Limegreen vegan home and body products

I was wandering around Chelsea Market the other day, and found a great new brand in the Artists and Fleas space over on the 10th ave side of the Market!

Limegreen offers "completely natural vegan products" that smell amazing and are made in Brooklyn! You know I'm not into perfumey stuff, but I do enjoy natural fragrances from essential oils and the like, and these are made from "unrefined, certified organic, raw, wild harvested and steam distilled ingredients, such as Coconut, Olive, Castor, Sweet Almond oils, Soy Wax and Alcohol Free Witch Hazel Distillate. We seek the ‘Best’ ingredients and look to support local business."

I also like that a lot of their products are double or triple duty- for example the BAR you can use for washing face and body and hair, which makes traveling so much simpler, as well as the shower ledge. The OIL moisturizes hair and skin, and also removes makeup! The MASSAGE CANDLE smells amazing and as they melt they turn into massage oil! I've really been into candles lately, I think because it's winter and dark and candles make the space seem cozy and also smell nice.  I was thinking this is a great gift on so many levels, don't be surprised if you know me and you get one!

I learned a new word: Zoonotic

I love monkeys! I really do! I also believe that as cute and funny and mesmerizing as they are, they should never be kept as pets. Why? Well, it's bad for people, and it's bad for the monkeys.  One of the many problems is Zoonotic Disease. immy Kimmel explains it here, joking that Joey and Chandler from "Friends" are dead because, "Marcel the monkey bit them and gave them monkey rabies, and they died."



I real life, it's NO JOKE.  The woman who was attacked by a "pet" chimp in 2009 not only had her face and hands mauled off, she contracted an infection from the monkey which caused her to GO BLIND.



You can help prevent horrible accidents like this: Protect Primates and People from Dangerous and Inhumane Trade

The Love Affair Continues

I really love shopping at Trader Joe's, and I shop there despite the closest one being pretty far from my apartment and I have to haul all that stuff back home in multiple backpacks and tote bags (they do have delivery, I've just never used it).

ANYWAY!  I wrote to them the other day:

"I LOVE your unscented cruelty free skincare products (Nourish oil free antioxidant facial moisturizer and Nourish All-in-one facial cleanser)! Thank you so much for making those and clearly labeling them with the no-bunnies logo, it so easy to check if it can go in my basket or not! I often buy Tom's unscented deodorant when I am at your store, but am curious about your Trader Joe's Unscented Deodorant with Cotton - is that tested on animals? There is no indication. 
Thanks and keep up the great work! Please introduce more unscented, cruelty free products!"

And they responded super fast with the following exciting information!

"Our HABA (health and beauty aid) products are ALL cruelty free - no animal testing. This includes our deodorants."

YES!  So my husband switched from the Tom's deodorant to Trader Joe's Unscented Deodorant with Cotton and he likes it a lot better!  He uses it on a daily basis and it has even held up through his martial arts classes (he comes home literally DRIPPING with sweat and his clothes are soaked with sweat, but he does not smell!)

So I also discovered that they also list all their vegan products online which makes it super easy to pick what you want to buy ahead of time!

Nathalie K is "Really Impressed!" with cruelty free CC Cream

I've been a long time fan of Physician's Formula products.  I started off YEARS ago using their loose powder, then moved to their pressed powders and bronzers, and lately I've been using their foundations, blush, and BB cream as well.  They state, "Physicians Formula Inc. does not conduct tests, or commission any outside facility to conduct tests that involve the use of animals." and they're one of the few drugstore brands that can still make this claim!  

I am currently using the Physicians Formula Super BB Cream (also using their blush, powder, and foundation), and I got both my mom and my mother-in-law using it too (my mother in law just told me this morning she bought three tubes so she has one everywhere she goes)! Like the CC cream there are only two shades (I bought both) but BOTH really blend in well and look natural on my skin.  I use the lighter one all over, and the darker one on my cheeks to subtly contour them).  I was impressed how well the light/medium shade matches both me and my mother-in-law, it is amazing!

Also, a lot of the time there will be coupon stickers on the packaging in the store - usually $3 off or buy-one-get one.

FYI my mother-in-law loves Physicians Formula's cleanser and she's been using it for years (and her face looks amazing!) because it's one of the few products that doesn't irritate her sensitive skin.

Face to Face: YesTo vs First Aid Beauty face moisturizers +PROMO CODES!

   VS

This is a comparison of two cruelty-free moisturizers for the face: Yes to Blueberries Deep Wrinkle Night Cream and First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer.

Yes to Blueberries Pros: I've been using this for a while, and it is indeed deeply moisturizing which is exactly why I got it (my Trader Joe's oil-free moisturizer wasn't enough once winter set in with the super dry air).  First of all, "Yes To does not test on animals and is against animal testing," and "Most of our products are great for vegans!" (They're wannabegan, some of their products contain bee products.)  In terms of ingredients, they are petroleum, SLS, & paraben free. 

First Aid Beauty Pros: I bought this as part of a set (I'll review the whole thing at some point!) because I really like the things that First Aid Beauty doesn't include in their products: "FAB products are free of harsh chemicals and known allergens, including parabens, phthalates, alcohol, fragrances and artificial dyes."  And of course, "FAB has never tested on animals and never will, period," and "The majority of FAB products contain no animal ingredients" (duh, or else I wouldn't be featuring their products on this blog anyway). They have one product that contains beeswax, so they're also wannabegan!

Yes to Blueberries Deep Wrinkle Night Cream Pros: This is indeed deeply hydrating - after applying I feel like there is a protective layer on my skin that I can still feel in the morning.  I do think that did help reduce my wrinkles a little bit- I don't have deep creases on my face, just little crinkles due to dryness, and this helped plump those up a bit.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer Pros: For this product in particular, I really liked how easily it applies on my face - this spreads on super smooth without pulling at the delicate skin around my eyes. I also love that it's fragrance-free because fragrance makes me uncomfortable from a potential health hazard standpoint, and also because when my face smells, I can smell it all the time!

Yes to Blueberries Cons: There is fragrance in this product, which is actually pleasant (and doesn't give me a headache like some other fragrances do) but still, I'd prefer if it was fragrance free. They just started a separate fragrance free line, they must have heard me!   Also, I'm left with a ever-so-slightly sticky feel to my face after application, which is good when I'm using it as intended (at night) but want something I can use all the time.  At night it was fine because it felt like a really moisturizing protective barrier, but for day I'd prefer something lighter.  Also, I occasionally felt like the texture was a bit tacky, so when I applied it it would pull my face around a little bit.

First Aid Beauty Cons:  I haven't found any cons to this, the closest I can get to a con is comparing it the the Blueberries moisturizer, I would say I wish it were a little heavier for night time, but then I would't like it as much for the day.

Winner: Originally I thought this post would declare on product superior over the other, but I'm now realizing as I am reading the manufacturers description of these two moisturizers that even though both are for face and are packaged in almost identical pump bottles, they are for two totally different skin types and needs!  The FAB moisturizer is meant to be light where the YtB moisturizer is thick and heavy.

My Conclusion: use the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer in the morning so you look fresh throughout the day and have a nice surface to layer makeup on (if you're wearing makeup), and then use the Yes to Blueberries Deep Wrinkle Night Cream at night (duh) to lock in moisture and undo wrinkles while you sleep.

I found TWO promo codes for you! "YESTO35" = 35% off at yestocarrots.com and "FABULOUS" = 30% off at firstaidbeauty.com, plus free full size Lip Repair Therapy with $75+ purchase.  Git it!  That fragrance free line from Y2 I mentioned earlier is also on sale, I think I'm going to try Yes to Carrots Fragrance Free Intense Hydration Night Cream as my replacement for the blueberry one.  From FAB, I want to try another kit: their FAB Daily Dose kit. PS I've been using that Lip Repair Therapy (and putting it on my husband too), my lips are in great shape now!