Livin' the Lush Life: An in depth review of Lush handmade cosmetics

When I decided to adopt a vegan lifestyle, I was admittedly just a vegan in diet at first. However, it quickly began to bother me that many of the products I bought and used on a regular basis were in fact, not vegan. So I decided a change was in order. Aside from the leather handbags, suede shoes, and wool sweaters that I vowed to give up, it soon dawned on me that I needed to revamp and rethink some of my most important products - my cherished beauty supplies. I was almost embarrassed by the amount of everyday products that I had purchased that I never thought would be harmful - even the ones marked "cruelty free." (By the way, how ridiculous is it that some products can claim "cruelty free" by not testing on animals but still contain animals in them? That's a little backwards to me.) Anyway, because my job requires me to be on camera and looking as close to "flawless" as possible - with sometimes very little notice - skin care is uber important to me. When I went vegan in diet, I was super nervous about making my skin products follow suit, mainly because we are programmed to think that fancy chemicals and ingredients we can't properly pronounce are what makes a product really work. Wrong. Then one day I started thinking about how the skin is the largest organ of my body, and it freaked me out that I was putting harsh and unnatural ingredients on it. Shortly after I realized the simple truth that if I was vegan in diet but my beauty products were not, then I was not really a vegan. The skin is not only the largest organ of our body but it also acts like the largest sponge ever, and absorbs Since that day, I have been on the lookout for the best vegan beauty and skin care products on the market. It wasn't easy at first, but a little research unveiled a bevy of beauty businesses that offered vegan options to keep you looking sexy! Some of them might surprise you, and many of them are fairly large companies with products that are easy to find. One of those companies is Lush, who specializes in fresh handmade natural cosmetics, and with over 600 locations in 43 countries, can be found in just about every major city. Or if you live in the middle of nowhere, there's always their I want to preface this by saying that I gave every product ample use and time before writing this review.

Tea tree oil benefits,tea tree oil benefits for skin,tea tree oil ...

Tea Tree oil is gaining more mainstream popularity. Long used in the aromatherapy industry, its health benefits are being touted by many companies who include it in their products.

What is tea tree oil? Its Latin name is Melaleuca alternifolia and it comes from a tree. Melaleuca trees are native to Australia although they are now also propagated in California. The common name ‘tea tree’ was given when British explorers used the leaves to brew tea. It’s antiseptic use has been in existence for hundreds of years, but has only recently been scientifically studied (starting in 1929). The ‘official’ studying of tea tree oil led to ever increasing interest. Tea tree oil was even supplied in first aid kits to soldiers in the Australian army.

After harvesting, the leaves of the tree are put into a still and pressurized steam is forced through them. The steam, which extracts the essential oils, then is cooled and the tea tree oil is separated from the water.

Some of the reported benefits of tea tree oil include: antiseptic and anti-fungal properties. Antiseptic means that it will kill bacteria, such as those that cause acne. Tea tree oil has been shown to be as effective as benzoyl peroxide in controlling acne, without the irritation and skin drying that accompanies that treatment. Anti-fungal means that it will kill fungus or yeast spores. Tea tree oil used in shampoos can control dandruff by eliminating that fungus from the scalp.

If you have never smelled neat tea tree oil, prepare yourself. It is incredibly strong and smells of a disinfectant. Some people enjoy the smell, but most people find it to be displeasing. However, tea tree can be blended with other essential oils to work with and mask the odor. Tea tree oil is used for its medicinal properties – not its scent!

Tea tree oil is only used on the skin. It should never be taken internally, as it can be very toxic to the liver if ingested. If using a toothpaste with tea tree oil, take extra care not to swallow any of the toothpaste and is not recommended for children. Although tea tree oil can be used neat on the skin, it is best used in dilution to prevent sensitivity from occurring.

Some home uses for tea tree oil:

As an acne treatment, mix tea tree oil with aloe vera gel – using 5% tea tree to 95% aloe vera gel. Apply to clean skin.

Disinfectant spray: Mix a 5% dilution of tea tree oil with rubbing alcohol. Pour into a spray bottle and use this mixture to disinfect and deodorize garbage cans. You can also use this spray in your washing machine to prevent mold and mildew.

Tea tree, the genus Melaleuca

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In the benzoyl peroxide group, 79% reported side effects compared with 44% of the participants in the tea tree oil group (dryness was the most common ...

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Melaleuca alternifolia Skin Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil) is popular, for example, ... At sufficiently high doses it has psychoactive effects. ...

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But there were fewer side effects with tea tree oil: It caused less scaling, dryness, and itching than the benzoyl peroxide formula. ...