Benefits of CBD in Beauty Products 

Who would have thought we would be living in a time when CBD is an active ingredient in the usage of beauty products? Perhaps we can consider this a Not So Stoned Age. Now you can celebrate 4/20 without actually getting high. Hemp to the CBD!!

Cannabidiol or cannabinoids was first discovered in 1940. A chemical of over 80 compounds found in the Cannabis sativa plant, also known as cannabis or hemp. Not including THC, which are strains contained to get high. It is predicted that the American CBD market could reach $16 billion by 2025. 

It is commonly used for epilepsy, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, arthritis, a muscle disorder called dystonia, Parkinson disease, Crohn disease, and many other conditions. Although there is no scientific evidence to support its benefit, it has been known to help those suffering from medical conditions and even help kick an addiction. 

CBD was illegal until 2018 when it became legal to sell hemp and hemp products in the US. It doesn’t mean that all CBD products made from hemp are legal. Because CBD usage is allowed with prescription only, it is not legal to sell in foods or dietary supplements, even though there are still CBD products labeled as dietary supplements. Keep in mind that the FDA does not regulate the safety and purity of dietary supplements. Most of the time, these products can be mislabeled and not contain the actual amount of CBD in the products as stated. CBD can only be legally sold as an active ingredient for cosmetic products containing less than 0.3% THC, whether in the form of a topical CBD-infused oil, lotion, or cream – or even as a bath soak. CBD in cosmetic products is primarily made to help reduce inflammation and relieve muscle and joint pain. Studies show it can help treat dry skin, psoriasis, eczema…. and even acne!

According to Hemp Business Journal, the market for CBD products has been outstanding, reaching about $190 million in 2017, and will grow to $646 million by 2022. The beauty industry began with limited CBD brand products for skin and has expanded to lips and hair. The best part is that most CBD beauty products available are vegan, cruelty-free with all-natural, and organic ingredients.

I occasionally suffer from minor muscle inflammation and hate having to depend on pain-reliever OTC meds, so I began applying lotion that will help ease the pain and discomfort. I tried Sagely Naturals — Relief & Recovery CBD Cream, packed with 250mg of CBD per bottle. Although I haven’t experienced perfect results, it has helped soothe the pain. 

Here is another one of my favorite CBD products, this is only sold in Sephora.

The Cannuka collection is 50% off in Ulta.

Kristin Ess Epic Beauty

I have always wanted to try this brand ever since I first saw it sold in Target. The packaging looks like professional hair styling products, but the best part of the hair care collection is they’re affordable, especially now during CVS’s Epic Beauty sale while supplies last. It’s definitely not compared to Target’s outstanding prices tho.

I purchased the Kristin Ess Instant Exfoliating Scalp Scrub – 6.7 fl oz used for removing build-up + flakes, scalp soothing, hydrating + rebalancing, gently exfoliating, and non-drying. Contains Zip-Up Technology (™️), used for proprietary strengthening complex designed to “zip-up” split ends while targeting weak areas of the hair. It’s cruelty-free, color-safe, vegan, free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates and silicones. For only $11.27.

EU seeks action plan to ban animal testing

The European Parliament just voted for an action plan to end animal testing, replacing them with efficient, human-relevant technologies. This is a win for the animals!!

The use of animal testing for cosmetics has been banned in the EU since 2009 but there were still 12 million animals bred and killed as test animals in 2017, mainly in scientific research.

“Parliament recognises that previous animal testing has contributed to research and medical advances, as well as safe vaccines including COVID-19 vaccines. MEPs understand that there are cases where animal experiments are still needed to gain scientific insights for certain diseases due to the current unavailability of non-animal methods,” as stated in press release.

Beauty Deals at Vitacost.com

Vitacost.com carries a variety of natural skin care, cruelty-free beauty products and so much more. Today is day 1 of 5 Days of Beauty Deals, get these great deals at half price (plus an additional discount off retail price) while they last.

Apply Promo code BEAUTYX1 to receive 50%off discount for deals of the day


To read more about Vitacost.com click here

Roots to My Cruelty-Free Lifestyle

It’s been a month since I’ve shared a new post with you. Now I know this blog is intended for beauty products but I wanted to share the root as to why I became cruelty-free in the first place.

The past months have been very difficult ones especially last month. I was focusing on my little pumpkin, my dog, who passed away from cancer. He passed away three days before his birthday since the cancer had spread rapidly. You’re probably wondering what does my dog have to do with my cruelty-free lifestyle or you might have already guessed he’s the reason I went cruelty-free. As a teenager, I would use products carelessly not knowing if an animal had to suffer or die to have those products made. Products like Garnier Fructis or Herbal Essences. Those commercials made it seem like a shampoo can do more than make your hair smell good. My young self thought that if it were featured on tv then it must be helluva good product. Well, mainly because my mom purchased the products first and so I’d use them out of curiosity but before using P&G or Garnier products I started with L’oreal for kids. Such a fun deceiving packaging that attracted a child’s attention when shopping at the shampoo isle with mom. Our young minds are not aware of this kind of information if we are not educated on it first.

The unfortunate reality is that to have a product sold in the market it must first be approved by FDA after passing safety tests. Here is a graph of the process cycle based on my own market research.

After I got my dog, so many thoughts and questions came to mind. I slowly started educating myself on animal rights and that’s when my passion was born. I’d stare at my pup and wondered if dogs out there are loved the way he was. It became obvious to me that animals have feelings after hearing his cries, barks or growls as a way of communicating with me. As I continued my research, I learned more about animals being used for experiments, food, clothing, entertainment and such. Disgusted and enraged with the fact that companies pay to have their products tested before a consumer uses it. I began to look at every product in my household (including my dog’s stuff) to see if the back of the label had “Not Tested on Animals” printed on it. Well, well, well, to my surprise Herbal Essences did not have that printed and so I was in the search for a new product and found V05 for my hair and St.Ives* for my face. My aunt was selling Avon and decided to give it a try after learning they are also cruelty free. I was hooked on the shower gels and shampoos/conditioners that I couldn’t believe how quickly I had replaced a product that continues to torture animals, to a product that not only worked but was cruelty free.

I credit my dog for making me the person I am today. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have been vegan and cruelty-free. He helped open my mind into learning more about other living beings. It took strength and tears to write this post after reminiscing memorable moments with my pumpkin.

Every year, an estimate of 115 million animals are tested on, let alone 1.5 million animals are tested on cosmetics.

*St. Ives (no longer cruelty free) is now owed by Unilever, a company who continues to perform animal testing on it’s products.

Sephora To Stop Selling Mink Lashes

Cruelty-free beauty consumers can finally celebrate some good news this year. Sephora has just vowed to stop selling mink lashes both online and in-store. After receiving some pressure from PETA to end the sale of mink lashes, Sephora has decided to phase mink lashes out of its stock.

PETA shared the great news on their Instagram page with the following statement: “After a powerful PETA campaign and more than 280,000 emails from concerned shoppers like you, Sephora has BANNED fur eyelashes! The world’s leading beauty retailer will only purchase synthetic or faux-fur lashes going forward.”⁣


PETA’s campaign also included a video of a fur farm highlighting the horrors minks endure for false lashes.

“As we pointed out in our letters to Sephora, mink fur typically comes from fur farms, which are often laden with maggots, feces, and dead animals (along with COVID-19 now, too). PETA’s undercover investigations have revealed that on these hellish, filthy farms, stressed minks frantically pace and circle endlessly inside small wire cages—during one eyewitness exposé, a mink even chewed through a cage until her face was bloody.” a statement from PETA reads.

Sephora confirms its remaining stock mink lashes will be the last it ever carries. “At Sephora, we have always been committed to upholding the highest standards of beauty, and we take our responsibility to communicate transparently and honestly with our clients about the products we carry seriously,” the statement reads. “As we shared with PETA, earlier this year we had already decided to begin phasing mink products out of our assortment in 2020. We have only ever offered products our clients can trust and we stand by the people and partners who have made the Sephora experience what it is today.”

Arrow Click Sticker by Orange Identity for iOS & Android | GIPHY

You can also read a past blog post on mink lashes published a few months ago.

New elf x Jkissa Collection

e.l.f collaborates again, this time with Jkissa.

New elf x Jkissa Collaboration Launching Dates:

Early access May 25th on elf’s site for beauty squad members only

May 27th for everyone 

May 29th Ulta Online Only

May 31st Ulta stores 

This limited edition collection is vegan and cruelty free.

To The Rescue Palette features 18 shades for $20 
Tsuki To My Heart Eyeshadow Duo $12
Furever Brush Set features 6 brushes $25

For every photo posted in June 2020 on Instagram w/ hashtag #eyeslipsfacepaws, e.l.f cosmetics will donate $1 (up to$25,000) to Angel City Pit Bulls (ACPB), Los Angeles based non-profit organization dedicated to creating a better future for pit bulls through education, public advocacy, adoptions, and owner support. To donate click here

Hand Sanitizer

Pro Sanitize Hand Sanitizer – 8oz Bottle

A friend of mine found this hand sanitizer in 7-Eleven for $6. I decided why not give it a try. I must say, if you use an excess amount it may cause hands to feel sticky. My hands are very sensitive and using this dries them out even more, although right now it is not the time to be picky when it comes to hand sanitizers.

Pro Sanitize cruelty-free Hand Sanitizer is formulated to kill most common germs that cause illness. All necessary measures have been followed for the product to comply with PETA and FDA guidelines. Pro Sanitize promotes clean and healthy hygiene for you and your family, literally at your fingertips.

Pro Sanitize premium 8oz Hand Sanitizer gel helps stop germs in their tracks.

– Formulated & Made with Care in Gardena, California, USA.

– Waterless Hand Sanitizer Gel

– Active Ingredient: 70% Ethyl Alcohol – Helps Kill Germs

-Vegan

-Sulfate-Free

-Paraben-Free

-Cruelty-Free

❤️Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas❤️

Whether if it’s for your valentine or your “gal”entine, here are some must haves for this special day.

Nest New York
Collection starts from $16-$72
This scent features Rose de Mai and smoky oud combined with hints of incense, black leather, and patchouli.
THE RITUAL OF SAKURA
Renewing Treat
$20.80 $26.00
This wonderful luxury wrapped gift pack contains a shower foam (50ml), body scrub (70ml), body cream (70ml) and hand soap (110ml). Enjoy the fabulous aromas of Cherry Blossom and Rice Milk. Keep the gift box to store great memories of love day. 💕
Intimate Health Kit
$52.49

Combines essentials for your well-being, pleasure and intimacy every step of the way.
The Killer works to maintain your vaginal pH within a normal acidic range, balancing yeast and odor-causing bacteria.
pH Balancing Cleanser is an OB/GYN-recommended, safe and gentle external cleanser that won’t disrupt vaginal flora.
Sex Stuff is a personal lubricant formulated for women made from good-for-you ingredients.
Gentle ingredients in our Do It All Wipes help maintain a woman’s healthy microbiome.

COCONUT CRUSH IT KIT
$22.50

Made with clean, crisp tones of coconut and lime and packed with a blend of natural emollient oils and antioxidant rich fruit extracts like pineapple and cranberry, our washes and wipes nourish skin and won’t disrupt your natural pH so everything stays in check.

SweetSpot Coconut Crush It Kit includes:
Coconut Lime Gentle Wash (8.0 oz.)
Coconut Lime On-The-Go Wipes (30 ct)
Travel Size Vanilla Blossom Gentle Wash (1.0 oz.)
Lilly Lashes
Miami Faux Mink Lashentine Set
Only at Ulta Beauty
Price$26.00
Kiko Milano Magnetic Attraction line
Starts at $9-18
Le Labo ROSE 31
Notes: rose absolute, cumin, vetiver, musks, cedar, agarwood, olibanium, amber, guaiacwood, cistus.