Cruelty Free Beauty

All you have to do is trawl through the images on Google regarding animal testing for cosmetics and you will be horrified and your heart will be heavy. As a girl who has a lot of love for the animals I ask: 'Is this the cost of glowing skin and manageable hair?' 

Looking on the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) website and you will be amazed at how many household names and big hitters in the beauty industry are still using this archaic form of testing for safety. It truly is outdated, now scientists can use human cells and other means which require no animals in the laboratory. These methods have proven to not only be cheaper, but are being praised for there accuracy. 

However the real issue lies with all the money to be made with sales in China, you see the Chinese government REQUIRES animal testing to be able to sell in the marketplace. So many companies whose previous stance was against the cruelty of testing on animals have found the pull of possible billions of dollars worth of sales have made them reconsider their ethics.

Every day as consumers we get to make choices in telling these companies what we will support and what we won't put up with, and hit them where they will listen... the profits. 

This whole subject has been fascinating as I took it as a give in that companies just wouldn't go there! So if you feel like I do, then it is really easy to be sure your money is going to ethical beauty industry leaders. You can do a google search or PETA' s site has a huge list.  Also check your packaging, often you will see an 'against animal testing' a similar logo. 

Here are a few of my favourite brands that are bunny friendly: Davines (Incredible and ethical Italian company who do hair colour, shampoo and styling. This is what I use in my salon Killer), O.P.I, Hourglass, Stila, Awa Creations, Urban Decay, Trilogy, Antipodes, Eye of Horus, GROWN, Yes to, Kevin Murphy, Inika Mineral Makeup

This just names a few but there are a lot of people doing what seems commonsensical so let your beauty purchases be led by your heart. 

X Mimi 

Budget Savvy

Saving up for something big this year? Not everything fabulous has to be expensive or hard to get. I love a good tip or trick and have been keeping to a real budget that works wonders. I also asked my girlfriends in know if they could share their top budget beauty secrets.

Fiona McLeod - Director Flaunt PR 

I'm really into oil! Maybe because I used to be a massage therapist. I love lathering up oil all over my bod, it's the best body moisturiser (and possibly the cheapest) and it's great being able to throw a few essential oils in depending on my mood or how my skin is looking. Best of all is to use it on your face as a night oil. Anything from rosehip to olive oil, camellia oil to jojoba oil, these oils have natural nutrients that actually feed your skin with goodness. They work supportively with your skins natural sebum (oil). After cleansing before bed apply a few drops all over your face including your eyes. The next morning you will look fresh with soft supple skin. Awesomeness!

Lately I have been using The Aromaroom 'Peace Oil' it's just what I need before bed right now and helps with a restful sleep too.

Nicola Harvey - Freelance Makeup Artist

If you are wanting to explore a new product line, find a travel set or try mini sizes first. That way you can try a great selection of products and see if they are suited to your skin care requirements at literally the cost of one full size product . A nice bonus is the little bag they often come in which makes it easy to transport your minis for your overnight stays and weekends away! Trilogy is a beautiful organic skin care range that offers a fantastic travel size set of goodies. Also don't look past the supermarket! My ultimate budget savvy product I can't live without is the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B cream. It's light and radiant and leaves your complexion glowing so naturally. I couldn't even believe the price, especially when you can nab it special with a swipe of your supermarket card, only $12! 

My cheap as secret weapon is 'Aluminium Free Baking Soda', I get mine from Total Health, Dominion Rd, Mt Eden for $5. This has many great uses (that don't include a cake tin) but here are my top three... 

1. Facial Brightening Mask: Mix 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. I do it in my palm and mix to a paste, apply to cleansed skin and leave for 5 mins. To wash off just wet your finger tips and lightly scrub in rotation before washing off with cool water, stand back and be amazed at the glow!

2. Teeth whitener: After brushing you teeth dip your tooth brush in baking soda and apply to your teeth, leave for as long as you can handle the taste then scrub. It removes stains and with prolonged use it gives the best results. It's also great after a teeth whitening treatment to keep stains at bay.

3. Alchalizer: Almost everything you eat except leafy greens is acidic and you can bet that after a cheerful holiday season your body will love you if you take 1tsp of baking soda in half a glass of water, stir vigorously and down the hatch. Do this daily for internal ph balance, your skin will love you for it.

X Mimi

Summer Essentials

Christmas holidays may be all but a memory but there's still a heck of a lot of summer to come. Now it's all about weekend breaks of sun-filled freedom, music in the park, swimming, sandy feet, big smiles and sea salt hair. 

So I'm all for keeping it simple and here are my key 'can't live without' summer necessities.

Model Co for adding a touch more bronze to this babe. It's so hard to find a good one and their 'Gradual Tan Everyday Body Moisturizer' $16.95 is a nice light colour that is streak free and can be easily built up. Personally every day would be a too much for me but 2-3 times a week leads to a nice colour. For the legs I pull out the big guns with their 'Supertan Instant Selftanner' $25. This guy scared me at first as it's a very dark mousse and you look like your entering a body building competition as you get an instant bronze as it's applied. But after 2 hours I washed it off and felt like all my tan had gone, but a couple of hours later I had a great streak free colour and the instant bronze allowed me to see where the product had gone.

Eye of Horus 'Smokey Eye Pencil' $39, in the just released new colours of bronze and charcoal. I love this a dressed eye that's softer than black. Bronze is a great shade for day looking super summery, Charcoal great for night with a lovely shimmer that can be nicely blended out with an eyeshadow and brush in any colour you feel.

Trilogy 'Everything Balm' $24.90, and as this product says, I use it for everything: body cream, lip balm, cuticle oil, to tame a wild eyebrow, highlighter on cheek bones, dry heels, this a wonder product and with the healing powers of rose hip oil it's good for everything!

Kester Black nailpolish in 'Tutti Frutti' $20, a high voltage violet is my choice for toes this season as it's bright enough to go with nothing, creating a wonderful clash that makes you feel wild. 

Surf Life Saving 'Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50+' $ 24.99 because you've got to invest in your skin's future and be wise about NZ's powerful sun. The added bonus is you are supporting a great organisation that our beaches just can't be without. 

X Mimi ... Happy 2013