So this week I’m asking for your help. What are your favorite soothing and moisturizing vegan lip balms? I don’t have any allergies (that I know of yet!) so no ingredients are off limits.  I honestly don’t think any balms I have used in the past have been vegan so any suggestions are welcome!

I wish I could say that I eat all fresh and home cooked meals. And one of these days, I will be able to take more time to focus on cooking. But for now while I work full time and go to school, I will take what shortcuts I can. And one of those shortcuts come in the form of the frozen Naanwich. Robert and I came across these at Whole Foods a while back and decided to give them a try. Of course I opted for the Garden Vegetable variety and took it to work for lunch.

Basically the naanwich is a piece of naan stuffed with spiced potatoes, carrots and peas. Almost as soon as it started cooking in the microwave, the lovely aromatics filled the breakroom. Everyone thought I had brought leftover Indian food for lunch, the smell was that good. I love the smell of the spices used in Indian cooking, and I love naan, so this was a natural yummy combo for me.  I was pleasantly surprised at how soft and chewy the naan stayed while still producing a steamy hot interior. The veggies were perfectly spiced and even the potatoes retained a little bit of a bite to prived a bit of textural contrast. The portion size is perfect for a quick and filling lunch. And I didn’t even realize this until I checked out the website, but it’s vegan! The only thing I would like is some sort of sauce because the sandwich is a bit dry, but I know that would be hard to do for a frozen sandwich.

I didn’t keep the wrapper to give you the nutritional info and it isn’t available on the website, but I do remember it being realtively healthy, at least as far as frozen meals go. Besides, anything that contains mostly veggies is good, right?  In any case, it’s nice to have a vegan Indian alternative in the frozen foods section for those days when you just don’t have the time to make a ‘proper’ lunch. You can find where Sukhi’s products are near you at their website www.sukhis.com . They also have many of their products available for sale online, including the Naanwich, but are only sold in a pack of 24 for $79. So unless you have a lot of freezer space, this probably isn’t an option. I did see that  they have a Veggie Masala burger naanwich that I haven’t seen before, so I hope they decide to bring it to stores soon!

I was actually going to wait to put this review up since I reviewed as LUSH product not too long ago, but thanks to the snow, I didn’t have to go to work, and I don’t really feel like doing anything school-related, so I figured today is as good as any other.

I came across the henna hair dyes a few weeks back while perusing the Lush website for new products. I’ve never completely dyed my hair or done an at-home dye job, so I wasn’t initially interested. Plus, reading some of the reviews put me off a bit, as it sounded too complicated and messy. But last weekend at the mall, I decided to just give it a whirl. I was looking for a bit of a different look, since I’m still deciding if I want to keep my hair short or grow it out. And what would a review site be if I didn’t take some risks once in a while?

Lush’s henna hair dyes come in 4 colors: Rouge Mama, which provides a red color; Brun Mama which gives a darker brown color; Marron Mama, a reddish-brown blend, and Noir Mama, for dark black color. The dyes are a blend of natural henna and cocoa butter. No synthetic colors or chemicals to be found, which is what really intrigued me. I’ve had highlights done, and I’ve always felt bad about how the chemicals would strip my hair. The clerk at the store suggested I try Marron Mama since it would complement my naturally brown color while adding some red to it. The dyes come in a block of 6 squares, and are meant to be cut so you can use only what you need for your hair length and type. The clerk said that I would probably only need 2 or 3 squares since my hair is so short. Unfortunately, you have to buy the whole block, which costs $24.95. That seemed a bit steep initially, especially given I had no idea how well it would work, but compared to a salon dye job which can cost twice as much, I think that’s fairly comparable.

The directions for prepping and applying the dye are as follows (taken from the LUSH website):

1. Cut henna up into small pieces and put in a heatproof bowl.

2. Add hot water and let steep. Mix to a yogurt-like consistency.

3. Put on gloves and apply from back to front, coating hair thoroughly.

4. Cover in cling wrap for a more vibrant red. Leave on for one to six hours.

5. Rinse, shampoo, and condition hair.

Tips: Always do a strand test first. Use face cream (or Ultra Bland) around your hairline and ears to protect skin. Wrap hair in cling film for a redder color. For darker, richer colors, leave on longer (up to six hours).

However, the directions that come with the actual block of dye differ a bit. They call for using a double boiler to melt the dye and adding water as hot as you can stand and to keep it warm over the boiler while applying. They also suggest laying newspaper down on the floor before applying, and also have all kinds of suggestions as what you can add to enhance the color (coffee, cinnamon, etc). I used the directions from the website and just added boiling water to a bowl to mix, then took that into the bathroom to apply. I used 3 blocks, but it turns out I probably only needed 2. I also did not do the strand test, because I figured in for a penny, in for a pound, right?

I do highly suggest the newspaper, as the mixture will begin to pebble up and little balls will drop on the floor the more you add to your hair. This might have something to do with not keeping the mixture over the boiler to keep it warm; next time I will probably try that. It wasn’t a huge mess to clean up so it wasn’t a big deal. I wrapped my head in saran wrap (which I also suggest to keep any of the dye from falling off onto your couch or clothes) and let it sit for 3 hours. This is a time intensive process, so if you don’t have at least the hour suggested to let the dye sit, it probably won’t work out well. The smell—well, that took some getting used to. To me, it smelled a lot like really bitter, burnt coffee. Some other reviews said strong green tea. It wasn’t horrible, especially compared to chemical hair dyes, but it doesn’t smell like roses either.

Finally, it was time to wash out. I got in the shower, stood under the water and began running my hands through my hair. And it made an unholy mess. Next time, I will just stand under the faucet and let the water get as much out as possible before I begin using my hands. I mean it was really messy, all over the walls and shower curtain. And it took a good 5 minutes or so before I finally got all the particles out. Once done, I decided to blow dry my hair to see what the color looked like…and wow, was I surprised! I loved how it was the perfect blend of red and brown and it made my hair super soft too. I got a ton of compliments on it at work the next day, and it actually looked like the color had deepened a bit. I will definitely be using this again. I don’t know how long it will last; some reviews said anywhere from 3-6 months. It probably just depends on how much you use and how well your hair holds color. Below are the before and after pics of my hair; I don’t think it does justice for how vibrant the color turned out, but you get the idea.

You can find the henna hair dye at lushusa.com and in their stores as well. If you are interested in trying, you might want to email them or visit a store and see if they would be willing to give you a small sample piece of the color you want to try a strand test first before committing to a whole block. Or, you can just throw caution to the wind like me and just see what happens!

As I mentioned in my last post, taking on the task of transitioning to all cruelty free products wasn’t always easy. One of the hardest items to replace was our shaving razors. It was impossible to find razors that weren’t from Proctor and Gamble or any of the other no-no companies. We found some disposable razors at Whole Foods, but didn’t really like how they performed and wanted to find a reusable razor where we could just buy replacement blades.

After doing some online research, Robert ordered us a couple reusable razor handles from Hoke2, a company which creates razors from rubber and most importantly, is cruelty free. We liked the molded rubber handles and the suction cups you could attach to the wall of the shower, but the blades that came with them did not last long, and were only single-bladed. Fortunately, we found that Preserve’s  triple blade refills fit into the handle of the Hoke2, and were always available at Whole Foods.  Hoke2 products are only online, and you can find them at ebubbles.com

Now, a few years later, Preserve makes their own reusable razor handle, and Robert currently uses that. I still use my Hoke2. We do still use the Preserve triple-blade refills, and I really like them. They last about 1 1/2 -2 months with regular use, but usually the reason I have to replace them is because the area where they snap onto the handle breaks. Preserve products are made from recycled materials, so this might have something to do with that, but it never fails that it breaks when I already have one leg shaved

I recently Googled the subject of cruelty free razors to see if anything new had cropped up, and found some entries that suggest Schick is cruelty free. One blogger at My Beauty Bunny  said she emailed the rep at Schick and they insisted that they are cruelty free, but I’m hesitant to believe that. Schick still is not listed on PETA’s Caring Consumer website, so until that changes, I will err on the side of caution. If anyone knows something different about this, or if you have your own suggestions of what shaving razors/blades you use, I’d love to hear from you!

Enter Seventh Generation, a line of household products which are not only cruelty free, but is a corporation which goes out of their way to practice ethical and sustainable missions. Their products are non-toxic and environmentally safe. They are also a company who meet the standards of the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC) , which includes companies who ensure that animal testing does not occur in their final products or the ingredients they use in their products.

One of my favorite SeventhGen products are the disinfecting wipes. Realizing that Clorox and Lysol wipes were no longer an option for easy cleaning, these wipes have picked up the slack wonderfully. I have a small kitchen, so I like to be able to use just one wipe for quick jobs.

What I really like about these wipes is that they are not saturated with liquid the way most other wipes are. These contain the perfect amount of moisture to do the job, but not drip everywhere. They also have a pleasant smell, not the fake-lemon-alcohol smell that other wipes have. Much of this has to do with the fact that SeventhGen uses natural ingredients such as thyme oil and lemongrass to add fragrance to the wipes. But thyme extract also has the ability to disinfect, which I was not aware of, and if you are curious, read more about it here. The point is, you can achieve a clean home without using harsh artificial chemicals, and these wipes are safe for surfaces which come in contact with food.  As for the cleaning ability, I’ve found that they clean grease and oil very well, and are incredibly durable.  I pretty much use them everywhere, but I think they excel at cleaning the stove-top and the garbage can lid (which seems to get very dirty very quickly).  They really are good, general-use wipes. I’ve had the container of 70 wipes for almost a year and they haven’t dried out, and have obviously lasted quite a while, so even though they cost a little more than name-brand wipes I think they are worth every extra penny.  Especially if you have no maid to do the work for you

You can find all of Seventh Generation’s products here, and if you need a good list of cruelty-free products, check out www.caringconsumer.com and www.leapingbunny.org

I had the Enchilada Rojo for dinner at work on Friday, and was pleasantly surprised at the flavor. Honestly, I have always liked Lean Cuisine and thought they were among some of the best tasting frozen entrees out there, so I’m not sure why I was surprised. Maybe I just assumed that since they are geared towards vegetarians (I don’t think any of the entrees offered are vegan) that they would be wimp out a bit on the flavor. Not so, at least not in the case of the enchilada entree. The red sauce was very flavorful and had a bit of a kick, and there was plenty of veggies and big chunks of Gardein. I was also quite impressed with the tortilla in the meal. My experience with corn tortillas in frozen meals is that they are usually bland and mushy.  But the tortilla in this meal was not mushy at all, and it still had a nice corn flavor to it. The veggie-rice rounded it out, and really made it feel like a full meal. I know sometimes with ‘diet’ meals they are not always quite filling. I think the addition of the Gardein is what makes this feel like a full meal. One entree provides 13g protein, 8g fat, 4g fiber, and 310 calories. Of course, with  frozen meals comes the sodium-and that is one gripe I have. This particular entree has 670mg of sodium–the recommended daily allowance is 2400mg, so you’re looking at almost 35% of your daily sodium intake right there, and that is if you expect to take the full allowance. If you are trying to cut back on sodium, you might want to avoid this meal, since it could easily put you over half your allowence, so take it with a grain of salt (pun intended ) Overall, I was very happy with this new offering, and I can’t wait to try the rest.

I so far have only seen these new entrees at Walmart, and they were in the section with the Gardein products, not the Lean Cuisines, so keep that in mind if you go looking for them. It is a small step that a big company has chosen to acknowledge vegetarian food alternatives in their products, but it’s nice to see .  And who knows? Maybe we aren’t that far away from seeing Daiya as a cheese substitute too!

LUSH offers  bath and facial products, as well as hair products and a mens line. I was mostly interested in the facial products, as I am always looking for quality cleansers and moisturizers to fit my ever-changing face type. Recently, my skin type has reverted to the oily 16 year-old type, so I was looking for something that would control oil and help prevent breakouts. When I explained this to the clerk, she immediately led me to a few choice cleansers and moisturizers, as well as their fresh face masks. Fresh face masks are those that need to be refrigerated, and last about a month, but are totally amazing. I decided on the Brazened Honey mask, which is designed for problem skin. It’s very deep-cleansing, so those with really sensitive skin types might want to choose a different mask. Brazened Honey uses eggs (free-range), honey, lime, rosemary and ground almonds to cleanse and purify your face. I could not believe how soft and clean my face felt after the first use. All you have to do is put the mask on and chill for about 5-10 minutes, then wash off. I almost felt as if I didn’t need a mositurizer after using it, which is remarkable.  And I can honestly say that I noticed a clearer complexion after about 2 weeks.

For the price, the masks are very reasonable. A 2.1oz container cost me $6.95, and lasted almost exactly a month with a twice-a-week use. The only bummer is that you can only purchase them in store, so if you are not near a LUSH, you’re out of luck. But that doesn’t mean you couldn’t give any of their other awesome products a try! I also love that they are invloved in a lot of local charities. On my last visit, I purchased a Charity Pot, a small containter of moisturizer in which the proceeds go to a local charity, and they are involved in many ethcial campaings, like protesting against the shark fin trade.

I encourage you to check out their line of products and also their ethcial stance. They are already opening a new store in Colorado, so hopefully this means that quality, cruelty free products are becoming more popular! Check out their website at www.lushusa.com

And the taste is fantastic. I dare you to make a batch to take to work and see if anyone can tell the difference between them and non-vegan cookies. The chocolate flavor of the Chocoholic Chunk  is rich and velvety ( a must if you love chocolate like me) and the Cinnamon Ginger Spice has a wonderful depth of flavor that is perfect for this time of year.  You can also make them more chewy or crunchy depending on your texture preference by pressing down on the ball more or less. I actually like them a little crispier, as they are more like delicate wafers that would go perfect with a bit of ice cream. Or, since there are no raw eggs involved, you can eat it right out of the container! Now I can indulge my sweet tooth with little effort and a clear conscious!

You can find all the flavors of Eat Pastry dough, as well as where to buy at their webite Eatpastry.com

For clairification purposes, my definition of cruelty free products are those in which the final product has not been tested on animals. There are certainly variying degrees of what is considered cruelty free, from no final product testing to absolutely no animal ingredients or testing at any level whatsoever. The products I review will be of all ranges of cruelty free, and I am making every effort to use products that are *completely* cruelty free, but it is a transition so please keep in mind that not all products or foods will be vegan or testing-free.

You can expect honest and thoughtful reviews from me, and probably a few off-subject posts as well. I  have to give a big shout-out to Barb from That Was Vegan? for encouraging me to go through with this. I really did want to use her blog name suggestion, which was Review this, B****!, but I thought this was a little more PC That being said, I hope you find my entries helpful and I certainly look forward to your feedback!