VaVaVaVEGAN » beauty

The Home Job

jen — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 06:23:48 +0000

List of things to do before I die. Just kidding… dye.
Of course, I would definitely recommend seeing a professional stylist over a home hair dye job, but I get it – times are tough. Ok, so let’s try this again.

List Of Things To Do Before I Dye

The Obvious Tip: Pick a color that compliments your skin tone.
The Most Overlooked Tip: Choose a tone that will also match your wardrobe. If you mainly stick to neutrals, then you’re on the fairly safe side. But if you incorporate a lot of bright yellows, blaring oranges, and super warm tones, you probably don’t want to go with a fire engine red do. It’s just a bit much.
When doing box comparison, don’t just compare price tags. Look at the ingredients, the label, and the name behind it to choose a reputable vegan brand. You can go ahead and Google to your hairs’ content, or just trust my quick picks. Naturtint Permanent is exceptional for looking perfectly natural. Or you can indulge your wild side with Manic Panic N.Y.C. Both are 100% vegan.
Don’t forget the importance of aftercare. Invest in a top-grade color-stay vegan conditioner like ABBA Pure Color Protect.
After you’ve dyed and dried, brush out gently with synthetic bristles. This a fairly simple one, since vegan hair brushes are the most commonly manufactured kind. Just be sure to stay away from “natural bristle” brushes – because “natural” is really just a naughty euphemism for animal hair.

Naturtint Permanent

Quite The Pickle

jen — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:02:43 +0000

Yup, that pretty much says it.

Ever heard of Vivienne Pickle? How about Jennifer Artur? She’s the make-up savvy rocker turned fashion entrepreneur who invented the bubbly line of boisterous hair accessories. With a touch of Victorian elegance and new wave New Jersey cheekiness, each piece is handmade. Adorned with cameos, skulls, flowers, beads, baubles, and charms alike, no real feathers, wings, or pretty petals were plucked from any plant or wildlfe for the hair clip’s creation. You can find a great selection at New Hope, PA eco-conscious boutique A Beatiful Life.

So what’s the dilemma? Well, I find myself in quite the pickle when trying to pick just one.

[$46 dress at abeautifullife.com]

Get In The Game

jen — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Take a stand against inhumane and unethical practices like horse racing and dog fighting. I mean now! All Creatures shows you how. They’ll tell you what you can do to discourage betting and help shut down these atrocious events. And once you’re done fighting for the furry ones, take a gamble on something decent instead – like a brand new hairstyle. I recently re-invented myself with a new two-toned palette and bangs `a la Bettie Paige. Not only do I love the look, but I’m eager to find new ways to express myself through it – like showing off the back blonde streak in a stripe type way. Channeling my inner Ed Hardy Geisha graphic, I threw it all up in a messy ball of elastics and locks, managing to turn eek! into eccentric with pearl white Horseshoe Dice Hairsticks by Luck 11. So much sleeker than Chinese takeout chopsticks, they’re also a bit Asian-inspired and edgy – but most importantly easy. Always a safe bet.

[$16.25 at howcool.com]

*Special thanks to Jack & Andrea of Panico Salon & Spa. Way to nail it!

Guns, Guts, & Glimmer

jen — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:00:30 +0000

You don’t need a hand-held hunk of metal to stop ‘em dead in their tracks. Next time you catch your eye-candy eyeing you, instead of playing shy, shoot him a smart seductive stare. But first, lock and load in preparation for your stare-down show-down with GunMetal Eyeshadow from Urban Decay. Made for make-up junkies, it has the perfect blend of gray and glitter. Urban’s ‘Marley Approved’ paw print marks this product as safe for considerate chicks like us – meaning it’s vegan and cruelty-free. So save the research. All you need to do is apply, aim, and shoot.

[$16 at urbandecay.com]

Riot Grrrl Re-Do

jen — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:44:40 +0000

Back in the early ’90s, Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love were not only considered the king and queen of alternative rock, but likely a match made in fashion hell. While she swooned over unappealing vintage, babydoll dresses, and smeared on makeup, Kurt kept it mainstream in the “anti” sort of way with grungy t-shirts and flannels. Being a die-hard, overly obsessed Courtney fan, I can image nothing more lovely than re-inventing her shocking look - vegan style!

One can’t even attempt to replicate it without starting off with a mess of fried-out blonde bombshell locks. While bleach is most unnatural, and far from eco-friendly, Manic Panic offers an awesome “Lightning” bleach kit that they swear contains no animal ingredients and is tested on celebs instead of animals. To finish off your new do, nothing says “riot grrrl” better than baby barrettes. Ultra girly bows are sweet, but why not get a little catty – and go a little faux – with leopard print ones from Pin-Up Girl Clothing. The next step requires even more application and an unsteady hand. No one rocked those red lips and smokey eyes quite like Court. And it’s doubtful anyone ever will, but if you’re up for giving it a go, try Urban Decay’s vegan lipstick in Revolution Red and their Smoke Out eye pencil. Lastly, the Millie Dress from Rebe Designs merge both of her signature styles – babydoll and vintage, but unlike many vintage finds, no real silk was used. So, you can rest assured there’ll be no silkworm labor suits here.

Either way, whether she’s keeping it kinderwhore, going glam, or edging towards animal-friendly, Courtney’s still a solid style icon in my mind – and now my blog.

Leaping Logos

jen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:27:56 +0000

One of the most overlooked injustices our furry friends are often forced to endure is animal testing for the sake of a fashionable face. As consumers, we have the power and responsibility to enact the ultimate protest - by purchasing cruelty-free products. The Leaping Bunny Program is dedicated to the awareness and promotion of compassionate shopping. By placing their label on approved items, they provide the best assurance possible that no animal testing was done in any phase of product development by the company, its laboratories, or suppliers.

Being a fan of bunnies from the very first time I discovered a plush stuffed one on the floor of a restaurant bathroom in Mystic, Connecticut, it’s no shocker that I’ve taken a special interest in this particular organization and their almost too cute mascot. Other fans of the program include Aubrey Organics, The Body Shop, Kiss My Face, Lip-Ink International, Rare Natural Care, Urban Decay, Too Faced Cosmetics, Hardy Candy, and the list just goes on and on. With so many concious companies hopping on board, there’s tons of hot brands and products up for grabs. So, go and show some logo love for this little guy who’s helping you shop smarter.