Beauty Review: Pacifica Perfumes New Eyeshadow Palette and Lip Tint Makeup

My Pacifica haul from Target

Did you know that Target now carries Pacifica products, including their new makeup items? I have adored Pacifica's perfumes for a long time (check out my review), so I was very excited to try their makeup, which, like their other products, is vegan and cruelty-free!

I picked up their mineral-based Enlightening Eye Brightening Shadow Palette, which on their website is described as:

An incredibly innovative formula that pushes mineral makeup color to new bounds. Rich, lasting, creaseless eye shadows are infused with coconut water for a velvety, cream-like finish. These four highly pigmented mineral satin makeup and iridescent shades are specially curated are designed to brighten the eyes and make you look gorgeous and awake. (Even when you did not get a good night's sleep!) 

The palette contains four jewel-toned colors (descriptions are from the Pacifica website):

• Urchin - An iridescent jeweled purple with gold tones. Use dry as a shadow, wet as a liner. Perfect for smudging and a great substitute for black.
• Golden - A perfect gold with just the right amount of shimmer. Use on the lids or line the eyes.
• Coral Sand - A satin lid base or highlighter. 
• Skinny Dip - Matte nude base, a universal brightener. Perfect for using on the inner eye to add brightness.

I really loved the subtle shimmer of each color and the versatility of the palette. The colors can be used for an everyday look or dramatized for nighttime. The colors are gorgeous and really do give your eyes that extra pop! I also like that the colors can pretty much be worn any season. 

The consistency of the eyeshadow is silky and easily applies to eyelids. I used a primer (ELF brand, in case you are wondering) before applying the shadow and the eyeshadow held up very well, both in daytime and nighttime wear. My eyelids tend to get pretty oily, so it is quite important that eyeshadows "stick" and not run all over the place on me. Luckily, these Pacifica shadows passed the test!

On eyes: Urchin, Golden and Skinny Dip

On lips: Guava Berry

I also picked up two colors of their Color Quench Lip Tint, one in Sugared Fig and the other in Guava Berry. These lip tints are also mineral based and contain coconut oil for moisturizing. The description for the lip tints from the Pacifica site is as follows:

Give your lips the love they deserve! Color Quench lip tints packs major moisture, nourishing naturals and gorgeous, sheer color into one perfectly portable, 100% recyclable tube. Essential fatty acids from rich and amazing avocado and coconut oils leave lips luscious and healthy. Natural flavor and 5 perfect shades produce the prettiest, most kissable mouth ever. 100% vegan and gluten free. Your lips will love you back!

I liked both lip tints, but both are very, very sheer and don't provide much color. I love the natural look they gave me, though, with just the perfect amount of shimmer! My only complaint about the lip tints is that I didn't care much for their taste/smell. It just didn't taste/smell appetizing to me. However, I do want to pick up some other colors since I love the subtle look these lip tints gave me!

Pacifica also has other new eyeshadow palettes (including the Mystical palette I'm dying to try), as well as mascara and eye lining gel I'm excited about! I hope Target starts carrying these new(er) products soon!

To note, Target also carries many of Pacifica's other products, including lotions and perfumes (including my fave, the Indian Coconut Nectar lotion, which you can see in the pic above).

You can also purchase Pacifica products online at their website, at Sephora, or in other select stores.

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!

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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! 

Halloween Comes Early this Summer with Los Angeles' ScareLA Convention

Whoa, the coolest news ever was announced recently...in August, LA will host its first ever Halloween convention! It is being organized by the cool cats over at CreepyLA and promises lots of Halloween and horror themed panels, booths, speakers, workshops, screenings, and so on!

Here is a little bit of what to expect, courtesy of ScareLA's site:

ScareLA premieres on August 10 & 11, 2013 as the first Los Angeles convention dedicated to celebrating Halloween. Situated in the entertainment capital of the world it will combine the city’s top talent and unique cultural setting with a twist! Drawing fans and haunt entertainment professionals, the event will feature top attraction designers and operators, manufacturers, artists, filmmakers and more. The weekend-long Halloween season teaser will celebrate California’s hottest scary faire with attraction unveils, workshops and classes, top industry panels, haunt tours, screenings and activities. Share, inspire, play – ScareLA.

Sounds pretty awesome, right?!

Tickets are set to go on sale this month...I can't wait to buy mine!!

Read more on ScareLA's website!

Vegan Soft Serve at the Veggie Grill in Laguna Niguel, CA

Vegan soft serve from Veggie Grill in Laguna Niguel!

Veggie Grill recently opened its newest location in Laguna Niguel, California and to the delight of Orange County foodies is using this location to try out vegan soft serve ice cream! I recently visited this Veggie Grill location to try their soft serve and can I just say...OMG it was UNBELIEVABLY DECADENT & DELICIOUS!

First off, this Veggie Grill is so nicely decorated and quite spacious! It looks very chic and I really like how they decorated this one. There are plenty of tables both inside and outside and it has a very welcoming feel to it. Mister Spooky and I went there on a Monday night and the place wasn't too crowded, but it started getting pretty busy with local families coming in around 7ish.

Veggie Grill in Laguna Niguel interior - 

not pictured are the roomy booths along the wall

Now, I didn't see the vegan soft serve listed on the menu, but it is the first thing I asked about! I've heard that there have been some instances of their soft serve machine breaking down or the restaurant not having soft serve available for whatever reason, so I wanted to make sure they had it before ordering. They assured me it was available, though. I went ahead and ordered my meal (I got the vegan "crab" cake, which was delicious BTW) and the soft serve. They give you a little sign for your table so they can bring you your soft serve once you've finished your meal.

Veggie Grill in Laguna Niguel interior - love the ambiance!

I ordered the soft serve with all the toppings (Newman-O's cookie crumbles, chocolate sauce and nuts) and got the "swirl" - both chocolate and vanilla mixed. You can get either flavor or the two mixed together and whatever toppings (or no toppings) you want! As you can see, I went all in and got everything possible on it!

The soft serve was absolutely amazing...to me it tasted like a Wendy's Frosty (which I used to love in my pre-vegan days), but so much better and more flavorful and rich! It didn't taste like regular ice cream (and it shouldn't), but an entirely new and delicious concoction! I've never tasted its equivalent! Mister Spooky loved it as well, and he usually isn't a sweets type of guy and he isn't even vegan! I had to fight him for the last couple of bites, haha!

The soft serve is made by Chicago Vegan Foods (fine purveyors of Dandies vegan marshmallows and Teese vegan cheese) and I really hope more restaurants pick up this amazing vegan product! It is so amazing I want more people to be able to experience it to see how delicious a cruelty-free lifestyle can be! Lucky for us, Veggie Grill plans to expand this soft serve to their other restaurants providing it does well at this test location. Considering how amazing it was, I don't see how it can fail!

I can't wait to go back to this location JUST for more soft serve! I encourage you to visit this location as well and let the Veggie Grill know how much you love this product!

Restaurant Review: Vegan Pizza in Garden Grove, CA

Philly Cheez Steak Pizza from Vegan Pizza

Did you know that the first ever all-vegan pizza joint has opened in Orange County? Sure, lots of places make an awesome vegan pizza (mmmmm, like Zpizza's Berkeley Vegan pizza), but the new Vegan Pizza in Garden Grove is different in that ALL menu items are vegan and they have lots of vegan fast food items other than pizza. We are talking pizzas, corn dogs, Buffalo wings, chili cheese fries, pastas and a variety of desserts! Woo hoo!

They opened a few months ago and I was finally able to go there last week to try some of their menu items. They are located in a strip mall off of Chapman Avenue in Garden Grove and while their surroundings might be humble, their vegan food definitely earns them some bragging rights!

The first thing I noticed on the menu was a vegan corn dog, which I just HAD to order! Their veggie dog is dipped in scrumptious batter and deep fried to crispy perfection. I can't remember the last time I had a corn dog, but I remember basically living off of them in my pre-vegan days of college. This cruelty-free version tasted just like how I remember them tasting, but better! The golden, crispy batter that enveloped the veggie dog was just to die for!

Vegan Chili Cheez French Fries and 

Vegan Corn Dog at Vegan Pizza

I also ordered the Chili Cheez French Fries and was surprised how big the portion size was! These fries were piled high with refried beans (not your traditional chili), vegan cheese, jalapenos, onions, sauce and olives. They were tasty but could have used a bit more sauce and/or beans.

Mister Spooky ordered the vegan Philly Cheez Steak pizza (pic above), which was really good as well (yes, I snagged a few slices). The crust was cooked just right - crispy and chewy. They were also generous with their toppings of bell peppers, onions and vegan cheese (pretty sure they used Daiya), though it could have used a bit more "steak". Still, it was definitely a tasty pizza pie and I can't wait to go back and try their other variations (like Greek, Mediterranean, Indian, Meat Lovers, etc.).

I got one of their vegan pastry puffs as a dessert, but it was more of a turnover rather than a pastry puff. It was good, but I wasn't blown away by it. Next time I'd like to try their chocolate cake!

They have a ton of other options, like pasta, sandwiches, salads and lots of sides...I can't wait to go back and try them all!

Vegan Pizza in Garden Grove...just look for their cute 

SmartCar parked out front!

I also liked the service and the owners were really sweet and friendly! It felt very welcoming and they greeted you like family! They have several tables for eating in, or you can take your food to go. It's not fancy, but it is clean and inviting, perfect for grabbing some vegan comfort food!

I will definitely go back and if you are in Orange County I highly recommend checking out Vegan Pizza!

You can check out their menu and get more info on their website.

A Visit to The Gentle Barn Animal Sanctuary

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to visit The Gentle Barn, an animal rescue and sanctuary in Santa Clarita, California. The Gentle Barn was founded in 1999 by Ellie Laks as a place to rescue, rehabilitate and provide sanctuary for animals. The 6-acre Santa Clarita location has been open since 2003 and currently provides a safe haven for more than 170 animals! Besides saving animals, The Gentle Barn also provides rehabilitation to children and adults from the inner-city, group homes, mental health care facilities, foster homes, and schools by giving them an appreciation for all life through interaction with the animals.

 Vegan Bake Sale was a huge success and raised more 

than $1,300 for The Gentle Barn!

I wanted to show my support for all the wonderful things The Gentle Barn does, so I went last Sunday since they were having a vegan bake sale to raise money for the sanctuary! All proceeds of the bake sale were going directly to The Gentle Barn - vegan sweets for a good cause?! How could I not go?!

Petting Faith the cow!

This was my first time going to The Gentle Barn, and it was a very special experience! I got to hug cows, brush pigs, feed horses, scratch goats, and spend time with chickens, a peacock, turkeys, sheep and all the other animals! Founder Ellie gave a touching talk about starting the sanctuary and everything they do for animals.

One of the Barn's beautiful rescued horses

Her talk was really heartfelt and she spoke how all animals feel and experience emotions just like humans. Just because we have different bodies, we are still all same on the inside and feel pain, joy and sorrow no matter what species we are. I am sure her talk inspired others to respect animals and truly love them by not eating them. Ellie even recommended a vegan diet and provided hand-outs to people who wanted to learn more about a cruelty-free diet.

Jewel, the Barn's resident peacock!

Of course, I enjoyed the vegan bake sale and got to try some yummy treats! I also got to meet fellow vegans that I had only known through Facebook or Instagram! It was so cool to connect with people who shared the same values and beliefs as I did!

 Giving Linus the pig a nice brushing!

Above all, though, the most special part of the trip was being able to see animals happy and seeing people being able to connect with the animals. I'm hopeful that many made the connection that these loving creatures don't belong confined in a factory farm or on a plate, but free to live their lives in sanctuaries like The Gentle Barn. 

Brave Heart was such a sweetheart! He loved getting

scratched behind his ears 

The trip to The Gentle Barn was really amazing...it really made me re-connect with the reason I went vegan in the first place - the animals! It was so great to see all the different animals with their different personalities and to see them so happy! And eating some vegan treats was an added bonus!

A vegan candy apple from the bake sale! 

It was soooooo good!

I highly recommend everyone, vegan or not, visit an animal sanctuary like The Gentle Barn. It is a wonderful experience to connect with other sentient beings and show them they love they deserve. 

To learn more about The Gentle Barn, please visit their website. 

Recipe: Cold-Brew Coffee from My Italian Mama

The Spooky Vegan's Cold-Brew Coffee

I've been brewing my own iced coffee for years and I like to bring my own 20 oz iced black coffee with me wherever I go in case I need an extra jolt of energy. I usually make my iced coffee from coffee I have brewed in my coffee maker the night before...I let it cool overnight, then pour some into my cup with ice cubes for the day and stick the leftovers in the fridge for use the next day.

I've noticed that my coffee has been a bit bitter lately (even after regular cleanings with vinegar of my coffee maker and trying a new coffee), so instead of chucking out my old coffee maker and buying a new one, I decided to try something that my mom has been doing a long time...cold-brewing coffee! I come from a long-line of Italians that love their strong espressos and dark, rich roasts, so I knew I could trust my mom for advice on cold-brewing coffee (without any fancy equipment). Plus, I had tasted her amazingly strong concoction on visits home, so I knew it was going to be good!

My mom recommends using 1 cup of coffee for every 2 cups of filtered water. The smallest batch you want to make will be 2 cups ground coffee to 4 cups water, which will yield approximately 4 cups. You can use any kind of ground coffee you like - my mom prefers the Kirkland brand coffee at Costco (the kind you can get in a big tub). I like using Starbucks' Caffe Verona or one of their other dark roasts. You can even use the cheapest coffee you can find and it will still be tasty!

Use a big glass pitcher or metal pot (please don't use plastic or a groddy plasticky flavor will ruin your brew, not to mention all the nasty chemicals that will seep into it!) and mix the ground coffee and filtered water (should be room-temperature, but it's okay if it is cold, too). Give the grounds and water a few good stirs, then cover and leave on the counter at room temperature for 24 hours.

Once the 24 hours is up, strain the coffee sludge out of your cold-brewed, concentrated coffee. To do this you'll need to use a fine sieve (I use this one). Put a coffee filter in the sieve and place over a small pot or bowl. Pour your cold-brew a little at a time (take it slow and steady!) through the filter/sieve. The coffee will be thick and sludgy, so take your time and change out the coffee filter if it gets clogged (I always have to do this a few times since the sludge has a tendency to clog the filter/sieve).

After you are done filtering, pour your cold-brew coffee into a carafe and chill! Or enjoy right then and there with some ice in a glass. This will make some really potent iced coffee (this is essentially coffee concentrate!), so if it is too strong, you can always dilute it with some water. It is common to dilute the coffee with a one-third coffee concentrate, two-thirds water). For a stronger cup of coffee, use a one-to-one ratio or don't dilute at all! You can also add some almond, coconut or your favorite non-dairy milk/creamer if you prefer.

The cold-brew method yields an extremely smooth, flavorful coffee that is perfect for making iced coffee. I don't think I'll ever go back to using my coffee machine after trying the cold-brew method! Remember to listen to your mothers, cuz Mom is always right!

Thanks for the wonderful recipe, Mom! Love you!

Beauty Review: Root Beauty Skin Care

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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!

The Most Effective Way to Go Green on Earth Day (and Everyday)

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Happy Earth Day 2013!

Since everyone’s focus today is on making the world a better place by going green, I wanted to bring to your attention the single easiest and most effective thing YOU can do to save our planet – adopt a mostly plant-based diet or go entirely vegan! It is easy, simple and not only helps the environment, but will also improve your health. Choosing a plant-based vegan diet (or at least reducing your reliance on animal products) is certainly the most “green” thing you can do not just on Earth Day but everyday!

Even if you simply decrease your consumption of animal products (say, minimizing your dairy, egg and meat intake) you can do a lot to help the Earth and yourself! Truth be told, raising animals for food is polluting our lands, our water and our air, not to mention our bodies. Factory farming is the leading culprit of gas emissions, which contribute in large part to global warming and climate change. The chemicals that factory farms emit are a public health hazard and get into both the air and water. Not to mention that the actual animals who are slaughtered are pumped full of hormones and antibiotics that people end up ingesting. And take a moment to think about all the living, sentient animals that are slaughtered just because people like the taste or tradition of eating meat/diary/eggs. These poor animals are needlessly exploited all their short lives and the abuse they suffer is shocking. I could go on at great length about this, but if you’d like to read more about any of these issues all that is needed is a simple Google search to discover the truth.

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This can all be changed if people opened their eyes, accepted some responsibility in caring for the Earth, lived more compassionately and took action to save the planet and their health! All that is needed to start are simple dietary changes that will result in helping solve environmental, ethical and health issues.

If you think eating a plant-based diet is too drastic, difficult or just too different, you can always start small. Small is always better than nothing at all! A few ways to do this would be to participate in Meatless Mondays or cut out a few animal products from your diet at a time. Also, there are so many plant-based alternatives out there that easily replace milk, cheese and other animal products. Most grocery stores carry plenty of vegan products as well…once you start on your plant-based diet you’ll be surprised how many products are “accidentally vegan”. I promise you, it isn’t hard and you’ll be on the road to a plant-based way of life in no time! Even if that isn’t your aim, reducing intake of animal ingredients will help a lot – you’ll feel better and will also be helping the Earth.

If you decide to go on this journey, your eyes will definitely be opened to a better and healthier way of living, both for the Earth and for yourself!

Today also kicks off US Veg Week – pledge to go veg this week and you’ll receive free recipes!

You can also find tons of vegan recipes, advice, etc. with a simple online search. There are countless online vegan communities, blogs, forums as well as films, documentaries, books, etc. on the benefits of going vegan.

I can also answer any questions you might have about adopting a plant-based diet, so feel free to leave any questions/comments/concerns below! I would be happy to send you recommendations for sites, films, books, etc.

Happy Earth Day and I sincerely hope you consider adopting a plant-based diet for the planet’s health as well as your own!

Film Review: The Lords of Salem (2013)

Believe it or not, The Lords of Salem was a movie I was eagerly anticipating. I know that this film has either been under the radar or just plain dismissed by many people, but I was honestly looking forward to it ever since I saw the leaked footage of a teaser shown at a Rob Zombie concert. It’s not that I am a big Zombie fan; sure, I dig most of his music but his films are a different story and the only one I truly enjoyed was The Devil’s Rejects. The Lords of Salem felt different than his other film projects, though. The Lords somehow seemed special and I gleefully anticipating its release.

It finally saw a limited release in theaters this weekend, and luckily it was playing at a theater near me. I had heard mixed things about the film (pretty much either “I loved it!” or “I hated it!”) going into it, but I stayed away from reading any reviews and tried to go in with an open mind. I knew it was going to be different than his other films, heavy on visuals and light on story.

The story is about a Salem, Massachusetts DJ named Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie) who receives a vinyl record from “The Lords”, which contains one ominous-sounding song. The song seems to be mysteriously linked to “the lords of Salem”, a coven of witches who worshiped Satan and were burned at the stake in the Salem Witch Trials. Heidi soon starts having strange visions of the witches…have the lords returned for revenge or is Heidi slipping into madness?

What lurks in apartment #5?

Well, I can say that I wasn't disappointed in the film and that The Lords of Salem may be my favorite Rob Zombie film to date! I know many people might not enjoy it as much as I did – it has a sparse narrative and instead relies heavily on nightmarish visuals with shocking iconography (plus some awesome sound design and music). Sure, there are some moments that are a bit too over the top (like the sequence at the end that felt a bit too much like a shock-rock music video trying its hardest to blaspheme everything), but for the most part it was a real dark pleasure.

Its visuals reminded me a lot of the older Satanic worshiper/witch films, like the disturbing The Devils from 1971, but its structure also reminded me of the Italian horror films from the ‘70s/’80s. I adore those movies, but they rely solely on an emotional gut reaction rather than be founded on rationale. Lords of Salem is a lot like that, featuring stunning visuals and eliciting an emotional response of dread rather that focus only on a linear storyline. It felt looser, freer and definitely more dangerous not knowing exactly what was real and what wasn't in the film! God, and some of the visuals will haunt me for days!

The feelings of unease and dread were helped immensely by the genius sound design and soundtrack. The music was done by none other than John 5 (best known for his guitar work in Marilyn Mason). The song Heidi hears by the Lords is a simple but discordant piece of music that managed to raise goosebumps on my arms every time I heard it in the film – and it is played again and again. It is so deliciously dark and ominous – I loved every note of it!

Patricia Quinn, Dee Wallace and Judy Geeson

I also enjoyed the performances in the film. Sheri Moon Zombie, whose performances can sometimes grate on my nerves, played the strong but lost Heidi perfectly. I sympathized with her and really felt like I was there experiencing hell with her. The other actors really shined as well, especially Judy Geeson who played Heidi’s overly concerned landlord and her two sisters, played by Patricia Quinn (Magenta from Rocky Horror Picture Show!) and Dee Wallace (who needs no introduction if you’re a horror fan). Ken Foree and Jeffrey Daniel Phillips are also excellent as Heidi’s fellow DJ’s.

The performances were awesome, but another thing I appreciated were that all the effects in the movie were practical – no CGI or any other digital nonsense, just plain creepy creatures and nightmarish visages that truly looked like they had crawled from the pits of hell. And if I had witnessed some of those monsters in real life, you bet your bottom dollar I would go insane…and that’s if I was lucky! Some truly demented creatures were spawned from Rob Zombie’s nightmares and put into this movie, let me tell ya!

The Lords of Salem is not your typical horror movie. Most people won’t even like its hallucinogenic feel, but I for one adored this crazy concoction of witches, Satanism, creepy creatures, curses and one lone rocker trying to make sense of some astoundingly eerie visuals. It was recently announced that this may be Rob Zombie’s last horror film, and though this is sad considering the potential he showed in this movie, I also think that if this is Zombie’s last horror film at least he’ll go out with a bang!

Rob Zombie also wrote a Lords of Salem book, which I am very excited to read as it goes into much more detail than the movie!

The Lords of Salem DVD on Amazon (pre-order)

The Lords of Salem book on Amazon

The Lords of Salem soundtrack on Amazon