Bunny Lovin’ Beauty

Namaste,

I have decided that I am going to be uploading every two weeks from now on. I would like the extra time to put out the most smashing and inspiring blog posts, which takes more time than I had initially anticipated. You know- quality over quantity and all that.

Today, we are talking beauty!

I am an absolute avid cosmetic and makeup collector (and hoarder), the more I see the more I need. Following beauty gurus on Instagram and Youtube certainly doesn’t help with the addiction.

To my advantage (or disadvantage-sorry purse!) the choices of cruelty free companies have exploded as people have started to become a lot more conscious about the process which goes on behind the makeup/ cosmetic production.

I personally don’t agree with the whole PETA-esque approach of  guilting readers into purchasing cruelty free products through graphic and grotesque imagery of animals in laboratories. My approach is to show you the myriad of options, to show you that it is possible to have clear and glowing skin, soft and shiny locks, popping cheekbones, on fleek brows and all the like, whilst still maintaining a cruelty free lifestyle.

From time to time, I will be uploading a few of my favourite products. These are well used and loved products which means that I can truly provide you with an honest review!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of these products or if you have any cruelty free holy grails that you can recommend.

Without further ado, let’s get to it!

 

My Cruelty Free Favourites

 

Perfume

Diptyque Eu Duelle Eau de Toilette

For me, perfumes were one of the hardest things to let go of when I decided to switch to using only cruelty free products.

When walking through department stores or duty free at the airport; the floral, spicy, woody scents envelop me into a cloud which almost has the hypnotic power to convince me to forget about my cruelty free ways and just buy that sexy smelling nectar.

Luckily, there are more and more cruelty free options which are making this whole scent scenario a whole lot easier for me.

Diptyque is a Parisian perfumer specialising in luxury home fragrances, candles and body care. They have a wide collection of scents to suit different tastes, but for me, Eau Duelle was by far the most complex. Woody, spicy, sexy and sweet all at the same time.

Diptyque describes Eu Duelle as a perfume full of contrast. An intriguing infusion of idle Bourbon vanilla, awakened by the woody, animalistic scent of rockrose and ambroxan.

I always get compliments on this one. I’ve even been told that it smells like sexy Creme Soda 😉

Who needs a green ambulance now?

$90.00 50 ml
$130.00 100ml

(Available at Luminance, Hyde Park)

 

Hair Care

Davines NouNou Hair Mask

Davines, as a brand, is one that I really admire. Not only are all their products cruelty free (including their in-salon colour), they practice and preach sustainable beauty. For them, sustainability deals with the responsibility they owe to themselves, the people with which they work, their customers, and the world in which they live and operate.

The best part, their products are top notch, world class, amazingness.

I have to say, a product which really shows results consistently, is the NouNou Hair Mask. A nourishing repair mask for highly processed and brittle hair.

I have been bleaching my hair for many years now and heat style it every other day. My hair cries for some TLC and NouNou does just the job.

Although it is a mask, I use it as my daily conditioner. As I rinse this out, my hair already feels like butter. The results just get better as my hair begins to dry. It leaves me with soft, shiny, manageable and smooth locks!

R395/ $34

(Available at all Carlton Hair Salons)

 

 

Skin Care

The Body Shop Oils of Life Facial Oil

Although The Body Shop is owned by L’oreal which is renowned for its animal testing, The Body Shop has always stuck to its ethics in this regard. Most of their ingredients are fare trade and are focused on enriching our planet, enriching their products and enriching the people behind the products. You can only feel proud when making a purchase there.

(Ps: they are running a petition against animal testing in store, next time you pop past, sign your name.)

People are often afraid of including oil in their facial care regimen with the concern that it will make oily skin oilier and therefore cause acne or pimples. This is actually a myth, if you nourish your skin with high quality oils, your sebaceous glands will be less likely to secrete additional oils!

My skin is particularly dry, especially over the winter months. I apply this oil at night after toning and before moisturising. It feels luxurious and is extremely nourishing without causing breakouts.

R290

(Available at The Body Shop stores and selected Clicks nationwide)

 

Makeup

Cover Fx Custom Enhancer Drops in Rose Gold

Two of my favourite things: a popping highlight and rose gold.

The Cover Fx Custom Enhancer Drops give me both. SOLD.

These drops are customisable, which means they can be used in various ways to give you the desired look you are after. You can mix them into your foundation to give you a sun kissed glow or apply it to the high points of your face for a more buildable highlight. I find that the best way to apply it is by blending it with a damp Beauty Blender sponge. You are left with a rose gold, liquid metalic finish which somehow looks natural. Magic? I think so.

$42 at Sephora. Also available at musebeauty.co.za for R890

 

Korres Lip Butter in Pomegranate

Korres is another clean and natural brand which means great joy along with your purchase of their products.  Their philosophy is to develop products which are friendly to the skin but also to the environment.

This lip butter is dual purpose. A mixture of shea butter and rice wax offers deep hydration while providing colour and shine. The perfect handbag product!

A quick tip, if you are really in a pinch, you can even use this as a blush!

$12

(Available from Sephora and Korres online)

 

Tarte Tartelette in Bloom Palette 

If I wasn’t such a makeup hoarder, this would be all the eyshadow I would ever need.

This is the perfect neutral palette with both shimmers and mattes. The lighter shades make this the perfect everyday palette while the darker colours means that you can jazz up your eyeshadow for evening looks.

The pigmentation is out of this world, a tap of your brush into the pan gives great colour pay off. These shadows have a buttery texture and blend like a dream.

$46

(Available at Sephora and musebeauty.co.za for R950)

 

Body Care

 

Petal Fresh Body Butter in Guava Nectar

To be honest, I had never heard of Petal Fresh before. I came across this body butter while doing some shopping at the health food store and was drawn to it by its yummy sounding scent. Once I saw the leaping bunny logo (the logo indicating that the product is cruelty free), straight into my basket she went!

I am so glad that this made its way into my bathroom cabinet because it is just as yummy as it sounds. Not only does one smell like an ice lolly after application, but this stuff is seriously moisturising!

I suffer from eczema and incredibly dry skin and I found this stuff to be sufficiently moisturising, even during the winter months and mild enough as not to agitate my sensitive skin.

 

R160 

(Available at Jackson’s Food Market, Bryanston)

 

Molton Brown Delicious Rhubarb and Rose Body Lotion

I don’t have to tell you how much I love this one, it’s pretty clear in the image!

Molton Brown is one that always catches me. Their products always look so luxurious and their scents are nothing short of exotic.

I am usually not a fan of rose scents but the rose gold pump with the pink bow immediately caught my eye.

The rhubarb mixture freshens up the rose scent and eliminates that “granny-ish soap at the basin” smell.

This scent is simultaneously zingy and sweet and while admittedly being a hefty purchase, it truly is a slathering of luxury.

Not to mention how pretty it looks on your dressing table!

 

R450/ $33

(Available at Molton Brown online)

 

I hope you enjoyed my selection of cruelty free favourites. I am constantly trying out new products and once I am confident that I love them, I will be sure to share them with you!

 

Until next time,

Shari

 

All pictures taken by the amazing Ricky Want 🙂 @picture_rick

Do the Hokè Pokè (Bowl).

 

 

Namaste,

I hope that you all gave last week’s blog post, Feminice or Feminazi a read and somehow internalised the writing into a cognisance of sorts. Have you noticed how gender roles are so rigid? How we are so conditioned into these roles that they don’t seem to be anything but natural?

Gender discourse, specifically of a feminist nature, is always controversial. Last week’s blog post did cause slight dissension but that makes me realise that this is why many of these issues exist to begin with. We are all entitled to our own opinions, our own degree of consciousness and as such; our presence within the world and what we would like to do with it, will differ. While this makes us all unique, unfortunately, it means issues like discrimination, bigotry and prejudice, and their subsequent controversy are inevitable.

The purpose of this blog is for me to project my hopes onto some kind of platform. My hope is to promote an ethical, clean, responsible and sustainable way of being. A conscious culture.

With that being said, I hope for this post to be of a lighter nature. Less about the disputation and more about the delish.

I by no means fancy myself as a chef, but that is the beauty of the recipe below. If I can make it, you can make it!

This vegan pokè bowl packs flavour and protein and is guilt free in more ways than one:

• No animals were harmed in the making of this meal.
• It is actually healthy!

 

 

Let’s Begin!

Ingredients:

• 1 Block of tofu (Must be extra firm as you want your tofu to be crispy)
• Cucumber
• Avocado
• Carrots
• Roasted seaweed (I used the wasabi flavoured but whichever you prefer).
• Brown rice (This can be substituted for any grain, like quinoa, or if you would like a carb free meal, just add extra veg!)
• Frozen edamame
• Sesame seeds (I used a mixture of black and white but either will do)Spring onion
• Pickled ginger
• Soy sauce (Tamari if gluten free)
• Sesame oil
• Maple syrup
• Agave
• Sriracha
• Dry white wine
• Rice vinegar
• Tomato Paste

 

Method

If you would like to add a carbohydrate to your pokè bowl, begin by boiling your grain of choice.

Then, slice your tofu into small cubes (I sliced my block of tofu into 4×3 pieces)

Heat two tablespoons of sesame oil in a pan over medium to high heat. Once the oil begins to “crackle” place your tofu into the pan.

You want the tofu to become golden, which means cooking for about 5 minutes on each side. In the meantime, make the sauce which will pack the punch (vegan protein makes you strong too!)

 

Mix:

• 2 tablespoons of soya sauce
• 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons of dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon of tomato paste
• 5 tablespoons of Sriracha (less if you don’t enjoy spicy food)
• 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar

 

While your tofu is going for gold, begin to chop your vegetables. Think small and neat! Set aside.

 

Once the tofu is brown on both sides, add your sauce to the pan.

 

 

Eventually, the sauce will reduce to a sticky consistency and you will be left with a sweet and sticky crispy tofu!

Set aside and steam your edamame (I bought mine still in the shell.)

I didn’t have a steamer, so I used a nifty trick and placed the edamame in a sieve and balanced it over a pot of boiling water.

 

While your edamame are steaming, place about a tablespoon of sesame seeds in a dry pan (1 tablespoon per bowl, so increase if you are making more than one.) Shake the pan every 30 seconds or so until the seeds begin to toast, they will begin to go a little golden. This takes about 3 minutes on low heat.

 

In between, you can begin with your easy dressing which will be drizzled over the final product:

• 2 tablespoons of soya sauce
• 1 tablespoon of Sriracha (again, less if you prefer less spicy)
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
• 2 teaspoon of agave nectar

You are now ready to prepare your pokè bowl, this is the fun part! Put your creative side to good use to add a whole new dimension of eating mindfully.

I like to place my ingredients in their own separate sections around the bowl. Your grain can be your base with your vegetables, edamame and crispy tofu arranged in segments above it.

Then, sprinkle your toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onion on top, tear the roasted seaweed into rough squares and sprinkle like glitter!

Add some pickled ginger as a garnish for freshness.

Lastly, drizzle your dressing over your pokè bowl.

Photograph, Instagram and enjoy!

 

 

If food makes you as happy as it makes me, you are in for elation!

Until next time,

Shari

Photo credit goes to the amazing Ricky Want @wantricky