Kitten Vixen - The Best Vegan Lipgloss Straight From London

Maybe I’m missing something, but I never got the obsession with the French so called beauties and the "French style"… I personally don't like Chanel and prefer the clean bohemian effortless look over the tobacco scented avatgarde.                        

British girls…, well that’s a different story. Kate Moss or Sienna Miller are unbeatable when it comes to being effortlessly cool. Also, maybe I’m bias, because I grew up reading “The Face” magazine and Vivienne Westwood signed my paycheck at one point. Somehow those London vixens never try too hard, they are just simply cool with a hint of bohemian and R’N'R’ edge. When it comes to organic/vegan beauty products, no surprise Britain wins over France.

I always thought it was impossible to find a vegan lip gloss with great color and texture. Most of the products I found were too thick or the colors were bright red or too pink, simply "unrealistic". I kept using MAC and YSL lip glosses, while I'm always on the hunt for an organic or vegan alternative.

Kitten Vixen hails straight from London Town. This amazing vegan, natural lip gloss is addictive. The brand currently only offers 3 flattering shades, peach provocateur, ravishing ruby and tickled pink. The moisture-rich formula leaves lips soft and glossy with a stunning hint of color and organic flavoring. Can be worn alone for a natural Kittenish look, or applied on top of Kitten Vixen's lip colors for a more polished finish.                                                                                                               

Buy them all, you will never find a sexier, glossier vegan lip product.

kittenvixen.com

Dandelion Root - Nature's Best For Spring Detox

When I think of dandelions, I have the beautiful dreamy images of the 60's coming to mind, like the pretty eerie photos of Sharon Tate surrounded by huge see through dandelions. Our grandmothers have a very different memory of this herb. Dandelion has a long history of use in traditional European herbal medicine, 50-60 years ago dandelion used to be a kitchen staple, our ancestors were religiously sipping dandelion root tea instead of coconut water.

Fasting and detoxing seem to be a huge trend these days. Even my non health conscious borderline self destructive friends stop eating for days and go on a spring cleanse this time of the year. They look great, feel healthy and get skinny for a few weeks, but as soon as the self punishment is over, they are weak, starving and jump back to their "old ways". Been there, done that. 

I don't believe in fasting or extreme starvation, life is too short or maybe I just love solid foods and my yerba mate tea too much to make my precious life like hell. I believe in eating healthy, cutting out the bad stuff, finding healthy natural substitutions.

This time of the year, as my detoxifying regimen I drink a cup of dandelion root tea once a day for 3 weeks straight. Dandelion root supposed to strengthen the entire body, especially the liver and gallbladder, where it promotes the flow of bile, reduces inflammation of the bile duct, and helps get rid of gall stones. It’s good for chronic hepatitis, it reduces liver swelling and jaundice, and it helps indigestion. Dandelions are also good for the bladder, spleen, pancreas, stomach and intestines. It enriches breast milk in nursing mothers, benefiting both mother and child. It’s recommended for stressed-out, internally sluggish, and sedentary people. Anyone who's a victim of excessive fat, white flour, and concentrated sweeteners could benefit from a daily cup of dandelion tea.  

If you are not allergic to ragweed or daisies, have serious gallbladder or liver disease, dandelion roots will get you ready for an active, healthy, bikini flaunting summer.

Calorie Counting Pasta Lovers- Kelp Noodles will save your a***

Who doesn't love pasta? For me the cheesier and the creamier the better. It's just one of those things, it looks good it tastes good, but you feel like crap after eating it. In my world Italian food equals food coma and love handles. Thanks to my willpower and the fact I like to feel great and energized these days, I probably haven't had traditional wheat and cream based pasta since the 90's... Zucchini pasta is extremely healthy, but because of the texture you can't fool yourself that you are eating the real deal.

If you are a pasta lover, but want to try a guilt free/low calorie vegan option, you will love Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles. Kelp noodles are sea vegetable in the form of an easy to eat raw noodle; made of kelp (a sea vegetable), sodium alginate (sodium salt extracted from a brown seaweed), and water. Kelp noodles are fat-free, gluten-free, and very low in carbohydrates and calories; these noodles look and taste like pasta. Kelp offers fantastic support for those looking to control their weight or blood sugar levels.

I got introduced to this amazing sea vegetable by my favorite raw chef Juliano, at Planet Raw in Santa Monica in LA; my all time favorite raw vegan restaurant, which has the most amazing addictive "Cheesy Kelp Noodle" dish on their menu and the infamous LA meets Burning Man meets New Age scene.

I talk, I write, I schmooze, I educate and coach, unfortunately I don't cook... however even I can make some great dishes out of kelp. I soak the noodles in almond milk for 24 hours, warm them up for 5 minutes. With olive oil, Himalayan salt, dill, hemp seeds and cashew cheese I make my own "poor man's version" of the Cheesy Kelp. You can prepare it with tomato sauce or use it in salads. And the best for the last, an entire bag of these kelp noodles contains only 18 calories (yes, the entire bag!).

Order them from Sea Tangle: http://www.kelpnoodles.com/products_seatangle_noodles.html

Faux Gras Toasted Walnut Lentil Paté - keeps me from being a "cheating vegan"

Every saint has a past and I'm sorry to break the news, but most preaching health food enthusiast started out on junk. I love to laugh at the "old Medea" and inspire people around me to evolve and change. 

Yes, there were days way back when I was sitting in a white mink coat washing down my chopped chicken liver appetizer with a bottle of vodka at Sammy's Roumanian. I still love romanticizing and joking about the "bad stuff", as much as I love bringing up a particular trip to Paris, where I tried and rated the foie gras with every meal at every restaurant... I know it's horrible, but I  believe in owning your mistakes as they make you who you are today.

I think it's so easy to make the transition and became vegan when you are the pizza-burger-fast food type. 

I wasn't sure I could stay vegan without cheating unless I find a tasty substitute to exotic game, chopped liver and pate. I was eating raw walnut pate for years which has the texture, but it's really hard to get the right flavor. 

The first time I tasted Faux Gras Toasted Walnut Lentil Paté, I couldn't believe it was healthy and vegan. If there is a vegan food Oscar, this product deserves it. It's so decadent, savory and creamy; perfect with crackers or veggies, as a breakfast spread on toast, as a sandwich filling or rolled up in nori rolls. 

The Faux Gras is made with all natural, whole food ingredients like lentils, walnuts and caramelized onions, it's amazing and addictive. Everyone I introduced to this product buys it weekly.

The Faux Gras is available at all the better health food stores in NYC. Now even if you don't live in New York, you can order it online at http://www.theregalvegan.com/site/faux_gras

Egyptian Magic: First aid in a jar

These days I don't give a f*** about celebrity endorsements, especially because the people I find cool, exciting and amusing are already dead and the ones are alive rarely attach their names to products. The story was very different back then pre-holistic health days... I own it I only picked up Egyptian Magic at a health food store, because I've heard Madonna was buying it in bulk... I think it was my first (super hesitant) purchase at Whole Foods beauty about 8 years ago.

Maybe it's the name, maybe it's my obsession with Egyptian Mythology, or just the continuous amazing results I experienced... Egyptian Magic is truly a miracle-magical product.

It is an all-in-one miracle formula for all skin types and a multitude of purposes. Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream balances oil production, naturally antibacterial and anti-inflammatory cream. It doesn't clog pores, adds an amazing glow and hydrates the body, face and the hair. Perfect after shaving lotion, softens hands and feet, super lip and eye gloss, great hot-oil treatment for hair, heals chapped lips, eases irritation from mosquito bites, treats burns, and blemishes, great for eczema, diaper rashes, great prep for use on skin pre-surgery and post-surgery. 
I used it on pets (animal bites and hot spots), my friends use it on their babies, I put it on after extreme sun exposure, or just when my skin or hair feels dry. 

Whoever Lord-Pharaoh ImHotep-AmonRa CEO founder and manufacturer is, he did an amazing job creating this product, keeping the magic happening and the mystery alive.