Healthy Fats for Healthy Hair: Giovanni’s Ultra-Moist Shampoo & Conditioner

When it comes to cruelty-free hair care, Giovanni definitely tops my list.

As mentioned in my previous post, my husband and I moved from NYC to Colorado at the beginning of June. In addition to the totally new landscape and lifestyle, I’ve also had to learn how my hair and skin respond to the significantly drier climate. Having had dry hair to start, the endless 90+ degree heat, sun, and total lack of humidity has really taken its toll on my locks.

Enter Giovanni’s 2chic Ultra-Moist shampoo and conditioner with avocado and olive oil. Doesn’t it just sound good enough to eat?

Okay, so while I don’t recommend eating it, it smells great, and after a week’s use, my hair and scalp already feel improved. It’s also worth mentioning that I swim laps about three times a week, so my hair is marinating in public pool levels of chlorine, and is still getting hydrated from this stuff. All without making it greasy or heavy, to boot.

Giovanni has two different haircare product lines: Eco Chic and 2chic, with the Ultra-Moist product suite falling under the latter. 2chic now offers six different hair and body care profiles. I’ve used four of the six, and I bet you can find the right thing for your needs no problem. To explore the 2chic line, click here.

Thankfully, Giovanni is making its way into lots of popular stores. Most major grocers and pharmacies, as well as places like Target and Walmart, offer their products. To find Giovanni in a store near year, check out their retailer list.

An 8.5 oz. tube of either shampoo or conditioner retails for $8.99, though I was lucky to get both for under $10 at a local natural grocer in Longmont, CO, thanks to both an in-store sale, and $1 off coupons attached the bottles.

Giovanni is Leaping Bunny-certified, and nearly all of their products are vegan – including Ultra Moist.

Have you used any Giovanni products? Let me know what you love in the comments below!

Summertime...and the Cruelty-Free Living Is Easy

As we head into the end of June, one thing is certain: Summer is officially here!

My husband and I recently relocated from Brooklyn, New York, to Erie, Colorado, just outside of Boulder. While there’s a lot of things to explore and adjust to, one of the biggest things for me is being a heck of a lot closer to the sun! Having lived close to sea level my entire life, I was pretty stunned at how quickly I turned from white to red out here.

But whether you’re at a high altitude or splashing in the sea, you need protection from the elements. Read on for my top picks for staying cruelty-free while having fun in the sun!

Best Sunscreen: Alba Botanica Very Emollient Sunscreen

There are more and more cruelty-free sunscreens popping up on the market, but my favorite -- and the brand I see most often at different stores -- is Alba Botanica. Whether you want a spray or a tube, Alba Botanica has an option -- and a scent -- to match any need. They offer a range of SPFs and make a lotion gentle enough for baby’s skin. My go-to is the fragrance free spray (linked to above), which stands up to a sweaty all-day hike and never clogs my pores. Prices vary between sizes and types, but the aforementioned spray retails for about $16, though I’ve had no trouble finding it on sale for $10 and under.

Best Facial Sunscreen: Kiss My Face Face Factor SPF 50

Kiss My Face also makes a great body sunscreen, but I particularly love them for their face-specific lotion. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I have really sensitive skin. Growing up, I always had to be careful about putting any sunscreen on my face, lest it feel like it was on fire the entire day. This stuff is super lightweight and non-greasy, but surprisingly effective and sweat-resistant. A 2 oz. tube retails for around $14, but I’ve gotten it for as little as $9 or $10.

Best Swimmer’s Shampoo: Aubrey Organics Almond Apricot Swimmer’s Shampoo

Maybe you’re more of pool than an ocean person. As a blonde who swam competitively in high school, I know chlorine can wreck your hair (and turn it an interesting shade of green). When I looked at getting back into lap swimming, I knew I was going to need a swimmer’s shampoo, but I was worried there wasn’t a cruelty-free option on the market. Alas, there is. Not only is it gentle and effective, but it smells delicious. My only complaint is that the formula is a little runny, so you have to be careful when pouring into your hand. This is my first bottle, though, so fingers crossed it’s normally a little more viscous. Do a quick Google search to find your best price  -- a 16 oz. bottle will run you about $10 or $11.

Best Insect Repellent: All Terrain Herbal Armor

Forgot your Off! and all those other DEET-loaded brands: This is the best bug repellent I’ve ever used. We first picked this up for a trip to Costa Rica -- we knew we were going to be doing a lot of hiking in the rain forest and wanted to be prepared. I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical about the all-natural approach -- I grew up in a time when those chemical-saturated repellents were pretty much the only effective thing on the market, but trust. This stuff stands up to mosquito season in any tropical paradise -- including your backyard. A 4 oz. bottle retails for $9.99. Additional sizes and varieties available.

Best Bug Bite Relief: All Terrain Bite & Sting Soother Spray

Perhaps less surprising after you see how well the repellent works, is the sting soother. There’s always that one sucker that gets through, or, as is more likely with me, bug repellent isn’t all that effective unless you actually put it on. So, for those times when a bug has an unstoppable thirst for human flesh -- or you just got lazy -- this stuff will take the bite right out of that welt. A 2 oz. bottle retails for $7.99.

What's your favorite  cruelty-free summer product? Let me know in the comments!

Say "Yes" to YES TO

Hello cruelty-free compatriots! It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to make an update, but I’m back and ready with reviews for a whole slew of products.

 First up: YES TO, a great company that became Leaping Bunny certified in 2014, and which I’ve been using more or less since their inception.

 For the past month, I’ve been using the Yes to Carrots Nourishing shampoo and conditioner and it’s been lovely to my hair and scalp. Added bonus: It smells terrific. I was using Giovanni’s Tea Tree Triple Treat Invigorating shampoo and conditioner for a while, but found that it dried out my scalp and made it itchy. A no-go for my short, fine and non-oily hair, but it hasn’t gone to waste – my husband, who has extremely thick, curly hair, finds that the Triple Treat keeps his hair and scalp clean without over-drying.

But back to YES TO.

The Yes to Carrots collection is targeted for those with normal to dry hair (your “standard” hair care regimen), but if you’re looking for something a little more specific, the company offers a “color protection” regimen (Yes to Cucumbers), “healthy hair repair” (Yes to Blueberries) and “ultra moisture” (Yes to Coconut). If you’re dealing with an itchy, flaky scalp, there’s also a “scalp relief” Yes to Carrots collection. Personally, I’m hoping that they’ll add a volumizing line for my fine hair, but in the meantime, Yes to Carrots is doing its job.

The Daily Pampering set of Yes to Carrots 16.9 fl oz shampoo and conditioner retails on the YES TO website for 17.98 and is Petroleum, SLS & Paraben Free. If you’re looking for it on your local store’s shelves, I’ve spotted it in plenty of stores including Walgreen’s and Target. 

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YES TO isn’t just about hair care – they’ve got your whole body and face covered, too. One of my most favorite recent finds has been the Yes to Tomatoes Roller Ball Spot Stick, which works wonders on zits of all shapes, sizes and tenacities (gross, I know, but whatever). One of my longest struggles since going cruelty-free has been finding the a truly effective zit-buster, and until I found the Yes to Tomatoes Spot Stick, I’d been using Burt’s Bees Herbal Blemish Stick or Desert Essence’s Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick with mixed results. The latter two are both blends of all-natural botanical extracts, and I found that they worked best on the occasional rager of a pimple, but not as well on the smaller zits. And boy, do they burn going on!

The Yes to Tomatoes Spot Stick, however, seems to work for me on all levels. I bought it because it claimed the following:

• Improves the severity of blemishes in 3 days!
• Reduces the size appearance of blemishes in 3 days!
• 98% of users love that this product is gentle and non-irritating but works!

And they weren't kidding. I’ve been using the Spot Stick for a couple months now and have been pretty pleased with the effect it’s had on my skin. Noticeable size reduction and redness, and I find that most blemishes clear up in just a few days – it works far better than the Clearasil or Neutrogena creams I’d been using throughout my youth. It is worth noting that the active ingredient in the Spot Stick is salicylic acid (along with that multi-faceted tea tree oil), so if you’re looking for something 100% natural, you’re better off with the Burt’s Bees or Desert Essence sticks mentioned above. 

The Yes to Tomatoes Spot Stick retails for $9.99 on the Yes to website and in addition to being 97% natural, is Petroleum, SLS & Paraben Free. The Yes to Tomatoes line isn’t just limited to the Spot Stick – they’ve got everything from cleansing wipes to a clearing mask in the collection, which is targeted for oily or troubled skin.

Cruelty-Free Bag of Tricks: Six Beauty Samples from Whole Foods

I was pretty stoked to find this bag of goodies while on a recent food shopping trip at Whole Foods. It’s rare that I can find a whole bag of samples that are cruelty-free, so it seemed a no-brainer to pick up this 7-piece “Hello Beauty” promotion for $18 (and retailing at $60).

First up, Giovanni 2chic Blackberry & Coconut Milk Ultra-Repair Shampoo. According to the product sheet that came with the bag, this shampoo’s “botanical compounds pamper damaged, overprocessed hair.” I’ve been using Giovanni products for a while now (a different formula of shampoo and conditioner, as well as a volumizing mousse) and was pretty pleased with this shampoo, although my hair is normal and healthy. I washed my hair with this a couple times in the past week, and each time it left my hair feeling clean but very moisturized – so much so that I decided to forgo conditioner. If you’re looking for a product that can treat damaged or dry hair, this could be the formula for you. I’ve been very pleased with the Giovanni brand in general, and happily, Giovanni is Leaping Bunny-certified.

Next, Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub, which is described as “salon-quality skin treatment with Dead Sea salt and volcanic sand.” I’ve used this twice in the last week, and I really love it. A small dollop is more than enough for my face and neck, and it left my skin feeling remarkably smooth and even. I’d be willing to shell out the bucks to buy a regular size tub when the sample runs out. It reminds me a lot of a similar product Mary Kay made that I had tried out many years ago, except cruelty-free and with a lot less chemicals. Derma E does not appear to be certified by Leaping Bunny; however, according to their website, “Derma E does not test, and has never tested on animals, and Derma E skincare formulas do not contain animal by-products of any kind. As such, the entire Dderma E line of products is vegan and cruelty-free. You will find a cruelty-free symbol on all of our boxes and labels.”

A full-size tube of Trilogy Vital Moisturising Cream was also included, and is described as a “versatile moisturizer with rosehip seed oil, marula oil and orange flower.” The formula gives this lotion an herbaceous scent, which is light and not overwhelming. It’s also a richer, thicker cream than the Alba Botanica Sea Moss moisturizer I swear by, so you’ll use less lotion to get the job done. My biggest complaint is that it doesn’t have any kind of SPF – something that I desperately need, especially since I’ve switched my powder foundation to something without sun protection. While Trilogy is not Leaping Bunny-certified, they are a Choose Cruelty Free accredited company.

Also included were two makeup samples: A Pacifica Eye Shadow Duo (in Unicorn and Moonbeam) and a tube of Gabriel Mascara – the latter of which I’ve been meaning to try for some time. I thought the eyeshadow colors looked better on my skin than anticipated – the Moonbeam appearing more golden than white as I had expected. The Gabriel Mascara was the real treat for me, however, and has replaced the Milani Grandissimo Lashes that I’ve been using for the last month. Though I prefer a bushier brush for volume, the Gabriel brush seems designed more for length and I can see more eyelash than I thought I had. The formula also doesn’t appear to flake, which is awesome. Gabriel is a Leaping Bunny-certified company (and 100% vegan and gluten-free). Pacifica, while not a Leaping Bunny-certified company, does claim to be 100% vegan, cruelty-free and gluten-free as well, and I’ve found no evidence contradicting the claim.

The only product I’ve yet to try is the Acure Cell Stimulating Facial Mask, which claims to “purify, moisturize and renew with French green clay, sea buckthorn oil and Moroccan argan stem cells.” According to the Leaping Bunny-certified company’s website, Acure Orgnaics is “a family owned and operated company founded on sustainable principles to provide the highest quality fair trade, natural and certified organic personal care products. Our products are created with great care and are a reflection of our values. Each of our products is free from animal testing, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, harmful preservatives and artificial colors.” I’ve definitely got a date with this and some cucumber slices in the near future.

All in all, $18 was not a bad deal for 6 products plus an organic cotton makeup pouch made by RIJIGreen, “a company committed to ending human trafficking.” Below, I’ve linked out to each company’s website so you can explore their range of cruelty-free products, along with the retail price for the full size product reviewed above. As always, do a little searching to see if you can find a coupon or sale at your favorite retailer.

Giovanni 2chic Blackberry & Coconut Milk Ultra-Repair Shampoo ➤ 8.5 oz. tube, $8.99

derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub ➤ 2 oz container, $32.50

Trilogy Vital Moisturising Cream ➤ 1.69 oz. tube, $44.00

Pacifica Eye Shadow Duo ➤$20 for an eye makeup trio, including mascara, eye pencil, and eyeshadow duo

Gabriel Mascara ➤ $15.20

Acure Cell Stimulating Facial Mask ➤ 1.75 oz. tube, $15.99

RIJIGreen Beauty Bag ➤ $9.99-$11.99