10 Things I'm Loving This June

This has been a hectic month with trying to pack and get ready for a big move, plus getting ready to travel for a wedding, not to mention how bonkers work has been! Thank goodness I had some things that kept me sane and happy this month, and as per my monthly tradition, I'm sharing 10 of these things with you below. This monthly practice encourages me to reflect on things I'm grateful for this month as well as sharing some of my favorite things with you! And I always love to hear about items you are digging this month, feel free to share them with me in the comments!

Here are my 10 Things I'm Loving this June:

The Spooky Vegan Shop Now Open On Amazon

Do you ever wonder what kind of things I shop for on Amazon? Do you like discovering new products that I personally recommend? Looking for that spooky something to get yourself or that special someone? Are you interested in what cruelty-free and vegan products I use daily? Wanna check out my favorite vegan snacks? Have you ever wished to get your hands on the black nail polish I use or get a peek at what movies and books I'm into?

Well, fiends, lucky for you I've curated a spooky shop on Amazon full of product recommendations so you can find all of these eerie items collected for you in one place! I thought this would be a fun way to show off some of my favorite things and show you what items I use regularly (for example, what hair dye or face wash I use, which I get asked about a lot!). Also, when you purchase items via my Amazon shop you are helping me earn referral fees, which go toward keeping this blog running, especially since I do not use ads, only Amazon affiliate links.

So take a look at my spooky shop, filled with treats like Halloween decor, horror movies, books, accessories, cruelty-free and vegan beauty/makeup/skin care products, and even some of my favorite vegan snacks and food!! You just might find some must-haves or new favorites! I'll be updating the spooky shop regularly with new and old favorites, so check back often!

Visit The Spooky Vegan Shop on Amazon!

Stay spooky!

Goth Essentials for Surviving Summer

I can't believe summer is already here, it feels like the spring went by so fast! Thankfully here in Orange County it is still relatively cool due to June Gloom (swoon!), but warmer weather has been creeping up on us (it will be in the 80s the rest of the week) and as soon as July hits temps will be shooting up to the 90s and 100s (ugh). I hate hot weather so I do all I can to stay cool while still keeping it spooky during the unbearable summer months.

Below I've collected some summer goth essentials to help you keep creepin' in the summer heat, including pool and beach accessories, some dark but gauzy clothing (I don't care how hot it is, I'm still wearing black), items that will protect your skin from the sun, boo-tiful bags to keep all these ghoulish goodies in, and much more macabre merch to add to your wish list!

Acure Organics Smooth + Manageable Shampoo and Conditioner

I love Acure Organics' products and have used their facial cleansers, their argan oil (review), and their ultra-hydrating Moroccan oil shampoo and conditioner (review) for quite some time now. The majority of their products are vegan and cruelty-free and work great! I decided to try their Smooth + Manageable Shampoo and Conditioner a few months back, and every since them I've been using it with fantastic results.

Beauty Review: Acure Argan Oil

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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).

DIY: Apple Cider Vinegar Conditioning Hair Rinse

Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar 

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

I know that using apple cider vinegar on your hair might seem odd, but trust me, this stuff is incredibly effective at conditioning your hair and balancing the pH levels of your scalp, resulting in shiny, smooth, well-conditioned hair and a healthy scalp!

I have been using this treatment about once or twice a week for over a year now, and have gotten multiple requests to share this easy, cost-effective method, so here goes!

Beauty Review: Desert Essence Coconut Hair Defrizzer and Heat Protector

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Written by Sarah E. Jahier

My hair takes a lot of abuse - I dye it every month, not to mention I blow dry it several times a week and then use a straightening iron on it pretty much every day. My hair is thick, coarse and frizzy, so it takes a lot to tame it. And all that taming damages my hair.

I normally don’t use a heat protector on my hair prior to blow-drying or straightening, but after reading an article stressing the importance of using one, I figured I better start, especially since my hair was becoming really damaged and unmanageable.

I happened upon Desert Essence’s Coconut Hair Defrizzer and Heat Protector while browsing the aisles at Sprouts Market. It was on sale, so that got my attention first, and I already love Desert Essence’s products, so that made me pick it up to check the ingredients. It was labeled vegan and a quick scan of the ingredients verified that (or, I could have just used the handy “Is it Vegan?” app on my phone). Also, I love coconut, so into my basket it went!

Beauty Review: Acure Organics Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

I am constantly putting my hair through hell – dying, drying, and straightening all leave my already naturally-coarse, thick hair dry and damaged. So, I am always on the lookout for new cruelty-free, vegan shampoos and conditioners that will gently cleanse and repair my hair without too much of a fuss.

I have had my eye on Acure Organics' Moroccan Argan Oil and Argan Stem Cell shampoo and conditioner for a while now, and when I found them on sale at my local health food store I snatched them right up! I have used argan oil for my hair in the past (when I used harsher dyes on my hair) and always thought it did an awesome job of conditioning my hair, so I couldn't wait to try a shampoo/conditioner combo with argan oil!

Beauty Review: Lush's Jasmine and Henna Fluff Eaze

I have been using Lush’s Jasmine and Henna Fluff Eaze since this past January, when I received it as a gift for my birthday. Here is the product description from the Lush website:

“If your hair is a little fluffy, frizzy, dry, or out-of-control, Jasmine and Henna Fluff Eaze is made for you. Our specialty hair treatment, it's packed with copious amounts of moisturizing and nutrient-filled oils including organic jojoba, almond, Brazil nut and extra virgin coconut oil. It works brilliantly on curly hair as well, as all of the oils help define the curls and add loads of shine. And if that doesn't stop passerby’s from stopping in their tracks, the jasmine fragrance will stick with you for days after using it, so you'll have irresistibly soft, shiny and sexy smelling locks.”

My hair is fluffy, frizzy, dry and out-of-control when left to its own devises, so I definitely was excited to try this treatment. I generally try to use it at least once a week on my hair before shampooing…usually on the weekends since I can leave it in longer. The consistency of the product is a bit runny, but I scoop out a bunch and slather it all on my hair, from roots to tips (it is a little messy, but I don’t mind). I have really thick hair, so this takes about 10 minutes to completely coat it all. Then, I put my hair up and leave it on for 30 minutes or, if I need extra deep conditioning, a few hours.  Then I hop in the shower and shampoo and condition my hair as normal.

Once out of the shower I notice my hair has a softer feel and smells of yummy jasmine (yup, the smell lasts even after shampooing and conditioning!).  My hair is easier to manage and style after using Lush’s product.  Even if I don’t style it I find that it is less frizzy and fluffy.

When I do straighten my hair, I notice that my hair is sleeker, smoother and shinier. Also, I notice the henna really brings out the red in my hair (I have red hair, but this treatment helps punch up the color). A word of warning…this product will naturally bring out the red in your hair because of the henna, so if you don’t want a red tint then steer clear! Also, if you use heated tools on your hair like a straightening iron, the henna will stink while you are applying heat to your hair. It does go back to smelling like jasmine after, though it doesn't last as long as if you hadn't applied heat to your hair!

I really liked this product and the only real downside is that I use it up so fast! One container lasts me about a month if I use the treatment just once a week (I use about ¼ of the product each time). I think maybe if the consistency of the treatment was a bit thicker and not so runny it would last longer, too. However, Lush actually recommends using ¼ of the container for short hair and the whole container for long hair in one sitting, so I guess that is how they designed it to last.

Overall, I really do love this product and will continue using it as a deep conditioner for my normally coarse and unruly locks or when I need an extra boost of red tint to my hair.

Beauty Review: ColorProof SuperRich Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner

I am always on the lookout for new (or new-to-me) vegan beauty product to try, so imagine my delight when I did a search for “vegan shampoo” on Amazon.com and ColorProof popped up! A vegan shampoo and conditioner that also protects color-treated hair?! Sign me up!

I had never heard of ColorProof, so after checking out their website to ensure their products really were vegan and cruelty-free, I gleefully added their SuperRich Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner to my wish list.

I received the shampoo and conditioner for Christmas (yippee!!) and I was excited to try it! I have been using it since the beginning of January and so far I absolutely love it! The shampoo is rich and nourishing and reminds me of Pureology’s NanoWorks shampoo, which I used to buy until I learned they were owned by L’Oreal (who tests on animals – so even though Pureology products themselves are vegan I don’t buy them since the $$ would go to L’Oreal). The SuperRich Moisture Shampoo lathers up well and just a little goes a long way! I have tons of  thick, coarse, dry and damaged hair and a quarter-sized amount is more than necessary even for me! The smell of the shampoo is kind of bland, but I don’t mind since the smell of the conditioner more than makes up for it (more on that later). My hair feels so much plumper and more moisturized after using the SuperRich Moisture Shampoo!

The conditioner also works wonders…instead of it being overly thick and heavy, it actually feels silky and luxurious…plus my scalp tingles pleasantly from the peppermint it contains! After leaving it on a few minutes in the shower my hair feels more manageable and smooth, plus I love how it leaves my hair smelling like candy canes!

More added bonuses:

This product really does help retain my red hair color (one of the toughest colors to maintain) and I find I haven’t had to dye it as much since I started using ColorProof products. Plus, all of ColorProof’s products are:

• Sulfate-free
• Salt-free
• Gluten-free
• Paraben-free
• Phthalate-free
• PABA-free
• Carcinogen-free
• MEA & DEA-free
• Biodegradable formulas
• Recyclable packaging wherever possible
• 100% vegan
• Never tested on animals
• Keratin-free

The price might be a little expensive to some, but I think it is well worth it! Each 10.1 oz bottle of shampoo runs around $25 on Amazon.com and the price is about the same for conditioner. However, it does last a long time (I've only used about ½ a bottle in 4 weeks…I estimate I’ll have to buy it every 1 ½ to 2 months) and it just leaves my hair looking/feeling gorgeous!

If you are looking for a high-quality shampoo and conditioner that improves your hair’s appearance, doesn't have a lot of nasty ingredients in it and preserves your hair color, I would highly recommend checking out ColorProof!

I am so impressed by their SuperRich Moisture system that I look forward to trying their other products!

Beauty Review: Naturtint Permanent Hair Color

I have been dying my hair for years and years…ever since I started using that awful Sun-In and lemon juice on my hair back in high school. Except that after high school I didn't want my naturally strawberry hair lighter, I wanted it darker. So all through college and beyond I dyed it progressively darker and darker until one summer (a year or two after I got out of college) I finally dyed it black. I love love love my hair black and dyed it that way for YEARS, but this past summer I decided I needed to make the transition back to a red and had it bleached. Before then I had used Wella hair dye (the kind you buy at a salon and mix with developer yourself) for years…and it was decidedly NOT vegan. Hair dye has been one of the hardest products for me to “veganize” and is pretty much the only product that I knowingly (and begrudgingly) used even though it wasn't vegan.

However, after getting my hair bleached, I decided that I could not continue using non-vegan hair dye. I just felt too guilty and awful about using products with animal-derived ingredients in them so, I went on a quest to find a vegan hair dye.

Originally, I wanted to use Manic Panic, which is completely vegan and cruelty-free. I dream of having purple or blue hair, alas my jobby job frowns upon “unnaturally” colored hair. I thought I would be able to get away with using one of their reds, but after looking at photos online I just felt that it might turn out too “unnatural” for me to get away with at work. So that was sadly out the window.

I also thought about trying henna, but after talking to a friend that had used it I decided I was just too lazy to go through the whole process. And I didn't really want to deal with the stinkiness or mess.

My roots were growing out and I knew I had to find something fast, so after a little researching online I came across Naturtint. Various online sources list this as “vegan-friendly”, but I couldn't find any definitive information from the company’s website as to whether the dye is 100% vegan. I decided to give it a go since it was the closest I could find to vegan-friendly dye.

Naturtint uses vegetable-based ingredients and is ammonia-free. It isn't completely free of chemicals, but much better than standard hair dye.

I've used Naturtint several times now and am amazed by this hair dye! First off, it doesn't reek like other dyes, but has a very subtle scent. It comes in a box with everything you will need for mixing and applying the dye – developer, dye, applicator bottle, gloves, plus shampoo and conditioner. The instructions are easy to follow and similar to most other box hair dyes.

I choose reds that were similar to my own hair color (I've used both 9R Fire Red [what I'm using now] and 7C Terracotta Blonde) and am happy to report that the color is vibrant and lasts quite a while (I use color-safe vegan shampoo and conditioner [currently Desert Essence Italian Red Grape], which helps prolong the color).

The dye also helps improve the texture of my hair and makes it so silky! In all my days of using hair dye, this is the only dye I've ever used that actually makes my hair smooth! In the past regular old dyes have left my hair stinky and damaged, but Naturtint leaves it feeling so healthy!

I’m pretty happy to have found a hair dye that is permanent, vegetable-based, eco-friendly, easy to apply and leaves my hair healthy. And at long last I will actually be using a brand that is vegan-friendly (and I’m hoping is 100% vegan, though I have not been able to verify this).

The only downside is that it is more expensive than regular hair dye…a box is around $18 at my local health food store, but it can be found online for cheaper. I will say that despite the steep price I can usually just buy one box and that will suffice for one application. When I used to buy regular old box dyes they were $10 a pop, but I would have to buy two to ensure they covered all my hair (I have thick, coarse hair and it takes a lotta dye to cover it all). So really I am definitely getting bang for my buck with Naturtint.

If you are looking for a healthier dye, I would definitely recommend Naturtint! You can find it at Whole Foods, at your local health food store or online.