January Vegan Cuts Beauty Box Review

Starting the new year off fresh with new products is always joyful! I enjoy receiving my monthly box subscriptions because I love variety that comes in each one. Plus, I get to experiment with new brands and new items that I may have never found in a local store. The January box has a great mash-up of products to kick-start the new year off in style! 

DermOrganic included a 2 oz shampoo sample and a 2 oz hair masque sample. I used the hair masque like a conditioner—leaving it to soak in while I washed my body, face, etc. Both items were thicker than average shampoo/conditioner duos. These felt more like lotions while I was applying them. Surprisingly, they both lathered very well. The shampoo had more of an organic, natural, grainy scent and the masque had a light floral aroma. Overall, I was extremely happy with the way these products worked with my hair. Once my hair air-dried it did not feel weighed down or oily like some fragrant, paraffin-filled products have left my hair in the past. Since my hair is so long, thick and curly, I used about half of each bottle for a single shower. They sell a 33.8 oz bottle of the shampoo and conditioner for $35 each and the same size of the hair masque for $40. I will definitely be ordering this set once my current duo is gone! 

Ingredients: (Shampoo) Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice*, Aqua/Eau/Water, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Methyl Gluceth-20, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*, Rice Amino Acids, PCA, Panthenol B5, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract*, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract*, Propanediol (All Natural)/Phenethyl Alcohol/Benzoic Acid, Parfum/Fragrance (Hair Masque) Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice*, Aqua/Eau/Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PCA, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*, Methyl Gluceth-20, Rice Amino Acids, Panthenol B5, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract*, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract, Propanediol (All Natural)/Phenethyl Alcohol/Benzoic Acid, Parfum/Fragrance 

Gourmet and Body Treats is brand I have used before. I've purchased their raw finishing powder from Vegan Cuts last year and I enjoyed it. This sugar & spice body scrub smells equivalent to what I would imagine an enchanted forest to smell like. I experienced a strong scent of coffee, cloves, and black pepper with an undertone of sweet sugar. This scrub gets clumped up and requires a good shake before using it. This 2 oz tub retails for $7 and could probably be used multiple times—if used sparingly. I used the entire amount in one shower (after I finished shaving), but I used it to exfoliate my whole body (arms, neck, shoulders, underarms, stomach, back, legs, and feet). I poured a small amount into my hands, added a little water, and rubbed them together. This scrub left my skin feeling incredibly soft and rejuvenated. 

Ingredients: Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Coffee, Organic Pumpkin Oil, Cucumber Hydrosol, Organic Coconut Oil, Calendula Extract, Green Tea leaf extract, Vanilla Eo, Organic Cinnamon Eo, Organic Lemon Eo, Organic Orange Eo, Organic Lime Hydrosol.

Modern Minerals is a new brand to me and I was excited to try this eyeshadow! I enjoy spending time doing my makeup for a night out and I usually focus on exaggerating my eyes. I love experimenting with new shades and pigments. The shade I received is called Sakura which is perfect for highlighting or to use as a base. This eyeshadow is a long-lasting, loose mineral consistency with a frosty shimmer and subtle pink undertone. A .17 oz jar retails for $12.50 and since a little goes a long way, this shade could last a long time.

Ingredients: Mica (CI77019), titanium dioxide (CI77891),Tin Oxide (CI778161), Iron Oxide (CI774991)

The surprise nail lacquer I received is from Color Club in the shade Snow Queen. This deep, rich shade of violet retails for $8.50 for a .5 oz bottle. Color Club offers more than 250 shades of polish ranging from the darkest blacks to the brightest neons. I look forward to trying out more of their shades in the future. All of their products are made in New York and are 5 free!

Crazy Rumors is a brand that I have been reading about for months, but have never had the opportunity to try. Included in my Vegan Cuts box was a full-size .09 oz HibisKiss tinted lip balm in the shade Tropical which retails for $4.99. This balm goes on smoothly, leaves my lips feeling soft, and leaves a light stain on my lip even after it has worn off. My favorite part has to be the scent/flavor because it is so powerful and fruity! This is a great product to toss in your purse and have on hand whenever you need a quick touch-up.

Ingredients: Macadamia Ternifolia (Macadamia) Oil, *Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil *Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Non GMO Glycine Soja (Soybean) Wax, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Natural Flavors, Tocopherol (Vit E), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Eupatorium Rebaudianum Bertoni (Stevia) Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxide *Organic

Arbonne

During our visit to the Gentle Barn, Mark and I enjoyed the various booths set up around the property offering everything from vegan food to cosmetic samples. We ate lunch at the Gentle Barn and shopped at the gift store. I was excited to see that Arbonne had a table set up at the Gentle Barn. Arbonne is a company that I have read about on vegan beauty blogs for a long time now. There are so many mixed reviews about this company and their cruelty-free policy. It seems that no one can obtain the same answer from any of their reps. I decided to approach the the women at the table in an attempt to get some clarification about the brand.

Below is an email I sent to the Gentle Barn after speaking with the Arbonne rep. I felt it was important for them to know how my encounter with Arbonne unfolded. 

"My husband and I visited the Gentle Barn for the first time on Sunday, January 4th. I heard about other animal sanctuaries on Instagram, so I did a little research and found that Gentle Barn is the closest one to me. Being able to spend time at the barn was a humbling experience for me and I enjoyed it very much. I greatly appreciate the help and second chance at life that the Gentle Barn has given these animals. The staff and volunteers were knowledgeable and seemed to really love the animals. It is a very family-friendly environment that teaches children about the importance of animal rights, so I can't wait to bring my future children to the Gentle Barn. It was nice to see the different stations set-up all around the property, like the vegan hot dog booth, face painting post, the gift & snack shops, and the Arbonne table. 

Over the last year I have done extensive research on cruelty-free cosmetic brands with vegan options. In the beginning of 2014 I completely changed my lifestyle by becoming a vegetarian and only using cruelty-free and vegan products. I have always heard mixed reviews about Arbonne, so when I saw them at the Gentle Barn I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to ask a few questions about the brand. When I approached the table I explained to the women that I was a supporter of cruelty-free/vegan products and I had a few questions about Arbonne because the reviews online are so mixed. I was surprised when one of the women became incredibly offended and said, "That is bullshit! We don't test on animals. We even use soy ink in our ads and fliers. Give me a break! I am a vegan!" Needless to say, I was a little put off by her aggressive attitude and the way she initiated the conversation. I tried to explain to her that there are many great sources online to find cruelty-free/vegan brands, but Arbonne isn't on many of them. I told her that I, myself, have even tried to reach out to the brand on multiple occasions to inquire about their stance and have heard nothing back. To which she responded, "I work for them and I can't even get a response back! They gave me a $20 coupon last month because I sent so many unanswered emails." She appeared to be unnecessarily flustered about my questioning Arbonne's practices. She seemed to be uneducated about the term "cruelty-free", but because she was blatantly unreceptive to my inquiry I decided to not push any further. Just because a company does not conduct animals testing themselves, does not make them cruelty-free. If Arbonne is owned by a larger parent company, that company could potentially test on animals, which would make Arbonne and its proceeds categorized as NOT cruelty-free. Also, if Arbonne doesn't require proof that the ingredients they purchase from their suppliers are cruelty-free, then they have no way of knowing if their products are 100% free of animal testing. There is a wonderful website called Logical Harmony that is dedicated to giving its followers the most current and up-to-date information on cruelty-free cosmetics. The founder is thorough, honest about her findings, and encourages her readers to do their own research by teaching them how to get started. Arbonne is a brand that has come up many times and she has not been able to get a clear answer from corporate Arbonne that states their stance on animal testing. (Here is the website, if you're interested: www.logicalharmony.net/cruelty-free-vegan-brand-list/#axzz3Nxvsqatv)

The Arbonne representative handed me a catalog with her card—Ziggy Mrkich was her name. To abruptly end our conversation she asked me if I would like to try a sample and to be polite I said, "sure, why not?". She began to fumble through her samples for a facial moisturizer, then proceeded to ask me in a quite condescending tone, "So, you're in your 30's.... or 40's?" I had to chuckle... I am in my 20's and by now I could tell she was intentionally being rude because she did not like where our conversation was headed. It is unfortunate because my husband and I were having such a great day filled with positivity and joy until Ziggy came along, filled with such hostility and negativity. As a sales representative of a company that you BELIEVE to be genuine and ethical, wouldn't you strive to work with new potential customers by providing them proof and comfort that your product is as great as you say it is? Also, wouldn't you encourage questions and applaud someone for being aware of the animal testing industry and attempting to make a difference by getting as much information as possible—not berate someone for being bold enough to ask?

Sadly, I would never purchase anything from Arbonne whether it is a cruelty-free company or not based off of this one single interaction. I will also urge anyone I meet to do the same. 

I took the time to send this message to you because I think it is important for you to know how your patrons are being treated. Visiting the Gentle Barn was an immensely pleasant experience and, once again, I thank you for everything you have done for the animals that live there. The animals you have saved are grateful and clearly live a much more peaceful life. If I didn't live two hours away, I would be a volunteer in a heartbeat! I value the time I spent at Gentle Barn and am so glad I hugged a cow before I encountered Ziggy, or the day might have ended very differently. *smiley face*"

I can not wait to visit the Gentle Barn again! There is so much love and compassion within its walls (or fences, I should say). I decided to reach out the Gentle Barn regarding this incident because I would hate to think other patrons who approached the Arbonne table were treated this way. Fighting against animal cruelty is a lifestyle and those who embrace it shouldn't be chastised, especially by someone claiming to live the same harmonious lifestyle. 

Immediately after reaching out to the Gentle Barn, I was contacted via email and telephone by a man named Jay. He was very sweet and apologetic for Ziggy and her attitude. He thanked me for coming forward and sharing my experience with him. He let me know that was currently doing research to confirm Arbonne's practices and claims. He told me he would keep me posted on his findings. 

By following the Gentle Barn on social media, I know he is currently in Tennessee taking care of Dudley, the rescue cow that I mentioned in my previous blog post, so I completely understand why he hasn't gotten back to me. I am in no hurry, but can't wait to see if he discovers any news on Arbonne. 

The Gentle Barn

Since adopting the vegetarian lifestyle and becoming more aware of animal rights, I have taken a great interest in animal sanctuaries. Earlier this month Mark and I visited the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA. The Gentle Barn has over 170 animals that have all been rescued from severe abuse. When you arrive they ask you to sit through a 10 minute orientation explaining the purpose of the barn, how to interact with the animals, and how the organization got started. They also ask that you hug a cow before you leave! Their philosophy is simple, "you can't have a bad day if you've hugged a cow". This, I have to agree with... Once that is over you are free to roam around the facility and spend as much time as you wish with the animals. Here are some pictures of our trip!

This cow (below) is named Faith and she is blind (blind faith). This is her bio from the barns web page:

"Faith was rescued from the dairy industry. She was taken away from her mom at only a day old so the breast milk she needed could be taken for humans, put into a veal crate, and while she was there had untreated conjunctivitis that caused her to go blind. When she came to The Gentle Barn she would spin in circles, never having walked a straight line before. With the help of our volunteers, Faith learned not only how to walk a straight line but how to run, play and receive love. She is now happy, healthy and loves people!"

Reading stories like this make me so grateful that places like the Gentle Barn are around, but they also make me very sad and hurt my heart because I know that for every animal they save, there are another million that are treated even worse all over the world.

This handsome man is named Sir Lancelot and his story goes something like this:

"Sir Lancelot was grossly underweight, lame and almost ridden to death. He was taken away from his abusers by the LAPD and Los Angeles Animal Control. Sir Lancelot was scheduled to be euthanized and at the last minute an officer called and asked us to save his life. We will not stop working with him until he can gallop and play with our other horses and has joy in his eyes."

We spent a lot of time in the horse stalls. I have had a fascination with horses since I was a child. I find them to be one of the most graceful and beautiful creatures to roam the earth.

Our day wouldn't have been complete without a selfie with a goat! 

This is Sir Francis and he is turkey that loves to show off!

This is Biscuit and he weighs 1000 pounds!!!! He lives a posh life that includes belly rubs, sun bathing, and rolling in the mud. 

Visiting the Gentle Barn was truly a touching experience for me. It warms my heart to know that people will go to such great lengths to ensure the lives of animals are just as enjoyable as it is for us humans. This volunteer kept feeding this horse carrots out of his mouth. It was pretty dang cute!

I follow the Gentle Barn on Instagram and Facebook and have been choked up with every single post recently. Two members of the staff went all the way to Tennessee to save a cow named Dudley. Dudley was in such bad shape that one of his feet had to amputated.
You can read all about his journey here.
I immediately get teared up anytime I read an update on Dudley. His story is so inspiring and uplifting. I am so thankful he is receiving the care and treatment he deserves and will live out the rest of his days being hugged, brushed, pet, and loved.

Mark and I REALLY enjoyed the Gentle Barn! Everything was so wonderful... until I met an Arbonne rep named Ziggy. BUT we'll save that story for another day. :-)

Clovis, CA

Today I am reminiscing about the first week of the new year! My hubby and I took a little road trip from Orange County to Clovis, CA. Recently my best friend, her fiance, and daughter moved up north and extended an offer for us to stay with them. On the way we stopped at a truck-stop diner called the Iron Skillet. The food was terrible, but the atmosphere was entertaining. 

Right over the fence, in the backyard, live the cutest clan of cows. We fed them branches and leaves and they were so excited! The land is so vast behind the house, so I am not sure whom these sweet creatures belong to.

This is one of my favorite people on the planet!

The first morning we spent in Clovis, we visited an amazing Parisian cafe. We ate omelets with french loaf bread and these decadent macaroons. The flavors are chocolate, blueberry, and raspberry.

Here are two of three furbabies that occupy their household: Jango the feline and Jake the Husky. 

My bestie and I enjoyed a relaxing massage containing hot stones and oil. I never thought that one of the best massages of my life would have been in a small farming town like Clovis.

We have been friends for nearly 20 years! I am so grateful for the beautiful friendship we have had throughout our lifetime. So many memories, experiences, and great times!

We spent a few hours at an outdoor shooting range brushing up on our target practice. 

Of course our mini-vacation wouldn't have been complete without a trip to the local roller skating rink. It was NOTHING fancy, but it was a lot of fun!

We spent a day at the Sequoia National Park which is home to the largest tree (by mass) in the world. Mark carved our initials into this fallen tree stump.

On our way home from a dreamy stay-cation, we stopped to eat at Brooks Ranch. It is a cute diner filled with all kinds of comfort food. It wasn't the best I've ever had, but it sure beat the Iron Skillet! 

Viva Las Vegas

Throwback Thursday to the time we celebrated my baby brothers 21st birthday in Las Vegas:

My family and I spent a couple days in Sin City to celebrate my youngest brother, Cyler's, 21st birthday. Most of his friends are still underage, so he had the pleasure of being accompanied by Mark and I, our parents, and our brother, CJ. Since I am the "planner" in the family, I made all of the arrangements for the weekend.

When CJ turned 21 we also took a weekend trip to Vegas. Two of his friends, Mark, and myself all stayed at the Excalibur and lived large that weekend—I completely understand that the words Excalibur and lived large have no correlation because that partiuclar hotel is nothing fancy, but we weren't in the room very much. We ate at the best restaurants, gawked over an incredible Cirque de Soleil show, Mystere, and enjoyed bottle service at club PURE in Cesaers Palace.

When planning this trip, I had to take into account both of my brothers vastly different personalities. First, Cyler has a girlfriend, so hanging out in clubs wasn't something he would be into. Second, he is more mellow and could be considered more of a "home-body", so I knew he wouldn't want me to plan a weekend with non-stop adventures.

I have had a few friends who recently stayed in Vegas and mentioned to me that the Golden Nugget (which is downtown) had recently been renovated. I checked out the prices and they were drastically lower than anything on The Strip. We paid about $100 a night with taxes and fees [BTW: they charge you a "Fremont Experience" fee because the hotel sits on Fremont street—LAME!] The hotel was nice. My family arrived before Mark and I, so they checked into all of the rooms for us which was nice because we didn't have to deal with the headache and lines. The rooms were spacious and didn't feel crammed or claustrophobic. I enjoyed the open space in the room and in the bathroom too. The tub/shower was a nice size and there was sufficient counter space. The decor was slightly old-fashioned, but, to be honest, I wasn't expecting much—so I was impressed.

When we arrived in Vegas, my family was at the ice bar inside of the Monte Carlo. The bar is called Minus 5 and everything inside—including the cups you drink from—are made of ice. This is the second time Mark and I have been to Minus 5. There is another one inside of Mandalay Bay (which was the first one in Vegas) and I prefer that one over the one inside Monte Carlo. Although it is smaller and more dimly lit, the Minus 5 inside of Mandalay Bay felt more welcoming and exciting for some reason. The bar offers ice block seating that is covered with (what I hope to be fake) animal skins and loud music to get everyone amped up. The bar is only -5 degrees Celsius, so it isn't too cold to sit in and hang out for a little while. They give you gloves and coats to wear, but if you're up and moving around you will be fine in just a sweatshirt. We didn't stay inside very long because 1.) we were tired from driving and sitting through traffic and 2.) my family had already been in the bar for about 30 minutes and were getting over it. I bought the boys a shot and we left. 

Can we take a moment to appreciate the true shittiness of my front camera? My face looks like part of it is frozen from being in the bar! (I recently upgraded to an iPhone 6-YAY!!!)

The next morning we made reservations at one of my favorite eateries in Vegas for brunch: Serendipity 3! I am so glad we had reservations because a group of 2 came in to get a table was told the wait would be 45 minutes! We were a group of 6 so I can only imagine how long we would have been sitting around. I LOVE this place! The portions are huge, the food is flavorful & colorful, and they have some of THE BEST desserts. I always start off my meal with their frozen hot chocolate—and yes that includes breakfast. I can't even begin to explain how delicious this huge mound of chocolate and whipped cream tastes. My whole family shared it and everyone was delighted by it's rich, creamy, amazing taste! It basically tastes like the best hot chocolate you have ever had, but frozen. Plus the whipped cream they top it with tastes like it is freshly made with each order. I would recommend trying frozen hot chocolate if you ever get the pleasure of eating at any of the Serendipity restaurants. 

To follow the frozen dessert appetizer, I ordered a veggie omelet. It had sun dried tomatoes, American cheese, and artichoke hearts in it. They included a side of potatoes that were crispy and golden brown. The seasoning they use is zesty and savory. 

After brunch we walked around the strip, in and out of the hotels, so Cyler could get a taste of Vegas. We stopped by the frozen slushy booth and got some alcohol filled treats. 

We stopped to watch a pretty impressive street preforming group do some break dancing. They were very entertaining and energetic. Sometimes street performers can be one of the most entertaining part of The Strip. 

That night we went to Jean Georges Steakhouse in the Aria for dinner. We had reservations and were seated promptly, but after that the service began to decline quickly. We sat for the better half of 30 minutes without being offered water or anything to drink. My dad finally got up and asked our waiter to attend to out table. About 10 minutes later they finally brought out our water and bread. It was another 15-20 minutes before we were able to order our food. I ordered the lobster, which was mediocre. For the price of the food, I expected higher quality and better taste. As for as the ambiance of the restaurant, I would have expected much better service. The waiters did not seem to care if their patrons were satisfied or not. They did bring my brother a small dessert for this birthday, but it certainly did not make up for the lack of quality this establishment displays. 

I strongly believe any Vegas vacation isn't complete without experiencing a Cirque du Soleil show! We saw Zarkana at the Aria. It wasn't the best Cirque show I have enjoyed, but it was still great!

My favorite part of staying at the Golden Nugget was the free access to their 'ocean-esque' pool! This pool has a water slide that runs right through a shark tank. It was pretty cool to get up close and personal with some sea-life in Vegas.

Vegas is fun... about once a year. I think I've had my fix for another 12 months. :-)