Eco-friendly Archives

Sustainability February 18, 2017

Looking natural: tips on how to look great without make-up

I rarely wear make-up and often get comments from other women about how brave I am to show off my natural beauty — a strange sentiment if you ask me. It honestly makes me feel fabulous and free. My skin also looks better as a result. It may feel risky to go make-up-less for a week, much less a day, but it is definitely worth a try and you won’t regret it.

For many women, it’s the worry about blemishes and dark eye circles that prevents them from going oh-naturel. Women’s Post has a list of tips for you to look natural and beautiful. Put your various brushes, and sparkles aside and focus on the beautiful person that is already right in front of you.

Taking good care of your skin is the first step to illuminating your natural magnificence. Find a moisturizer that is replete with eco-ingredients like shea butter and lavender essential oil. Before applying, try making a natural scrub that will help exfoliate your skin. Combine coconut oil, brown sugar, and a dash of vanilla to make a simple brown sugar scrub. Rub it in circular motions on your face and rinse. Make sure you find out what kind of skin type you have, ranging from oily to dry. Once you understand which skin issues you need to tackle, you can address them as needed and end up with a smooth and happy face.

Eating healthy foods will also bring out your natural beauty. Fruits, vegetables and foods replete with omega 3 oils and vitamins will make your skin look healthy and full. It will also help remove dark circles under the eyes and reduce acne. Pair healthy foods with getting enough sleep and your skin and face will glow. Taking extra vitamins will make sure all proper nutrients are being absorbed into your skin. Take a vitamin e, c and collagen are good supplements to enhance natural beauty.

If your eyes are especially puffy, there are ways to decrease puffiness using natural methods. Cooled chamomile tea bags on the eyes bring down puffiness and reduce black spots. Chamomile has antioxidants that help the skin and the coolness is very calming. After you drink a cup of chamomile tea, use the tea bag to cool your eyes and try it out. Another option is cucumber slices, a well-known way to decrease puffy eyes. Simply slice them and use them on your eyes (and eat them afterwards if you want to!).

Natural beauty comes easily to women who believe in themselves. Covering up your skin with colour enhancing products is nice in moderation, but many girls rely on make-up every single day. It takes courage to have a naked face and show of your true colours. Using high-quality and natural skin creams and a healthy lifestyle will bring out your natural magnificence and ultimately shows that every woman is beautiful.

Sustainability December 1, 2016

The magic six ingredients for homemade cruelty-free cleaning

Have you ever wondered what ingredients make up your cleaning supplies?

When looking into the ingredients that make up most of our all-purpose cleaners and laundry detergent, it is difficult to find a cleaner that hasn’t been tested on animals. Alternatively, organic and cruelty-free options are often expensive and difficult to find. As an avid animal lover who is also on a tight budget, I decided to make my own cleaning supplies instead.

The first step is to go to the store and buy six simple ingredients that you can use to make a variety of environmentally-friendly cleaning products. Head to the baking aisle and grab Bob’s Red Mill Baking Soda, Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar, Dr. Bronne’s Castille Soap, organic sea salt, essential oils of your choice, and organic olive oil. If you opt for alternatives, then you can use any vegan app to ensure the product you are using is cruelty-free. Though purchasing natural supplies in bulk can be costly initially, you will save money with the amount of cleaning products you can make from these six items.

Once you have the cleaning products, purchase glass jam containers or spray bottles that use recycled plastic for the cleaning solutions. Mix vinegar and salt to make an all-purpose cleaner. Place it in a spray bottle and add an essential oil to use on bathroom and kitchen surfaces. Peppermint or citrus oil is a good option to downplay the vinegar smell. For a toilet bowl cleaner, mix baking soda and vinegar. Do not mix with regular toilet cleaners or it will create toxic fumes.

For a glass cleaner, combine vinegar with water and wipe with paper towel for a streak-free mirror. If you want to use a stainless steel cleaner, try using olive oil and vinegar to make your pots shine. This mixture can also be used to polish furniture. Add a lemon essential oil for a fresh scent. Switching gears to the kitchen, if you want to make a dish soap, use baking soda and castile soap. Pour hot water over the mixture until it is melted. Pour into a container and use on your dishes.

Finally, you can also use these magic eco-friendly ingredients to make a laundry soap. Melt one cup of baking soda, castile soap, and 1/3 cup sea salt in seven litres of hot water. This can be used as a liquid soap. If you want the laundry soap to have a natural quality, add a lavender or lemon essential oil to the mixture. Homemade laundry soap is much cheaper and better for your skin as well.

Finding and making eco-friendly and cruelty-free cleaning supplies is a daunting task, but once you have all the ingredients in place you will have a clean and conscious house. Getting rid of my cleaning supplies that tested on animals was one of the most ethical and clear-hearted things I’ve done, and I’ve become an informed consumer when purchasing and making my own cleaning supplies.

What other cleaning recipes can you make with the magic six? Let Women’s Post know in the comments below.

Fashion October 29, 2016

How to find a winter coat as a vegan in Toronto

Finding a winter coat appropriate for vegans is similar to spotting a koala in downtown Toronto. There are very few options to choose from, especially considering most winter jackets are filled with down or made of wool. Many popular coats have fur collars and use water repellent sprays that are high in chemical usage. As a vegan, I find it frustrating looking for clothing that will keep me warm in the winter, especially coats. They are one of the most obvious examples of animal cruelty in the frivolous fashion industry. But, they are necessary in this wondrous Canadian winter.

Here are five vegan options I found during my search:

Better Sweater Fleece Jacket by Patagonia, $89.

Patagonia Women’s Better Sweater Coat

Patagonia’s sweater coat was by far the best pick when considering style, cost, being cruelty-free, and environmental sustainable. The coat is made of polyester fleece instead of wool, and does not have a down stuffing interior. It has a soft fleece inner lining, which increases warmth of the coat. It comes in black, white, or burgundy and is dyed with a low-impact process that is environmentally sustainable. The coat is a fair trade sewing product and contains no animal product whatsoever. To boot, it is on sale for $89. Patagonia has several eco-friendly and cruelty-free jacket options and the prices are the most affordable out of any of the environmental conscious coats available in Toronto.

Hoodlam Hemp Ladies Parka Jacket, $484.95.

Hemp Hoodlamb Ladies Parka jacket

This parka jacket is can be found at the Hemp Store on Yonge St. in Toronto. This jacket is available in black and has a vegan faux fur collar. It is made from hemp and organic cotton, and costs $484.95. It is fair-trade and is well-made, which means it this jacket should last years. There are several more options available online if the parka jacket isn’t the right fit, and all the available jackets are eco-friendly and vegan-approved.

Doe Parka Jacket from Wully Outerwear, $699.

Mammoth Outerwear Doe Parka

The Doe Parka is made from a poly-cotton water resistant shell and has Primaloft insulation. Primaloft is a vegan replacement for down and is made from recycled fibres. It is one of the best down replacements in the eco-fashion market and is sought after by sustainable jacket companies. Wully Outerwear (formerly Mammoth Outerwear) is a Toronto-based, animal-free jacket company. Wully Outerwear donates $10 of each purchase to the Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals. The Doe Parka is $699, but is the top quality animal-friendly jacket that is made and sold locally.

The Belden Future Vaute Couture Coat

The Belden Future coat by Vaute Couture is a trendy dress jacket that will make heads turn on Yonge St. The jacket is available online and ships to Canada with no extra fees. Vaute Couture is one of the largest vegan jacket producers and is based out of New York. The company uses primaloft lining and organic moleskin on the exterior. This is a cruelty-free product and is water resistant. Vaute Couture are trend-setters in eco-fashion and no other dress coat comes close. The Belden Future is on sale for $371.50.

Free People Faux-fur coat

Free People produce some of the most trendy fashion items at affordable prices. The company also has a line of faux fur and vegan jackets that are funky and environmentally conscious. These jackets deviate from the norm, and don’t follow the traditional look of a winter coat. They are fashion-forward and are reminiscent of coats from the 60’s and 70’s. There are several jacket options ranging from $300 to $600. The Lady Lane Fur Collar Jacket is $298, making it one of the more affordable Free People jackets and eco-friendly.

Do you wear vegan-friendly winter wear? If so, let us know where you got it from in the comments below!

Sustainability August 5, 2016

How to host an eco-friendly BBQ

There is nothing better than a delicious BBQ. The smell of the smoke, eating barefoot in the grass, drinking wine out of plastic cups — plus, everything tastes better when cooked with fire! But, as a vegan and strict environmentalist, my planning typically includes a lot of eco-friendly adaptations.

You may be asking: what do you mean by an eco-friendly barbecue? Is that even possible? Well my fellow readers, I am here to tell you that it is. To help you out, here are a few tips:

Fresh organic farmers market fruit and vegetable on display

Use in-season vegetables and fruits

Hit up your local farmer’s market and grab organic cucumbers, zucchini, watermelon and any other refreshing options to include as inexpensive and healthy side dishes at your BBQ. I always fry zucchini drizzled in chilli powder and olive oil. It is quite the with party guests.

Keep it simple

Planning and attempting complex recipes hours before guests arrive is a fast-track way to give yourself a heart attack. No need for unnecessary stress! Keep things simple with fresh foods that can be easily chopped or thrown on the BBQ. Provide kettle-cooked chips or sweet potato fries as an easy appetizer. Keeping it simple can also be said of decorations. Grab a vase or a floating dish with flowers from the garden and use homemade candles at night instead of outdoor lightings.

Use your own dishes

Paper plates and plastic utensils are my mortal enemy. They are wasteful and often difficult to recycle. Instead use your own dishes and convince your lovely party guests to help with dishes once the drinks are flowing and their bellies are full. I always enjoyed doing dishes after a great meal with my cousins while sipping a beer.

Potluck style

Another option instead of hosting a BBQ solo is to challenge guests to bring a healthy side dish along with them. Something small such as a light dessert or wine also helps. This creates and fosters a sense of shared community and makes meals versatile and fun for trying new foods.

Make your own BBQ sauce

BBQ sauce is often full of sugar and preservatives. Instead, making a personalized sauce adds individualized taste to the meal. Try this: add one can of chopped tomatoes, 75 ml unsweetened apple juice, 2 tbps brown sugar, 1 tbps apple cider vinegar and ¼ tsp tabasco sauce to a pan and heat until boiling. This also makes your BBQ vegan for your animal-loving friends!

Remember to enjoy yourself. Planning a BBQ shouldn’t be a stressful affair. ALSO, don’t forget to have a vegetarian hot dog in the fridge just in case you get a surprise vegan guest! Bon Appetit!