Category: ethics

beauty, beauty boxes, ethics, make up, reviews

The Pip Beauty Box

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This new beauty box, named after the founder’s canine chum, is all about championing cruelty free beauty. 50p from each box has been donated to Cruelty Free International. 

Inside are five cruelty free and vegan friendly beauty treats. 

Bloomtown Botanicals Nourishing Mini Soap (RRP £1.40) – made in small batches with plant oils and butters, this vegan friendly Soap comes in a whole range of scents. 

Akamuti Green Clay Face Mask (RRP £2) – sundries green clay that you mix yourself to make a purifying face mask that is suitable for sensitive and problem skin. 

Saturated Colour Lip Vinyl Liquid Lipstick in Frisky Fuchsia (RRP  £7) – a deep pink shade in a liquid lipstick – something of a recent beauty trend. 

PHB Ethical Beauty Black Mascara & Nearly Black Eyeliner (RRP £24.70) – both award winning formulas that complement each other. Made with botanical oils and water resistant, suitable for sensitive eyes. 

There are discount codes in the box for PHB and Saturated Colour. 

For a first beauty box this is well balanced in terms of skincare and make up – and fullsize items to boot. 

beauty, beauty boxes, ethics, reviews, skincare, vegan kind

TVK Beauty Box Nov ’16

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The box costs £18.95 from The Vegan Kind and comes every three months. There is also a monthly snack box with one beauty/body treat. As always 20p from each box sold goes to the Dr Hadwen Trust – the UK’s leading non-animal medical research charity. 

Inside this box are 7 items. Several are fullsize and I have a serious issue with the size of one of them…

Maggie Anne Gel Effect Nail Varnish (RRP £10.50) – fullsize. When will ‘nude’ nail varnish die? I would love to have received a fun, seasonal colour one, but no, another nude. Having said that it seems OK – goes on smoothly, with a nice finish. 

Human+Kind Body Scrub (RRP £13.50) – fullsize. This is a big bottle of body scrub and one I will be putting aside for the Mr as I really don’t like the scent. But I do like the natural ingredients and lack of evil microbeads. 

Inecto Naturals Little Saviour Coconut Hand and Nail Cream  (RRP £1.00) – fullsize. I like coconut and I like handcream. So I like this. 

PHB Ethical Beauty Peach Lip Liner (RRP £8.95) – fullsize. Matte lip liner in a slightly weird Peach colour. Hello the 90s. Really not sure about this. 

Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Body Wash (RRP £2.99) – fullsize. I generally use argan oil on my hair after I wash it – it got rid of all my stress induced split ends like magic. So I will give this a go even though I’ve found other oil based body washes don’t leave me feeling clean or fresh as much as the bubbly ones. 

Amie Naturally Kind Morning Dew Matte Finish Moisturiser 10ml (RRP of fullsize item £4.95) – what is with the teeny tiny bottle? I don’t think you get much of a test run from something this small and at just under a fiver it’s hardly an exclusive premium product. That said, it’s a decent moisturiser for the price but nothing particularly fancy and no SPF.

Faith in Nature Watermelon Shampoo Sample  (fullsize RRP £5.50) – this is even more of a joke, have the Glossybox team taken over TVK? This is a tiny sachet of shampoo, good for one wash. Which isn’t a great way to test out whether this is for you. And again this is about average for a high street product.  What made me laugh the most was the fact that on the box insert card it raves about the gorgeous packaging – I wouldn’t know from this 7ml sample. 

All in all this was an ok box. Nothing too special- obviously the USP is that this is a cruelty free, vegan friendly collection, and in that sense it fulfils its brief. However all of these brands have been in the box before and some of the products are on the basic side. It would have been nice to see some little known and indie brands included.  

ethics, life, theatre

The problem with access

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I don’t post about this often but it’s been on my mind recently and it’s weighing me down.

I love the theatre and I love ballet, have done since I was tiny (expelled from ballet lessons aged 7 for wanting to do ‘real dancing’ not endless good toes, bad toes, expelled from drama class at 13 for being “too dramatic” – I kid you not).

But since meeting the Mr a serious question has arisen – why are so many arts spaces hostile to the disabled?

My Mr broke his back aged 21 falling from a window at a party, he had extensive spinal surgery and rehab, he now uses a wheelchair to get around as he is paralysed from the waist down (yes he can still have sex before you ask, no I won’t explain in detail).

He wasn’t a massive theatre goer before we got together 6 years ago, he’d been to a few musicals and some live comedy. I took him to his first festival, first Shakespeare play and first ballet.

Some arts venues are brilliant, super accommodating and helpful (the Lyric Hammersmith, whatever the Hammersmith Apollo is now called, the O2, and a few West End theatres can’t do enough), others are a bit of a pain (Barbican, with its annoying registration process for example) and others are just downright obstructive.

We went to Sadler’s Wells a few years ago to see Matthew Bourne’s Gothic Sleeping Beauty, he’s my favourite choreographer, and I was delighted. The Mr booked the tickets and while they were a bit useless about it, we did get sorted in the end.

Christmas 2014 – Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands is at Sadler’s Wells. I want to go, the Mr says he’ll book, a Christmas present.

We don’t go, because SW have decided people lie about needing a wheelchair space and they want proof – a very particular proof, that even Government agencies don’t ask for, before they’ll make any booking.

We complain, it’s a really obnoxious policy and the access manager isn’t much better. We can’t find the document they want, and no other, even a note from his GP will do.

Who lies about needing a wheelchair space? They’ll look incredibly stupid when they turn up and have to stand, as chairs are removed to make room. You just refuse them then or ask them to pay the full value, or whatever.

It’s a policy I’ve never come across before or since. But it basically says “ballet is not for you” to anyone ringing up.

Ballet gets a lot of stick for being elitist, something many companies and venues are trying to change so to have the dance venue in London behave like this is extraordinary.

This Christmas just gone Sleeping Beauty was back, we didn’t even discuss going, we saw Bill Bailey in the West End instead (he was brilliant and the theatre’s assistance excellence) but I did ring Sadler’s Wells and they still have this mad policy in place. Way to tell disabled dance fans you don’t want them cluttering up your audience.

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beauty, ethics, haircare, lush, skincare

Lush – a treat for the senses

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Popped into my nearest Lush before dinner with the boyfriend (GBK – yum!) and picked up a few bits.

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I was completely out of my favourite moisturiser – Celestial, and am using my last shower gel from the stash (Glogg which smells like Christmas) so I got a few  bottles, two of the new scents. Yuzu and Cocoa smells like chocolate oranges and is bright, citrus yellow. The Comforter (pink) reminds me of Snow Fairy but less bubblegum.  Shampoo I Love Juicy is another staple product for me.
Then I picked up the super Sun Block – the perfect product for a lazy person who needs a lot of sun protection.
Finally I sniffed a solid conditioner bar – The Plumps (another bright pick purchase) which promises to reduce my flyaway hairs while giving bouncy, healthy hair.
I always come away from Lush with a smile – the staff are lovely. For some reason my card and the chip & pin machine were disagreeing and the manager patiently sorted it out for me. Then he gave me a free pot of BB Seaweed fresh face mask for the hassle, which was totally unexpected and really sweet. Go team Lush Brent Cross!

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beauty, beauty boxes, ethics, reviews, skincare, vegan kind

The Vegan Kind Beauty Box

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Every three months TVK send out a beauty box to complement their snack boxes (monthly).

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This month’s has finally arrived. I think it had a few adventures getting here.

Inside are four full size vegan beauty products.

Dr Organic Dead Sea Mineral Mud Mask – I’ve had this in a few boxes before and my mum swiped it last time! The dead sea is famous for its high mineral content that restores skin’s glow.

Faith in Nature 3 in 1 facial wipes – some people really hate face wipes, whereas I find them useful, to remove mistakes when applying make up and to help remove it at the end of the day (followed by micellar water and a good wash).

Teabox Detox (3 teabags – 1 day’s supply) – this tea claims to consist of antioxidants and antiinflammatories to boost skin health, remove toxins etc. My inner sceptic isn’t so sure a herbal tea could do all that but it can’t hurt.

PHB Ethical Beauty Natural and Organic Black Eye Liner – made with plant oils and waxes, water resistant yet gentle. This would be good if you want a cat flick but find the chemicals in some eyeliners make you weepy.

B is for Beautiful All Lengthening Defining Volumising Mascara in black – cruelty free beauty brand (available in your local Superdrug) I can’t speak to all their claims but if it appeals to you – then go for it.

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ethics, life

Social justice in an unjust world

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#blacklivesmatter

#transisbeautiful

#notallmuslims

What do those three hash tags have in common? They are the voice of the oppressed, the mistreated and derided. They are voices calling into the wilderness of ignorance and trying to show that human beings in all that varied forms are more than labels and are indeed precious and important.

I stand as an ally to anyone who is repressed, who is knocked down, insulted, mistreated or denied because of their perceived differences. I will speak up with you, I will be by your side, not in violence but in genuine honest protest and discussion. This is how I was raised and who I am.

I will go with you.

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ethics, fashion friday, lifestyle boxes

Who Made Your Pants?

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Most of our clothes are manufactured in dark, crowded factories, like Rana Plaza was, the sweatshop that collapsed, killing many workers.

We don’t know the names of the men and women sewing, dyeing and embellishing the clothes we love. We probably never will.

Shops like Primark or H & M are brilliant for affordable, every day bits, and most of us don’t even think of the human cost.

Who Made Your Pants? aim to change that.

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They make ladies underwear – in a range of sizes, styles, colours, fabrics and give them funny names like Hay Mears (camo print with a lace trim) or Lady Dynamo.

They send your pants out in a little brown box, which fits through the letterbox, lovingly wrapped and with a note telling you the names and a little bit about the people who made your pants.

You can order one offs or sign up for a year in pants – gorgeous pants selected for you by the team delivered once a month.

They are a charitable bunch and were involved in the Fashion Revolution earlier this year.

Follow them on Twitter or buy some pants and find out who made your pants!

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ethics, fashion friday, instagram

Who Made Your Clothes?

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The 24th of April – join me on twitter and instagram by posting a selfie with the #whomademyclothes to commemorate the Rana Plaza collapse which killed many clothing machinists.
For more info go to http://fashionrevolution.org

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Few brands tell us the truth about their manufacturing processes. Ethical clothing is in the spotlight, let’s keep it there and hold major manufacturers to the question #whomademyclothes.

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Pictures all from Fashion Revolution on twitter.

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charity, ethics, questions

Should you re-sell a charity item?

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Every year for Comic Relief (a huge charitable initiative) various different people pitch in to ‘Do Something Funny for Money’.

So we’ve had celebrities baking cakes on Comic Relief Bake Off, members of the public showing off their foxtrot for Comic Relief does Strictly and that’s all before you get to the telethon (known as Red Nose Day, google it, you’ll see why) itself.

You can also donate by buying a whole range of Comic Relief goods (mostly through Sainsbury’s supermarkets but I’ve seen red noses in WH Smiths, comedy specs in my opticians and posters in plenty of high street shop windows.

Most of it is aimed at children, especially the famous red noses and lots of schools get in on the act with sponsored events, bake sales and mufti days.

Designers have got involved over the last few years with limited edition t-shirts in TK Maxx and Lulu Guinness shoppers in the supermarket.

Two years ago I got a Lulu Guinness shopper, it wasn’t the one I wanted, they had sold out, and this year I got another one.

I have been after a Lulu Guinness bag for ages, I think they’re fun and quirky, so every now and then I search ebay to see if anyone has one for sale at a not too insane price. Imagine my shock to see dozens of the Comic Relief bags for sale.

Personally I think it’s pretty distasteful to be selling anything that raises money for charity and making a profit. Yes, you made your donation when you originally bought it, but then to flog it online and make money is rather nasty.

The bags cost £5, which isn’t a lot considering and the money helps people in need in the UK and overseas.

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I might even buy another bag, they’re good quality and strong. I’ve also bought the Crafternoon magazine and the GBBO book, mostly because the money helps people in need.

But I won’t be selling them on, that just lacks class in my opinion. What do you think?

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ethics, lifestyle, lush, questions

Lush and the problem of ethical beauty

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On a facebook group recently a member asked whether anyone could recommend a beauty brand like Lush but not Lush as she was a member of Countryside Alliance and Lush support hunt saboteurs.

Now, fox hunting is illegal in the UK, even though our current (vile) PM is a member of a hunt, and fox hunting has been repeatedly proven to be not only inhumane but costly and pointless as a means of keeping numbers of foxes low.

It is in fact much cheaper and more practical to shoot foxes or poison them if they are causing a nuisance, eating your chickens or spooking your sheep.

The cost of raising hounds, horses, the outfits and damage done to farmland far outways the benefits of chasing one animal to the point of exhaustion and then ordering dogs to tear it apart.

I’m not saying that hunt saboteurs are a good thing either – in fact they are known to cause harm to animals as well. Spooking a horse, causing it to fall, maybe break a leg and have to be shot does not mean you took a stand for animal rights.

Foxes are a nuisance, and not just in the countryside. More and more of them are living in urban areas, raiding bins, attacking pets (and apparently babies, despite being very wary of humans) and having all night mating sessions involving screaming in people’s gardens.

I use Lush because I admire their ethical policy (not testing on animals – meaning until last year they didn’t add SPFs because they were predominantly tested on animals and they needed to find one that wasn’t) and the lack of chemicals in their products means that my sensitive skin doesn’t react to them.

Testing cosmetics on animals was banned in the EU last year (but check where your products are manufactured, as outside the EU no such restrictions are guaranteed by law). So theoretically all products are cruelty free. Lush led the charge and is very happy with this change in legislation.

Fox hunting is a touchy subject even in my extended family, my Yorkshire rellies own farmland and came to London a few years ago for a CA march. I held my tongue, I don’t agree with their ethics (or lack thereof) although they are family and I care about them.

Where do you stand on the question of beauty and cruelty? Do you check the provenance and ethics of your products or is it something you choose not to worry about when buying your cosmetics?

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Images from Lush Ltd’s facebook page

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