently to see if I would be interested in reviewing their October 2017 box, whose theme was Hocus Pocus. I really had to contain myself (because OF COURSE I WAS INTERESTED), as I was so excited about this box since Hocus Pocus is one of the best movies ever and one of my personal favorite Halloween movies!

I checked out some of their past boxes, whose themes included Marie Antoinette, Mystical Mermaid, and Secret Garden, which made me even more thrilled when I saw the fantastical fripperies that were tucked away in those boxes. I knew then that I was head-over-heels in LOVE and couldn't wait to check out their October 2017 box. See my step-by-step unboxing below!

Schmidt's Charcoal + Magnesium Mineral Enriched Natural Deodorant

Whenever I want to switch it up from using my own homemade vegan deodorant, I turn to Schmidt's! Besides my own DIY deodorant, I find that it is only vegan deodorant that works to keep me feeling and smelling fresh all day, even through hot days or hard workouts. I adore their Cedarwood and Juniper deodorant (and they have many other scents!), but I was excited to try their brand new Charcoal + Magnesium Mineral Enriched Natural Deodorant they gave me at Expo West this past March. This, like their other products, is vegan, cruelty-free, and free of aluminum, propylene glycol, parabens and phthalates and does not contain any artificial fragrances. I am a sucker for charcoal anything, so I couldn't wait to try this out! I also love the scent itself, which smells like fresh, clean air after a thunderstorm in spring.

Samhain Scents That Will Make You Smell Like Halloween

In Type O Negative's song "Black No. 1," Peter Steele sings "Her perfume smells like burning leaves," and I've been forever searching for a scent like that which evokes the spirit of Samhain! What do you picture the autumn season smelling like? For me it's a woodsy, smoky scent of autumn leaves with a bit of candy corn sweetness, apple orchard tartness, pumpkin patch earthiness, and a sprinkle of brimstone. Who knows if a scent like that actually exists, but I'm on a quest to find it!

In my search this year I've come across a few small, independent companies who are making perfumes, bath bombs, lotions, and other potions in lovely autumn and Halloween scents that I'm absolutely drooling over! I've compiled some of these for you below, all of which are vegan and cruelty-free (note: always double-check ingredients since formulations can change, though most of the businesses listed below are themselves vegan and cruelty-free!).

Hopefully this year I can find some scented treats that will keep me smelling like Halloween long after all the jack-o-lanterns have been blown out on October 31st.

Beauty Review: Pacifica Kale Detox Deep Cleaning Face Wash

[image source]

I have used Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash religiously for about two years now, and I still highly recommend that cleanser (read my full review). However, when Pacifica released their Kale Detox Deep Cleaning Face Wash specifically formulated for oily and/or acne-prone skin, I knew I had to try it!

Pacifica is a 100% vegan and cruelty-free line, and all of their products I've tried have been of the utmost quality. It is a brand I trust, and a brand I return to time and time again. Not only do they have face cleansers and other skin care products like moisturizers and makeup remover wipes, but they also have a full makeup line, perfumes (they make some of my favorites!), and they have also recently announced they are releasing more skin care products as well as hair products! The Kale Detox Deep Cleaning Face Wash is one of their newer products in their expanded skin care line.

Beauty Review: Pacifica Dreamy Youth Day and Night Face Cream

I am always on the lookout for an awesome vegan moisturizer, and since the weather has been warming up here in SoCal I decided to look for a new, lighter one that can be used day and night. Many people recommended Pacifica's Dreamy Youth Day and Night Face Cream, so I decided to give it a go!

I already love Pacifica's cruelty-free and vegan products, so I couldn't wait to try their Dreamy Youth moisturizer! This anti-aging moisturizer contains peptides, antioxidants, floral stem cells and natural extracts along with Pacifica's Fleuracell Complex with ingredients shown to improve the overall appearance of skin.

Product Review: Cellar Door Bath Supply Co.'s Halloween Soaps

When I saw a friend post about Cellar Door Bath Supply Co., I knew I had to check them out! They make cruelty-free and vegan bath supplies like bath salts and soaks, candles, and soaps, complete with a full line of Halloween-inspired soaps!

I had a tough time deciding what to order, because I wanted it ALL! They have spooktacular scents like Halloween Hootenanny ("tart poison apples. overripe pears. hard luck candy. bags upon bags upon candy spilled across the dance floor at your neighbor’s Halloween garage party."), Pumpkin Chai ("warm pumpkin puree. spicy chai. freshly roasted coffee. the perfect marriage of two of fall’s most warm, cozy, and downright delicious seasonal drinks"), All Hallow's Eve ("pagan spices. preserved orange. ceremonial woods. the things that happen late at night that fill your heart with fear and fright."), and many more, all of which sounded so terrifically tantalizing! However, after much debate I ended up ordering the five scents below:

Beauty Review: SoapyLayne Vegan Perfumes

I discovered the coolest vegan and cruelty-free company at Vegan Faire this past July called SoapyLayne. Their witchy signage first caught my eye, and when I investigated I found that they had some lovely perfumes and other body, bath, and makeup products. By the time I checked out their booth at Vegan Faire I had spent the majority of my cash on food, but I still had enough money to pick up two scents that I was swooning over, a solid perfume called Moonlight Butterfly and a roll-on perfume oil by the name of The Woods.

Beauty Review: Tulip Perfumes in Neroli Wood, Redwood Forest, and Oakmoss Lily Blossom Scents

I absolutely adore Tulip, an independent, woman-owned perfumery from the Northern California coast that makes some of the loveliest scents! I don't see them much in stores down here in SoCal, but when I went up north last month I actually found their scents were carried in one of my favorite shops in Ferndale - the Golden Gait Mercantile (if you are ever up that way, do stop in - it is the most charming old-timey shop with tons of neat stuff!!). I couldn't resist picking up two scents - Neroli Wood eau de parfum from their Classic Collection and Redwood Forest oil from their Charmed Collection.

Product Review: Good Clean Love's Vanilla Chai Body Candy

I've been familiar with Good Clean Love's intimacy products for quite some time now, as their products are vegan, cruelty-free, safe, and effective. In fact, their personal lubricant was named one of the safest on the market! Not only that, but the company is woman-owned and socially responsible, committed to promoting sexual education and awareness while supporting green, sustainable love. How can you not get behind something like that?!

Beauty Review: Savvy Boheme Tall Americano Bath and Body Oil

I received a sample of Savvy Boheme's Tall Americano Bath and Body Oil in a Vegan Cuts subscription box I purchased, and have been obsessed with this body oil ever since! At first glance, I didn't really think I would like it, and it sat on my dresser for quite a while before I decided to try it. I instantly regretted not using it sooner, because this stuff is amazing!

It is made with nourishing oils including grapeseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, sweet almond oil, apricot oil, and vitamin E oil, and infused with scents from the essential oils of coffee, sweet orange, and vanilla. It reminds me of a sunny Italian coffee bar with its strong scents of espresso and orange peel, and a subtle hint of vanilla. The scent is both invigorating and centering, and it has the ability to both wake me up and calm me, if that makes any sense! To be honest, I didn't think I would care much for the scent, which seemed a little too sunshine-y for this ghoulish girl. However, I now find the scent to be delightful and uplifting!

Beauty Review: Acure Argan Oil

[image source]

Lately I have been embracing my hair's natural curl and letting it do its thing instead of straightening it. The switch came about a month ago, when I decided to give my hair a break since it was becoming damaged from all the heat styling (blow drying and using a straightening iron at least 3 times a week) I was subjecting it to. Without blow drying and straightening, my hair is naturally curly, but it is also really coarse and thick with some frizz. I needed a product that tamed my hair, made it softer, but also one accentuated my curls, all with minimal styling (I refuse to spend more than five minutes on my hair in the morning).

Beauty Review: Trader Joe's Pumpkin Body Butter

The glorious return of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Body Butter!

Last year, Trader Joe's came out with decadent Pumpkin Body Butter, which sold out in like 2.5 seconds. I bought two tubs last year, and by some miracle I made them last until this September. Smelling like Halloween year-round was pretty fricking incredible, but I was in despair when I used up the last tub.

Luckily, Trader Joe's just stocked their shelves again with this magical Pumpkin Body Butter, so the day it came out (September 29th) I rushed to the store and literally made them go into the back and pull out the box of pumpkin body butters! I grabbed four tubs, because the employee who was nice enough to fetch them from the back said they only get one small box for the season, so when they sell out they don't get any more. When I got home I realized I should have just bought the whole box of 50 or so tubs and sold them on the black market to make a small fortune...oh well!

Tricks and Treats to Beat the Heat (Guest Blog on Cowgirls and Collard Greens Site)

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

When the adorable vegan cowgirl Kayle Martin of Cowgirls and Collard Greens asked me to guest blog on her site, I jumped at the chance! I have been a long-time admirer of Kayle, adore her site, and even got to meet her in person at Expo West (yes, she is as sweet in person as she is online!). I was truly honored/excited to guest blog on her site, so please giddy-up on over to Cowgirls and Collard Greens to read about my tricks and treats to beat the summer heat.  

Please check out my article on Cowgirls and Collard Greens or continue reading below. And in the immortal words of the vegan cowgirl herself, Yeehaw!!  

Beauty Review: Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

I am always on the hunt for a face wash that can multi-task. I need something that not only removes my makeup (including lots of dark eyeliner) and cleanses, but is also gentle on my face and tones and moisturizes. I've never seen a cleanser than can handle all these tasks, and I generally end up using different cleansers for different tasks – I use makeup-removing wipes to get rid of makeup, then a cleanser to wash my face, then toner and/or moisturizer.

Beauty Review: Vegan Cuts July Beauty Box

When Vegan Cuts announced their new monthly subscription box for beauty products, I immediately signed up! I just couldn't pass up a box of vegan beauty products for under $20 a month. I received their very first box recently and was pleased with the summer beauty products it contained.

Vegan Cuts July 2013 Beauty Box

Here is a breakdown of what the July 2013 beauty box contained: 

• Essence of Vali's "Sleep" essential oil - "Contains soothing essences of Lavender Flowers, Cedar Wood, Marjoram Leaves & Ylang/Ylang Petals to calm you into a peaceful sleep and comfort you during times of stress." This oil smells AMAZING and will help me ease into a peaceful slumber at bedtime.
• NYL Skincare's Organic Rosewater Face Wash - This face wash works as both astringent and moisturizer on all skin types. It is only made of three ingredients - rosewater, vegetable glycerine, and Castile soap. I tried it and it is quite refreshing and has a light rose smell.
• Acure Organics' Argan Oil - I love argan oil, which can be used on hair or skin for its exceptional moisturizing and restorative properties.
• LVX Nail Lacquer in "Deco" - This coral-colored lacquer is from LVX's summer 2013 collection. I'm not fond of the color, but I have heard great things about LVX's nail lacquers! 
• Glamnatural's Mascara - I can't wait to try this chemical-free mascara, which claims to lengthen, thicken and separate lashes without clumping or smudging!
• Suntegrity's Tinted Moisturizer - This tinted moisturizer boasts a 5-in-1 formula that treats, hydrates, protects, primes and covers your skin! I'll be trying it this weekend on a trip to the desert.
• Lippy Girl Extra Virgin Lip Gloss - I already love this stuff! It smells like fresh-squeezed oranges and provides a glossy finish to lips (with no stickiness!). 
• Namaste Jemma Pouch - This high-quality bag is the perfect size to stash some lip glosses in when I'm on-the-go. Bonus: I like the hot pink color!

Overall, I liked what I received in my very first Vegan Cuts Beauty Box! I can't wait to try/use more of these vegan, cruelty-free products. 

If you are interested in Vegan Cuts' monthly subscription beauty box (they also have an awesome snack box - check out my review of my first one here), you can sign up at www.vegancuts.com!

How to Make the Best Handmade Vegan Deodorant

This is the best natural, vegan deodorant I have ever used! If you follow me on a regular basis, you know I am always on the hunt for an effective deodorant as I have a tendency to sweat quite a bit! I have reviewed several vegan deodorants in the past, and they have all worked fairly well, but this handmade one is by far the most-effective deodorant and it is the only one I will use now.

This handmade deodorant effectively gets rid of any body odor, no matter how hard I sweat. It is tried and true! I've had people say this deodorant is the only thing they'll use now, and that it is the "be all and end all" of vegan deodorants! And these are active people in warm climates, and they claim even on the hottest day of the year at their most active this deodorant keeps them from smelling funky. I don't know how it works, but I suspect it may be magic (okay, maybe not, but it sure feels magical!)!

This magical deodorant recipe requires only three easy-to-find and inexpensive ingredients and it usually yields enough deodorant to last me a good 3 months! Natural, effective, vegan and cost-effective deodorant – this is like the holy grail for sweaty broads like me!

Here is all you need to know to make it yourself:

You only need three ingredients - cornstarch, baking soda and coconut oil!

Plus you'll need some small bowls for mixing, measuring cups/spoons, and

some kind of mold or container for the deodorant.

Simple, Safe Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

¼ Cup Baking Soda

¼ Cup Cornstarch (if preferred, you can use Arrowroot Powder)

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix the baking soda and cornstarch (you can also use arrowroot powder) together. Make sure you break apart any clumps in the mixture – I use a spoon to mush up any clumps.

Here is the solid coconut oil measured out (right before it goes in 

the microwave to be liquefied), plus the cornstarch and baking soda

mixed together in another bowl.

In a separate, microwave-safe bowl, measure out the coconut oil then heat on high in the microwave for 20 - 30 seconds, until the oil is liquefied, like in the bowl on the left below:

Liquified coconut oil, plus the mixed together baking soda 

and cornstarch, and an adorable skull mold I picked up

at the Dollar Store one Halloween season.

Slowly add the liquefied coconut oil to the baking soda and cornstarch. Stir together until well-blended and smooth, with no clumps (break apart any clumps with a spoon or fork). The mixture should now have the consistency of a thick paste, but it's okay if the consistency is a bit thinner. At this point you could also add a few drops of essential oil for scented deodorant, but I find essential oils in deodorants usually irritate my skin, so I steer clear of adding any additional perfumes to this deodorant – the lovely coconut smell from the oil is more than enough for me!

At this point you have two choices - you can keep the deodorant as a paste to smear on your armpits like a lotion (just store in a small Mason jar or other container) OR you can go with my preferred method, which is pouring the deodorant mixture into molds, sticking it in the fridge to harden and using it as a stick-like deodorant.

Pouring the deodorant into a Wilton Pumpkin Faces Silicone Mold,

which works great for this deodorant! They also have a ton of other

designs to choose from - hearts, shamrocks, stars, etc.!

As you can see from the photo above, I like pouring my mixture into some Halloween molds (which are usually either ice cube trays or silicone baking molds). You can find silicone molds for cheap on Amazon (like the link above for the Wilton ones or you can try these brain ice cube trays, which are perfect due to their size and shape!). Once poured into molds, I stick them in the fridge for a few hours or overnight so that they harden. Once hardened, I pop them out of their molds, place them in an air-tight container and keep them in the fridge so they stay hard.

Now, it took a little getting used to going to the fridge to put on deodorant every morning, but for this magical deodorant it was worth it! It goes on smoothly, melts into my skin with no residue (goodbye, white armpit stains!), and keeps me from stinking up the joint all day, every day!

A batch of "spooky" deodorant that will scare your stench away!

Say "boo" to bad B.O.!

Seriously, though, you can’t beat this easy-to-make, cheap, long-lasting, natural and vegan deodorant! Try it and see how magical it is yourself!

________________________________________

Update 11-April-2015 - This deodorant continues to be a great success! I've gone ahead and added all new photos to this post, especially since the original baking soda I included in a photo was not cruelty-free (stay away from Arm and Hammer - they test on animals). I still keep hearing raves on this deodorant, so I'm glad it is working so well for everyone! I am still using it and haven't had to purchase a store-bought deodorant in years! Also, I wanted to update this post in order to answer a few frequently-asked questions about this deodorant, so here goes!

Question: Is this an antiperspirant and will this stop me from sweating?
Answer: This deodorant is not an antiperspirant and will not stop sweating. Antiperspirants are actually really unhealthy for you since they interfere with your body's natural cooling system and clog sweat glands. I recommend staying away from them!

Question: I've used this deodorant but now I've developed a red rash in my armpits. Help!
Answer: When switching to a more natural deodorant, your body goes through a detox period. It has been recommended that when you ditch your store-bought deodorant you should give your pits a break for a week before you begin using this deodorant. However, this is real life, and I doubt you want to disappear to an isolated location for a whole week to let your pits adjust. Instead, I recommend using less of this deodorant - it really doesn't take much for it to be effective. Also, your body will adjust over time and your rash will go bye-bye. If it doesn't go away after a week, try using some apple cider vinegar on your pits to balance your pH levels. Just use a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water (1:1 ratio) on a cotton ball and smooth over the affected armpit area on a daily basis until you see improvement.  Another suggestion - ditch essential oils if you are using them to scent your deodorant - they can be irritating to the skin. Note: If it is a SEVERE rash, discontinue use as you may be overly sensitive to baking soda.

Question: How much should I use?
Answer: There isn't a right or wrong answer to this - I use around 10 swipes per armpit in the morning, but I tend to overcompensate and could probably use less and still be protected. I would advise trying different amounts to see what works best for you. Also, one application a day works like a charm - no need to re-apply throughout the day!

Question: Will this stain my clothes?
Answer: Nope! I've never had an experience where I got the dreaded white ring on my clothes (and all my clothes are black, so I definitely would have noticed!). If you do happen to get some on your clothes, it comes right off with a bit of warm water or in the wash, with no staining whatsoever!

Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer them!

Please note: There are tons of variations of this recipe all over the internet and unfortunately I don't have the source for this particular version, but I wanted to share it since it is the BEST recipe I've found! 

Beauty Review: Root Beauty Skin Care

[source]

Root Beauty is an all-natural, organic skin care line based in Los Angeles that is committed to offering good-for-you products that don’t contain harsh chemicals or nasty toxins. Their simple products are based on essential and/or natural oils that have proven their healing power for centuries.

Not all their products are vegan, but their deodorants, hand cream and moisturizers all use vegan ingredients. Their lip balms, body butter and body scrub all contain beeswax or honey, so beware if you are vegan.

They were kind enough to send me some of their vegan products for review, including their women’s deodorant, Balancing moisturizer and hand cream.

A few weeks ago I tried North Coast Organic’s vegan deodorant with solid success (read my review), so I was interested to see how Root Beauty’s vegan deodorant held up. Root Beauty’s deodorant for ladies worked great for me! Instead of coming in a solid bar, this one comes in a little tub. You scoop out a little bit and smear it on your armpit. It melts directly on the skin and absorbs well. The deodorant smelled delicious and contains only four ingredients - organic arrowroot powder, baking soda, organic virgin coconut oil and organic rosemary oil. It did a fantastic job of controlling odor all day! Plus, at $15 a pop it is totally affordable and the tub will last you quite some time.

An interesting sidenote: I recently read that before trying a natural deodorant you should let your body’s pH levels reset themselves, so you should go without deodorant for a week. Please keep this in mind if you find yourself having issues with any natural deodorant you are using, especially if you experience itchiness or redness when you first use all-natural ingredients. This can also happen even if you do “detoxify” before using natural ingredients, so just be aware this is your body’s method of adjusting. Of course, if you do experience itchiness or redness that lasts more than a few days or gets worse, stop use of the product!

The next product I tried was the Balancing moisturizer, which is in oil form and comes packaged in a dropper style bottle. This product is specifically formulated for oily/combo skin (I picked it out to suit my skin tone, they also have Hydrate and Restore moisturizers) and contains natural ingredients to even out this type of skin. It contains organic grapeseed oil, organic bergamot oil, organic niaouli oil, organic lavender oil and vitamin E oil. These ingredients work together to create a powerful moisturizer that has anti-aging, antioxidant, antiseptic, disinfectant, and softening properties. While I didn't notice any reduction of find lines or wrinkles after using this moisturizer, I did notice that my skin felt healthier and more resilient after using it. You can wear this moisturizer under makeup, but I only used it before bed. It does take a bit more work to apply than “regular” moisturizer – your face must be completely wet, then you take a few drops of the moisturizer and pat it into your face, then finish by patting your face dry with a towel. Not too difficult, but more work than just slathering some lotion on your skin. I liked it, though, and really enjoyed this beauty ritual before bed, especially since it also smelled so yummy! The only downside is that it is a bit expensive at $39, but using a few drops every day makes this stuff last forever! That, combined with the moisturizer's benefits and pure ingredients, actually make the price point worth it.

The last product from Root Beauty I tried was their hand cream. WOW, does this stuff smell delicious! Like the other Root Beauty products, it is formulated with all natural and organic ingredients - organic shea butter, organic coco butter, organic jojoba oil, organic sweet almond oil. It went on like dream and kept my hands silky smooth! Honestly, I wanted to slather it all over me! My only complaint was the packaging, which probably isn't even a legit complaint since I had a sample size, plus the complaint isn't really aimed at Root Beauty anyway, but here it is: I hate it when lotion or moisturizer comes in tubs and I have to scoop it out…it always ends up under my fingernails, ick! Put it in a tube or a pump and I’m happy. Seriously, that is my only issue and it’s not really even an issue for this specific product!

If you care about what goes on your skin (and you should), I highly recommend checking out Root Beauty for all-natural and organic skin care. Their products are really simple and pure, and are highly effective at giving you that natural glow!

Check them out at www.rootbeauty.com!

Product Review: North Coast Organics Deodorant and Lip Balm

Confession time: I tend to sweat a lot. My body gets hot really easy (which is often since I live in SoCal and it is pretty much always warm here), plus whenever I get nervous or anxious (again, often), I sweat. So finding a decent vegan deodorant that works well is super-important to me since I'm such a sweaty broad.

In the past, I've used Herban Cowboy’s and Nature de France’s Le Stick deodorants and have had moderate success with those. I've unfortunately found that those and most natural deodorants just don’t offer the same protection as my pre-vegan, chemical-laden deodorant, which isn't just filled with nasty, bad-for-you ingredients, but most likely also contains animal bi-products and is cruelly tested on animals. It goes without saying that I would rather use a slightly less effective vegan deodorant than a bad-for-you and a bad-for-the-animals deodorant.

Though Herban Cowboy and Nature de France’s deodorants were the best vegan “stick” products I’d found, I've always been on the search for other deodorants that work more effectively and eradicate all smelly odors.

Luckily, North Coast Organics was gracious enough to send me their deodorants to put to my sweat test! This independently-owned company also makes lip balms, which they also sent me. All of their products are vegan, handmade and organic. Their ingredients are pure, natural and do not contain any icky chemicals. You can even pronounce them all!

The first thing that struck me about the products was the edgy packaging…I am a sucker for skulls, so I was immediately drawn to the “Death by Lavender” deodorant, especially since it proclaimed it was an “elite assassin of odor”!  It has a strong lavender smell, which I love! After being in contact with my skin a few moments, the deodorant melted just a bit and went on smoothly. I really, really loved the lavender smell, which lasted all day! It did a great job at keeping me smelling fresh and feeling clean!

The next deodorant I tried was the Revolver deodorant, scented with cedar wood, cypress and clary sage. I suppose this is the more “manly-smelling” deodorant they make, but I love manly-smelling deodorant! In fact, I usually prefer it over flowery, feminine deodorants (this explains why I love using Herban Cowboy’s deodorant so much!). This deodorant’s scent was more subtle than Death by Lavender but just as pleasant! I felt this deodorant was a bit stronger than Death by Lavender and worked better to totally eradicate odor (though both contain basically the same ingredients, so maybe this was all in my mind!).

I really liked both deodorants, but while they worked well they didn’t completely get rid of all odor. Believe me, they did an admiral job, and I will definitely continue using them, but I still noticed a bit of stinkiness when working out hard or when I sweated a lot in hot environments (like that one March weekend where it was like 85 degrees…ick!). For every day wear, though, these worked really well.

As an added bonus, I also got some lip balms to review. The two kinds made by North Coast Organics are WMD and LSQ. WMD was my favorite, with essential oils of cinnamon, ginger and tea tree. It went on smoothly and really gave my lips some much-needed moisture! I keep it by my bed now and put it on every morning and night! The LSQ was a bit rougher and didn't go on as smooth, but I did enjoy the scent of peppermint, spearmint and tea tree from its essential oils!

North Coast Organics makes solid vegan, organic and natural products. I love the homemade aesthetic of the products, the clever packaging and the fact that they are all-natural and vegan, but I really love that they WORK! I found that though the deodorants may not eradicate 100% of odors on especially warm days or during tough workouts, they still do a pretty amazing job 90% of the time, which is more than I can say for most all-natural deodorants!

North Coast Organics products can be found in select stores or ordered from their website!

Beauty Review: Pacifica Perfumes for Summer

I wanted to find some nice summer scents for myself as it is starting to get warm here in SoCal and my usual scents aren't quite cutting it. I needed something light and fresh!

I'd never tried Pacifica's products, so I thought I would give them a try, especially since the company is cruelty-free, vegan and strives to use eco-conscious ingredients. They make a wide variety of beauty and home products besides perfume, including soy candles, reed diffusers, lip balm, body lotion, body wash, body scrub and more (can't wait to try all their other products!).

I found Pacifica's perfume at my local health food store, but they are also available on Amazon or on their site. I picked up three different scents to try in the roll-on size and they were only $10 a pop! The fragrances I choose were Tahitian Gardenia, Lotus Garden and Indian Coconut Nectar.

I love gardenia, so I knew right off the bat I would love Tahitian Gardenia. And, of course, I did! It has a strong, heady scent that envelopes you in gardenia blooms. Gardenias are said to be the blossoms of love, and with this scent it is easy to see why...I absolutely love it!

The Lotus Blossom perfume reminds me of violets dripping with early-morning dew. It is a unique and sexy scent that I love wearing out in the evenings. According to the Pacifica site, the fragrance is "perfumed with green notes, citrus, lotus and olibanum....The lotus, said to always be looking for its place in the sun, is a symbol of strength, unyielding passion, spiritual enlightenment and unconditional love."

I love, love, love Tahitian Gardenia and Lotus Blossom, but my absolute favorite of the three has to be Indian Coconut Nectar. This perfume smells like a summer's day to me, with full-bodied coconut and hints of vanilla. It is a deliciously sensual and playful scent! I will definitely be wearing this all summer.

I adore all three of these Pacifica perfumes and I cannot wait to try more of their scents, along with their other products! I highly recommend Pacifica's perfumes and with their many selections there is no doubt you will find a fragrance that is perfect for you.