Top 5 Cruelty Free Body Scrubs

Cruelty Free Living 27 Feb

Who doesn’t love a Cruelty Free Body Scrub? Nobody that’s who. I love the fact that today’s post is all about body scrubs and has nothing to do with washing a dog! Not that I don’t loooove washing Soda. Who doesn’t enjoy spending half their Saturday covered in suds and dog hair?

Today is all about those lotions and potions that leaving you scrub-a-dub fresh and smelling sweet. Here are my top 5 picks for the best Cruelty Free Body Scrubs out on the market today…

1. Say Yes to Grapefruit Exfoliating Body Wash
A newbie on the market but a goodie. The reason this baby sits atop of my list? This scrumptious smelling scrub retails for $9.99. That’s right this gem with have your skin smoother and more toned for less than $10 – with no animals harmed in the process. Affordable and amazing. CLICK TO BUY

2. Lush Buffy Bar
I bought this little guy about 3 months ago and I have fallen head over heels. Lush is know for their top notch cruelty free products but this one takes the cake. Ground rice, almonds and beans exfoliate you perfectly (it’s a surprisingly heavy duty scrub) but afterwards you’re magically moisturised – seriously smooth as a baby’s bot-bot! They tell me it’s the shea butters and cocoa that does the trick. Buffy – I heart you.
CLICK TO BUY

3. Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Scrub
For those who are after something a little gentler, Aesop’s Geranium Leaf Body Scrub is for you. The refined gel is perfectly suited for sensitive skins and the fresh scent is the perfect morning pick me up. CLICK TO BUY

4. The Body Shop Coconut Body Scrub
Everyone’s coconuts for coconuts these days (what with the coconut water, coconut butter, coconut shell bikinis…OK maybe got a bit carried away there) – but The Body Shop was way ahead with their Coconut Body Scrub being a long standing fave. The Community Trade virgin coconut oil leaves you with that coconutty scent and the texture leaves your skin silky smooth. A holiday favourite of mine!
CLICK TO BUY

5. Ultraceuticals Ultra Clear Exfoliating Gel
Last but definitely not least, this power packed gel is a secret weapon of mine. Filled with teeny tiny beads and chemical exfoliators AHA and BHA, they work together to leave your skin velvety smooth. Slather it on a leave for 10 minutes and you get an even deeper cleanse. It’s perfect for the day before a spray tan for an important event, giving your skin a perfectly smooth and hydrated foundation. CLICK TO BUY

What cruelty free products do you use to keep super smooth?

NOTE: Due to recent changes by a number of beauty companies selling products in China where animal testing is mandatory, Pretty Fluffy will be reviewing all previous Cruelty Free posts and updating where necessary. We will be updating our favourite lists in the coming weeks to ensure all products we recommend are internationally cruelty free. Vive la Bunnies!

A Pretty Fluffy Gift Guide: For the Girls

Now that we got yesterday’s gifts for him out of the way, today’s all about the ladies. That’s right whether you’re shopping for your girlfriends, your co-workers or your grandma, we’ve got you covered for all lovers of pretty and fluffy things. Pssst…And why not grab yourself a special treat in the process!

1. For the tree trimmer… Frenchie Glass Bauble from Ted Baker
2. For the glitterati… Scotty Stud Earrings from Kate Sapde
3. For the luxe lady… L.I.L.Y. EDP by Stella McCartney
4. For the baker… PA Kitchen Spatula from Peter Alexander
5. For the planner… Year of the Critter 2013 Calendar from ModCloth
6. For the sentimental… Keepsake Surprise Ornament from Kate Spade
7. For the bookworm… Junior Dachshund Bookends from Jonathan Adler
8. For the puppy mama… Custom Gold Dipped Charm Necklace from silhouPETte
9. For the letter writer… Brown Paper Gold Foil Dachshund Card from Puppy Tales
10. For the beauty addict… Holiday Gift Set from Grown
11. For the interior decorator… Things I Love By Megan Morton
12. For the house proud (& their pooch)… Meadow Milk Tea Pet Rug from wildebeest

To WIN some of our Gift Guide Picks don’t forget to enter the Pretty Fluffy Christmas Giveaway here!

What’s your favourite pick for the holiday season?

Cruelty Free Body Products by Chic Sprinkles

Cruelty Free Living 09 Nov

Hi Pretty Fluffies! Since launching our new column on Cruelty Free Living, I’m so happy to have Sarah back today sharing her favourite picks for animal friendly body products:

Like Serena, being cruelty free is big part of my lifestyle too, and I am so excited that she has started this new column on the blog! How can any product be worth the harm and suffering of innocent animals? In my book it just can’t be justified. I make it a priority not only to check the ingredient labels on my products for chemicals, but also for cruelty free logos. Most products will print it right on the label. If I don’t see it, I get my smartphone out and do a quick check. What’s great is that a lot of brands that are organic/natural, non-toxic, and vegan are more often than not, cruelty free as well, and vise versa. You just have to check the label. Which makes shopping a little easier for all of us!

Being animal lovers yourselves, I am sure you understand why I shop cruelty free. But what about the other stuff? Shopping for organic and non-toxic items is really important to me as well, and I try also to incorporate as many vegan products as possible too. After all, when shopping for beauty and skin products, our goal is too look pretty and feel great, right? So why do we use products with harsh toxins in them that aren’t good for our health, body, or skin. The more chemicals and the less natural ingredients, the more energy our bodies have to spend trying to break them down and detox them out of our systems. Then, those toxins can come out through our skin, causing the total opposite result of what we were actually wanting to achieve.

I haven’t always shopped this way, and up until a little over a year an a half ago I had no clue about any of this. I wans’t even aware of how toxic I myself had become because of it. And believe me I was tox-iick! There were so many bad things in the products that I lathered on my face/skin/hair every single day. I’ve never been one to use a lot of products, but even just my bare necessities were packed with stuff. Now I go about my daily routine a little differently, and I’m learning along the way. I love hearing and learning from you guys too, so please feel free to share any of your advice, experiences, and favorite products! The more we can teach and share with one another, the better off we’ll be in the long run.

Here are the top 5 ingredients* I avoid:

Parabens (i.e. Butylparaben) – skin and eye irritant; endocrine disruptor linked to breast and ovarian cancer; environmental contaminant.

Paraffins - petrochemical bleached with carcinogen acrolyn; releases carcinogens benzene and toluene upon heating; caused kidney or renal system tumor in animals; environmental toxin.

Propylene Glycol - eye irritations and conjunctivitis, as well as upper respiratory tract irritation.

SLS (Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfates) - skin irritant, water contaminant, may be contaminated with carcinogen 1, 4-Dioxane.

Aluminum - strong human neurotoxicant; causes irritation of eyes, skin, and lungs; endocrine disruptor; linked to Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer; causes birth disorders in animals. This is often found in anti-perspirant. Did you know that aluminum is what causes ugly yellow sweat stains? Sweat is naturally clear, being that it is only salt and water.

*There are many other toxic ingredient to lookout for when shopping for products for your body and home. If you are interested you can download a full list of harmful beauty ingredients here.

Below are some of my favorite body products that I use on a daily basis. I’ve added some of the label highlights under each heading for quick reading. You can purchase them online or in your local natural food + vitamin stores. Enjoy!

1. Scotch Naturals WaterColors
Cruelty-free, Non-toxic, Paraben Free, Vegan
Scotch has a beautiful collection of water-based nail polishes in elegant and trendy shades. My favorite is, Neat, which is a milky pale pink. It goes with everything and has a fresh clean look to it. More here.

2. EOS Organic Mint Lip Balm
Cruelty Free, Organic
I keep this little sphere in my purse and use it daily. It glides on smooth and has a nice minty feel. If your dog loves mint, make sure you keep this little gem out of reach. Coco Bean has one tiny weakness that gets her into trouble and it’s this mint lip balm. If she smells it she will dig around until she finds it. My poor EOS sphere has been her victim 3 times. Luckily it’s certified organic so it’s not that big of a deal, well, minus the teeth marks! More here and here.

3. Dr. Bronner’s Organic Spearmint Peppermint Shaving Gel
Cruelty Free, Organic, Vegan
Who doesn’t want minty-fresh smooth legs? That’s what I thought! I’m a sucker for anything mint, and it’s such a pleasant smell to wake up to in the morning. At first I thought it would be weird shaving without a foamy-cream, but it’s actually quite fantastic. More here.

4. Griffin Remedy Omega 3 Grapefruit Body Wash
Cruelty Free, Paraben Free, Vegan
I am prone to dry skin when it comes to fancy body washes. I have very sensitive skin as well, so for me, the less ingredients the better! This grapefruit body wash is packed with omega 3s and is super moisturizing. The scent is light and not too overbearing, and has quickly become my #1 favorite. More here.

5. Nature’s Gate Tea Tree & Biotin Shampoo & Conditioner
Cruelty Free, Paraben Free, Phthalate Free, SLS Free, Vegan
I’ve been bouncing from product to product for what seems like forever, searching for the perfect brand of shampoo and conditioner, and I have finally found it. Both the Tea Tree and the Biotin are without a doubt the best thing I have ever put on my hair, and I am picky. It leaves my hair so bouncy and shiny. Not to toot my own horn, but my hair has never looked better! FYI – Hair products often revamp their look and packaging. When this happens, do a double check to make sure the ingredients didn’t change either. More here and here.

6. Soapwalla Organic Deodorant Cream
Cruelty Free, Aluminum Free, Non-toxic, Natural, Vegan
When switched over to also using non-toxic products, deodorant was my hardest battle. I had no idea that the many deodorants that I had used throughout my life were full of aluminum. Really? That’s what was clogging my sweat glands so that I wouldn’t perspire… and then just hanging out in there? No way! I knew I had to switch. I had numerous trial and errors with sticks, roll ons, and creams. It was wearing me out and leaving me frustrated. I wanted something that A) Was free of chemicals and that terrible aluminum craziness. B) Didn’t make me stink… obviously! C) Had a ‘pretty’ natural scent. I wanted to smell like a girl, not mountain man Joe. Soapwalla is a winner on every level. It’s natural scent is a fresh lavender/peppermint mixture that lasts all day long, even through workouts. It may seem strange ordering it on Etsy, but it should totally win some sort of prestigious deodorant award. Seriously, best deodorant ever. More here.

7. Ojio Extra Virgin Raw Organic Coconut Oil
Cruelty Free, 100% Raw, Vegan
Besides being a staple in my kitchen pantry, coconut oil also happens to be my secret beauty weapon! I use this baby as a body lotion, deep conditioning hair treatment, makeup remover, sunscreen, burn and cut cream, and even lip balm. If your monthly budget starts getting tight, try replacing some of the above products with a jar of this or a similar brand. A little bit goes a long way, so you wont run out for a while. It really is nature’s all-in-one! More here.

8. Jāson Sea Fresh Toothpaste
Cruelty Free, Free of Fluoride, SLS, Preservatives, Saccharin, Propylene Glycol, and Gluten
I’m always on the lookout for quality fluoride free toothpastes, and this one has been my favorite thus far. It’s foamy and minty and makes my mouth feel squeaky clean! More here.

AUTHOR: Sarah Dickerson is a visual designer and photographer from the Midwest who loves animals, all things English, rainy nights, cozy backyard gatherings, twinkling lights, and festive weddings. To see more of her work, visit her website and blog, Chic Sprinkles.

Cruelty Free Beauty: Top 5 Body Lotions

Cruelty Free Living 09 Oct

As the title suggests today is all about Cruelty Free Beauty – cruelty free body lotion to be exact. You see for me finding animal friendly and cruelty free products is a big part of my lifestyle. I figure if I love Soda as much as I do, I wouldn’t want her or any animals like her suffering for products that I use. In addition, I love quality products – so am always on the lookout for fabulous, functional AND animal friendly products. For me, the process is easy. Whenever I need a new moisturiser, a new handbag – or even a new window cleaner! – I look out for the freshest and the absolute best cruelty free products on the market.

So this new column is all about sharing my favourite finds with you – be it beautiful beauty products, fabulous homewares and cleaners, animal friendly fashion…all the lovely goodies I find will be updated on here for your handy reference. First up, just in time for getting my legs ready for Australian summer – my Top 5 Cruelty Free Body Lotions…

1. MOR Marshmallow Hand & Body Milk
This little baby is one of my all time favourite body moisturisers. Although I love the extracts of Mango & Peach to soothe the skin, and Almond Oil & Shea Butter for lock it in moisture, the reason why this lotion makes my Top 5 is the captivating scent. It really smells like marshmallows! The perfectly pink packaging also makes it a winner. More here.

2. Body Shop Mango Body Butter
The grand daddy of all body butters, The Body Shop’s Mango Body Butter smooths on so sweetly you won’t believe it’s not butter. Bonus points for handy travel size takeaways that have you smelling like the tropics, no matter where you are. More here.

3. Kiehls Creme de Corps
I LOVE it when a cult buy is also animal friendly. Packed with cocoa butter, this lotion is amazing for providing insanely soft, luxurious skin without being greasy in the slightest. There’s no mistake that it ends up on the best sellers list year after year. More here.

4. Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula
At under $10 – this little gem is my secret weapon. Smelling like waffles topped with honey and cream, it soaks into the skin with no oily residue. It’s also killer at making your spray tan last longer. More here.

5. Grown Mandarin & Rosemary Leaf Body Cream
The Grown brand will first suck you in with their understated cooler than cool packaging, but when you actually slather on their body cream, you’re hit with the jojoba and rosehip oil which leaves your skin feeling smoother than smooth. With a spicier scent than your average body lotion, once you start using it on a regular basis you definitely notice a suppleness and improvement in texture. Win for animals, win for you. More here.

Now over to you! What would you like to see more of in this new series? Beauty, fashion, home products?

I’ve been toying with the idea of a video series to showcase some of my favourite products – but have been too scared so far to front up on screen here. Would you like some video posts? Let me know your thoughts below!