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VERIVAL ORGANIC GRANOLA

We may be quite late to the party when it comes to Verival, but better late than never, right?! We've just tried their Organic Berry Granola and it's so yummy that we will now be making up for not having heard of it before! If YOU haven't heard of Verival, they are based in the Austrian Tyrol and they've been creating breakfast products for 25 years. They have a huge range of porridge, granola and muesli. Verival's granola is currently on sale in the UK in Sainsburys and Ocado. The granola comes in four flavours. Sadly, the Chocolate flavour isn't vegan, but the Berry, Spelt and Orange & Acerola are. We've only tried the Berry flavour so far, but after tasting how yummy it is, we will definitely be purchasing the Orange & Acerola and Spelt to try them in the near future. The Berry box is bursting full of granola. It has small pieces of fruit - notably; strawberry, raspberry and blackberries, and while not overloaded, they make a nice addition to the organic oven-baked wholegrain oats and coconut shreds. This granola tastes fantastic eaten on its own straight from the pack, or mixed in with vegan yoghurt, extra fruit and other desserts. As the packet says, it's high in fibre and palm oil free. Perfect for breakfast - but also magical for a mid-morning snack, after dinner sweet, or at any other time of the day. Verival granola is grrrrrreat! Visit www.verival.co.uk for more info.

 

 

CAROBOO

It's been a while since we've had some carob chocolate, but Caroboo is the new vegan chocolate on the block and it's bringing carob back into fashion - but tasting soooo much better than the carob chocolate of old. Caroboo comes in three flavours - Orange, Mint and Coconut and they all taste delightfully delicious. Soft, smooth and very melt-in-your-mouth, these 35g bars are pure decadence. It's hard to pick a favourite out of the three; the Orange is very reminiscent of those well-known chocolate oranges that you may or may not have eaten as a child. The Mint bar is perfectly minty and the Coconut flavour is the most like a standard milk chocolate bar minus the animal cruelty. All three are so creamy (thanks to the creamed coconut) that you'll be licking your lips and wanting more. The best thing is, due to the carob, they contain no refined sugars and have 45% less sugars than ordinary chocolate bars. And while they're not overly sugary, they're also not underly sugary either - the founders of Caroboo, Charlotte and Darran Miller, have perfected their recipe to create the ultimate chocolate snack. This is chocolate that you could give to non-vegan friends and family and they probably wouldn't have a clue that there was no dairy in it. It's also gluten free and Caroboo's packing is plastic free. These Free From bars are just full of magnificence. Visit www.eatcaroboo.co.uk to find out more and order online. Try all three flavours for £4.99 or stock up on bigger boxes - you know you want to! Caroboo will definitely help get you through the lockdown - although you may exclaim 'booooo' when you've eaten them all.

 

DR BOTANICALS

Dr Botanicals is a vegan-friendly, cruelty-free brand from the UK whose philosophy is: Vegan & Natural Skincare = Results. Vegan & Natural Skincare = Skincare for everyone. They are an LGBT-owned brand and are on a mission to be carbon free by 2025. The first product of theirs that we've tried is their Cocoa Noir Time Reverse Facial Serum, which comes in a bottle in a recycled cardboard box. The serum includes ingredients such as Sea Buckthorn oil, Neroli Oil and Geranium Flower Oil. We've spotted Sea Buckthorn pop up in the ingredients of skin-rejuvenating vegan collagen powder. It's rich in antioxidants, full of vitamins and has been seen to promote skin elasticity. Neroli Oil and Geranium Flower Oil both have microbacterial properties reduce inflammation and may heal wounds. They also help tighten skin and can minimize the appearance of wrinkles. While it's too early to tell if they'll reduce our wrinkles/fine lines completely, this facial serum does hydrate the skin nicely. It sinks into the skin and does seem to work a little magic, our fine lines did look less noticeable, while gaining a nice glow at the same time. On top of that, the serum has a nice coconutty scent and these oils have also been known to help with depression, anxiety and even menopausal symptoms. We're quite impressed with Dr Botanicals and will definitely try more of their products. Dr Botanicals have a large range of products that fit all budgets, and for every part of your body, skin type and its conditions. Check their website out at: https://drbotanicals.com and use the code SHARI20 to get 20% off.

 

 

SO NATURAL COSMETICS

SO is a brand of natural, cruelty-free and vegan skin and body care made in the UK. Their range includes body wash, hand wash, deodorant, make-up remover, moisturising lip balm, moisturising cream, facial oil, liquid soap, hand sanitiser and even beard oil. We particularly love their deodorant liquid gel, which makes a change from spray or roll-on deodorant. They do have a deodorant stick too for those that want a solid deodorant, but, having never tried a liquid gel deodorant before, we were particularly impressed by it. SO's Effective Deodorant Liquid Gel definitely does a great job of keeping skin clean and fresh, and free from body odours. It's effective for up to 12 hours, and being made from pure vegetable extracts, it's kind to your skin and the environment at the same time. I wore it on a day out which involved lots of walking and came back home smelling as fresh and clean as I did when I first left the house. It comes in a 50g pump dispenser and you can also choose if you want a scented gel or an unscented gel.

SO's hand sanitiser is another product well worth mentioning. Obviously particularly helpful during the current covid-19 climate, SO's hand sanitiser comes in two sizes; a 50g standard size and a 15g pocket size. We love the pocket size; it's thin and perfect to fit into any small handbag or your pocket and easy to carry around. It's a liquid gel too, that includes aloe vera and vegetable glycerin alongside alcohol (75%), which means it is kind for your skin as well as keeping bacteria and viruses at bay. The 15g travel size hand sanitiser is only £2.99, while the larger 50g hand sanitiser is £5.95.

SO uses white Polypropylene airless dispensers which are manufactured in the EU and are 100% recyclable. SO began in 2019 in rural Buckinghamshire with the goal of creating a range of 100% natural and plant-based body and skin care products. They are eco-conscious and sustainable. They also stock reusable hand-sewn bamboo make-up wipes, which come in packs of 10 and are round like cotton pads, and a recycled cotton wash bag to keep the make-up wipes in.

Sign up for SO's newsletter and receive free samples of their Ultra Gel, Deodorant Gel and Make-Up Remover.

Use the code SAVE20 for 20% off all products.

Head over to SO Natural Cosmetics' website at www.sonaturalcosmetics.co.uk

 

 

GOOD CARMA FOODS - SPREAD SENSATION

Good Carma Foods produce two ranges of vegan cheese – ambient parmesan-style in tall shaker cartons that go by the name of Flavour Fusion – as well as ‘Spread Sensation’, a cream cheese style of cheese. While Flavour Fusion is on sale in Ocado amongst other stores, Spread Sensation is slightly harder to come across – although you can order it directly from Good Carma’s website. And after trying it recently, we will definitely be doing so. Spread Sensation spreads softly like a paste. The mature cheddar cheese alternative has a deliciously tangy flavour. It is so tasty you’ll want to eat the whole tub in one go.

Spread Sensation is cashew based and includes yeast flakes, being a source of vitamin B12. It has no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Spread Sensation won a Great Taste Award in 2017 and it’s no wonder – this is one of the tastiest cheeses we’ve tried. We ate the whole tub in under 2 days - we'd have eaten it all in one had we not looked at the pack and checked out the calories! Although this cheese is low in saturated fats, so definitely a healthier cheese. We definitely recommend visiting www.goodcarmafoods.com and ordering some. Spread Sensation comes in three flavours – the mature cheddar, a garlic and chive and a chilli and you can buy in multipacks to save money too. On their own, they are £4.75 each, but you can buy 2 for £8.90 or 3 for £13.25. Definitely worth it. Follow Good Carma on Instagram at @goodcarmafoods

 

 

I'M NOT YOUR MUM, THIS IS NOT YOUR MILK

BOOK BY ANDY ATKINSON

'I’m Not Your Mum, This Is Not Your Milk' is a fab new children’s book with a story for children about milk and is inspired a plant-based lifestyle. Written by Andy Atkinson, based in Redditch, who is a vegan with three children, the book sees the main character, a young boy called Leon, go in search of some milk. He comes across various animals, including a dog, cat, pig, horse and cow, asking if they have any milk for him. They all tell him ‘I’m not your mum, this is not your milk’. Eventually his mother comes back from shopping with some plant-based milk and Leon gets his pick of almond, soya, oat or coconut.

The artwork is great, with a cute and colourful picture on every right-handed page which matches each page of text. There’s some additional educational matter and links at the back for parents and teachers. The book is entertaining while at the same time educational and important.

It makes you wonder if we’d have all read a book like this back when we were kids whether we would have embraced veganism a lot sooner than we did. I know that I, for one, wasn't taught that milk came from cows for their own babies and not me.

The book can be found in public libraries or can be purchased from https://www.planetbasedpublishings.co.uk/ priced at £4.99. You can also buy bundles of 3, 5 or 10 books. You can also find I'm Not Your Mum, This Is Not Your Milk on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/notyourmumnotyourmilk/

 

 

VIVE - NATURAL PROTEIN SNACK BARS

Is it wrong to eat all 3 flavours of Vive’s natural protein bars in one day? Don’t answer that! These bars are so yummy that you may well be tempted. Vive was founded in the UK by Ishak after being uninspired by other health bars on the market. Ishak decided to make his own – and here we have Vive in salted caramel, peanut butter and hazelnut flavours. Well, we bit into the salted caramel bar first expecting it to be crunchy, but it has a soft bite. Our initial thoughts - very flavoursome and yummy. Chocolatey on the outside, with a soft, whipped salted caramel texture inside.

The peanut butter bar was equally as tasty, and if you don’t love peanut butter, well, it’s not overly peanut buttery. The hazelnut bar also has a mixture of small and slightly larger crunchy hazelnut pieces inside. I’m not usually a massive fan of hazelnut products, but the pieces here are not too overpowering, so they’ve got a crunch and a taste without being too much.

Each bar has 10g of protein making them perfect for all those “But where do you get your protein?” queries! If you’re a sporty person or even if you’re not, a snack of one of these will give you that boost that you need. They’re a great snack to grab and go with. And with pea protein, cacao butter, concentrated grape juice and more, they are a nice, natural healthy treat that tastes great and will do your body good.

Vive are currently running a promotion over on their www.eatvive.com website where you can get a pack of 3 bars, one of each flavour, for free. All you need to do is pay for postage. To try Vive for free, go to http://eatvive.com/pages/free-taster-box

 

 

CHEEKY MONKEY PEANUT BUTTER PUFFS

Have you tried Cheeky Monkey Peanut Butter Puffs? These organic, vegan snacks are extremely tasty and very moreish. They're suitable for both young and old. Their website (www.cheekymonkeyorganic.com) says they're the safest, most delicious way to give peanuts to babies from 4 - 6 months and up. While having a soft crunch, they dissolve in the mouth making them the perfect snack for youngsters - and since their ingredients include peanut butter, help babies to avoid developing a peanut allergy from a young age. If you're a little older like us (ok, a lot older!) you'll love Cheeky Monkey peanut butter puffs equally. They make a change from the usual crisps and make a yummy snack. I'm not generally a peanut butter fan, but I love the taste and flavour of these puffs. They're gluten free and are a great source of protein with one pack of Cheeky Monkey puffs containing 10.5g of protein. Cheeky Monkey are produced in Israel and distributed in the UK by Free From Italy (www.freefromitaly.co.uk) along with a variety of other free from products. You can buy them online at Ocado and find them in vegan stores and health food stores (including Planet Organic, Wholefoods, As Nature Intended, Ethical Superstore and The Vegan Kind Supermarket). So whether you have a cheeky monkey or are one yourself, these are fab - and a must for your next food shop!

Cheeky Monkey also comes in a stronger spicy chilli pepper flavour and 2020 will see a brand new banana flavour coming. Exciting!

 

THE GAME CHANGERS - MOVIE

 

Whether you choose to believe it or not, more and more evidence is stacking up that the vegan lifestyle is the healthiest one you can live. And The Game Changers movie, directed by Louie Psihoyos, documents primarily the sporting and fitness angle – showcasing a range of current day athletes who are thriving on a plant-based diet. Winner of The Ultimate Fighter and a trainer of US Navy SEALs James Wilks, from Leicester, England, takes us on a journey where we actually discover that Roman Gladiators lived on a predominantly vegetarian diet before meeting up with today’s sporting heroes such as Strongman Patrik Baboumian, cyclist Dotsie Bausch, ultramarathon runner Scott Jurek, weightlifter Kendrik Farris and more, all of whom are powered by plants. “But what about protein?’ Oh, you’ll find out about protein… and blood flow… and about erections too!  You’ll hear how a plant-based lifestyle has helped win races, smash records and reverse heart disease. An array of doctors are on hand and later in the documentary the producers shine a light on environment issues caused by meat production, with some mind-boggling statistics. “I can’t remember feeling this great in the whole 32 years of my life,” says Lewis Hamilton (one of the executive producers of the movie, along with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Novak Djokovic, Chris Paul and James Cameron) after moving to a plant-based diet.

While some people still mistakenly believe they need meat to survive, The Game Changers shows that you definitely don’t.

The Game Changers is available now on digital download and on Netflix from October 16th. Well worth taking the time to watch – and it may even change or save your life. Visit www.gamechangersmovie.com for more info.  

 

MAYKA SKINCARE

Mayka Skincare is a vegan-friendly, 100% natural, handmade skincare brand based in Preston, Lancashire founded by Sylwia Marchewka. The cruelty-free range includes everything from Anti Wrinkle Q10 Boost Moisturiser to Stretch Marks Body Butter and Repairing Foot Butter. One of the best things about Mayka Skincare is that with your first order you'll receive a handful of samples of other items - and not just those small square sachet samples, but a nice little mini pot with a decent amount of product in. We couldn't resist trying the Magic Eyes Cream which we're told 'contains powerful, botanical extracts such as brightening Licorice to illuminate dark circles and Cucumber to soothe tired, puffy eyes. Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid and firming Collageneer® will smooth out wrinkles and lift the skin giving you a healthier, fresher, glowing look.' Sadly, our dark circles didn't seem to brighten (maybe we've been burning the candle at both ends for just a little too long), although the cream is very moisturising and the skin under our eyes looked visibly smoother when using it. Along with the Magic Eyes Cream, we were sent samples of the Moisture Boost, Strawberry Serum, Vitamin C Collagen Boost, Anti Wrinkle Q10 Boost and Repairing Hand Cream. The creams are all very moisturising with a buttery texture and their natural ingredients are great food for the skin. Moisture Boost and Repairing Hand Cream both include lavender water, and so have a lavender fragrance, while the Strawberry Serum gives off a rose water aroma and tightens the skin, reducing pores. The creams all smoothened and softened the skin, giving it a more youthful appearance. All in all, Mayka Skincare is full of pure plant goodness and makes a nice independent alternative to the more commercial chemical-laden high street brands. For more info visit www.mayka-skincare.com or www.facebook.com/pg/MAYKA.SKINCARE

DERMA V10

Derma V10 is a brand of beauty items with the slogan 'Love yourself for less'. You can find their products is stores such as Savers, Poundland or a variety of other high street stores, as well as online at fragrancedirect.co.uk. We recently got in touch with the manufacturers, Heathpoint Ltd, to check if they were vegan, and found out that they have quite a number of vegan products. Below are a few that we have recently tried - and loved.

DERMA V10 BODY BUTTER

Derma V10's Body Butter is an absolute bargain at only 99p from FragranceDirect and £1 in Pound Shops. You get a large tub of rich and luxuriously creamy body butter. It has a gorgeous fragrance and does a great job at moisturising and softening the skin, leaving it feeling smooth and fresh. The body butter comes in a range of flavours - from coconut to cherry & macadamia.

DERMA V10 SHOWER JELLY

One of Derma V10's newer items, these shower jellies instantly look fun! The packaging is cute and they make a nice change to showering or bathing from just using soap, shower gel or creme. You can choose either lemon or strawberry jelly - and they both smell so good you may almost want to eat them! Don't though! They do a great job cleaning away dirt and odours, leaving you smelling clean and sweet. We will definitely be stocking up on these as they look great and work great - and are cheap too!

DERMA V10 MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER

Some micellar waters are quite pricey, but this Derma V10 micellar cleansing water is another bargain at only 99p. And it does an amazing job at wiping off make-up and cleansing the skin. This is proof that you don't always need to pay more for a good quality product. You will be amazed at how good a job this micellar water does. It includes Pro-vitamin B5, aloe vera, chamomile and vitamin E and the bottle says 'suitable for vegans' and 'against animal testing'. It is also alcohol free, fragrance free and paraben free. From now on, Derma V10 micellar water is going to be our staple 'go to' product for wiping off make-up and face cleansing.

DERMA V10 RESCUE OIL

If you have any scars, stretch marks or blemishes then Derma V10's Rescue Oil is for you. Another £1 product - if you get it from a Pound shop, although can be slightly more in stores such as B&M. I tried this on a couple of scars - one on my leg from and a burn on my arm - and after using this rescue oil, both have completely vanished! This is like magic in a bottle! It's also good for moisturising and can help dry and aging skin.

DERMA V10 FOOT PACK

Been standing up all day? Or walked for miles? Then pamper your feet with Derma V10's deep moisturising foot pack. And yes, it's another bargain at around the £1 mark. This argan oil pack features two 'sock'-like items that you put your feet it, which are enriched with Moroccan argan oil and vitamin E. You keep the 'socks' on for 20 minutes (or longer, if you want - I kept them on for close to an hour!) and they moisturise your feet, leaving them relaxed, refreshed, smooth and renewed. We re-used them again the next night, for round number 2! Your feet will definitely love you if you treat them to one of these foot masks.

For more info on Derma V10, head to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DermaV10/ or visit http://dermav10tech.co.uk/

 

HOLY MOLY DIPS

Vegan guacamole is relatively hard to come by - or at least, it was until Holy Moly was born. Holy Moly is a brand of all-natural, gluten-free, vegan dips currently found online in Ocado or in Waitrose and Whole Foods Market. These are super-tasty. If you're like us, once you've opened a packet, you won't be able to stop eating it until the pack's empty and you've licked the container clean! Although that is just as well as it does say 'Once open, consume immediately' - and we are very happy to oblige! Holy Moly comes as either a pure, smashed avocado dip, or guacamole - which has two flavours - the 'Saintly Original' flavour and the 'Devilishly Hot' flavour. Devilishly Hot is hot, but not too hot, while Saintly Original is more subtle, but equally as nice. All three are exceedingly yum. The back of the packaging says 'Worship the Dip' and now we've tried Holy Moly, we definitely do. Check their website out at www.holymolydips.com

 

 

DEAD SEA SPA MAGIK DIAMOND RANGE

We've been a fan of Dead Sea Spa Magik for a number of years, ever since spotting them on GoodnessDirect's website and seeing 'vegan' highlighted underneath their products.Their whole range isn't ALL vegan, but a lot of it is. They are also not tested on animals. They have a whole range of products - everything from facial wash and toothpaste to salt brushing sea salts and face cream. Their Diamond Range is Dead Sea Spa Magik's venture into the anti-aging market. The range has been out for a while although as we've only just tried it, we thought we'd give it a mention on here. Over the past few weeks we've been trying the Age Response Eye Cream, the 24hr Marine Miracle Moisturiser and the Beauty Balm/BB Cream. The miracle moisturiser can be used as both day or night cream. It's quite rich and similar in texture to Dead Sea Spa Magik's Super Night Cream, a product that we've previously used. It does a good job moisturising although we haven't really noticed any anti-aging results. If you're looking for a hydrating and moisturising cream though, this is a good one.

The Age Response Eye Cream is said to reduce puffiness, dark circles and fine lines. The most noticeable result was when I put some on one eye one night before bed, to wake up and find the skin under that eye looking much smoother than the other eye, which had had no cream on it. Putting on the cream is like quenching your skin's thirst, so it looks relaxed and young for a while, but then if you miss a day or two of using the eye cream, the skin can soon return to looking dry, tired and thirsty again, so daily top ups are recommended. It is a decent eye cream and the price is also not bad. I've used more expensive eye creams that gave similar results.

Finally, the BB Cream is one of Dead Sea Spa Magik's few cosmetic items. This BB cream does a good job covering imperfections and makes a nice base for powder, giving a flawless finished look - although you don't necessarily need powder on top if you don't want it. The natural BB Cream adapts to your skin colour so you shouldn't find it too dark or too light - although if you're someone who does prefer a tint, Dead Sea Spa Magik have a CC Cream which has a light tint instead. I like this BB Cream although it's not the cheapest BB Cream. It has an SPF15 so good to wear on sunny days. As with Dead Sea Spa Magik's products, it contains no parabens and skin irritants and is ideal for sensitive skin.

You can find Dead Sea Spa Magik in Holland & Barrett as well as in online stores and their own 'virtual spa department store', Shop For Spa. The only disappointment is that the packaging doesn't say 'suitable for vegans' or 'not tested on animals' on it so you have to check the ingredients or website.

 

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This is the page where we recommend cruelty free items, products and places that you ought to check out and try. There is so much great vegan, cruelty free stuff out there. Below are some of our discoveries and things we give the thumbs up to.

 

 

 

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