beautypackaging / cc

I tend to be a shower gel type of person, but in an effort to keep packaging to a minimum, I’ve been trying to make the switch to bar soaps. No matter what your skin type or budget, there is a great cruelty-free bar soap for you. Here are 10 really great soaps worth checking out:

1. LUSH
LUSH soaps are all handmade with fresh, organic fruits and veggies. They have invigorating scents like ginger, sea vegetable, and even porridge. Vegan products are clearly labeled on their site, too, so shopping is a breeze. Available in LUSH shops and online. Find a store.

2. Kiss My Face
Classic and long-lasting, Kiss My Face is the first natural soap I used when I started buying only cruelty-free products. They have several nourishing olive formulas, including chamomile, lavender, green tea, and more. Find a store.

3. Clearly Natural
Vegetable glycerin soaps that come in a multitude of colors and scents—as well as unscented. They are really gentle on sensitive skin, and they also have special formulas for acne-prone skin. Available online and at many health food stores for typically less than $2 a bar.

4. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap
Available at most health food stores and online, they come in therapeutic scents like eucalyptus, peppermint, almond, rose, tea tree, citrus, and lavender. They even have a special mild formula for babies.

5. The Body Shop
Possibly as close as your nearest mall, The Body Shop has TONS of fruity and creamy soaps—coconut being my personal favorite. Find a store.

6. Crabtree & Evelyn
Walking into a Crabtree & Evelyn store is just about as relaxing as using one of their natural moisturizing soaps. And their cocoa butter body bar smells like a cookie—but don’t eat it! Find a store.

7. L’OCCITANE
For a special treat, pamper your skin with some creamy shea butter soap from L’OCCITANE. It’s good for sensitive skin, and the Verbena variety has a nice energizing citrus scent that helps wake you up in the morning. Find a store.

8. Method
Try rich moisturizing formulas like Olive Leaf and Almond Flower in convenient 4-packs for only about $10 (that’s just $2.50 a bar!). Find a store.

9. Palmer’s
For problematic and acne-prone skin, try Palmer’s Skin Success complexion bar. It will help you have—as its namesake suggests—skin success! Great for budget shopping, one bar is typically around $2. Find a store.

10. Tom’s of Maine
Available in moisturizing, clear, and deodorant varieties, Tom’s soaps are popping up in major department and drugstores everywhere these days. Great when on a budget because they are long-lasting and usually under $4. Find a store.

Tell us about your favorites!

aveda / cc

Oh, the fun of hair color! There is just something sublimely satisfying about dying your hair a vibrant shade of red in the middle of a cold and gray winter or bright blond at the height of summer. Fortunately, these days there are many cruelty-free hair colors. No matter if you prefer an all-natural dye, a quick pick-up box from the drugstore, a semi-permanent color, or a salon service, there is definitely something for everyone.

Revlon
Sometimes you look in the mirror and you suddenly realize that its 9 p.m., you have to work tomorrow, and your roots are showing like crazy. It’s super-convenient to just pop into your local 24-hour drugstore and pick up some Revlon hair color so you can touch up your roots in a jiffy.

Manic Panic
If you’re looking for semi-permanent hair color without ammonia or peroxide, then look no further. Manic Panic has wild and tame colors to satisfy your moods and tresses. Whether you want to have hot pink streaks or just a natural black or brown, Manic Panic is great.

Lush
If it’s 100 percent natural plant-based henna color that you’re after, check out the henna bars from Lush in red, brown, and black tones.

For salon service, try these:

Paul Mitchell
Find a salon

Aveda
Find a salon

What color do you like to dye your hair? Comment and let us know!

Rogan, Druzhok, and Koro chow down
(circa ~1989).

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, February 25, 2008.

What are you having for dinner tonight? Spinach-mushroom lasagne with garlic bread? Pesto sauce served over angel hair pasta? Grilled Cajun portobellos with avocado crème? Japanese eggplant skewers with red curry coconut sauce? Mmmm! Or maybe you’re going out to eat at the Olive Garden or PF Chang’s or TGI Friday’s. Yum! … And what about Fido? What’s he having for dinner? Oh … dry kibble. The same kind he had yesterday? Hmmm. I bet he’s thrilled with that.

I’m not really enamoured of kibble―I can tell you that much. I haven’t fed my dogs kibble in more than 15 years. With regard to the nutritional value of kibble, it’s denatured, overly processed, often full of fillers, and just plain dry. Plus, as soon as you open that bag, any oils in the food start to go rancid, so about 48 hours later, you’ve got important fats that are turning against Fido instead of benefiting him. But there’s another reason to ditch the dry food: It’s just so excruciatingly boring, night after night, day after day―the same old same old. Don’t believe it when so-called “experts” tell you that you have to be cautious about varying your dog’s diet. It’s just the opposite. Dogs who eat the same thing year after year often develop an allergy to the protein in the food or some kind of deficiency. Variety is the spice of your dog’s life just as it is yours. You can give Fido something different at each meal. I’ve been doing this with my dogs for the past five years, and I can vouch for the fact that not a one of them has suffered any dire consequences―not even gas.

You can accomplish this either by buying dog food in cans, which allows you to select a wide variety to have on hand, or by making your own dog food (there are oodles of recipes online as well as entire dogfood cookbooks).

I know, some people are feeding their dogs a “special” diet. But that special diet was formulated as a single product for the mass market―that doesn’t mean that there can’t be other versions of it. Do your homework. Go online and find out what’s in it and why it’s “special” and how you could replicate it using other types of food. Be sure to check with your vet to make sure you’re on the right track.

At the very least, you could spice things up by offering your dog some fun, delicious, and nutritious side dishes or “desserts.” Here are a few suggestions just off the top of my head:

•Veggies sautéed in olive oil

•Chunks of baked yam

•Mashed bananas with a little flaxseed oil and spirulina mixed in

•Raw veggies processed in a food processor with a little water and nutritional yeast

•Steamed green beans mixed with shredded coconut

•Some whole wheat pasta mixed with a little tomato sauce

•A bowl of salt-free vegetable broth with peas floating in it

•Steamed veggies drizzled with coconut oil

•A small bowl of brown rice and chick peas sprinkled with ground-up peanuts

•A bowl of steamed broccoli or cauliflower

•A whole carrot (or a baby carrot for the tiny dogs)

Your dog will be delighted!

(Do stay away from onions, avocados, chocolate, grapes, and raisins, though, which are all harmful to dogs. And please leave out the junk―sugar, salt, hydrogenated oils, white flour―the same things that are junk for you.)

Although they are equipped with fur coats, dogs and other animals can still suffer from frostbite, exposure, and dehydration when water sources freeze. Cold temperatures mean extra hardship for “backyard” dogs, who often go without adequate food, water, shelter, or medical care. When the temperatures nosedive and you start piling on the layers, it’s also important to remember your wild neighbors.

• Take animals inside. Puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Dobermans, are particularly susceptible to the elements. Short-haired animals will also benefit from warm sweaters or coats.

• Don’t allow your cat or dog to roam freely outdoors. In cold weather, cats sometimes climb under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are badly injured or killed when the car is started. (To help prevent this, bang loudly on the hood of your car before starting the engine.) Animals can also become disoriented when there is snow or ice on the ground.

• Increase animals’ food rations in cold weather. In cold weather, animals burn more calories to keep warm. Also, be sure that animals are free of internal parasites, which can rob them of vital nutrients.

• Keep an eye out for strays. Take unidentified animals inside until you can find their guardians, or take them to an animal shelter. If strays are wild or unapproachable, provide food, water, and shelter (stray cats will appreciate a small doghouse filled with warm bedding), and call your local humane society for assistance in trapping them and getting them indoors.

• Clean off your dogs’ or cats’ legs, feet, and stomachs after they come in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make animals sick if they are ingested while the animals are cleaning themselves.

• When you see dogs left outdoors, provide them with proper shelter. Doghouses should be made of wood (metal is a poor insulator) and positioned in a sunny location during cold weather. Raise the house several inches off the ground, and put a flap over the door to keep out cold drafts. Use straw for bedding (rugs and blankets can get wet and freeze).

• Provide a source of water for wildlife, who may have a difficult time finding drinking water during winter months. Break the ice at least twice a day.

• Buy nontoxic antifreeze made with propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol, which can kill animals even in small doses. Safe brands include Sierra and Prestone Lowtox. Animals are attracted to antifreeze for its sweetness, so clean up spills quickly, and buy brands with the bittering agent denatonium benzoate.

• Give wildlife a boost. While it’s best to provide natural sources of food and shelter for birds by planting flowers and trees that produce seeds and berries, birds may need an extra boost during the winter, when they are burning extra calories to keep warm. Use a blend of seeds that includes oiled sunflower seeds, which are high in calories. Remember to stop the feeding when the weather warms up. An artificial food source causes wild animals to congregate in unnaturally large numbers in areas where they may be welcomed by some, but not others, and it can also make them easy targets for predators. Eventually, they may lose their ability to forage for food on their own entirely.

• If you venture out to feed the ducks at a nearby pond or the gulls at the beach, do not feed them bread or corn. These foods don’t have enough nutritional value for wintertime eating. The best thing to feed ducks and gulls during the winter is dry dog or cat food. The birds love it, and the fat in it will help them stay warm as well as replenishing the water-repellent oil in their feathers.

allthingschristmas / cc

I was inspired when I heard that President-elect Barack Obama was encouraging Americans to join him in observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 19) by rolling up their sleeves and giving back to their communities.

If the President-elect can carve out time in his jam-packed inaugural schedule to serve others, surely the rest of us can find a few minutes on this special day to make the world a better place too!

I’m thinking of heading to my local animal shelter to give the animals some love and perhaps drop off a basket of homemade cookies to say “Thank you!” to the hardworking shelter staff.

There are countless ways to reach out and many who deserve our help, but the following are some ways that you can make a difference for the furry, feathered, and finned members of your community:

• Play with cats, walk dogs, or clean cages at your local animal shelter.

• Remove trash from a nearby stream or woods so that birds, fish, and other wildlife can live there safely.

• Drop off some yummy (and nutritious!) vegan groceries—such as canned vegetable soups, dried rice and beans, and pasta with marinara sauce—at your local food pantry.

• Go on a shopping spree—for cruelty-free home cleaners and personal-care products.

• Give toys, treats, and/or warm straw to a lonely “backyard dog” in your neighborhood. Politely encourage the dog’s guardians to allow him or her indoors.

• Clear your closet and your conscience by donating your fur coats to PETA. Your tax-deductible fur donation may be used as bedding for injured or orphaned wildlife or as part of our anti-fur campaigns, or it may be donated to homeless people who can’t afford to buy their own coats—the only people who have any excuse to wear fur.

Need more inspiration? Check out PETA president Ingrid E. Newkirk’s new book, One Can Make a Difference, which is filled with thought-provoking essays from celebrities and everyday Joes alike who have made a positive impact on our world.

I’d love to hear what you’re doing to make a difference on Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Tell me in the comments.

PETA Catalog

Reusable bags might seem like a fad since cloth grocery totes are popping up everywhere, but trendy or not, cloth totes are much more than a fashion accessory.

1. Good for animals and the environment. Using your own bags means that more plastic bags won’t end up in a landfill or other places where wildlife can become entangled in them or eat them.

2. Save money. Many grocery stores offer a discount when you take your own bags. When checking out, ask your cashier if the store offers bag discounts. Typically you can get around five cents per bag. On average, if you shop each week and use about five bags, you could save about $13 per year. Hey, every little bit helps!

3. Easy activism. If you choose totes with a message, you can be a walking billboard for your cause. Check out PETA’s grocery totes.

4. Sturdy transport for your precious cargo. Cloth totes are much sturdier and less likely to cave under pressure than plastic or paper bags. So no more panicking that your plastic bag might split and shatter your organic marmalade in the parking lot.

5. Help keep clutter down. Back when I used to use plastic bags, I always tended to have this storage dilemma for them. They would pile up under my sink or in the pantry and would sort of squeeze out onto the floor when the storage bin became too full.

If you’re planning on making the switch to reusable bags and still have a plethora of plastic bags filling up your cupboards—recycle them! Many grocery stores have recycling bins specifically for plastic bags. For a listing of stores in your area that accept plastic bags, visit plasticbagrecycling.org.

amazon / cc

Earlier this week while getting ready for work, I caught a glimpse of a patch of rough dry skin on my cheek. While I am pretty good about using a good daily facial moisturizer, I realized that the blustery winter weather was still somehow managing to seep through.

So I began a quest for a new moisturizer that could stand up to the harsh winds and plummeting temperatures. The one that I ended up getting is the Shea Butter Ultra Rich Face Cream by L’OCCITANE, but I found a few others that should also do the trick, depending on your skin type.

If you skin tends to be oily, try:

• Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream by The Body Shop
• Aloe & Green Tea Oil-Free Moisturizer by Alba Botanica

If your skin tends to be dry, try:

• Skin Drink Moisturizer by Lush
• Under Age Ultra Hydrating Moisturizer

Tell us about your winter skin care routine!

Feeling a little “fa-la-la-la-blah” after a busy and stressful holiday season? Then rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit with a little post-holiday pampering. It’s easy to recreate many of your favorite spa treatments in the privacy of your own home, for a fraction of the price, and on your own schedule—no appointment necessary! Plus, everybunny can relax because the products that we have planned for your use are cruelty-free!

Ready to set up your home-spa sanctuary? You will need to create two areas: Your bathroom will become your “treatment room,” and your patio, bedroom, or living room will become your “quiet room,” where you can relax after your treatment. Clear away any clutter that will prevent you from relaxing and focusing on your spa experience. Stash your hair products and makeup under the counter. Supply your bathroom with plenty of fresh towels, and make yourself a pitcher of “spa water”—ice water with sliced lemons or oranges and cucumbers. You’ll need this to rehydrate in your quiet room following your treatment. Most importantly, turn off your computer, television, radio, and cell phone—you shouldn’t be distracted during your spa vacation.

To unwind is divine. These sensational spa treatments are perfect to try anytime you want to pamper yourself:

• Sea Salt Scrub—a Body Glow From Head to Toe
• Facials—Putting Your Best Face Forward
• Moisturizing Hand Treatment—Making Hands Happy All Winter Long
• Meditation for Relaxation—Creating a Quiet Place
• Whole Body Soak—Washing the Blues Away

The following post was originally posted on PETA Prime by Steve Martindale on December 24, 2008.

While life expectancy has increased in our society, many people spend the last decades of their lives infirm, loaded to the gills with pharmaceuticals, and/or stuck in front of the television. And yet, we all know of individuals who are vibrant, active, and alert well into their 80s or 90s. What’s their secret?

Many factors interact to influence health and longevity, including genetics and luck. And biology itself sets upper limits to age: Humans are not designed to live forever, any more than cats, dogs, or sequoia trees are. But let’s take a closer look at what counts as the fountain of youth–the characteristics of those who grow old not just gracefully but energetically so. What do people have in common who are agile and even athletic and who contribute ideas, energy, and compassion to our world well beyond the age of normal retirement? Recent research is pointing–and even explaining–the way to lasting, if not everlasting, youthfulness.

First, a quick world tour. Healthy at 100 summarizes the lifestyles of the Abkhasians, the Vilcabambans, the Hunza, and the traditional Okinawans - and many of them are healthier at age 90 than most Americans ever are in these times. The common denominators: lifelong physical activity, social bonds, and a plant-based diet (vegan or nearly so). The suite of diseases which so besets industrialized countries–obesity, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and heart ailments–are virtually unheard of in those societies. And when modernization happens, along with factory farming and massive meat consumption come those very same diseases. China is a notable and well-documented example: The country has exponential growth of diseases linked to meat. The most recent reports focus on the epidemic of breast cancer, which was previously unknown in traditional Chinese villages.

Why are vegetarian diets so closely associated with long-term vitality? The answers are unfolding in laboratories around the world. Recent studies have found that cellular repair mechanisms are enhanced by a vegetarian diet. One key seems to be telomerase, which fixes breaks in DNA to keep cells healthy. You can opt for $25,000 per year for telomerase treatments, if you like. But it’s a whole lot healthier, not to mention cheaper and easier, to go vegan! Telomerase is abundant and active even after short trials of just a few weeks on a vegan diet. Another recent study shows that oxidative damage to DNA, lipids, and proteins can be overcome with a vegetarian diet, with marked effects in older people. In short, a plant-based diet reduces premature aging and disease risk. You don’t need to get pumped up on growth hormones to be youthful unless you’re a Barry Bonds wannabe. Just stay active, socially connected (for example, by leaving comments at PETA Prime!), strive for inner harmony, and go vegan! The harmony part, of course, is much easier when you’re not killing animals to eat them.

Have a tip for staying active?